A Game Again

Spring was just in the corner. The flowers bloomed so beautifully, making the newborn greenish view even livelier. As lively as the day, some couple in Hereford, county town of Herefordshire, England, took a stroll and started talking about their next summer plan. The men in their the sober sack suits and Norfolk jackets and the women in their long, slightly tight  dresses with high necks and puffed sleeves enthusiastically arranged dates to attend the entertaining performances held during the weeks. The names such as grand opera composer Michael Balfe, musical theater performer Arthur Sullivan, and circus player Pablo Fanque were, a lot, mentioned at talks.

A 20-year-old man with a good looking, clean-shaven face, short, dark brown hair, and blue big eyes kept enjoying loneliness at the back of one of the sash windows in the mini library of his three-floored house. His sight stopped at one spot outside, at a young lady in a deep-rate dress, who is possible at the age of 17, prettily sitting on the bench across the street. Nobody knew whom she was waiting for, so did herself.

            “It is the time, Sir” a servant broke the silence in the full-of-books room, brought a cup of hot tea and put it on the table.

            “Is it?”, the young man ascertained lustlessly.

            “Absolutely, Sir. Johnny” , the servant answered, “Oh, that book. Mr. Ouseley had read it a couple of times. He was so inspired by the masterpiece.”

            “I do believe it. He was a warm-hearted person”, the young man put down a Charles Dickens’ novel entitled Oliver Twist on the table and reached a case prepared by the loyal servant.

            “Alright, I’ll go. But, don’t you think that a cup of your best-in-taste tea will be so helpful for the lady outside? She has been there for two hours now” the man suggested.

            “It is her own fault to be there, Sir, to be the Great Social Evil”, the servant answered.

            “Is it?, the man passed by the servant and said nothing.

The young man was Johnny Ouseley, the only son of Frederick Ouseley, both a musician and a founder of choir and music schools at St. Michael’s College, who just passed away a month ago. The musician was a respectable figure of the town but had no wife throughout his life. Ouseley adopted small Johnny and passed down his musical craftsmanship to his. He expected Johnny to be the second Ouseley or even more.Today Johnny was a well-known musician and a music teacher for upper-class children.

Not so long, Johnny arrived in front of a great house designed with slate roofs, stone details and modest decoration and kept walking through a neatly designed gardening area. 

            “Good evening, Teacher” a 16-year-old lady in a dark green dress suddenly stopped his walk, bringing some stalks of flowers.

            “Good evening, Miss. Rosella. If I am not mistaken, we should have a lesson today”, Johnny asked politely.

            “We should. But, I don’t think that we have to miss this beautiful day inside. Look, these are yours. I still have some for others” The lively lady left him alone without even waiting for his response. Her red-colored hair shone by the sunshine.

Some minutes later, a middle-aged couple delivered a greeting.  They are the hosts of the house, Mr. and Mrs. Disraeli. Actually, Rosella was their niece, but after an accident that killed both of her parents they adopted 5-year-old Rosella. 

            “It is a really nice day, isn’t it?”Mr. Disraeli said.

            “Yes, Sir. Miss Rosella gave me the flowers. If permitted, I would like to place them in the vase over the piano” Johnny politely asked.

            “It is a nice idea. Seems our Rosella has had her own plan today. But, we will soon bring her to you. If you do not mind, please, go inside. There sits Annabelle.”

            “Alright, Mrs. Disraeli.”

Annabelle was sitting on a stool at the open room next to the garden. Annabelle was an introvert lady, she rarely talked to others out of the family. Owing to this personality, she was never in a relationship. Only to Johnny, she started talking and sharing her feeling. She fell in love in this young man, from the first time they met.

            “Nice flowers” Rosa commended and bowed.

            “You can have them, if you want” Johnny handed over the flowers.

            “ Really? I would love placing them in my room” she reached the flowers and gave a persimmon pudding, “I hope you want to taste it”

            “With some new ingredients?”

            “As usual, for you” she got ashamed and her cheeks turned into red.

The time went by, leaving plenties of stories behind. For Johnny, there lived only on a story to tell about, entitled “Guilt and Love”. The story only required one setting, Mr. Disraeli’s house, and two characters: Rosella and Annabelle. From time to time, Annabelle more intensively paid attention to him through her cooking, her handmade clothing, and all. 

But love could not lie. By the time he spent with Rosella, something bloomed as the flowers in the spring. This was an invisible note he never knew he played, called Love. The days got more and more colorful with Rosella’s humorous, lively traits. He knew it sounded impossible to make a relationship with his student at that young. But, he believed impossibility was nothing, similar to his life.

            “You play the note much better, Miss Rosella” Johnny complimented his young lady student.

            “Thank you, Sir. May I leave now?”

            “Yes, Of course. You are a busy lady. It seems you still actively get involved in the charitable organization” Johnny smiled nicely.

            “Yes.” Rosella held the right hand of her teacher and said nothing again. In a few minutes, she had been in her carriage.

            “Hope, I can play this note of love to you”

A carriage arrived in a big public house. A young lady in her dark-colored dress got off and entered a high, rustic, but sturdy door in front of her. Her casual appearance was not able to hide her aristocrat look from the poors. But her way of talking so much said that she  was a friend. She gracefully walked through the narrow, stuffy alleys and rooms with a bad sanitation. Her feet stopped in a room of the olds. She walked toward a bed in the corner and greeted an old couple there.

            “You, two, look better, Mr. and Mrs. Brown”

            “Perhaps. You look beautiful as usual”

            “You are so kind. Let’s have an evening walk, the weather is so nice”

            “I do not know if I can. This cholera is weakening me so much. And, the master must not allow us to go out”, the old man politely refused.

            “I have taken care of it. No problem”, the young lady helped the two old to walk through the narrow, stuffy alleys and rooms with a bad sanitation.

In a distance, a young man in a black suit that was much bigger for his body kept an eye on these three persons. He casually smoked a cigar and went somewhere. No one knew the man and his cold smile.

One day, Rosella just arrived at the entrance gate of her house, Johnny stood outside the gate, accompanied with cold and warm breezes that come at different times.

            “Good evening, Miss Ross”

            “Evening Mr Johnny. What are you doing here? It is cold outside”

            “Yes. But, would you mind accompanying me to walk around for a while?”

            “Honestly, it is a strange request. But it is okay.” The lady got off from the carriage and walked side by side with the man in silence. In order to break the ice, the man started a conversation.

            “It has been 5 years since I first met you in the spring like this. It must need a special reason to be that long, isn’t it?”

            “Sorry? What are you supposed to mean, Mr. Johnny?”

            “Nothing. Happy birthday, Miss Rosella.” The man suddenly held the lady’s right hand and left a smaller wooden box in her hand.

            Rosella noticed the unusual act of her teacher. In her room, she opened up the box and found an old handkerchief with a floral pattern on it as well as a letter. There is written, a latent, dark memory and the true feeling of Johnny toward her in words. With the box in hands, her mind got more complicated and questions uncontrollably keep popping up in her mind. Until the next 5 days, Mr Johnny did not come to teach her as usual.

            “How can I help you, lady?” A servant greeted a guest of her host.

            “I need to meet Mr. Johnny. Is he available?” a young lady asked politely when a young man went to out and reached the door.

            “What are you doing here, Miss Ross?”

            “Could I come in? It’s cold here” The lady responded him briefly.

            “Yes, please.” The young man asked the young lady to come in and follow him to his favorite mini library. Right after he closed the door of the room, small hands hugged him from the back. Johnny got shocked but did nothing for a while.

            “I do not ever think I will say it to a 20-year-old music teacher,” The young lady took a deep breath and continued, “I felt the same as yours. For years, I was worried if you loved Annabelle instead of me, if Annabelle was my rival. I am now sure you were the young man who saved me when the accident happened. I didn’t notice that I lost my handkerchief, this handkerchief.”

            “I can say nothing again.”

            From the time, they ran a secret, intimate relationship. Thanks to the regular schedules of the music lesson, they could meet more often. The relationship between Johnny and Mr. Disraeli’s family got closer as a family. At times, Johnny stayed overnight in the house and had meals together.

One day, when the sun lite so bright and the warm breezes came out from its some-month hiding. Disraeli’s family and Johnny involved in a garden party. Fresh salmon, pastas, and fruits were served on some silverware; chilled gin and champagne was poured into glasses by the ladies. All looked fine until an unexpected question was asked by Mr. Disraeli.

            “Your father and I were best friends. When he was alive, he ever asked my opinion about the soon marriage of Rosella and you. I think the time is my turn to answer his question. You must understand what I said.”

            “Sorry, Sir. I have nothing to say now.”

            “Let me know the answer at the end of the week”

            “Alright, Sir”

Some days later became much more complicated for Johnny. He often said nothing, staring outside one of the windows of his favorite mini library. As usual, a lady was prettily sitting on the bench, waiting for whom she did not know. Annabelle felt a difference in this young man. Getting involved in this awry situasion,  she stated her anxiety on Johnny.

            “I am sorry.”

            “That’s fine”

            “But, you aren’t. It has been some days you just come and talk less. Really unusual.”

            “I only need a time of thinking”

            “A honorable man as you must find it hard to choose the will of your father or love, Rosella” Tears ran down her while, pale cheeks.

            “What do you mean?”

            “I know about your secret affair with her. You, two, cannot cheat on me”

            “…” The young man moved closer to the lady and unpredictably landed a kiss on the lips of her, “I never love Rosella, but you”, the man hugged the lady tightly for a short moment and left her alone.

The days later are the best moments ever for Annabelle. She spent much time with Johnny. The marriage was arranged, the riches and the respectable ones were invited, the wedding dress and suit were designed for the soon-in-marriage ones. The wedding had been a spotlight of the town for weeks.

            A lady was walking through the street in a silent cry. Her woolen coat could not be able to refrain the night breeze from touching her white, smooth skin. The eyes of her were without happiness, hope, and warmth. She dared herself to step up the stairs in front of a nearby house and knocked the door of the house.

            “Is Mr. available?”

            “Yes, please. He is waiting for you inside”

            “Thank you” the lady came in and sat on a chair.

Not long after than a young man in his casual apparel came out and landed a kiss on the right hand of the lady. He smoothly hugged the lady.

            “You are evil” The lady cried and forcely finish the cold hug.

            “No. I am not. What happened? I think you are worried on my sickness”

            “I am pregnant”

Suddenly another young man appeared and impolitely joined the conversation.

            “It should not that way, John. That’s a fault, really bad fault.” The new man argued.

            “How can…? I must hallucinate.” The lady was extremely shocked seeing two identical young men in a same look argumentating in front of her.

            “Sorry, Ross. I can explain” The first man tried to cool down the lady.

            “Who are you all?” Lady angrily asked.

            “Hear me, Ross. This is my twin. My family and I came from a rural village when I was 10. Our pristine land was damaged by the establishment of government-funded factories. My parents could cultivate nothing and my brother and I could hunt nothing again. All had been industrialized. But, our migration to this town resulted nothing but sacrifaction. My parents were placed in a urban house while we are in a separate orphanage house. Thanks to Mr. Frederick Ouseley who picked me up from the poor house and taught me music, I am here.” The first man stopped telling.

            “But, these separated twins met again a week after the funeral ceremony of his Godfather. With all Mr Ouseley has, we afford to take our parents out, but we don’t. We want to save others too by taking an opportunity to marry a daughter of the most affective person of the town, Mr Disraeli.” The second man spoke out.

            “So, you have fun on my family, and now my pregnant.” The lady cried louder.

            “No, it’s fault. Annabelle is our target, the one who will soon get the inheritance and the authority of your family, not you. But this idiot messes up the whole game by loving you.”

            “What should I do now. I do not want to be a fallen woman, but I am. I will never let you marry Annabelle.” She looked at the first man angrily.

            “I won’t. Never.” The first man interrupted.

            “You lie again, Mr Johnny. You show your love to Annabelle in hundreds of times during these weeks.

            “How could it be? I was here for weeks suffering from this sickness. That must be him. Johnnie, say something. I want all to get over” The first man commanded the second one, but another one only gave a cold smile.

            “I better die with this sinful pregnancy”

            “Stop, you all. Let’s play a game again and all will be fine.” The second one lit a cigar and went to somewhere.

The summer was just in the corner. The leaves fell down so elegantly, making the brownish garden look dramatic. As dramatic as the day, a wedding was held in the house of one of the most affective persons in the town. The handsome groom Johnny and the beautiful bride Annabelle were tied in love and God, in front of tons of aristocrats. There, Mr and Mrs. Disraeli happily sat side by side with another old couple in their really simple dress and suit. The smile of happiness bloomed on the bride’s face, the smile of win bloomed on the groom’s face.

On a ship, another couple was hand in hand, seeing the incredibly gorgeous ocean sightseeing.

“Is it okay to let him alone there?” The lady asked.

“No, problem. He knows what he does, and Miss. Freedom will keep an eye on him.”

“Who is she?”

“The one who is waiting for someone whom she does not know.”

“It is not an answer, my dear Teacher.”

“She is who told me about where people like us can pursue the happiness, in the land of freedom, America.”