Disclaimer: Only what you don't recognize belongs to me and any similarities of my OOC to someone or another character is completely coincidental.
I don't know what exactly woke me up but I was wide awake with in a second. It took a few moments for me to remember where I was before it all came flooding back. I jumped out of bed despite the fact that the sun hadn't yet risen.
Brand new day. Brand new city! I couldn't wait to get dressed and outside. I took out the only skirt I could tolerate wearing, somehow knowing my grandmother wouldn't approve my usual attire of pants, shirt, and vest that I wore everyday back home on the ranch. The skirt wasn't the prettiest, being a bleak gray-blue color that had faded a little but it was comfortable for walking. I grabbed the white shirt that went with the skirt as well as the proper undergarments. I made my way towards the door.
What use was having a butler show you to your room and then not tell you where the bathroom is? I really need to pee!
I sighed and just set out to find the bathroom on my own while looking at it like it was my first adventure of the day.
I tried at least three doors, All locked of course, before I came across the bathroom. Like every other thing it was fancy and expensive but some how not over done. I washed up and dressed and when I was ready to go out into the world the sun was up in the sky. I stepped out into the hallway and gasped in shock as I was met with the annoyed face of Mr. Jones and two thoughts faced through my mind. The man needs to wear a bell around his neck so I can hear him coming and I got him to show an emotion! I did what I thought was impossible! Kudos to me!
"I was just at your room to wake you and show you this room Miss Stein. Why did you not wait?" Mr. Jones' voice was as dull as ever.
"I woke early and thought I could just find the bathroom and get ready and… save you the task of showing me where it was?" That last part's a total lie. I hadn't thought about him at all.
"Next time you will wait for either Ms. O'Keefe or myself to show you to a room or place understand?"
Who's Ms. O'Keefe?
"I asked if you understood Miss Stein." I stopped myself from rolling my eyes.
"Yes I understand Mr. Jones." I gritted my teeth before adding, "I'm sorry I left the room with out waiting for you." I guess I should have just suffered a bladder infection or gone to the bathroom in a corner. Bet that would have made you happier. Stupid stuck up butler and his annoying monotone voice.
Mr. Jones just nodded and pointed towards the stairs.
"If you'll please go down the steps and take a sharp right turn you'll see a white swinging door. Go through that door and down the hallway you should find the maid, Ms. O'Keefe. And I'll take your night clothes back to your room"
I just nodded and handed him my folded nightgown. Why do I have to find the maid? I mentally shrugged as I walked down the stairs and took a sharp right and like Mr. Jones said there was a white swinging door. I stepped through the door and into the dimly light hall…. I didn't see any maids. Walking further down the darker hallway I stopped and my heart rate raced as I heard growling coming from behind me. I turned slowly and was surprised to see that it was empty. The growling persisted. What the- Does Decant have invisible dogs or something?
"BRUTUS!" I shrieked and jump at the voice that came from behind me. Whirling around relief flooded me as I saw a women in her mid-twenties with reddish-blonde hair wearing a maids uniform. She was bending down slightly and holding out her hand to the floor. That's when I noticed a little black ball of fluff run around me and sit obediently at the maids feet. It was a little dog that blended in perfectly with the rug in the dark hallway.
"Good boy." the women spoke softly now and looked up at me. "Oh I'm so sorry about him. Madam Decant spoils him so he needs a firm hand sometimes. You must be Madeline right?" She spoke with a soft accent. Irish Maybe?
"Yes I am. Are you Ms. O'Keefe?" She smiled.
"That would be me. But if you want you can call me Chloe. Now come on." She motioned for me to follow her into a room off of the hallway. Chloe was pretty enough, she wasn't a slight women but she wasn't large either. She was built… strongly I guess. Her eyes wear a sparkling green and she had a quiet, soft smile. And most importantly she's friendly.
The room she took me to had sofas and chairs set up in a semi circle surrounding a small platform and a large mirror. Brutus followed us and sat contently on a chair watching us.
"What are we doing in here?" I asked Chloe as she went to a table with a small drawer.
"The Madam instructed me to take your measurements." she said absent mindedly.
"Why?"
Chloe walked up to me holding a note pad and a measuring string.
"Well Madam Decants tailor and seamstress is out of town and the Madam trusts no one else. So I have to take your measurements so the we can go down to the woman's shop and get a few clothing items until you can get fitted properly." She started taking my measurements.
"I have clothes though." I stated.
"Yes of course you do but…" She looked up at me for moments and went back to her task, "Madam Decant feels that new clothes would help welcome you to the city and her home." Yeah right and I'm the President.
"You means she doesn't want a granddaughter wearing ranchers clothes right?" My voice was a tad bit harsher then I meant it to be but Chloe just smiled and said, "Perhaps."
Chloe had finished measuring me five minutes before seven.
"Oh dear I better get you to the dinning room for breakfast." The Irish women exclaimed. Unexpectedly butterflies filled my stomach. I hadn't seen my grandma since I was a small toddler and by the way this household was run I had a feeling she wasn't going to be all puppies and daisies. She brought me to the dinning room door. The butterflies lessened as I glanced at Chloe, at least I wouldn't be facing Monster Decant by myself.
"Oh no!" Chloe said more to herself. Oh no what?
"I have to go back and get Brutus. Just go on inside." And with that she was gone. So much for not being alone.
I took a very deep breathe as I opened the door. Inside I got my first look at my grandma. She was sitting in a chair at the table reading a magazine and sipping tea. She was thinner then I had imagined and her face was even more un readable then the butlers.
"Ladies do not stare Madeline." I jumped at her voice.
"Come inside. It isn't polite to stand in a doorway." Her voice was deceptively polite and commanding all at once. I walked to a chair ready to sit down.
"No do not sit there. Sit in that chair." She pointed to the chair on the opposite side of the table. I did as she asked. I could feel her eyes judging me as I walked. Hmph I thought ladies didn't stare. What does she call what she's doing then?
I looked at the food lain on the table and my mouth started to water although I wasn't sure I would be able to eat anything with Madam Decant looking at me like she was a hawk and I was her prey.
"Tell me Madeline. How are things … out west?" Distain didn't lace her voice but she still made the idea of being out west seem disdainful. It was hard to explain but her voice was nothing but bored politeness.
"Good actually…. Um the cattle-" she cut me off.
"If you can not speak a full sentence with using 'um' than keep your replies short. You simply could have said 'good' or 'very well' and you always add a 'thank you'. It is common courtesy." She took a sip of her tea. I said nothing.
"You must be hungry. No doubt your table manners are as bad as or worse then your other manners." The old bat! Who does she think she is? The madam sighed and said, "Do not scowl Madeline it make you look irregular and foolish." My mouth literally dropped pen. The old bat set her tea cup down quiet forceful and glanced at me.
"Are you now trying to catch flies in your mouth? Wouldn't you rather have eggs or toast? Or perhaps you simply take pleasure looking like a fish?" She said everything like it was a normal conversation! Like she was speaking of the weather not insulting me. I still kept silent and buttered a piece of toast not really caring what the old bat thought.
"Today you will be on your own. I have business to attend to and the staff are to busy to baby-sit you. You may go out and walk the streets but stay out of trouble and you are not to walk more then five blocks from this house." She took a dainty bite of eggs.
"Yes ma'am." If I'm going to be stuck with her I might as well try to be polite. Its what mother would want.
"Very well. I leave you now. Oh and lunch will not be served today, however, there are a few decent places all with in a five block radius. Good day." My grandmother stood up and nodded to me and then left. I gave a relieved sigh and wolfed down the rest of my food. The door swung open and Chloe rushed in holding Brutus.
"I'm so sorry Maddy!" Maddy? "I just saw the Madam leave. It wasn't too terrible was it?" Yes.
"No." The older women smiled, "Good." she watched Brutus nip at her finger tips then looked back at me obviously deep in thought.
"Maddy…" she said slowly, "do you mind taking Brutus for his morning walk?" Ugh. I looked at the fur ball and he looked at me, well we both glared at each other. It's an evil dog. I can tell.
"I guess not."
"Thank you so much. You have no idea how helpful this is. Here." she pushed Brutus into my arms, "I'll go get the leash."
I looked at the thing in my arms, big brown eyes looked back.
"Well I guess you're kind of cute-OWW!" That over stuffed rat bit me! My fingers were bleeding!
"What did I do to you huh?!" Brutus just growled and made another go at my fingers.
"OW! Stop that!" I held him away from my body. He calmed down but kept a steady low growl going until Chloe came back, leash in hand.
What a wonderful way to start my first day in New York City. A snobby grandmother and her insane and vicious dog. I snorted at myself and rolled my eyes. Yeah right.
There's chapter two. Next chapter Madeline gets to meet the newsies, well a few of them anyway. So please review and tell me what you think! Please!!!! Oh and I always pictured Maggie Smith as Madam Decant. I love her! Anyway I hope Maddy isn't a Mary Sue and let me know if she is. And I want to say thanks to my one review so far. Hope I get more!J-Montana