Lord Bottomley

A Man Who Came To Dinner Fan Fiction

Disclaimer: I do not own any Man Who Came To Dinner characters.

Author's Notes: I recently did back stage work for a local production of The Man Who Came To Dinner and absolutely loved it. For those who have not seen the show I will try to not spoil the plot too much in this story. I hope you enjoy it!

Lorraine Sheldon was head over heels for Lord Cedric Bottomly. He reciprocated the feelings for her. They had been together for about two years. Others mocked their relationship.. or mostly just mocked Cedric because of his stutter. This didn't seem to bother Cedric but it bothered Lorraine a lot.

Cedric and Lorraine had planned to spend a quiet Christmas alone together but their plans changed when Lorraine got the call from her close friend Sheridan Whiteside about a new acting role that had just opened up for her. She got the news in Scotland while on a shooting party with Lord and Lady Cunard. Lorraine was excited about her new acting job and Cedric was happy for her too despite the fact they would not see each other for Christmas.

Upon arriving in Mesalia, Ohio where Sheridan, whom she affectionately called Sherry was recovering from a hip injury at the Stanley household she flew directly to his side to find out about the play. Little did she know that Sheridan's secretary Maggie had feeling s for the playwright Bert Jefferson. Lorraine had never really thought that she would be put in the middle of a budding relationship she was more focused on the new role she was going to get in Jefferson's play.

Lorraine hit it off with Bert right away and they went to the hotel to talk about the play. Maggie stormed out of the house in a fit of rage after her plan to play a trick on Lorraine with Beverly Carlton posing as Cedric had miserably failed. They had a quiet dinner at the restaurant in the hotel lobby. For conversation's sake Lorraine decided to ask Bert about the trick that Maggie and Beverly had pulled on her.

"Honesty, I don't see why they did that to you. You obviously care a lot for this Bottomly fellow and I can't see why they would do that." Bert said.

Lorraine nodded. "I really don't get it either. Maggie could have been jealous of us working together but that really has nothing to do with our romantic lives. This is strictly business."

"How long have you been and Maggie been together?" Lorraine asked.

"We only just met two weeks ago but I'm crazy about her and she's crazy about me too… so it seems."

Lorraine remembered seeing the Christmas present that Maggie had showed to her and Sheridan earlier in the day " That was a really pretty bracelet you got her. Sorry I didn't say that before. I was just so floored by that dirty trick that Maggie and Beverly played on me. It's very unnerving."

Bert could obviously tell that Lorraine was bothered by the trick that Maggie and Beverly had played on her. "Why don't we talk about the play now? He suggested. "I can see this is really bothering you."

"Yes, let's. I want to hear all about this wonderful play you've written." Lorraine said smiling.

And that's what they talked about for the rest of the evening.

Alone in her room after Bert had gone home for the night Lorraine still agitated by the trick that Beverly and Maggie had played on her. She just couldn't shake it. She understood that Maggie had feelings for Bert and that she could have played the trick on her out of jealousy but why would her co-star Beverly Carlton want to be involved? Did he really hate Cedric that much that he would make fun of her?

She awoke on Christmas morning to her bedside phone ringing. Rolling over to look at the clock she noticed it was 7:30. This was the front desk calling to wake her up. She had to be at the Stanley's at quarter of 10 to have Christmas breakfast with Sheridan.

"Merry Christmas Ms. Sheldon, you have a gentlemen down here to see you." The cheery front desk attendant said

Lorraine sat up in bed, frazzled. How could Bert be here so early to pick her up to go to Sheridan's? She was barely awake. She threw on a sweatshirt and a pair of sneakers and went down to the lobby.

All her anger at Maggie and Beverly instantly melted away when she saw Lord Bottomly standing by the front desk.

"Cedric darling. What a surprise. How did you know I was staying here?"

Cedric Bottomly grinned " I called the residence of the gentlemen you came out here to visit and he told me. Merry Christmas my sweet."

Lorraine leaned over to kiss her boyfriend. "Merry Christmas darling. Let's go up to my room. I need to get ready to go to the Stanley's house to have breakfast with Sheridan."

"Sounds grand to me. I've had a long trip and need to rest a spell. Plus I have a Christmas surprise for you."

Lorraine couldn't wait to see what the surprise was.

When they got back at Lorriane's room Lord Bottomly looked around. "Pretty nice for the fist American hotel room I've been in." he remarked.

Lorraine nodded and offered her boyfriend a snack and some water which he gladly accepted after being famished from his long trip.

"What's your surprise?" Lorraine asked eagerly

"Well I found out about that nasty trick that Sheridan's secretary and that louse Beverly Carlton played on you."

Lorraine flushed with utmost embarrassment. "Really, how did you know?"

"Cosette called last night and told me all about it. Don't worry my sweet we'll fix everything that this little misunderstanding bent out of sorts."

"But how?"

"Don't worry about my sweet. I called the jeweler and they are still saving the string of pearls for you that we picked out in October. In the meantime I have brought you some other jewelry." Cedric reached into his suitcase and pulled out a few small boxes.

Lorraine was delighted that the wrongs from Beverly and Maggie's awful trick would soon be righted. She was very grateful for her maid for making things right,

Cedric handed her the first box. Inside were a pair of emerald earrings and a matching bracelet.

"Darling, they're lovely."

The next box was smaller. Before Lorraine could reach for it Lord Bottomley snatched it up, got down on one knee and opened it. In side was a 14 karat diamond ring.

"Lorraine, my sweet, will you be my wife?"

Lorraine's smile was a mile wide.

"Darling, I thought you'd never ask. Yes, a hundred times yes."

Lord Bottmley slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"I love you my sweet."

"I love you too."

This was the best Christmas gift she could have ever received.