#sharpausten

Claire, never one to stray from being open with people, was particularly fond of Margaret Carter, affectionately known as Peggy. She was a lovely woman with impeccable fashion sense and perfect posture. As Claire well knew, these things were never merely superficial - they hinted at a woman's strength of character, at her sturdy morals. Perhaps she could be a bit too outspoken at times, but the vices were small in comparison to the virtues. Just now, Claire was enjoying tea with her friend on the veranda, a soft breeze keeping the majority of the sun's heat way. She tipped a small lump of sugar into her cup, then carefully stirred so as to make as little noise as possible. "Lovely day, after such foul weather," she commented, looking at the grounds. "Reminds me of the day Barbara and Steven were married. It was just the loveliest ceremony, and they're both the loveliest people, don't you agree?" She raised the cup to her lips, taking a small sip to enjoy the robust flavor. When Peggy had been gone to the States, she had missed her terribly. It was not every day one found a woman like Margaret Carter to liven the day. It felt good to sit quietly with her, to the point that she didn't even care much about the conversation, only the good company. That was the way it ought to be with good friends. @peggycarter13

Time away was not time to let lessons go by the wayside. Claire had been raised upon a firm Catholic foundation, ingrained with lessons like "cleanliness is close to Godliness" and "early to bed, early to rise." She always woke at the same time every morning, cleaned and dressed herself, and went into the empty parlor to read her Scripture. This morning was no different, and she read the Gospel of Matthew. Of course, she liked Mark the most, but each of the four prophets were to be given their equal due. She was proud of her little Bible, with its creamy leather cover and silky pages. Three satin ribbons spilled from it to mark the places she visited most (Matthew 25:31, Mark 5, and Matthew 5). It had been a gift to her when she received her First Communion, a blessed day in the Fierte household. Claire never traveled anywhere without that Bible. She could sit for hours doing this. There was no particular time that she stopped, only when something else came up or she decided time would be better spent embroidering outstanding passages onto cloth. She was quite excellent at the embroidery, always excited when another phrase caught her eye. Often, they were gifts for people, sometimes a vain hope that it might help them better see God's way rather than their own. This morning, however, she did no needlework, and only focused upon the words in her hands. After some time, she heard someone unexpectedly enter the parlor. They must not have been expecting to encounter anyone, either, for they neglected to announce themselves or greet her for a moment. She looked up and smiled brightly, anyway. "Why, Mr. Gale. I had not heard you would be returning to the estate so soon." Despite the surprise, she was pleased to see him. Though it was not quite proper for the two to be alone like this, she was certain he'd acknowledge such a faux paw and either leave her be or relocate the conversation to a more appropriate setting. @your-loving-spy