
“The low winter afternoon had slipped undetected into evening. The last strains of the hazy sunlight had waned and the sapphired twilight had shrouded the cobbled street. Outside the tall bay window the indistinct shadows of the lamplighters were giving gentle amber life to the street lights.Â
Josephine and her friends hadn’t even realised how many hours had past since they began their weekly afternoon tea. As a natural break in conversation drew on, everyone had felt the mood change. There was a sense of anticipation building, only the gentle clink of fine China cups being placed on their saucers broke the heavy silence.
Eventually Josephine got to her feet and made her way to the window, drawing the weighty velvet curtains. She made her way around the parlour lighting each lamp, creating new hosts of shadows with each new flame. The other ladies present began to shift and congregate more tightly around the large lace topped round table they were nestled at. One attendee cleared the silverware and crockery to a nearby trolley.
When there was eventually enough light to see by, Josephine returned to her seat at the table. Each eager eye was on her every move as she reached into an old, finely engraved silver trinket box and removed a deck of cards from it’s silky, midnight blue heart. One young, blonde lady who was edging in her seat fought for Josephine’s eye contact, she wanted to be the first to ask the cards her pressing questions of the heart. After a ritual of shuffling the old cards in silent focus, Josephine looked up and nodded slowly towards her. The Gaslight Parlour cards were ready to tell.”
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