A/N: Hey people thank you so much for the many of you who have already reviewed and favourite my story and I'd only done the one chapter so I'm giving you another one! Here we go children
Also, I haven't decided if I'm going to change anything in the storyline, maybe the gypsies and a couple of other things but I love the movie that much that im not sure I should change it. I know that it won't be original by me then though but ah well!
Please R&R!
Chapter 2
The young girl fidgeted as she stood in front of the full length mirror, jittery as her excitement seemed to jump inside of her. Trying unsuccessfully, one of the maids tried to button up the back of the small girl's gown. The young girls silky brown hair ran neatly down her back in a braid, finished off with a delicate cream bow.
She smiled at her reflection, smoothing out her neat brown petticoat. 'Oh Paullette, it feels just like Christmas! I get a mother, and sisters all in one day!' She turned around quickly and smiled at the older lady as she fixed her dress.
'Yes, it's going to be very exciting here what with the baroness and all- oh hold still girl!' She shouted at Kate as the girl scampered across the bed to get her small comb from the bedside table.
Eunice entered the room with a pile of newly laundered sheets, smiling at the young girls enthusiasm, 'The master deserves some happiness after all this time, what with raising the child alone and all. She must be lovely.' She smiled at the girls reflection in the mirror.
The young girl frowned at her reflection, hastily trying to brush her hair, 'I hope she likes me.'
'She will love you, just be the little angel I know is somewhere in there.' Paulette poked one of her fingers jokingly into her stomach, laughing as the younger girl giggled.
A familiar noise came from the window and the maids shouted at her as she once again climbed over the bed to stick her head out the window to see her best friend, Javier standing on the grass two floors below her. His scrawny figure was poised as if he were about to throw another stone but as he spotted her, he scrunched up his face in confusion.
Kate scolded him loudly, 'I told you Javier, not today!'
He paused before quickly shouting back at her, 'You look like a girl!'
Kate rolled her eyes, 'That's what I am dimwit!'
'Yeah, but today you look it!'
She smugly looked down at him, 'Boy or girl, I can still whip you!'
'Hah!' He shouted at her before running quickly out of view, she quickly jumped off the bed and ran out of the room to sprint down the stairs and run after him.
Meanwhile, a parade of carriages had entered their passageway through the brick gates at the entry of their lands. The carriages were filled with an assortment of colourful boxes and luggage bags and as they approached the household, servants scurried everywhere to assemble themselves in a line to greet the master. The procession passed under the big oak trees that lined the passageway.
'Quick, the master is here!'
Kate's father, Jim Beckett laughed warmly as he came to a stop on his horse in front of them all, 'Good morning everyone!' Maurice, one of the elder servants, greeted the man and helped him off his horse, 'I hear you brought us back a baroness, Master Beckett.'
'More like an entire household. But I seem to be missing a daughter.' He looked around the courtyard with a frowned face but forgot about it as he saw the carriage ascend down the passageway.
They all straightened themselves out as the carriage arrived to a halt, the footman hurriedly walking around to open the small door.
A small, timid figure emerged from the carriage, curiously gazing around as her clambered slowly down the steps, her blonde hair curled into a bun with a cap sitting over her hair, shyly looking down at her feet. A second small figure emerged, her chin up almost in disgust as she stepped down the carriage steps and brushed the imaginary dust of her shoulders, flicking her bright red hair over her shoulders.
The servants and maids looked curiously at the newcomers, looking on eagerly to see the woman that would command them from now on.
The last figure to come from the carriage extended a gloved hand through the cabin curtains which was accepted by the footman who brought a hauntingly looking woman with beautiful features through, a look of mild disgust and surprise as she glanced around the dirty manor. Her dress was adorned with jewels and her dress was an expensive design.
'Oh Jim, it's absolutely…charming really.' He smiled at her as she gazed around before a shout interrupted their thoughts.
'Papa!' Kate ran at her father, her dress covered in mud and dirt, her hair sticking out at all ends and ran into his arms.
'Look at you, just as I left you!' He gathered her in his arms, kissed her on the cheek and spun her around as she giggled, 'And I guess your friend Javier is around here someplace!'
'No sir,' She grinned at him, 'I slaughtered him!' She pointed behind him and he turned around to see the small boy, frowning slightly and he stood in defeat, covered from his head to his toe in mud.
Jim laughed before frowning at her, 'I was hoping to present a little lady, ' He glanced at her from head to toe before shrugging, 'I suppose you'll have to do.' He stood to stand behind her, his hands resting on his daughters shoulders.
'May I present, the Baroness Gina DuGhant and her two daughters, Jennifer and Meredith.'
'Hello Katherine, at last we meet.' A small smirk broke her harsh features, as if she were sneering at the young, innocent girl that stood in front of her, 'Your father speaks of nothing else.' Staring down her nose at Kate she motioned her daughters, 'Ladies, meet your new stepsister.'
'Mademoiselle.' The two young girls curtsied neatly as they stood behind their mother.
Jim carried his sleepy daughter up the stairs to her room as she chatted about the exciting day they'd had.
As he sat her down on her bed, he produced a small object from behind his back and placed it in her lap. She gasped and picked it up excitedly, a confused look coming over her face as she looked up at her father, 'What is it?'
'It is called a watch, it's a new invention which helps to tell the time.'
'It's beautiful!'
'I'm glad you like it. The dinner went well don't you think?'
'Did you see how nicely they ate their meal? It was perfect! Like a dance!' He chuckled at her remarks and pulled back her sheets to tuck the small girl in, 'Do you like them?'
She nodded her head, 'Very much!'
'Good, because I have to go away again tomorrow.'
'But you just got back!'
He smiled sadly, 'I know.'
'For how long?'
'Only, three weeks.'
'One!'
'Two!'
'One!' He countered back at her.
They both paused before breaking out into a round of paper, scissors rock and Kate laughed in victory as he paper covered him rock.
'Alright, alright,' He chuckled at her reaction, 'One. Now, get some sleep!' He kissed her on the forehead and quickly blew out the candle on her bedside table.
Kate contently let her eyes slip shut, a small smile on her face as she fell asleep peacefully.
Jim winced as another shot of pain went up his arm, rolling his shoulder to try and ease the aching and was surprised as he entered the courtyard to see everyone lined up as they had been yesterday, but also added to them was his new wife and step daughters as well as his own solemn looking daughter.
He laughed at them all, 'I've never seen so many gloomy faces, I'll be back in a week.' He kissed his wife on the cheek and she frowned sadly at him.
'Then go, the sooner you leave, the sooner we can celebrate your return.' He rubbed her arm soothingly before turning towards the three young girls, 'And perhaps by then the three of you will get to know each other better,' He tapped each of them on the nose by Kate didn't crack a smile so he kneeled before her, 'Katherine, I'm counting on you to show them the ropes around her, the Baroness is not used to getting her hands dirty.' The baroness straightened her spine as he muttered this to his daughter and he stood up and turned to mount his horse.
Maurice patted the horse gently, 'Safe journey master.' The horse started to trot away and they all watch sadly as their beloved master, husband, father or friend started his long journey on horseback.
'Come now ladies,' The baroness clapped her hands, bringing her daughters attention to her, 'Back to your studies.' They turned to leave but Kate stopped them.
'Wait!' They paused and turned to her, 'It's tradition! He always waves at the gate.'
The Baroness turned with a cold shoulder, 'Suit yourself.' She made her way into the household, her head held high.
Kate quickly set off running to stand on the laneway so she could see her father retreating.
Jim suddenly felt his heart constrict and his body jolted forwards, pain shooting like fire through his body and he limply fell sideways, falling off his horse and slamming hard to the ground.
Kate gasped, horrified, 'Papa!' She set of running, scared for his life. The servants and maids stood in shock before they followed the young girl. The Baroness heard the shouting and walked slowly to the archway before seeing her new husband's hunched formed and cried out before also running after them.
Kate reached her father first, tears running down her cheeks, 'Papa! Papa!' She shook his body and he slowly rolled onto his back. He looked at his beautiful young girl, her face streaking with tears of sorrow and he knew these were his last moments. He raised a shaky hand, whispering to the young girl slowly, 'I love you, I love you so much.' He stroked her cheek gently and as everyone surrounded his body, his arm dropped limply and his head lolled to one side. Kate cried into his shoulder and the Baroness arrived, and realized that she was too late, and only Kate had gotten to say goodbye. Gina stood up as she sobbed quietly and she turned to Maurice who held her as she sobbed into his shoulder.
Kate sat there against her father's lifeless body, crying softly into his side. Paulette tried to pull her away but she refused to leave his side. Gradually as the time passed, Kate's protest grew weaker and one of the workmen collected Kate up to return her to the house, never to see her father come home ever again.
A/N: So what did everyone think? I pretty much wrote exactly the same as the movie for now but from here on in it should start to get a little more different but overall it will be the same.
Hope you enjoyed it! Please R&R!
C xx
