Fabian Burnbridge: Dinner Subject: Supper Who: Fabian Burnbridge Where: The Judge’s House Warnings: None Open to: Augustus Burnbridge, Georgina Rochester
It wasn’t often that his uncle invited friend to dine with them, or that Fabian was well enough to attend when a guest came to dinner. Mrs. Rochester was a very fine woman according to his uncle’s previous comments on her – a widow with two children, both much older than Fabian and to tell the truth he had been expecting a woman very different to the one his uncle had introduced.
Fabian dipped his spoon into the bowl of soup, beef as it happened, it helped to keep his strength up, and glanced at her and his uncle, watching them together carefully. He’d thought as a widow Mrs. Rochester might be dowdy and in mourning but she seemed quite upbeat and her clothing was brighter than anything Fabian had ever been permitted. He wondered how long Mrs. Rochester had been widowed but he had no idea how long one had to mourn for. It seemed the whole household was still in morning for his own mother and it had been sixteen years.
He’d also wondered about his uncle’s decision to invite her to dine with them. He’d considered maybe it had something to do with a case but watching them together Fabian began to consider that perhaps he had invited Mrs. Rochester here for himself.
Smiling to himself Fabian took a sip of the soup. It was very good, but the cook always did excel himself when Judge Augustus dined at home and he was allowed to deviate from the strict, rationed diet Fabian ate.