I jumped. The voice was behind me, though distant sounding. I whipped around to see the back door. Behind the translucent sheers, I saw Jane, leaning close to the screen door, dressed in a dark green, simple tea gown and her usual, tightly-knit straw hat with a red ribbon.
“Sorry, dear!” Jane laughed. “Didn’t mean to cause a fright! I thought perhaps you were in the back garden when no one answered the door.” She glanced down. The cat was already pacing gracefully towards her. “Other than Abbey, of course.”
“Aha ha. Quite all right.” I tried to laugh it off. “I was quite confused when I saw no one at the door.”
“Beg your pardon. Shall I go around to the front?”
I closed the front door. “No need.” Straightening my hair again, I flushed out my worries. Jane courteously backed up from the sliding door as I approached it.
“Slept well last night? Why, you’re still in your nightgown!”
“You know me,” I smiled, pulling back the sheer.
“I don’t blame you! Lovely weather this morning! I slept in a little while myself today, so pardon me for my lateness.”
“No, you are just on time.” I slid open the screen door and beckoned her come in. Abbey took a step forward, then stopped again. “It will be a moment before tea is ready, for I did not prepare it in time.”
“Oh, don’t be such a dear! We should head out to the market anyway, without a moment to waste.”
“The market?”
Jane paused. “The farmers market.”
I had to stop and think. The memories of yesterday flashed through my mind. Past the unexpected encounter, I recalled the train, the shop, and the children. “Oh. That’s right.”
She laughed eagerly. “Did you forget about the market for a moment?”
“… No…” Blinking, I looked away, gathering my breath. “I… just forgot. I thought it was Sunday, for whatever reason.”
She paused again. This time, the smile slowly left her face, replaced by a silent concern. “Are you all right, Elisabeth? You don’t seem to be yourself today.”
I held my breath, perhaps betraying a touch of my uneasiness. My flirting eyes landed upon the flowers, reminding me of my troubles once more. I forced myself to look back at my friend, dawning a mild grin. “Woke up on the wrong side, I suppose.”
Jane didn’t immediately reply. “If you think so. So long as you’re aware.”
I didn’t say anything. I thought of what I could say next.
“Either way, I’m holding you up. Go! Go change!” Her laughter returned. She waved the back of her hand at my gown. “You don’t want to be dressed in the streets like that!”
I breathed. “No, not at all.” I began to recede from the door.
“Though,” she perused my loosely fitted gown with a bit of a sly look. “It’d certainly be a fancy sight to see.”
“Never.” I dismissed her fantasy. She normally didn’t get to see me dressed so informally. “Do come in, while you wait.”
“Nay, I’m not troubled. More trouble than it’s worth to get out of these shoes.”
“It will be but a moment then.” I whipped around, taking care to step over the cat as I hurried to the stairs.
“Do you need a moment to eat, dear?” Jane called after me.
“Don’t worry about me. I had enough of a snack to tie me over,” I lied.