Sims Stories by Saoz

Change was coming to Halcyon. It was something about the way the air smelled. Anne Tyler wasn’t sure when it would happen, but it felt close.

For as far back as she could remember the small village of Halcyon and the area surrounding it had been ensconced in an unnatural state of perpetual summer, one day melting into the other endlessly, without variation. She didn’t know how, and she certainly didn’t know why, but she knew change was coming.

Strange things had started happening when the weather stopped. The island’s scientists started to disappear. Rumors circulated that they’d been snatched from their homes, had simply disappeared. They returned, without fail, three days later. People questioned them, curious as to what had happened. Not one would say a word about what they had experienced. Then, three months later, the young scientists would leave the island, never to be seen or heard from again.

It was a pattern that was repeated over and over again. Anne’s own father had disappeared once. They’d been frantic. She asked countless questions of him after his return, but all her inquiries were met with a distracted shake of his head. He’d once told her that she wouldn’t believe him anyway. It was the only time he’d actually referred to the incident. Fortunately, he was no longer a young man so Anne and her sisters hadn’t had to deal with a second, more permanent disappearance.

That morning Anne was in the garden. It was the one place where she was completely at peace. She had experienced another night of restless dreams. Finally, giving up in the predawn hours, she escaped from her room and entered the garden. It was not yet light enough to tend to the garden, so she sat and waited for the sun to rise.

She looked up at the sound of horses approaching. She looked toward the sound. It was too early for visitors, and surely no one would be traveling at this hour. She gazed, in wonder, as a stately carriage swept by the house. At the last minute the lone passenger of that carriage turned and looked straight at her.

 

 

A shiver of foreboding slid down her spine.

Was it her imagination, or did she also feel a nip in the air?

When the carriage was out of sight, Anne shook her head. She’d never been one to engage in missish imaginings and she wasn’t about to start now. She stood and went into the house to prepare breakfast for her father and sisters. The sun would be up soon.

Anne looked up from her book as Helen burst into the room, her face flush with excitement.

 

“Someone has purchased the old manor house. A Lady Spencer. No one in town knows who she is – you should hear the speculation!”

Was that who she had seen early that morning? The carriage had been heading in the direction of the manor house so it might very well be her. But why would a young woman be traveling alone, save for her driver, at such an early hour? And to have purchased the house in her own name?

“If no one knows who she is, what could they possibly be saying about her?”

Helen pouted. “Stop being so practical. Don’t you ever get tired of it?”

Anne shrugged. “Someone has to be practical in this family.”

Helen shrugged off the jibe and dropped onto the settee beside her sister.

 

“They say she’s very beautiful. And that she traveled at night to arrive this morning. Can you imagine? Traveling at night!”

“Well, she is very striking.”

Helen stared at her, her mouth hanging open in shock.

“You’ve met her? Why haven’t you said anything before now?” She leaned back, pouting. “I thought I was bringing news.”

Anne reached out and patted her sister’s hand, hoping to forestall a full blown tantrum.

“You are. I was out in the garden when her carriage drove past. I didn’t know who she was or where she was headed. I assumed she was just passing through. What else are they saying?”

Helen brightened and leaned forward, happy to share all she had heard.

“They say she left her husband and is hiding from him here. Her husband hates the country and won’t be following.”

Helen’s ability to gather gossip never ceased to amaze her.

“How on earth do you know this?” she asked.

Her sister shrugged her shoulders carelessly, but the effect was spoiled by the triumphant gleam in her eye.

“Unlike you, dear sister, I have a social network. I make it my business to know what’s going on.”

Anne had long since grown immune to her sister’s constant reminders about the difference in their social connections. As the eldest of three sisters, and motherless since her youngest sister Elizabeth was born, it had been left to her to care for her father and sisters. She’d only just grown out of childhood herself, but had been cast into the role of woman of the house. Their father, who had never really gotten over his wife’s death, had immersed himself in his study of the stars.

“So she was alone?” Helen asked.

Anne nodded. “She had a driver, but he was older. Not your type.”

Helen pouted and sank into the cushions.

“It’s not fair. Why couldn’t she have been a man.”

“I doubt a man would have needed to hide in the country to flee his husband,” Anne said matter-of-factly, a comment that earned her a glare from her sister.

Elizabeth wandered into the room a short while later, a letter in her hand and an expression of confusion on her face.

“Do we know a Lady Spencer?” she asked.

“What!”

Helen stood and went to take the letter from her sister.

 

“It’s an invitation to a ball next month,” Elizabeth said. “At the old Hammond estate.” She pushed up her glasses. “Did someone move in there?”

Helen scanned the invitation, her face glowing with excitement.

“A ball! We must have new gowns.”

 

“Do we have to go?” Elizabeth asked.

 

“Of course we do!” Helen replied. “We have to welcome Lady Spencer properly. It would be an insult to refuse.” She looked down at the invitation again. “Maybe there will be eligible bachelors there,” she said dreamily.

Anne had to admit, she, too, was excited. She’d never been to a ball. The last one in Halcyon had been held before she had come of age. While she enjoyed the small outings at their neighbors’ homes, they were nothing to an actual ball.

 

Helen was driving everyone crazy with her preparations for the ball that evening. Papa had escaped to his study after lunch and Elizabeth snuck in behind him when Helen was occupied elsewhere. As the sole recipient of her sister’s undivided attention, Anne fled into town. There was still enough time to buy some supplies and return in time to dress for the evening.

She was not surprised to find most of the stores empty. No doubt women were spending the day, like Helen, primping for the ball. Anne made short work of her purchases. While she did not see the necessity of spending a whole day preparing for an event to be held in the evening, she was looking forward to the ball as much as her sister.

She paid for her last purchases and set off home. She was surprised to find it was already dark out. How was that possible? She’d been careful not to linger.

Thoughts of the tantrum Helen would throw going through her mind, Anne hurried. She stepped off the road and crossed the meadow. If she cut through the field between the town and her home she could make up time. When she reached the copse of trees, however, she hesitated. She could save ten minutes by cutting through them, something she had done many times in the past, but never before in the dark.

 

She shook her head. She was being silly. Taking a deep breath, she started through, thankful the moon was out to illuminate the path that wound through the trees.

She was halfway through when she heard a noise to her left. She turned toward the sound. A dark shape materialized from the trees. The shape moved and a shaft of moonlight illuminated a man. There was blood on his face.

 

She gasped. “You’re bleeding. Are you hurt?” She took a step towards him.

He let out a low, sharp snarl.

“Go away.” It was half command, half plea. When she remained, frozen to the spot, he took a step towards her. The look on his face decided her. She turned and ran the rest of the way through the trees, her breath harsh in her own ears.

 

 

When she broke through to the field before her home she didn’t slow. But she did stop long enough to catch her breath before going inside. 

 

A glance at the grandfather clock surprised her. She hadn’t been imagining things. It was getting dark earlier. Was their summer finally over?

 

Elizabeth wandered into the entryway.

“There you are. Were you also hiding from Helen?”

Anne smiled weakly, trying not to think about the man she’d come across.

“Something like that.”

“Anne? Elizabeth?” Helen called from upstairs.

Elizabeth groaned. “She doesn’t want us to embarrass her. She’s threatening to take away my glasses.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll talk to her.” Anne hugged her, drawing as much strength from her as she was hoping to impart. “It will be fun,” she said when she drew back.

 

“If you say so,” Elizabeth grumbled as she followed her up the stairs.

The evening was an unqualified success. It seemed that everyone from the village and surrounding areas was present. Anne and Helen had danced several sets, and even Elizabeth had been persuaded to join them for a set. The last Anne had seen of her father, he was headed for the library on the invitation of their hostess.

When she wasn’t dancing, Anne had been privy to much discussion and speculation about the Viscountess Spencer. Other than their introduction on their arrival, she had caught only glimpses of her as she moved about the room.

She had just declined another dance, her feet aching from her new dancing slippers, and was speaking with Elizabeth when Helen joined them.

 

 

“She’s coming this way,” she whispered urgently, just moments before their hostess joined them.

 

“I hope you are all enjoying yourselves,” Lady Spencer said.

“Very much,” Anne said.

“The house is lovely,” Helen added. “How ever did you prepare for the ball so quickly?”

Lady Spencer smiled, but the gesture did not reach her eyes.

“I was fortunate, the house did not require much work.”

A gleam in Helen’s eye should have warned Anne what was coming next. She and Elizabeth could only watch, in horror, as her sister took the opportunity to prod their hostess for information.

“It’s a shame Lord Spencer could not be here in time for the ball.”

This time, there was no mistaking the emotion felt by their hostess.

 

“He has other commitments. We don’t know when, or if, he’ll be joining me. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Hello, darling.”

The Viscountess froze, but only for a moment, then turned to face the man who had approached their group.

 

“My lord. I did not expect you.” Her voice was flat.

“How could I stay away?” he replied smoothly.

Anne watched the interplay between the two, fascinated by the undercurrent of tension. A quick glance at her sisters told her they were equally fascinated.

 

“Are you going to introduce me to your guests?”

Lady Spencer turned and introduced Anne and her sisters to her husband.

The Viscount Spencer. Anne could not believe it. And that his reunion with the Viscountess should take place before them! She knew Helen was in heaven. She’d be recounting this scene countless times over the next few days to all their acquaintances.

“I believe this next dance is mine,” Lord Spencer said, holding out his arm to his wife.

For a moment Anne thought she was about to refuse, but she smiled and put her arm through his.

“Excuse us,” she said, before following him onto the dance floor.

Elizabeth shook her head in bewilderment. “That was most interesting.”

“Yes,” Anne agreed.

Helen, who had been staring at the departing couple, whirled to face them.

“Did you see that?”

“We could hardly miss it.”

“Oh, there’s Felicia. I must tell her,” she said before hurrying off.

Anne sighed. She hoped Helen would be discreet. She did not think it would be wise to make an enemy of their hostess.

Feeling that she had put in enough of an appearance at the ball, Elizabeth went to find Papa, hoping there was still enough time to explore the library. Anne headed for the refreshment table. She had just reached it when she felt a shiver slide down her spine.  Somehow, knowing who she would see, she turned to see the man she’d encountered on her way home from the village.

 

She had no idea how long they stood there, their gazes locked.  She was powerless to look away. Finally, he inclined his head in acknowledgement and turned away. When he did, she exhaled the breath she’d been unaware of holding.