Page 176 of The Seven Rings
“Are you kidding? I’m coming now. I thought you were working in the ballroom.”
“I was. It’s done—as far as going through everything. I just wanted to see what I wanted in the other rooms upstairs, and started with Molly’s.”
Cleo got the two paintings. “It’s a small room, so yeah, these are a good size for it.”
“I thought if I started working through the other rooms, we’d move stuff from storage, put it to use. Sort of put it to use. And I know what I want in the ballroom, in that small sitting room off it. It means moving masses of stuff, but we can use a lot of furniture in the ballroom.”
“Making progress.”
“On this, but not on the reason I started this.”
“It’ll come.”
When they reached Molly’s room, Sonya gestured. “Just walk in, then give me first impression.”
Cleo stepped in, and hands on hips, looked around.
“I love the chair. The size, the shape, the pattern. And the table and lamp, perfect with it. The mirror, exactly right for over the dresser.”
“And look.” Sonya opened the drawer.
“Oh, what we gave her! We’re going to put those on the dresser after we hang the mirror. And she needs a little vase or bottle.”
After turning another circle, Cleo nodded. “I’m loving this. Where are you thinking of hanging the paintings?”
“Since she’s got the narrow armoire and the washstand over there—and they’re charming, plus fit the size of the room—I was thinking over the bed. They’ll reflect in the mirror.”
“We’re in tune. She needs a rug. Small. Round or oval, quiet colors or pattern.”
“There must be a couple dozen between those rolled up in the attic and the ones downstairs. Different sizes.”
“Then we’ll get this all hung, and we’ll go find the right rug.”
With the mirror and paintings in place, Sonya ran down for a vase, and Cleo hunted for a rug.
Sonya decided on a pale blue vase with a fluted top, and went to the garden to cut a few flowers. When she came back, Cleo put down an oval rug in blue on cream.
“That’s exactly right.”
“And so’s that vase. I love the little yellow and white flowers for that splash of happy. We need to get a nice duvet, some shams, throw pillows. Then this is a room that feels like Molly.”
“I want to do them all, but this one? We know what Molly’s room should look and feel like.”
Clover showed her heart in “Daisies” by Katy Perry.
“She does so much for us. I hope this makes her happy.”
“It makes me happy. Owen texted they’d bring pizza tonight, so I’ve got time. Let’s go look at another room.”
They’d done two more by the time they heard voices, dogs, and feet on the stairs.
“We’re this way,” Sonya called out. Hurrying to Trey, she threw her arms around him. “We’ve been having so much fun!”
“Doing?”
“Come see. You, too, Owen,” she added, and hurried back to Molly’s room.
“Nice.” Owen stepped in, looked around. “Small room, furniture to scale, girly but not over-the-top.”
