Jerry Dandridge's What If Scenario
Chapter One
Day One
On a Train to Somewhere
Large blue eyes peered out the window looking to the cluttered platform of a train station just as the train jerked into motion beginning its slow roll over the tracks. Those eyes, lined by modestly lengthened pale reddish lashes, watched the individuals moving about their business; men and women dressed in the fashions of the mid nineteenth century, fashions depicting their wealth and status. Soft rose pink lips of modest fullness pressed together with nervousness and a deep and heavy sigh sounded passed.
Eighteen year old Rose Garrett was in a foreign land having traveled from American by her father's demand. She was sent away from the Civil War that was tearing the free country apart and sent in direction of a man she had never met; her intended. For years she was told she would marry this stranger who had bargained with her father during the man's visit to America. She wasn't too happy but what was a girl to do? She couldn't argue or protest that arranged marriage; wasn't her place as a young woman. Her father said it was for the best since her mother had sadly passed years prior by an incurable illness and her brother not long after passed from complications from pneumonia. Now her father was fighting the war battling the South on behalf of the North. And, now, she was in Europe amongst complete strangers including the brute of a man as her escort and personal watchman; Oscar.
Her eyes shifted from the window now that the scenery had become droll. Her eyes scanned the private sleeping quarters; like a dismal little cell. There was the bed which she sat atop near the single window, a small armoire, and a tiny vanity with a porcelain water basin and pitcher. She rose up from the bed feeling the motion of the train beneath her laced boots. For days that little cell of a room was to be hers until arriving at the second to the last location where she would take a carriage to the final and permanent destination. She had no real idea of who the man was that she was marrying; simply knew he was some wealthy aristocrat who took an odd fancy to her when she was just fourteen which she thought slightly uncomfortably and strange.
She grabbed her copy of Edgar Allen Poe's works, specifically reading The Murders in the Rue Morgue then opened the door trying to balance with the trains rocking. She leaned out into the narrow corridor and looked both ways; wondered where that brute fellow Oscar was hidden. She stepped out closing the door behind her and looked to the door at her left that led between that car and the other behind it. Curious, she walked the short distance and peered through the small window seeing that the behind car was dark. She shrugged then turned moving towards the other end knowing beyond that car was the dining car.
She took a seat at one of the small dining tables; unfortunately Oscar sat across the aisle at his own private table keeping a close watch over her as was his job. She hated having someone constantly watchful of her every move. There weren't many on that train with much wealth, she assumed by the lack of individuals in the dining car. She guessed most were further ahead in the more crowded passenger cars while she basically was alone with Oscar. Not much of an appetite, she sipped tea from a pretty floral teacup with matching saucer while reading the controversial and delightfully morbid works of Edgar Allen Poe.
It was a while that she sat there before the changing scenery with her eyes solely focused on every gruesome word written in those elaborate and artful tales of death. There seemed no sign of any other with the means to share that quiet dining car until the sun set in the distant horizon. From behind she heard the door to the dining car open and two male voices conversing. She kept her eyes down but not necessarily reading; more so sipping her recently refreshed cup of tea while eavesdropping on the voices. Her eyes shifted side to side over the open book focusing on both voices. One voice in particular sounded decently attractive and well spoken as the other seemed a bit less so, much less so. She listened as the more attractive of the two voices graciously gave a greeting to Oscar who in turn gave a simple 'gentlemen' in his low monotone but foreign accented voice.
Her eyes lifted from the pages, firstly glanced over at Oscar who sat as usual without expression and arms crossed. Hmm, she thought, bet not much goes on in that brain of his since he lacked any show of interest in anything besides watching her like a hawk. Her nose slightly wrinkled with a little grimace; didn't like that man because he lacked any socialization skills. Oscar not being much to look at; her eyes shifted in direction those two voices came from.
Keeping her head somewhat down she slowly lifted the book but stopped so her eyes could peer over the edge of the book at the two men who sat at the table two ahead of Oscar's. Well, the first fellow, tall and just about as much a brute like Oscar wasn't at all remotely impressive with his shabby dirty blonde hair and plain suit. Her eyes shifted to the second fellow, obviously the owner of that attractive voice. His hair was a very deep shade of black and nicely cut and styled and from what she saw his suit was perfectly tailored and fashionably made of the finest materials. His profile, what she could make out from that angle, was quite pleasant to behold with a skin tone that of obvious European descent. Hmm, she wondered, what part of Europe did he originate? Perhaps he was returning to his home country; he had no accent which indicated he quite possibly had also traveled from America; his companion obviously gave that indication as well.
That gentleman made her wish she knew what her intended looked like; got some feeble descriptions from their correspondence but most men, she assumed, would say anything to impress a woman. Her lips pressed together while her eyes stared at the attractive man; would be nice if her intended remotely resembled that man who was at the least twenty years older than her. Her face grimaced; her intended was immensely over twenty years older than her which made her softly cringe.
Her eyes shifted and looked to Oscar who now was staring at her with his eyes narrowed. She quickly lifted the book blocking her view of the good looking traveler. "Stupid Oscar," she mumbled with a whisper and again found herself focusing on that man's very attractive voice. He had such a charming melody about his voice which made her smirk with intrigue while hiding it behind her book. She heard the dining car server ask the two men if they wanted anything; only the less attractive one requested a meal while the more attractive one ordered a bottle of red wine. Ah, yes, she nodded, quite distinguished since he ordered the finest bottle of red wine available. She frowned; stuck drinking tea since Oscar wouldn't allow her to enjoy more adult beverages because it wasn't appropriate until she was married to his employer. Stupid Oscar, she grumbled in thought.
She heard the sound of giggling approach the dining car and they became louder the moment the door in her view opened. She lowered the book peering over and watched a seemingly bubbly woman step into the dining car. Her eyes shifted following the woman making her approach to the two men. Her eyes slyly kept watch as the obvious gentleman of the two stood up charmingly greeting the flamboyantly dressed woman; dressed in bright shades of blue with dark brown hair stylishly twisted in shoulder draped curls.
The woman joined the two men just as the wine was brought. She shifted her eyes down looking at her attire; felt so plain in comparison to the vibrant woman with the loud voice and laughter. She felt she looked so remarkably dull wearing a simple satin dress with muted shades of nearly gray blue, her strawberry blonde hair hidden beneath a simple bonnet the same muted shades, and beneath those layers was hidden what she felt was a fairly attractive youthful figure. Again, she wasn't allowed to remotely dress like that bright and airy woman because it wasn't appropriate because her future husband forbade that his fiancé allow her femininity to shine for other men to see. "Stupid James Morgan," she mumbled under her breath with her strawberry blonde brows furrowed.
"Perhaps it is time you return to your cabin." Oscar spoke with his deep and accented voice as he stood before Rose.
Rose reluctantly lowered her book and looked up at the towering man with his arms crossed over his chest. "Why?" she asked him.
"You need your rest." He answered standing before her like a stone wall of sternness.
"I'm not at all tired." She softly protested.
"You should get as much rest as possible before the long carriage ride." He was determined to convince her.
Her eyes softly narrowed up at him while her lips pressed together. "Oscar, has anyone told you that you're not a very pleasant fellow?" she spitefully asked him, "For if no one has then that is quite the surprise to me because I find you not at all pleasant and possibly the worst companion for such a long trip."
"That is your opinion." He stated, "Go to your cabin."
Her eyes held their glare then she softly snapped, "You go to your cabin." She found it amusing the moment she saw a glimpse of expression about his tightly pursed lips draped by a thick mustache. "I wish to sit here and read my book and enjoy my tea." She firmly stated, "You can go ahead and retire if you want or you can return to your post over there." She pointed passed him, "You're here to keep an eye on me, not tell me what to do. Now, please, I am in the middle of reading quite an interesting tale of a man being sealed in a wall alive." She wrinkled her nose up at him then looked down at her book and gripped the dainty teacup handle and brought it to her lips. She smirked hearing him quietly grumble then from the corner of her eyes she watched him return to his post; wished he had retired to his room. "Stupid Neanderthal," she commented under breath.
Her eyes glanced diagonally where the vibrant woman's voice continued to chatter but quickly looked back down at the typeset pages upon discovering the attractive man focused on her with a slanted but quite handsome grin. Perhaps that gentleman caught sound of her defiant words to Oscar and found her softly toned ridicule amusing. She kept her eyes staring down at the page while again sipping her tea.
"Mademoiselle," the server spoke up to Rose.
Rose looked up to the young man dressed in a neatly pressed white uniform, "Yes?"
"The gentleman is wondering if you would care for a glass of wine." The server explained.
Her eyes frowned and looked to the server's hand which held an open bottle of wine and a wine glass in the other. She leaned back against the seat looking at the scolding glare across Oscar's eyes. She grinned then looked up at the server. "Why, yes, that would be lovely, thank you." She chimed loud enough for Oscar to hear then gave a nod. She smiled wide as the server poured wine into the glass and offered it to her. She took the glass trying to hide her excitement being so defiant to her watchman.
The server nodded then stepped away and she smiled over at handsome gentleman who continued to smile back at her. "Thank you," she said with a gentle nod and the gentleman simply gave a nod in return. Her eyes looked over at Oscar who was giving her that 'you best not' glare but she held her mischievous smile and eagerly took a drink of wine. Proud of her little burst of defiance; she enjoyed that offered wine while continuing with her reading.
Rose finished her glass of wine, her first glass of wine, and felt the subtle warming effects while finishing another one of those morbid but delectable tales. The dining car was again just she and Oscar for the gentleman had left with the boisterous woman and travel companion. She closed her book and scooted out from behind the table feeling quite relaxed from just that one glass of wine. Oscar had stood up just as she did. "Well, Oscar," she smiled, "I will now go to my cabin." She nodded in agreement to her decision, "And you can now go to yours." She turned slightly swaying then giggled.
She walked toward the door with Oscar directly behind her. She carefully stepped between the two moving cars and entered the car her room was located almost slamming the door on Oscar. She giggled, "Excuse me, I'm sorry," she continued to giggle going to her door but paused noticing a light on in the car attached to the one she stood. Her head tilted curiously; perhaps that was the gentleman's private car. She shrugged and entered her room, "Good night, Oscar!" she called to the brute watchman then slammed the door.
She lit the single lantern then began to the tedious task of removing those layers of muted blues while swaying with the train's motions and her slight intoxication. She giggled feeling flushed with heat while her mind was thinking of that gentleman's abundance of attractiveness. How lucky, she thought, that loudly laughing woman was in the company of such a distinguished and obviously handsome man.
She hung up the dress in the armoire and set the bonnet on the vanity. She dressed in a plain white nightgown then unraveled her lengthy strawberry blonde hair and brushed it out. Once the length of her hair was smoothly brushed she proceeded to braid it draped down over her shoulder while seated on the edge of the small bed. She softly hummed while her fingers wove her hair into a neat braid; her mind still wondering about the attractiveness of the kind gentleman who graciously gave her the offering of her first glass of wine. Her mind trailed further into intriguing thoughts of the gentleman.
She sighed, wondered exactly what was transpiring in that private car. She was curious about things that were inappropriate but intriguing nonetheless. She imagined that a man of his age and splendid good looks was an experienced kisser. Her lips softly grinned knowing that the giddy woman likely was in the midst of that man's great kissing expertise. She had kissed; couldn't confess that experience because she was supposed to be pure and demur which her intended expected. Yes, she kissed; a slightly charming young man who was the son of the preacher back in little Cliffside. Oh, then she couldn't forget a little kissing and so scandalous petting with one of her male schoolmates.
Yet, she was more curious what such an attractive and mature man could deliver when it came to petting and kissing and perhaps beyond. Oh, she hoped and prayed that her intended was just as attractive and possibly romantic and tender. She dreaded her wedding night; had no idea what to expect besides the obvious consummation. She always wanted a type of courtship, a building romance that would blossom into passion and love but all she had were letters spouting nearly boring poetry of no original nature. She again sighed but heavier.
She turned out of the lantern, pulled back the bedding, and lay back to peer out the window seeing nothing but darkness. A couple days on the train then an undetermined distance by carriage and she would finally again see her intended; saw him once but couldn't remember a single thing about his appearance. She closed her eyes and smiled upon imaging the lovely gentleman which lulled her into a deep sleep.