She is laughing with happiness as she puts her hair up in ringlets. As she picks up a hand mirror and gazes at her beautiful, unblemished face.
Beautiful. That is what she is now, instead of the plain, runny-nosed English girl. She is now an English rose, beautiful from head to the tips of her toes.
She
leans forward. Gazes at the perfect ringlets tumbling over her
shoulders. Her long-lashed eyes that are more blue than dull gray.
Her perfectly sculpted face that is the color of snow,
paired with
beautiful red lips.
She
has the power. The words circle around and around in her head.
She has power and beauty, a good combination. She will capture the
attentions of Tom with her beauty, make
Gemma weak with her power.
When she thinks of Gemma, her expression is ugly. The only feeling she has for Gemma now is hate. There is no more admiration, no more love, no more fear.
She pulled me away from Tom. Created false ladies to make me feel as though he is unavailable. Now, he truly will be unavailable!
She closes her eyes, whispers some words. She sees herself in Tom's arms, and they are dancing. He pulls her behind a potted fern. They kiss passionately. Tom wants more. His hands are fast as he rips her beautiful dress and scratches at the beautiful curls.
She is frightened. Her eyes fly open, but it is not a dream anymore. It is not Tom either.
She tries to work her mouth open, to scream. But the thing is all over her, suffocating her. She does not realize what is happening until it seems to sink inside of her, pulling her in.
She sits for a few moments, trying to gather what just happened. She feels something in her stomach, and she knows who it is as she picks up the mirror and looks at her eyes.
They are so eerie…so different…
She is laughing madly as she runs to find Gemma.