Mrs. Tree

In a sleepy village where the rhythm of daily chores still feels like a relic, an indomitable ninety‑year‑old matriarch watches the world from her ebony chair. Mrs. Tree, wrapped in layers of white dimity and plum satin, commands attention even as she knits in a severe, disciplined fashion. Her sharp tongue and quick humor clash with the gentle, nervous chatter of her housekeeper Direxia, whose endless polishing and gossip fill the kitchen air. The opening scene unfolds over tea, a misplaced basin, and a cryptic note from a vanished husband, setting a tone that mixes domestic routine with lingering anticipation.

Rumors swirl about Ithuriel Butters, a traveling salesman whose abrupt departure leaves the villagers whispering about love, loss, and a promise to “keep on growing young” until his return. As Mrs. Tree listens, her eyes gleam with a mix of skepticism and curiosity, hinting that the quiet household may soon be drawn into the community’s tangled histories.