NOT MY WORKlink
The carriage thudded and rocked. Katrina kept thumping and shrieking at the walls of the inner carriage until she grew tired. Eventually, and completely unintentionally, she fell asleep. Dried tears making strands of her hair stick to her face.
After what seemed to be forever, the carriage door opened. Mary peered round the carriage door at the sleeping Katrina, Harlow in arms.
'Aww. What do you think? Should we wake her?' Mary uttered to the baby. 'No? I didn't think so.'
She turned on her heel with a smirk and glanced at the coachman.
'Carry her into the house. Do not wake her.' She said sternly, looking up at her late husband's house.
-
After about two days carriage journey, Ichabod and Young Masbeth pulled up just on the entrance to the village of Sleepy Hollow.
'It feels so strange to be here again.' Young Masbeth muttered quietly as he pulled some of the luggage out of the back of the carriage.
'Yes .. it does.' Ichabod replied, taking the remainder of the luggage and walking along the familiar path, looking around at the grey, dead buildings. The village seemed emptier then the last time they were there. Perhaps the Headless Horseman scared away a good amount of Sleepy Hollow's occupants.
They kept trudging through the dreary town, until they came across a building.
'It is the old Inn.' Young Masbeth said on seeing it. 'Their charges are next to nothing, Sir.'
Ichabod nodded.
'Then it is here we shall stay, Young Masbeth.' He said, easing the door open with one arm and glancing around the room. It wasn't much. A fireplace with a table, several chairs and a large staircase.
A pretty young girl with dark, flowing hair walked into the room, she was carrying an empty glass.
'Oh! Are you here to stay?' She asked, eyeing their luggage.
'Well ...' Ichabod started, he was interrupted by a large lady bustling into the room and hurrying over to Young Masbeth.
'Oh, well isn't he the sweetest thing! Is he your son?' She said to Ichabod, not expecting an answer. She pinched Young Masbeth's cheeks. 'You look hungry, sonny. Just follow Anna over there, she looks like shes heading for the kitchen anyway. Just drop your bags, there's a good lad.'
Young Masbeth looked at Ichabod awkwardly but dropped his bags obidiently. Ichabod just nodded once firmly. The girl referred to as Anna glided to the next room and Young Masbeth followed as he was told.
'Right then, sir! Let's get you checked in!' She said cheerfully, not bothering to ask if Ichabod actually was there to stay.
The large lady hurried behind a wooden counter and pulled out a large, dusty book accompanied by a feather pen and ink well.
'I'm Mrs. Everest. That was my daughter, Anna. Got me a son and husband running around here somewhere too.' She babbled cheerfully, tapping an empty space on the book. Ichabod gingerly took old of the feather pen and dipped it lightly in the ink well. Mrs. Everest watched as he signed his name in the book.
'Ooo.. Ichabod is your name then eh, Constable? I love quirky names like that, I do. I got lumbered with Mary-Anne. Hardly exciting, is it?' She babbled as if Ichabod were a close friend. 'Just you and the lad then, eh?'
'Yes.' Ichabod replied meekly, taking a handful of coins and dropping them into Mrs. Everest's palm.
'That's you sorted for a few days now, Constable. I'll just give my husband a shout, he'll give you a hand with those bags.' She grinned, then threw her head back and cupped her hands around her mouth.
'SAWYEEERRRR!!' She bellowed. Her voice ringing in Ichabod's ears, he flinched. Before long an equally as large man in a slobbish attire stormed into the room.
'What is it, Mary-Anne?!' He said, scratching the back of his head. 'Oh, bloody hell! A customer! Haven't seen one of those in a while!' He said, his face breaking into a grin.
'Give him Constable Crane a hand with his bags there, Sawyer.' Mrs. Everest said, nodding to the luggage. 'Take him to his room.'
'Righto.' He said happily, taking most of the bags in his burly arms and starting up the stairs. Ichabod took the few bags left and followed him up.
'So, Constable. How long you here for?' Mr Everest piped up cheerily, attempting a conversation.
'I don't know.' Ichabod replied, keeping his head low. Mr Everest simply nodded. They arrived at the top of the stairs and Mr Everest opened the nearest door to reveal an averge sized room with two single beds, chest of drawers at the end of each bed, one bedside table, a window, wash basin and a lantern.
'Dinner's in about an hour, Constable. Come join us downstairs.' He said warmly, patting Ichabod's shoulder and starting back down the stairs.
-
An hour later, Ichabod had unpacked his and Young Masbeth's clothes. He started down the stairs and wondered for a few minutes, eventually finding a room with a large table occupied by Young Masbeth and the Everest family.
'Oh, there you are Constable! Take a seat next to the boy.' Mrs. Everest said cheerfully, lowering a large plate with a roasted chicken placed upon it. Ichabod nodded to her.
'Where did you vanish to?' He asked Young Masbeth as he sat next to him.
'Anna was showing me around, Sir. She let me pick at the chicken.' He said happily. Anna grinned happily. Mrs. Everest handed a plate of chicken with some potatoes to a lad sat next to her.
'Pass that around, Sage. There you go.' She said happily, and kept on passing chicken plates around until everyone had one. Eventually, she sat down herself.
'So, Constable. Where are you from?' Mrs. Everest asked, tucking into her dinner.
'New York.' Ichabod replied quietly, poking at his chicken with his fork.
'Ohh, I've never been there. I've heard it's such a nice place though.' She smiled happily. 'Though, my Anna went there once on her travels. She likes to get around, does my Anna. I'm so proud.'
Mrs. Everest smiled at Anna, then reached forward and planted a kiss on her forehead.
Ichabod snapped his eyes shut. This stung. Seeing Mrs. Everest with Anna reminded him so much of Harlow.
'Something wrong, Constable?' Mr. Everest asked, talking with his mouth full.
'No .. I.. I'm sorry, I must leave the table.' He said quickly, lifting himself from his chair and leaving the room.
'But you haven't eaten!' Mrs. Everest called. It was too late, the thud of the stairs could be heard. Young Masbeth instantly stood to go to him, but Mrs. Everest motioned for him to sit.
'Sit down, sonny. If there's an incident in my Inn, I'll sort it.' She smiled to him and stood from the table herself.
Ichabod slammed the room door and collapsed to his knees. He hammered at the floor with his fists as tears flowed.
'What am I doing?! I should be out there, looking for her!' He cried, breathing heavily.
Mrs. Everest peered her head around the door.
'Just me Constable.. Is something the.. Oh my!' She gasped on seeing Ichabod knelt on the floor, pounding at the floor. She knelt next to him.
'Take it easy on my floorboards, dear!' She said, trying to keep it light. 'What's the matter?'
Ichabod took several deep breaths, then turned his head to Mrs. Everest.
'My baby daughter was stolen from me a few days ago ... I came here to find her.' He sniffed, thumbing under his eyes. 'Just .. seeing you with your daughter downstairs, it was a bit too much.'
Mrs. Everest looked shocked for a moment, then patted his shoulder.
'Oh, love. That's terrible!' She said softly, still patting Ichabod's shoulder. 'And there was me being my silly, cheerful self. I'm sure your little girl is fine.'
'I want her home.' Ichabod cried, putting great emphasis on the word home. Mrs. Everest bit her lower lip in thought.
'Tell you what, love. Get a good night's sleep, a hearty breakfast under your belt and I'll come with you and the boy tommorow to help look for her. I know the town of Sleepy Hollow like the back of my hand.' She smiled.
Ichabod didn't think it would be worth mentioning he had been to Sleepy Hollow before, and Young Masbeth had lived there previously. He was just gratefuly for the help.
'Thank you.' He said meekly. Mrs. Everest stood up and dusted herself off.
'Your welcome, dear.' She said. 'I'll get Sage to bring your dinner up to your room.'
The carriage thudded and rocked. Katrina kept thumping and shrieking at the walls of the inner carriage until she grew tired. Eventually, and completely unintentionally, she fell asleep. Dried tears making strands of her hair stick to her face.
After what seemed to be forever, the carriage door opened. Mary peered round the carriage door at the sleeping Katrina, Harlow in arms.
'Aww. What do you think? Should we wake her?' Mary uttered to the baby. 'No? I didn't think so.'
She turned on her heel with a smirk and glanced at the coachman.
'Carry her into the house. Do not wake her.' She said sternly, looking up at her late husband's house.
-
After about two days carriage journey, Ichabod and Young Masbeth pulled up just on the entrance to the village of Sleepy Hollow.
'It feels so strange to be here again.' Young Masbeth muttered quietly as he pulled some of the luggage out of the back of the carriage.
'Yes .. it does.' Ichabod replied, taking the remainder of the luggage and walking along the familiar path, looking around at the grey, dead buildings. The village seemed emptier then the last time they were there. Perhaps the Headless Horseman scared away a good amount of Sleepy Hollow's occupants.
They kept trudging through the dreary town, until they came across a building.
'It is the old Inn.' Young Masbeth said on seeing it. 'Their charges are next to nothing, Sir.'
Ichabod nodded.
'Then it is here we shall stay, Young Masbeth.' He said, easing the door open with one arm and glancing around the room. It wasn't much. A fireplace with a table, several chairs and a large staircase.
A pretty young girl with dark, flowing hair walked into the room, she was carrying an empty glass.
'Oh! Are you here to stay?' She asked, eyeing their luggage.
'Well ...' Ichabod started, he was interrupted by a large lady bustling into the room and hurrying over to Young Masbeth.
'Oh, well isn't he the sweetest thing! Is he your son?' She said to Ichabod, not expecting an answer. She pinched Young Masbeth's cheeks. 'You look hungry, sonny. Just follow Anna over there, she looks like shes heading for the kitchen anyway. Just drop your bags, there's a good lad.'
Young Masbeth looked at Ichabod awkwardly but dropped his bags obidiently. Ichabod just nodded once firmly. The girl referred to as Anna glided to the next room and Young Masbeth followed as he was told.
'Right then, sir! Let's get you checked in!' She said cheerfully, not bothering to ask if Ichabod actually was there to stay.
The large lady hurried behind a wooden counter and pulled out a large, dusty book accompanied by a feather pen and ink well.
'I'm Mrs. Everest. That was my daughter, Anna. Got me a son and husband running around here somewhere too.' She babbled cheerfully, tapping an empty space on the book. Ichabod gingerly took old of the feather pen and dipped it lightly in the ink well. Mrs. Everest watched as he signed his name in the book.
'Ooo.. Ichabod is your name then eh, Constable? I love quirky names like that, I do. I got lumbered with Mary-Anne. Hardly exciting, is it?' She babbled as if Ichabod were a close friend. 'Just you and the lad then, eh?'
'Yes.' Ichabod replied meekly, taking a handful of coins and dropping them into Mrs. Everest's palm.
'That's you sorted for a few days now, Constable. I'll just give my husband a shout, he'll give you a hand with those bags.' She grinned, then threw her head back and cupped her hands around her mouth.
'SAWYEEERRRR!!' She bellowed. Her voice ringing in Ichabod's ears, he flinched. Before long an equally as large man in a slobbish attire stormed into the room.
'What is it, Mary-Anne?!' He said, scratching the back of his head. 'Oh, bloody hell! A customer! Haven't seen one of those in a while!' He said, his face breaking into a grin.
'Give him Constable Crane a hand with his bags there, Sawyer.' Mrs. Everest said, nodding to the luggage. 'Take him to his room.'
'Righto.' He said happily, taking most of the bags in his burly arms and starting up the stairs. Ichabod took the few bags left and followed him up.
'So, Constable. How long you here for?' Mr Everest piped up cheerily, attempting a conversation.
'I don't know.' Ichabod replied, keeping his head low. Mr Everest simply nodded. They arrived at the top of the stairs and Mr Everest opened the nearest door to reveal an averge sized room with two single beds, chest of drawers at the end of each bed, one bedside table, a window, wash basin and a lantern.
'Dinner's in about an hour, Constable. Come join us downstairs.' He said warmly, patting Ichabod's shoulder and starting back down the stairs.
-
An hour later, Ichabod had unpacked his and Young Masbeth's clothes. He started down the stairs and wondered for a few minutes, eventually finding a room with a large table occupied by Young Masbeth and the Everest family.
'Oh, there you are Constable! Take a seat next to the boy.' Mrs. Everest said cheerfully, lowering a large plate with a roasted chicken placed upon it. Ichabod nodded to her.
'Where did you vanish to?' He asked Young Masbeth as he sat next to him.
'Anna was showing me around, Sir. She let me pick at the chicken.' He said happily. Anna grinned happily. Mrs. Everest handed a plate of chicken with some potatoes to a lad sat next to her.
'Pass that around, Sage. There you go.' She said happily, and kept on passing chicken plates around until everyone had one. Eventually, she sat down herself.
'So, Constable. Where are you from?' Mrs. Everest asked, tucking into her dinner.
'New York.' Ichabod replied quietly, poking at his chicken with his fork.
'Ohh, I've never been there. I've heard it's such a nice place though.' She smiled happily. 'Though, my Anna went there once on her travels. She likes to get around, does my Anna. I'm so proud.'
Mrs. Everest smiled at Anna, then reached forward and planted a kiss on her forehead.
Ichabod snapped his eyes shut. This stung. Seeing Mrs. Everest with Anna reminded him so much of Harlow.
'Something wrong, Constable?' Mr. Everest asked, talking with his mouth full.
'No .. I.. I'm sorry, I must leave the table.' He said quickly, lifting himself from his chair and leaving the room.
'But you haven't eaten!' Mrs. Everest called. It was too late, the thud of the stairs could be heard. Young Masbeth instantly stood to go to him, but Mrs. Everest motioned for him to sit.
'Sit down, sonny. If there's an incident in my Inn, I'll sort it.' She smiled to him and stood from the table herself.
Ichabod slammed the room door and collapsed to his knees. He hammered at the floor with his fists as tears flowed.
'What am I doing?! I should be out there, looking for her!' He cried, breathing heavily.
Mrs. Everest peered her head around the door.
'Just me Constable.. Is something the.. Oh my!' She gasped on seeing Ichabod knelt on the floor, pounding at the floor. She knelt next to him.
'Take it easy on my floorboards, dear!' She said, trying to keep it light. 'What's the matter?'
Ichabod took several deep breaths, then turned his head to Mrs. Everest.
'My baby daughter was stolen from me a few days ago ... I came here to find her.' He sniffed, thumbing under his eyes. 'Just .. seeing you with your daughter downstairs, it was a bit too much.'
Mrs. Everest looked shocked for a moment, then patted his shoulder.
'Oh, love. That's terrible!' She said softly, still patting Ichabod's shoulder. 'And there was me being my silly, cheerful self. I'm sure your little girl is fine.'
'I want her home.' Ichabod cried, putting great emphasis on the word home. Mrs. Everest bit her lower lip in thought.
'Tell you what, love. Get a good night's sleep, a hearty breakfast under your belt and I'll come with you and the boy tommorow to help look for her. I know the town of Sleepy Hollow like the back of my hand.' She smiled.
Ichabod didn't think it would be worth mentioning he had been to Sleepy Hollow before, and Young Masbeth had lived there previously. He was just gratefuly for the help.
'Thank you.' He said meekly. Mrs. Everest stood up and dusted herself off.
'Your welcome, dear.' She said. 'I'll get Sage to bring your dinner up to your room.'
