Life has been awful since Father, Robert, and Jacob left to go back home. Since Grandmother and Grandfather are quite wealthy, they hired a tutor to come and teach Claire, Kat, and I. She came for the first time today, and introduced herself as Tatiana Dewey. She is a graceful woman with kind manners. Her blond hair is very long, and she sweeps it up onto her head in tight curls. She has fair skin, and no freckles at all. She has blue eyes that resemble Claire's fancy gown. She is the most beautiful woman I know, and I secretly wish that I could look and act like her, even if just for a day. Claire has always taught me not to be vain, and I know that if Robert knew I wished to look so pretty (especially because I look just like Father and Jacob), he would surely be upset.
The first lesson Tatiana gave us was in grace. She piled books on the top of our heads and made us walk around the room in a straight line. She put us in our fanciest ball gowns and tightest corsets and made us sit up straight in chairs. She taught us how to hold a teacup and what to do if we did not want any tea.
After she left, Kat ran upstairs and quickly changed into a more appropriate outfit for climbing trees and such. She ran straight outside and began mocking Tatiana. "No, I shall take no TEA!" She exclaimed as she hopped out of a tall oak tree that rose high above the house. She says one day she will climb all the way to the top. She made the mistake of saying that when Robert was still here, and he told her that she would not.
Instead of going outside, Claire changed into a more appropriate outfit for helping cook supper and escaped into the kitchen. But I sat at the harpsichord bench, still in my ball gown, and plunked on the keys a bit before I started playing a tune. I played it until Grandfather walked into the room and sat on the bench next to me. He ruffled my hair and then patted my head. I looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back, but soon turned it into a frown. Before I could ask him what was wrong, he told me. "Listen, Daffodil," he began. (Daffodil is what he has called me since I was very little.) "I got a letter from your father a few days ago. Now, I didn't tell you this sooner because I didn't want you to worry. Jacob and Robert are . . . missing." I felt tears pricking at my eyes. "Missing?" I could barely say the word, it was so awful. Grandfather nodded his head and continued, "Your father thinks that they left to come here. Apparently, he heard the front door close in the middle of the night, then he heard Robert's voice. 'Jacob!' He was saying, then the door opened and shut again. He was positive he was halucinating, so he did nothing about it. But when he got up in the morning and they were gone, he regretting that." I put my head down and started to walk towards the stairs. "Wait," I turned around. "Do Kat and Claire know?" Grandfather smirked, "Somehow, Kat found out. But Claire, no, she doesn't." I wonder what Claire will say?
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