Chapter 9- A Perfect Life? (1933).
I slept late the morning after the Banker's Ball. Mother abhorred laziness and would usually hound me out of bed at the usual time no matter what we'd been doing the night before, but for once she relaxed her usual standard and let me rest. It was mid-morning before I was up and dressed and skipping downstairs. The doorbell rang as I reached the front hall, so I opened it to a man carrying a bunch of flowers.
"Miss Rosalie Hale?" he asked.
"Yes, that's me," I said, and he handed me the bunch of flowers with a wink.
"For you then. Looks like you've got an admirer!"
I take the flowers, a delighted smile breaking over my face. A dozen long stemmed red roses…oh! "Thank you!" I said breathlessly, and turned to go back into the house.
"Rosalie, who was at the door?" Mother called in to the hall.
I carried the flowers into the sitting room, where Mother was seated at her writing table. "Look!" I took the card and read it, feeling my cheeks warm and my belly tighten with pleasure. "They're for me, from Royce."
Mother took the card from my hands and read it quickly. "Miss Rosalie, thank you for a most enjoyable evening. Royce." She looked at me, her eyes glittering. "You made quite an impression on him it seems. Well done."
"He's so handsome," I said. "He was lovely to me…"
Mother hugged me. "That's my girl. All I want is a good chance for you, Rosalie, and this could be it. The Kings are an important family, and Royce is young and handsome and charming…well. But we'll just wait and see what happens."
What happened was that the flowers came every day. Always roses, like my name, blooming in their bright hues all over the house and infusing the air with their sweet, heavy scent. I moved through the days with a secret smile on my face and a flutter in my heart, waiting for something to happen, believing with all the arrogant, foolish confidence of a beautiful seventeen year old that it would. And then on Friday the flowers were delivered with a note, and I read it and had to hold back my shriek of delight. Rosalie, With your parents' permission I will call for you tonight at 7. Royce.
"Please Mother," I begged. "Please let me go."
"Of course you may go," Mother answered, nearly as excited as I was. She helped me dress and once again did my hair, and by the time Royce arrived and was in the sitting room talking to Father I was ready.
"Sit down and calm yourself for a minute," Mother said sharply, taking in the flushed brilliance of my cheeks and pushing me down firmly on to the dressing table stool.
"But he's here!" I protested.
"And he'll wait for you," Mother countered. "You mustn't appear too available and eager!" She bit her lip and hesitated as she looked at me. "He's older than you are…remember who you are, Rosalie, and be a good girl."
I didn't even know what she meant, but I nodded my head and took some deep breaths, looking at my reflection in the mirror to steady myself. The navy blue dress with the low scoop neck and lace sleeves had a tight waist and a flared skirt that fell to just below my knees and was both pretty and pleasingly sophisticated, and I was wearing my favourite strapped shoes. Mother had kept my hair loose, smooth across the top and falling in a wave of sleek golden curls down my back. She had lent me her onyx pendant and matching earrings, and I knew I looked pretty. I took another breath and picked up my small purse. "I'm ready now," I said serenely, and Mother nodded her approval as she followed my elegant descent down the stairs.
Royce took me to dinner that night, and then to one of the new, fashionable clubs that had only just become legal with the repeal of Prohibition. I didn't know that my parents would entirely approve, but I had a glorious time. Royce was a charming date and a fabulous dance partner, and I couldn't help but flush with pride when he introduced me to his friends and I saw their approval.
"I'm so glad you came out with me tonight," Royce said as he drove me home afterwards.
"Thank you," I said, half shyly. It felt very quiet and intimate with the two of us in the car after the noise of the club. "I had a lovely time."
Royce pulled the car up in front of my house and I saw the curtains in the sitting room twitch as someone looked out. I looked back at Royce, and found him looking at me intently, his eyes dark. "I'd like to see you again, Rosalie."
Breathlessly I nodded, trying to appear composed. "I'd like that too." I glanced back at the house. "I think my parents are waiting up for me."
"Of course," Royce slid out of the car and I waited for him to come around and open the door for me. He took my arm to walk me to the front door, and I felt a delightful shiver as his warm fingers brushed across my bare arm. At the door he turned me to face him and I felt my breath coming faster as lowered his face and brushed his lips across mine.
"Goodnight Rosalie," he murmured.
"Goodnight Royce," I breathed. I stopped for a minute, my back against the door and smiled at him tremulously. I couldn't believe that he had taken me out for such a wonderful night, and had kissed me and now he wanted to see me again! For a moment my heart stuttered as he leaned forward and kissed me again, and then I heard footsteps coming to the front door behind me and I reluctantly turned and went inside.
It was the start of a whirlwind romance, and I was completely caught up in the heady exhilaration of it. Royce was handsome and clever and charming, and he made no secret of the fact that he found me beautiful and desirable. He took me out to dinner and he took me dancing, he took me to the theatre and to the cinema and out walking in the park. He liked to show me off, and I was flattered at the attention from him and from his older friends. My vanity was fed by the envious looks of the other men when they saw Royce holding my arm possessively in his, and by the jealousy of the other girls when they saw that he had eyes for no one but me.
My rapidly approaching eighteenth birthday also occupied a great deal of my time and attention. After much discussion it was decided that my parents would host a cocktail party, and I found much of my days spent working on decorations and shopping for a new dress. My friends Kitty and Lacy and Anne were very excited about my party and were more than happy to help.
"This party is going to be wonderful," Kitty said dreamily, leaning back in the lawn chair and drawing up her knees.
From my perch at the top of the ladder, struggling to hang the strings of paper lanterns that were supposed to decorate the garden, I looked down at her balefully. "If we ever get the decorations finished it might be wonderful," I snapped.
Anne hurried over to hep wrangle the lanterns, but Kitty merely smiled at me lazily. "Oh, you're better at that than I am Rosalie…I'm too short to reach."
I rolled my eyes, but nothing could really dampen my buoyant mood. It was my birthday, I was eighteen, my parents had given me the most delightful sapphire pendant and earring set over breakfast that morning, I was having a party in the evening and Royce had hinted that his present for me was going to be something very special…I couldn't stop my own self-satisfied smirk.
Finally the lanterns were hung and the potted rose bushes were arranged, and the four of us collapsed into the lawn chairs to rest and gossip before we would all go and dress for the party.
"Do you know what Royce is giving you for your birthday?" Lacy asked enviously.
I shook my head with a small smile. "No…but he said it was something very special."
Kitty's eyes gleamed. "Do you think he's going to ask…"
"Hush!" I didn't want her to jinx what I had already begun dreaming of. It was so soon…but Royce wasn't a man to play games and everyone said we looked so well together and it would be such a good match… "I don't know. It's far too soon to think about it," I added, but my sparkling eyes told another story.
"Oh, it's going to be fabulous!" Kitty squealed. "Just think Rosie, you're going to marry the richest and most eligible bachelor in the city. Then you'll live over in that big house and have parties and entertainment all the time and you can invite us and introduce us to all his friends!"
I laughed gleefully. "Nothing has been said yet! You mustn't talk of it." But I had fallen hard for Royce, and nothing in the world seemed as desirable as becoming his wife, and just the idea of it was enough to send my thoughts floating away on a sea of beautiful, romantic daydreams.
I was ready early for the party, wearing my new blue cocktail dress, the sapphires sparkling at my throat and ears, my hair looped up in heavy coils on my head with soft curls loose around my face. I was surprised to hear the doorbell half an hour before the party was due to start, and even more surprised that Mother called out to me to answer it, but I gave a last shine to my shoes and slipped down the stairs.
"Royce!" I exclaimed as I opened the door. "You're early! Not that it's not lovely to see you," I added hastily, stepping back and holding the door wider. "Come in."
Royce stepped through the door and took me gently in his arms, kissing my cheek. "Happy birthday, Rosalie."
I smiled at him flirtatiously. "Thank you." I let my hand rest briefly on the front lapel of his suit jacket. "You look very handsome," I said teasingly.
Royce grinned at me cockily. "If I'm going to have the birthday girl on my arm for the evening I have to look good." His eyes dropped down to my dress, and he traced a finger down the deep vee of the halterneck dress, coming to rest in between my breasts. I could hardly breathe. "Especially when the birthday girl is looking this pretty," he said huskily.
For a long moment he simply stared down at me, before he laughed a little breathlessly and dropped his hand. "I came early because I wanted to talk to you," he said. "Let's go in the sitting room."
I let him take my elbow and lead me towards the sitting room. One of the waiters hired for the evening to make and hand round the cocktails came forward with a tray, but Royce waved him away irritably. "Not now."
My heart was pounding. He wanted to talk to me…anticipation curled in my stomach. I took a deep breath and sat decorously down on the sofa that Royce pushed me towards, looking up at him through lowered lashes. He loomed above me for a moment and then sat beside me, his thigh pressed against mine.
"I have something for you." Royce reached into his jacket pocket and fished out a small present wrapped in silver paper and tied with a bow. He watched me take it, a smile lighting up his eyes as I thanked him. "You don't know what it is yet- open it."
I tore off the paper and then slowed, my hands trembling as I saw the jewellery box in held. Oh…and there it was. A ring, the slender white gold filigreed band topped with an enormous round brilliant cut diamond. "Royce…" I breathed.
Royce dropped to one knee in front of me and met my eyes unsmilingly. "It's an engagement ring. I want you for my wife…will you marry me, Rosalie?"
My heart thudded almost painfully, but there was no doubt in my mind- wasn't this what I'd always wanted, after all? "Yes Royce," I whispered. "I will…"
"Good." Royce took the jewellery box from my hands and took out the beautiful ring and slid it on to my finger.
For a moment I was transfixed by the sight of it, the sparkling diamond on my finger and my hands looking so small and slender in Royce's big ones. I looked at him with a heartfelt smile. "It's beautiful."
Royce's grin was triumphant as he rose to his feet. "Of course it's beautiful. The best that money can buy for my beautiful wife…I'm only interested in the best, Rosalie."
He drew me to my feet and kissed me with a fierce possessiveness he'd never shown before, holding me so tight against him that it felt like I could feel every inch of his masculine body against mine, despite all the layers of clothes between us. I pulled back and for a moment it seemed like he wouldn't let me go, but then his arms relaxed around me and he was holding my face, smiling down at me as I gasped.
"My innocent little Rose," he murmured. "My lovely wife…look at you tremble." He tilted his head to the side and considered me for a moment, and then lowered his head to gently press a chaste kiss on to my forehead.
I could feel my body quivering, and I forced myself to stand up straight and steady. Stop being such a silly child! I rested my hand on Royce's arm and looked at him coyly. "You'll have to speak to Father."
"Already done, darling," Royce said cheerfully, patting my hand. "I spoke to him last week and he gave his blessing. Talked it over with my parents too and the old man couldn't be more pleased. They'll be along later tonight. Ah," he looked up at the door and grinned widely as Father and Mother entered. "Just in time…Mr and Mrs Hale, your daughter has made me a happy man tonight by accepting my proposal of marriage."
Royce and my father shook hands, as Mother came over and hugged me before taking my hand to examine the ring. "It's lovely…Rosalie my darling, I'm so happy for you. This is wonderful news! Royce, congratulations."
Father came and hugged me too, dropping a kiss on my forehead. "Just look at you, Princess," he said, beaming at me. "Engaged! Congratulations, I'm sure you're going to be very happy and he's going to take good care of you. Let me just go and get champagne…we're celebrating more than just your birthday now Princess!"
I smiled and laughed and hung off Royce's arm as we drank a toast and then began greeting my guests as they arrived. The night became a blur of congratulations and kisses and showing off my ring and drinking pink cocktails…I was dizzy with the triumph of it, for hadn't I just ensured that my life was going to be some kind of dream? Royce was handsome and charming and he wanted me…married to him I would be wealthy and important and taken care of. I would be a princess in a castle, with my handsome husband and beautiful babies, and then my whole life would be perfect.
A/N- Ugh. I hate Royce, knowing what's coming up…I felt so gross writing this chapter and making him out to be a reasonable human being when I know he's really a psychopath! However he has to have been quite smooth and charming to have swept Rosalie off her feet the way he did, naïve girl as she was.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this bit of backstory of Rosalie- interesting to compare her romance with Royce to the slow build of her romance with beautiful Emmett, which I shall keep writing about in the next chapter.
