Little Ladies

[Flora Mulciber]

It her long enough, but Lou soon found the answer. "Yes, he has no magic!" she replied with a nod. Someone either had the magic or he didn't have it. There was no such thing as enough magic, though she supposed that practice was important. Pappa knew much more spells than she did, but that was because he had gone to Hogwarts while she hadn't yet.

She tried to find where she had last stopped reading, but Lou tugging on the book was not at all helpful. She pulled gently, but when that didn't seem to work, she started pulling with a bit more force. "Lou!" she softly protested and then pulled again.

  

[Louisa Weasley]

Louisa was very pleased that she had gotten the right answer! She smiled as she tugged on it a little bit more, “I just wanna…” She understood that she wanted to hold it, but surely it wouldn’t be bad if she held it for JUST a moment! Louisa glanced up at Flora, “I need to see it, please.”

  

[Flora Mulciber]

They were doing so well so far! If Lou saw what she wanted to see then she'd be distracted and Flora wouldn't be able to get the book from her hands and then she'd be bored because Lou would be 'reading' the book and Flora would have nothing to do.

"You can't even read, Lou!" Flora said with a sigh as she pretended to ignore her cousin's attempts on the book.

  

[Louisa Weasley]

She was about to respond to that remark when her lady’s maid chided her, “Come now, dearie, you wait your turn. Miss Mulciber had it first.”

Slumping back in her seat, she sulked silently. She just wanted to see it for two seconds. In fact she muttered the same, “I jus’ wanted see it for TWO secombs.” But she didn’t struggle with the book. Clearly her cousins book was different from the hers at home. She’d have to talk to her mommy about that.

  

[Flora Mulciber]

Flora pulled a face at her cousin's comment. Why did she have to be so persistant about the book?

"Maybe we should quit reading it altogether, then!" Flora said with a sigh. "You don't care enough about the story if you're stopping me so much!"

  

[Louisa Weasley]

She had already given up fighting about it when her cousin said that she'd just quit. Louisa didn't understand why she'd think that she didn't care about the story when they had both been so excited about it. Pouting, she was about to make a retort when her lady's maid intervened, "Ladies, we'll have to get going soon. You wouldn't want to end on this sour note, would you?"

Louisa shook her head, immediately feeling chastised. "I sorry, coubin. I jus' wanted to make nice." She dropped her eyes, struggling with the apology. She disliked saying that she was sorry! But she loved her cousin and didn't want her to be angry with her.

  

[Flora Mulciber]

Flora immediately felt guilty when the governess spoke up and Lou apologized to her. She had probably seemed as some terrible person to both!

Nodding to the governess, Flora said: "Let's just finish this story then. There's only one page left."

With a smile, she continued reading, this time more quickly so they'd finish it before it was time for Lou to go.

  

[Louisa Weasley]

Louisa was very relieved that Flora was willing to finish the story! She hated it when they stopped in the middle and she couldn't hear the rest of it. But as she read it, Louisa couldn't make out what she was saying!

"Reading too fabst!" Louisa whined, hands in her lap despite wanting to shove Flora to get her attention. Mommy said never to shove anyone. Sometimes, she'd forget. But not today!

  

[Flora Mulciber]

"No, I'm not!" Flora protested. That was not too fast at all! Faster than her previous pace, sure, but not too fast!

"It is not my fault that you can't keep up!"

  

[Louisa Weasley]

Louisa gasped, clearly hurt that Flora would say that she couldn't keep up. Leaning forward, she insisted to Flora, "Can, too!" And then she huffed, throwing herself back against the couch, waiting for Flora to continue and finish the book.

  

[Flora Mulciber]

Flora sighed and continued reading, this time in a painfully passive-agressive slow pace. She'd like to see how Lou could complain about that!

  

[Louisa Weasley]

When Flora read SO slowly, Louisa was rather happy with this. So that by the end, she had forgotten all about being angry with Flora and was cheerful once again. "You are the bestest coubin. I lub you!" She hugged her only after the reading had finished and she'd had time to close the book lest she wrinkle the pages. Her mommy didn't like it when she wrinkled the pages.

And all too soon her lady's maid stood up, "It's time to go, child. Shall I get your coat and things?"

"Awwwh," Louisa started, but stopped at the look from the older woman.

"You knew you'd have to leave some day, you'll see your cousin soon. Come along then."

Louisa nodded sadly, big tears pricking her eyes, "I'll miss you, coubin Flora. I had the most lubberly of times." She scooted off of the couch and gave her the best curtsy she could manage, though she teetered a great deal and barely bent her knees. Mostly she just lifted up the fabric of her dress until she nearly bared herself to the world Flora.

  

[Flora Mulciber]

Despite everything, everything had gone well. Flora would probably still rather spend an afternoon with Magda rather than Lou. She liked her younger cousin, but she was way too young and Flora preferred to play with the older kids like herself.

"It's alright, we'll see each other very soon!" she assured the younger girl when tears started to threaten their way out.