Alberta Chp. 5

5

Alberta squeezed through the hole and down the streets, where she bumped into Elizabeth, who was calling for her.

“Elizabeth, why did you call?” Alberta asked.

Elizabeth’s voice sounded shakily and kept breaking up. She was indeed exhausted and tired from her work, day and night. When she finally spoke, it was almost a whisper. But a disappointed one. 

“Alberta May Albury! Why, you’re in your night gown! How ridiculous for a child you age!” She placed her hands on her hips and scowled. “What were you doing?” She sounded older than her age. 

“I looked everywhere. I searched the whole town, thinking you were earning pay. But no? You were just dilly dallying?” She spotted Matthias nearby, holding a bouquet of flowers, about to approach Alberta, when he found her.

“Dilly dallying with that scoundrel again.” She glared at the boy.

“No, Lizzie. He’s not a scoundrel. He’s my friend.”

“Yes, well, pretty soon, he’ll be your husband, if you don’t watch it.” 

Alberta gasped. “No, Elizabeth, it’s not like that at all—”

“Oh, really?” Elizabeth spoke sternly. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a golden ring. “The boy dropped it on the street, just an hour ago.”

“How do you know it belongs to him?” Alberta groaned.

“It has your name engraved on it, that’s why!” Elizabeth grasped the ring tightly, and was threw it out onto the busy road, when Matthias ran fastly, with all his might, and snatched the ring from the air, shouting, 

“No, wait!” He caught the ring and shoved it in his pocket. 

“You should be more careful with your things, instead of losing them, and then causing a big scene!”

“I’m sorry, Madam. But you have no right to try to do what you just did. That ring means a lot to me. It came on a ship from Germany, almost two hundred years ago. It was my ancestor’s.”

“And why do you think, I’d believe such a story?” Elizabeth demanded. “It sounds preposterous. Also—” She glared even more. “That has my sister’s name on it.”

Matthias took the ring from his pocket. “Alberta Jan, was the owner of this possession, and over time it was passed down until it got to me. But yes—” He smiled at Alberta. “I agree, your sister would make a fine owner for it.”

“I did not agree to anything. Now take your ring and be done with us.” Elizabeth held her chin up.

It was silent for a moment. Then looking at Elizabeth, then to Alberta, Matthias felt his head and shrugged. “Fine, then. I’ll go.” He backed up slowly and then turned around and left.

Alberta was afraid that might mean for good. When he was completely out of sight, Alberta cried. “Why did you do that? That’s so cruel!”

Elizabeth tightly took Alberta by the arm and forced her back into the mansion, after a while of walking. 

Elizabeth pushed her through the door. “You animal! You’ve disgraced our whole family! Going out in your nightgown, in the middle of the morning, prancing about in the field, like some untamed pony! How ridiculous, you’re nineteen years old now! It’s time you start acting your age!”

“Stop it!” Alberta wiped her tears away. “Mother would’ve wanted us to fight,” she stated. 

Elizabeth looked down, still with a scowling expression. “I don’t care what Mother would’ve wanted. You were always the favorite. You know that.” Elizabeth looked as if she could cry.

Alberta wanted to comfort her, but she knew her sister would probably just push her away.

Finally, after silence, Elizabeth looked back at Alberta.

“If I ever see you with that boy again…” She looked as if the words were struggling to come out. “I’m going to—” Elizabeth felt her stomach. She began groaning, and almost fell to the floor, but steadied herself.

“Get the doctor,” She whispered, and then collapsed on the ground.