Castle Combe

Castle Combe

Mia G, Class of 2026

“Thank you, Mr. Picher,” I said, as my feet hit the manicured lawn. I picked a mint leaf and chewed on it as I ran across the driveway and inside. “Elizabeth is that you?” Ms. Vass yelled almost in sync with the giant front door slamming shut.

“Yes, what is it?” I took off my coat and hung it on the large gold hanger. “It is your mother. She would like to speak to you, and how many times have I told you not to leave your shoes in the corridor?” “What about?” “I don't know, she is in her office waiting for you.”

“Ok,” I said, starting up the stairs. The stairs were long and wide and seemed to go on forever. When I got to the top floor where my mum’s office sat I stopped. I dreaded talking to her but kept walking.

“Mother, did you request me?” I whispered. “Yes, come on in.”

“What’s the matter?'' I said. I sat down in one of her brown flocculent chairs. The room had all sorts of books and papers and even some sports equipment. My mother was never like other mothers in our town and I don't think other families like us for that.

“It’s about the trip.”

“I knew it!” I burst out.

“I’m afraid you won’t be coming anymore, plans have changed and I don't feel it is the right thing to do anymore.” Her words felt like knives cutting into me, how could she do this!

“Why? It is not fair, you always used to take Oliver and Adger,” I halfyelled.

“I’m not taking you because they are coming into town.”

“What? They haven’t come in eight years. What could they possibly fancy about this town that wasn’t here all the other times we invited them?”

“I’m not sure actually. But that is beside the matter. I must get packing go along.”

“Fine,” I said. I slid down the banister on the stairs and stopped at the second floor, then went into my bedroom. My room had many big, old windows that opened to a balcony with vines hanging down the side. I had an old fireplace that hadn’t worked in 200 years and a grand gold bed. I climbed through one of the windows and jumped out onto the balcony. I picked a few roses from the vine and spent the next hour in my room potting flowers into vases.

“Darling, Elizabeth darling are you okay?”

“What. Oh yeah, I’m fine Ms. Vass, is there something you need?”

“Your mother is leaving and would fancy a goodbye.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No, I will not come to say goodbye.”

“Whatever you wish,” she sighed, rolling her eyes.

I didn’t leave my room until I stopped hearing Ms. Vass’s feet shuffle along the floor, then I opened my door and ran down the stairs as fast as I could. I ran to the foyer and sat on the bench underneath the window and watched the driveway, waiting for my brother's carriage to arrive. When

I heard the sound of gravel crunching below I sprang off the bench. The book that Ms. Vass had gotten me was a bore so I didn’t even flinch when it flew off my lap and landed with a hollow thud on the floor. I ran to the entrance and pulled repeatedly, trying to open the door. About 30 seconds later Ms. Vass arrived home from shopping in the market.

“A parcel arrived for you, dear.” She dropped it into my hands.

I threw it onto the floor and ran outside. The dewy wet grass stuck to my bare feet as I ran towards the road. I didn’t even hesitate when I felt the sharp rocks stabbing my feet; I was used to it. The carriage appeared just before Elona Sallows house and I jumped onto the backbench as it went by. When we pulled up to my house I was practically screaming on the inside. I jumped off just as the wooden door swung open. I stood there staring at them for a good minute before they introduced themselves.

“I’m Oliver and this is Adger,” Oliver said. He was tall and had brown curly hair that went to his ears. I just kept staring.

“Well if you don't intend on talking save us the trip of asking and show us inside,” a shorter man with short black curly hair in a Dark brown tuxedo said. I assumed he was Adger.

“I'm Elizabeth.” I gave them a tour of the house and they were pretty silent the whole time. After that, they went to their rooms so I went to mine.

I was outside feeding the chickens when I heard the bells. Ms. Vass rang the bells whenever she needed us for something. I brushed the dirt off my dress as I ran inside. The French glass doors welcomed me as I sat down at the candlelit dining table. Oliver and Adger were chatting up with Ms. Vass when I got there, but they all fell silent as soon as they saw me. Ms. Vass had also been Oliver’s nanny when he was a boy so she must have been happy to see him.

“So, what have you both been doing lately?” I said, trying my best to break the ice.

“I have been overseeing markets all around the world for my company. I presume you’ve heard of it–Beau Monde.”

“Don't flatter yourself, Adger. I’m sure she doesn’t fancy world markets half as much as you,” Oliver interrupted. I grinned.

“Oliver, why don't we tell her our big news,” Adger said with a promising look on his face.

“What big news?” I said.

“We have decided that you aren't being raised the way a proper young lady should be,” Adger said.

“You will be staying with a good friend in Paris. She will help you get back on track.”

“WHAT do you mean? I am a perfectly good young lady or whatever, and I am not going to go stay in Paris with some strangers,” I said, storming off.

When I got upstairs all of my stuff was packed up in trunks and bags. I threw myself onto my empty bed and grabbed the parcel Ms. Vass had handed me earlier. Inside there was a letter.

“Bonjour Elizabeth, I hope you are getting this letter on time. I am Aurelie, the woman whom you will be staying with in Paris. I am beyond excited to meet you and from what I have heard about you from your brothers...”

I stopped reading the letter there and threw it out the window, hoping it

would get blown away with the leaves.

When I woke up in the morning the sun was shining in my eyes and my room was a mess. I waded through the piles of clothes into my bathroom. I was brushing my teeth when I saw the reflection of the window in my mirror. I stormed down the hallway and stairs until I got to the front door. I pulled the door open and stepped outside. It was a brisk August and the wind was blowing all around. I marched across the lawn and up to the carriage being loaded with my things.

“What do you think you are doing Oliver?” I said, in the most powerful voice I could muster.

“I am loading the carriage. Go get Adger, he is in the other carriage.”

I walked over to the driveway where Adger and the other carriage were waiting and jumped in to ask him if we could leave tomorrow morning. Before I could say anything the carriage drove off.

Nobody made a word the entire drive. I was busy making a plan in my head on how to escape.

When we got to the train station Adger and Oliver got out of the carriage so I followed them. They stopped at the ticket booth and that was when I ran. Oliver saw me and started chasing after me, but he was wearing his nice loafers so he wasn’t half as fast as me. I kept running to the carriage and jumped in it.

“Go go,” I yelled at the driver. He started driving before he realized he didn’t know where to go.

“Where to, Ms. Dankworth?”

“The Sallows.”

When I entered Elona’s house my mum and her mum were sitting at the dining table talking quietly.

“Mum?”

“Oh hunny, hi. I was looking all over for you. You weren’t home when I got here so I came over and Ms. Sallow was ever so kind.”

I sat down next to mom and told her everything that had happened. She was furious and said that she would tell off my brothers the second they got home.

A few hours later I was in the library looking for a book when I heard the door open. There was a series of yells and I heard the door slam shut. Mother came up to my room and said that they were going to shorten their visit and we’re leaving tonight.

“Hunny, I am afraid you might not be seeing your brothers for a while.” And nothing else happened for a while after that.

Theo L Class of 2025