The Victorian Hatter...
Hatter is in 'Upperland' and has finally met Alice but how will he deal with such a prim and proper society.
Thank you so much to fairfarrenlovelylydia (I've made some alterations to the first chapter and shall put it up when I update the fic) and nataa for reviewing.
Sorry for my lateness- end of school daze *dreamy eyes*
Disclaimer: The wonderful world of Wonderland is not mine.
"Alice." Was all the Mad Hatter could say to such an event.
"Hello my dear friend." She responded. "What brings you to upperland?"
"I've come to see you." The Mad Hatter said scrambling to his feet. He then looked her up and down and said. "My my, the clothes here differ from down below."
"I shall take that as a compliment." She said with a smile. "Do you wish to come inside?"
He looked around for moments and noticed that he was only surrounded by trees, tall imposing and dare he say it- non verbal trees. It seemed inconceivable to him that either he or Alice, despite her being of a small frame, could fit into the bark trunks. He looked around and saw many a bush, and even a flower or two. She handed him his hat and he took it graciously. He then took note of his surroundings and said his next comment with conviction.
"You live here?" He asked.
"No not quite yet." She said calmly. "But I am thinking of buying it though for myself and mama."
"And when in these plans where you planning to return to Underland?" The Mad Hatter said and with a far angrier tone he added. "Or was your promise one of a falsehood?"
"Hatter!" She called out.
"I'm fine." He said loudly and then added with a voice little more than a whisper. "Fine."
"Come inside." She said.
The Mad Hatter took one look at her, to show his despair, but she appeared to ignore that. She walked past many a tree, some of fine quality and others which looked destined to be firewood within the week. It took a many a pace before the sunlight began to show through the densely forested area. The Mad Hatter stopped as they reached the end of the forest. His eyes widened to a size no less than dinner plates, and he examined the estate in all of its glory.
"This is most magnificent." He commented quietly.
"Quite." Alice said reservedly. "This is the estate of my business partner."
"Your business partner?" He said to her.
"Lord Ascot." She said. "He is a most magnificent man."
The Mad Hatter's eyes directed immediately to her. Had he come too late? Had Alice, The Alice, already become aquatinted and courted this Lord ascot. She did imply that she would soon take residence at this grand establishment but he comforted himself with memories of her mention of money. It was hopefully a transaction of monetary benefit rather than one of passion.
Alice looked at her friend and gave him a simple smile. She did not smile as she did in Underland, as it was far less wide and only few of her teeth were on show. She carried herself with elegance above the surface and moved with the decorum of a lady. Alice walked ahead towards the green and he followed her footing with precision. Members of her household, some who appeared guests and others who were there on business manners, all stopped their activities to stare at her, and of course at her new house guest. A plump woman, of around thirty years of age, came bumbling up to them carrying a stack of freshly laundered towels.
"Miss Alice..." She stuttered. "Will your...guest...be staying with us tonight?"
"If that is of convenience." Alice said. "I am aware that he came without warning but he has travelled many a mile and he is a dear friend of mine."
"Of course Miss Alice, of course." The plump woman said. She then added with much haste. "Do you wish me to show him to his room, as Lord Ascot has requested an audience with you as soon as possible?"
"That would be most kind thank you." Alice said. She turned to the Mad Hatter and gave him that simple smile again as she said in a silver polished accent. "I shan't be long."
The Mad Hatter responded with merely one nod of his head. He was led by the plump woman through French doors into a large grand entrance. The walls were imposing and many portraits of what the Mad Hatter assumed were Lord Ascot and his family stared down at him. The room was not comfortable, despite many furnishings which attempted to do so. The plump woman rushed in the same way that every uniformed member of the staff did so, and she did not dare to look him in the eye.
He was presented with his room five minutes after his first encounter with the pint size woman. It was a room of fair size, though compared to the other rooms of the house it was considered to be modest, and a large four poster bed took up much of the space. There was a large oak dressing table which sat by the window and an oak dresser which accompanied a mirror on the north facing wall of the room.
"I hope this be to your liking sir." The plump woman said with her stutter.
The Mad Hatter turned to her and gave her a glum smile. He took off his hat and walked into the room, inspecting every nook and cranny with much precision. He then turned to the woman and said clearly.
"It is most agreeable, thank you."
She left without another word uttered and allowed the Mad Hatter to absorb his surroundings with merely his thoughts for company. He did not dislike the room, if anything he found it of a splendid quality, but as he ventured further and further into its helm, he could not help but feel that his appearance was not one which suited the surroundings. As the clock stuck two he felt a sudden urge to rip down the velvet curtains and make a glorious hat to sit upon Alice's golden curls. Fortune however was on the side of him, as a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Hatter." A soft feminine voice beckoned him.
The Mad Hatter turned to face this voice which possessed both a familiar and unfamiliar tone at once- though he knew this to be an impossibility.
"We are to take afternoon tea shortly." Alice said, pacing towards the Mad Hatter. She then added with a face of content. "It must be most delightful if you were to join us."
"Of course madam." He replied back.
"Hatter, as a guest in this estate, I require you abide by one rule, and one rule alone." Alice said, she stopped mere meters away from him.
"And what is that?" The Mad Hatter said.
"You are never to address me as madam again." She said, a youthful smile gracing her face. "It is far too aged, and reminds me rather of my mother and my governess. I hope, as of yet, I do not require such a title."
"Certainly." The Mad Hatter said. "That is a modest request for such a grand lady of the manor."
"Well I hope I am of a modest temperament." She said calmly. "One wishes that they shall never wander into the realm of conceit with a false sense of superiority."
Half an hour later the Mad Hatter took a seat next to Alice in the dining hall. Upon the table were cakes of all sorts and colours. They were not like the cakes of underland as they stood there with the same grace in which people carried themselves in this strange land. The people around the table did not grab for the cakes and instead sat with their backs straight and looks of contempt on their faces. A small china cup and saucer was placed in front of him, and a well proportioned butler poured the tea out of a bone china tea pot. Overall it was of a much more sombre nature that the Mad Hatter cared for. It was to be the Lord of the manor who was to break this most uncomfortable silence.
"So Mr..." Lord Ascot said.
"Tarrant." The Mad Hatter replied on cue.
"Mr Tarrant, if this is not too intrusive, would you tell us of your profession?" Lord Ascot said in the most gentlemanly of ways.
"I design fine hats." The Mad Hatter replied in a poor mimic of this tone. "My latest creation sat upon my Queen's head for a most important occasion."
"For Queen Victoria?" The stuffy gentleman next to Lord Ascot boomed, he continued in his loud voice. "That is of a great honour."
"No, Hatter does reside in England Lord Turner." Alice interrupted, she then added with delicate precision. "He only arrived in our fair country mere hours ago."
"I thought you looked rather off colour." The stuffy gentleman continued. He asked in what appeared to be of a concerned nature. "Was it an unpleasant ride upon our sea?"
It appeared bizarre to that Hatter that people were capable of owing such vast amounts of water which were beyond their control but he felt it right not to comment on this. He gave a small smile with minimal exposure of his crooked teeth and said truthfully.
"Not of such your Lordship for I did not travel by boat."
"You are not suggesting that you swam over the choppy seas." Lord Ascot scoffed.
"I had no such intentions your lordship." The Mad Hatter responded, he took a gentle sip of tea, before continuing. "That would be most absurd."
"Quite." Lord Ascot said. "So what business brings you to the British Isles?"
"He was interested in finding new materials for his hat company." Alice interrupted through fear of what the Mad Hatter may respond.
"Indeed." The Mad Hatter agreed, though he knew this to be false.
"Ah a fine choice my fellow." The Lord Ascot said. He then boomed to the entire table. "We produce the finest ribbon here, do you not think?"
The whole room murmured in agreement and even the staff dared to nod at that comment. The Mad Hatter nodded as well and answered in a way fitting to such a situation.
"It is quite extraordinary." The Mad Hatter said. "But I shall not inconvenience you for long for I must return to my homeland shortly."
"Well stay for however long as you reside in our fair Queen's land." Lord Ascot said loudly, before adding in a theatrical tone. "An acquaintance of my business partner is a friend of mine."
The Mad Hatter stood with Alice and the other guests of Lord Ascot as they embarked on a game of croquet. It was different to that of Underland, and therefore became a game of leisure rather than that of enjoyment. The rules remained the same but the way in which a player was expected to behave was rather of the same sombre tone which he had endured during the afternoon tea. A joke in the presence of the gentlemen and their suitors, was a rarity and as of yet none of the remarks were humorous enough to wipe the impeding sense of displacement that the Hatter had felt since he arrived.
He adjourned to his room shortly after the last game had been played and was greeted by the sight of a freshly pressed suit, and a dress shirt to match. A bow tie sit on his dressing table and a tailed coat hung over the chair with pride. He walked over to them with little joy and stroked his hands across them.
"Too much starch." He commented quietly to himself. His voice was of a slightly angered temperament as he added. "It is as stiff as the people of this establishment."
His eyes were then drawn to a top hat which was place on the pillow of his bed. It was a dull hat, with no ribbon to break the never ending swamp of black velvet. It was of a luxurious make, but even that could not distract the eye from the lack of character which the hat possessed. He dressed in the suit, wearing every item with the same uniformity as the other men of whom he had met. He did not however change his hat and walked out with pride that he had done so.
From the neck down one would have not recognized the Mad Hatter, even if you were to be considered one of his dear friends. As he looked at himself in an ornate mirror placed so precisely at the side of the hall his face fell into a strange smile. It was not like the smile which he worn since childhood, a smile which had possessed true joy and freedom, but it was a smile of repression and contentment of his new status. He had no means of escaping the class ridden society in which he found himself trapped he felt that his stay would be a short one for to stay in such a place risked been infected with the mind forged manacles which so suppressed 'The Alice.'
Second chapter finally done! Sorry for the delay and the next one shall be along shortly (am on holiday now so can write during the day :) ).