Chapter 4 - No Breakfast, Only Tea
The maid Odette led her back inside to a room called the parlor room. Inside, many women dressed in shimmering and elegant clothes sat in groups as they chatted and some even played cards in glee.
"I thought you were taking me to the food hall," she whispered as she felt every woman's gaze on her.
"emmm, miss it's morning, we only have tea," Odette awkwardly whispered back.
Eloise peered down at her with wide-open eyes. 'girl what!!! No food!! I'm starving!' she found it hard to maintain her smile, "w—what do you eat here then?"
"Drink tea and eat biscuits," Odette whispered cheerfully. "Oh, I see madam in that corner, let's go join her," she cheerfully pulled her through the crowd.
Her mother, who she later came to know as Millen Ayles was sitting with a young blond girl and was chatting so cheerfully.
"Mother," she whispered as she reached closer.
Her mother glanced up while sipping her tea, and almost spat it out. "E—Eloise, what.... what are you wearing?!"
"Oh this, I got my favorite dress wet, so I wore this," she pulled at her loose white shirt's neckline. There were small frills stitched there that made her neck itch immensely. 'To hell with the frills, I'm gonna tear them off my clothes,' she mentally thought as she sat down.
Her mother peered at her without blinking. "Odette, why don't you go and help her wear something more..... appropriate," she whispered with a small smile.
"It's okay, I'm fine with this," Eloise picked up a small biscuit from the stand. It tasted like cinnamon and sugar. "This is good," she mumbled as she bit into another one.
"Dar—darling, why don't you change," her mother said insistently.
"No, I don't want to. Let's roll with what I have," Eloise shrugged and drank hot black tea. It complimented the sugary sweetness of the biscuits so well.
"Dear Eloise, you.... you have to learn to fit in," the young blond lady whispered with a soft smile. But her eyes held contempt as she gazed at her.
Eloise softly scoffed. 'Kind words filled with contempt and malice, hmmm, this girl knows how to talk. But.... what can't an expert customer service agent handle?' her smile widened tenfold. "Young miss, you are definitely right, I've seen people wearing so much makeup, I guess my fresh blemish-free skin stands out a lot," she said patting her cheeks.
"That was not what I meant....." she said, twirling her hair with a condescending gaze.
"Oh, you mean my hair. Have you seen silver so beautiful? It complements everything. Last night I wore an emerald green dress, and you should have seen it, it looked so pretty with my styled hair. Don't you think so mum," she patted her mum's hand.
"Yes! Definitely, your hair looks good with midnight blue as well, it's soft and shiny. I adore it the most," her mother said genuinely. She then glanced at the lady next to her, "I'm sure Lady Holster did not mean any malice, but I prefer it if you do not talk to my daughter like that,"
The young girl scoffed and excused herself.
"Mum, is my hair that bad?" Eloise whined softly.
"No, it's pretty and don't let anyone say otherwise. I thought she was a good person, but it seems not. Let's not associate with her," her mother said curtly and sipped her tea. "And you, next time wear a beautiful dress, let the beauty of your hair shine like the moon,"
"How can you wear a dress in this climate, and the corset, oh lord, I think I almost fainted," she fanned herself.
Her mother swiftly held her hands. "You.... you are okay, right? If you don't want to wear a corset, its fine... who cares what others say. Your health is the most important," she said with a wide smile.
"Mommy," Eloise leaned on her soft shoulders. "Do you know you are the prettiest and the sweetest amongst all?"
"Oh little devil, enough with it, come eat some biscuits they are freshly baked,"
"Hmm," Eloise happily chewed on the tasty biscuits.
After tea, the mother and daughter pair went on a peaceful walk around the ship.
By afternoon they ate their lunch in their room. It was quiet and peaceful and full of laughter as her mother recounted all the stories about her father.
"Father did that!"
"Yes, your father was quite crazy. He literally jumped off his moving carriage and ran over to mine shouting, "My love, my love marry me!!' gods, you should have seen your grandfather's face. He was furious indeed, even his face and neck turned red as he glared at your father,"
"Then how did your father agree to the union?" Eloise whispered, lying lazily on her bed.
"Your father is persistent alright. He chased us literally all throughout town, proposing his love to me. Your poor grandpa almost fainted in stress on multiple occasions. Finally, he got so annoyed that he gradually came to accept the crazy man and married me off," she said with a soft smile on her face.
"That sounds nice... I hope I find a man like that," Eloise whispered, watching the small raindrops run down her window pane.
Right then Odette ran into their room in a hurry.
"Where are your manners dear, knock and then enter" her mother shouted and swiftly pulled a shawl over her shoulders and even helped her wear one.
"Madam," she gasped. "Madam, miss, bad news, it's bad news," she shouted.
"Odette, enough shouting. Let's go out and talk," her mother calmly said and left. Eloise secretly followed after them.
After reaching an abandoned corner of the ship, her mother paused. "Now tell me, what's wrong?"
"Our wares.... it's gone!!"
"What do you mean? calm down and say it properly,"
"Madam, our ship, our wares, everything is gone. Our ship has sunk!" she shouted and cried out loud.