-1Ok, so miss Nytd told me casually that I ought to wander over to the Broken Compass forum and check out the challenge thread, and I figured that was pretty much a challenge. The prompt was "Chaos." This is what came out (instead of an update for "Memoirs," sorry).

Chaos In the Rigging

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elizabeth lay awake staring at the ceiling. She lifted a nimble hand and wiggled her fingers, watching the moonlight frost them with its silvery halo. Then she dropped her hand to her side again with an exasperated plop, and shifted herself determinedly to her side.

She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind, willing herself to sleep, but all she could do was think of the day to come. By this time tomorrow she would be Mrs. William Turner and the thought made her both apprehensive and inexpressibly happy. She closed her eyes and imagined Will's face growing nearer as she marched down the aisle towards him. The look on his imagined face made her heart jump suddenly and she was unable to repress a small squeal of excitement.

"Miss Elizabeth?" a head popped around the edge of the narrow door at the end of the room.

"Estrella!" Elizabeth exclaimed, sitting up and grinning.

"Are you alright?" Estrella whispered, returning the smile and advancing from behind the door with a candle.

"You couldn't sleep either, huh?" Elizabeth drew her knees up to her chin and hugged her arms around them.

Estrella shook her head. "No. Though by right's I ought to sleep like the grave--what with everythin' all upside-down getting' ready for the wedding. Ms. Manly is all sixes and sevens, and Bartholomew keeps muttering about 'chaos in the rigging' or some such drabble from his stage days."

Elizabeth giggled.

"I'm sorry, Estrella. I hope it won't spoil your time tomorrow."

"I wouldn't worry about that, miss. From the looks of your William, it's you that'll need your rest tomorrow." She grinned wickedly and Elizabeth stretched her face into mock offense before both girls collapsed against the bed in a fit of giggles.

There was much attempted shushing that only elicited more giggles.

This display might well have lasted all night, were it not that Elizabeth noticed a piece of paper clutched in one of her lady's maid's hands.

She sat up, still sputtering out the last of her laughter. "Estrella?"

"Yes?" Estrella managed to get out.

"What's that you've got in your hand?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a letter." Estrella attempted to hide the letter by the ingenious practice of sitting on it. Which only made Elizabeth spring up and set to tickling the poor girl. As Estrella rolled around in an attempt to escape, Elizabeth snatched up the letter.

"To the Exquisite Ms. E." Elizabeth pronounced dramatically.

"Give that back." Estrella demanded good-naturedly, making a swoop for the letter.

Elizabeth pulled it out of her reach. "How do you know it's for you? It says 'to Ms. E.' It could be mine." She teased.

"It's to me, and it's none of you business." She grabbed again but Elizabeth was too quick.

"I must say your fellow has dreadful handwriting. And he spelled exquisite wrong."

"Well, 'e's not what you'd call a poet. But 'e's awful charmin' in the moonlight."

Elizabeth noticed the tenderness in the look on her friend's face and sobered, handing over the letter.

"I'm sorry, Estrella." She paused. "Why didn't you tell me you had a sweetheart?" she added, sounding a bit hurt.

"I've wanted to. But you were so busy with Lady Barclay, going this way an' that--and I've been busy too…" she trailed off. "I'm sorry."

She leaned forward to hug her mistress. When they let go both girls had tears in their eyes.

"I'm going to be married in the morning." Elizabeth exhaled.

"I know." Came the reply.

"I'm going to miss you, Estrella." The future Mrs. Turner's eyes were wide and rueful.

"Nonsense. I'm comin' with you to your new house."

"I know," Elizabeth admitted, sniffing. "But it won't be the same."

Estrella returned her sad look for a moment. "No."

Then she broke into a smile. "It'll be better."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AN: Ok, so I definitely strayed a bit from the prompt, but I like Estrella, and the first thing I thought of with 'chaos' was wedding preparations--probably because my housemate is in the midst of them herself.

In case you were wondering, the "chaos in the rigging" is a shipping and a theatre reference and comes from the fact that in days of yore sets were rigged with rope instead of cable and all worked by hand with sailor's knots and pulleys and such. Theatre managers decided that if you were going to use naval rigging techniques, that you might as well use sailors to operate them. Scene changes were done using whistle signals, just like a ship. I imagine Bartholomew as being a bit on the older side and having been both a seaman and worked in the stage business. (Just in case you forgot you were dealing with a theatre geek. :D)