Such Great Heights Chapter 10
Hey guys, sorry about the wait I am trying my best to update about every two weeks, but life has delayed this a bit, along with other things. Everything in this chapter I have tried to make as historically accurate as possible, but with little information about such things as cooking techniques I am going on what information I have been given. Anyway, moving on, this will be the last sort of filler chapter before the wedding begins and the real fun starts, finally. Apologies again about how long this has taken, I went back to school and got a little more homework than I envisaged, also this chapter hasn't been edited because I wanted it to go up straight away because I thought I have left you waiting too long. Anyway, you people are all amazing for reviewing and leaving comments about this story, your words of kindness bring so much happiness to my day and it would be even more wonderful than James Norrington coming to my house to whisk me away from my boring, run-of-the-mill life, if you guys could continue your support and keep leaving reviews! That's all I have to say for now… so enjoy and keep reading!
Edith breathed a sigh of relief, a feeling of freedom seeping into her bones. The breeze gently shifted her hair and she smiled up at the sun, joy filling her person. Finally she had managed to escape the clutches of Mrs Norrington and the stuffy rooms of the mansion, which she were to sit in for hours upon hours, even if it was only for a day.
For the past week, Mrs Norrington had kept Edith locked up inside, muttering about how her wedding dress was such a disaster. It had been painful as Edith and her grandmother had been very close, before she passed away the year before Edith was put into the public's eye for courting and then eventually marriage and the rude comments about the dress stung her deeply. On top of that, there were little details that just had to be taken care of which Edith did not care for with such things as what colour flowers should accompany the other flowers in the bouquet . To add to her frustrations, the Commodore was not being condemned to this torture, despite being the other partner in the marriage. She was annoyed that he was able to go to that fort of his and hide out all day from his mother, while Edith dealt with the absolute dragon of a woman. This meant that she and Emma would have to spend their daytime hours listening to Mrs Norrington complain and insult anyone who owned some sort of shop or business that was related to the wedding because of their utter and complete disorganisation. It was all rather embarrassing for them while they stood to the side and watched helplessly.
But someone had come to rescue Edith that morning, a while before she was expected at the Norrington residence, a knock sounded on the door of the room she and Emma shared. Edith was in the middle of getting ready for the day, sitting at the vanity while Emma did her hair in a simple but sophisticated style before the noise was heard and Emma left to answer the door.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought Miss Reynolds was staying in this room, the keep told me that she was staying here." Edith heard as she leaned her body back to hear the conversation.
"Actually Miss Reynolds is staying here, may I ask you name though?" Emma responded politely.
"Oh, sorry. It's Charlotte Groves, Edith may remember me from the party a couple of nights previous." Hearing that sentence, Edith's face lit up and the prospect of changing her daily routine made her nearly giddy with excitement.
"Charlotte come in! I was planning to speak to you soon!" she called from her seat. Emma walked briskly back and began pinning up the hair that had been left hanging down her back while she answered the door.
Charlotte looked around, surveying her surroundings before her gaze focused on Edith. "Oh I'm sorry. I thought that I would have missed you." Edith watched as a blush formed on the woman's cheeks.
"Do not worry, Charlotte. We were just getting ready." Edith replied as Emma tugged on her hair, doing it so that the style was simple yet sophisticated.
"Well, seeing as how the events have played out, I was wondering if you would like to spend the day exploring what you haven't seen of Port Royal." A smile grew on Charlotte's face as she spoke and Edith felt a nervous wave of excitement run over her.
Oh, how Edith longed to get out and explore what was to be her home for most likely the rest of her days and learn secrets about the town as such where the finest bread was made and fruit sold. But then came her obligation to Mrs Norrington that had taken all her time since arriving. Despite the fact that Edith strongly disliked Mrs Norrington, she was not able to let those feelings get in way of how she was meant to act and deport herself around her. She was planning her entire wedding, even though Edith didn't want any part in it, she still had to act like the grateful fiancée as her parents were in England. Well that was how society wanted her to act and Edith did not want to overstep the rules and bring herself into embarrassment in front of the people she would see frequently because of her position as wife to the Commodore. She weighed her options, knowing that Mrs Norrington would be less than pleased if she went out without any further notice, but the longing for an adventure outside of the walls of the inn or Commodore Norrington's house was simply to strong.
"Well I suppose that maybe for one day…" Edith trailed off. She then turned to Emma, telling her to grab her hat before remembering what situation she would be put in if was by herself. "Oh Emma… I didn't think."
"Do not worry Miss Edith, I was going to meet with Mary, who runs the Norrington house before I settle in after the wedding." Emma explained as she took the sign that Edith had stood up to retrieve her hat and gloves.
"Oh, will you be meeting at the Norrington house?" Edith asked as she pulled the gloves around her elbows.
"No, Mary insisted that we meet here. Is there a time that I shall be expecting you back?" Emma asked as she straightened the hat on Edith's head before stepping back. Edith looked at Charlotte, searching for an answer from the other woman.
"I was going to ask if you wanted to dine at my husband's and mine residence tonight, so I guess now is as good as time as any. Would you like to join us?" Charlotte smiled and Edith felt she had no other option but accept the invitation.
"I would be delighted to. Emma I will be seeing you see, if anything happens" Edith stopped to reinforce the fact that the 'anything' would be Mrs Norrington "don't hesitate to contact me." Edith gave her one last smile before turning from the room and looking at Charlotte.
"Are you ready?" Charlotte asked "alright then, I suppose we must get moving."
~Quasso~
Port Royal was bustling, the midday sun high overhead as people moved from one shop to another, carefully browsing the wears that the shop keepers presented to them. People on the dock worked, calling out to each other and trying to get the best prices for the catch of the day. A light breeze rustled the palm trees that lined the place where the beach and road met. Edith and Charlotte pleasantly strolled around the streets, often going into the shops and admiring the different and exotic things that were on offer. There were pendants of jade which had come from Asia and beautiful diamonds from the Africa region. Exotic items such as rocks came from the local islands that were not populated by savages along with beautiful flowers that had been pressed in books.
As they exited the shop, both not finding anything that really caught there interest, Edith and Charlotte continued along the strip of shops before stopping out the front of a store that made dresses for the more wealthy people of Port Royal. At the front was a beautiful white dress which was modelled on a mannequin with a veil perched on the head of it, a pair of matching shoes resting next to the mannequin. Edith looked at the dress and nearly shuddered at the thought that she would be in a dress like that, in no less than two days
"I wish I had a dress like that" Edith her Charlotte sigh from beside her. She then turned to Edith with inquisitive eyes. "Are you wearing a dress like that or is it going to be a surprise for all those who live in Port Royal?"
Edith sighed, she hoped to avoid the subject of the upcoming wedding which was in less than three days. But she could not deny Charlotte, she was merely being inquisitive. "I will be wearing the dress my grandmother wore. But we have fixed it up some so that it matches with modern styles."
"So that is something old, the ring is something new." Charlotte gazed down at the ring on Edith's hand, which she had admittedly became used to wearing. "Have you got something old or something blue?"
"Emma is going to weave blue ribbon through my hair and use it to tie the flowers in the church. I haven't decided on something borrowed." Edith sighed softly, looking up at the sun.
"I have the perfect thing that you can borrow and I'm sure it will match the ring perfectly!" charlotte smiled at Edith "We will have to begin getting back to my house as well; I need to begin to prepare dinner. It's a bit of a walk, I hope you don't mind."
As it turned out, it wasn't much of walk to the Groves residence, as it was located to the other side of the fort and away from the busy rush of the Port. Edith nearly gasped as she saw the house. It was beautiful. Not in a sort of garish way that most of the larger houses in Port Royal were, but it was beautiful in the way that it was a perfect home. A large vegetable garden occupied most of the front yard, with all sorts of plants springing up from the ground. The house itself was a modest two story house and was very small compared to the one the Commodore lived in and the one that Edith lived in when she was England. It was a soft white colour with a red paint rimming the windows and the door. It was classical and timeless with ivy beginning to grow up the side.
"It's beautiful Charlotte." Edith gasped as they opened the gate and moved through the hall. The furniture was worn and actually looked as if it had been used compared to the furniture that Edith was used to with it always looking brand new. A few paintings occupied the walls and various things were scattered around, making it even feel more like a house that was used, not just one used for the sake of trying to show other people up.
"I'm sure it's very different from what you are used to?" Charlotte inquired as she moved towards the back of the house where the kitchen was located.
"Yes." Edith breathed "Do you have any servants?"
"No" Charlotte answered. As Edith continued to gaze at the small house that was so beautiful in a quaint and elegant way, she wondered how it was kept so clean. Every house that she had ever visited was bustling with maids and butlers doing various jobs that needed to be attended and the idea of one woman looking after a house, no matter what size, was something that Edith had a hard time imagining. There would be so much to do, sweeping the rooms, making the bed, cleaning the furniture, washing clothes, going to town to buy food, making dinner were amongst some of the tasks that would have to be done.
"Oh, you must be kept busy quite often then. The house is very beautiful and well kept; I can't believe that one woman is able to achieve this… this splendour and beauty all by herself." Edith complemented truthfully, not buttering up to Charlotte, the house was truly spectacular.
Charlotte laughed as she pulled a large package from a little cellar that was under the floor boards and began to unwrap it, inside was a large chunk of meat, enough to feed at least five people comfortably and began to soak it in stock which had been bubbling away over a fire. "Take a seat Edith, we will be here quite a while."
Edith watched as the woman put the meat onto a spit before letting it cook on the spit for a couple of hours, being rotated every so often. Charlotte than began pottering around her kitchen, chopping vegetables that were going to accompany the dish. Suddenly, Edith felt very useless, just sitting and watching as charlotte prepared the dinner. She never entered the kitchens at her house or at the Norrington's unless it was completely necessary, but as she watched the only true friend that she had in Port Royal, apart from Emma, she felt that it would be more polite to get up and help her.
"Is there any way I can help?" she asked as she stood from her seat and removed her gloves.
Charlotte turned with a questioning look in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced with a shining in them and she moved from where she was preparing to peel potatoes and grabbed an apron from the bottom draw. "I'm sure you won't want that dress of getting dirty so just put this on." Edith accepted the apron, unfolding it and then tying it around her waist.
"So what can I do?" asked Edith as she came to stand next to Charlotte. She watched for a moment as Charlotte peeled the potatoes, before Charlotte gave her the knife and placed the peel which had been separated from the potato into a bowl and the potato into another. "it would be wonderful if you could peel the rest of these, I have to cut the beans."
Edith nodded and smiled and then began to carefully peel the potatoes, knowing that it was her first time ever doing something like cook for others and trying not to accidently cut herself with the sharp knife.
The two women soon fell into rhythm around the kitchen, both of them working around each other and being able to know when to move so that one woman could access things around the other woman could grab it. They talked about various topics, regaling each other with stories about their childhood and growing up in England or talking about other topics such as their favourite foods. Edith felt light, free even. Just being able to escape Mrs Norrington for a day had made her relax a lot more than she usually would and spending that time with a friend made it even more special.
It was only very rarely that the thought of how the mother of the Commodore would react. Edith knew that undoubtedly Mrs Norrington would be upset when she went to the Norrington manse to finalise any plans or details that were set for the next day tomorrow morning. She knew that she did deserve to be berated, leaving and going somewhere without anyone knowing about it was something that Edith didn't usually do. But the pull of freedom was far too strong and won her over, and once Edith make that decision she knew that she would have to deal with the consequences.
Once everything was done and the fire was gently cooking and steaming various foodstuffs, Charlotte gently pulled on the edge of Edith's sleeve and motioned for her to follow her through the house. After climbing a set of stairs that gently creaked with every step they took, Charlotte opened a set of doors that obviously lead to her what was her bedroom. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Edith lingered in the hallway, watching as the woman took a few steps in before turning around and telling her "come in, I want to show you this." She said as she walked to a vanity which was sitting opposite the end of the bed and picked up a box. Edith moved in and stood next to Charlotte as she opened the box. Inside lay a beautiful gold link bracelet, which held no great extravagance but was elegant in its own simple way and not flashy or ostentatious at all. "Now I know I have only known you for a week, Edith, but I feel that we will become better friends as time passes." Charlotte said when a look of disbelief passed over Edith's face. "Our…" she trailed off mid thought, her face twisting as if she were looking for something "…husbands have been friends for years, and it seems that while they are friends, we will undoubtedly be friends. And seeing as that you haven't had the opportunity yet to make many new friends in Port Royal, I thought that this would be a perfect way to start off a hopefully long and happy friendship."
All of the arguments and excuses Edith had thought up in her head had dissolved as Charlotte spoke. The words had been so sincere and heartfelt that no argument could ever top the sentences that she had spoken. Edith knew in that very moment that she had truly made her first friend in Port Royal, someone who cared for her outside of Emma. Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes and suddenly Edith wrapped her arm around her new friend, one she cherished more than she did with any of her friends in England. "Thank-you so much, Charlotte." She whispered into her friends shoulder.
Charlotte pulled back and smiled at Edith before pulling her into another hug. They stood there for a few moments, Edith enjoying the warmth that the hug brought, before Charlotte pulled back and smiled wryly. "I think that the meat is well cooked." She said before gathering the bracelet and putting it in the pockets of Edith's skirt before moving down the stairs. Edith wiped her eyes and then followed her friend down the stairs.
Edith moved into the kitchen and watched as Charlotte carefully removed the meat from the spit and began carefully carving it. She then went to grab the vegies which were steaming in a pot that hung over the fire and began placing them on a plate. As she placed the steamed carrots and broccoli onto a chipped serving plate, Edith was startled by the opening of the front door, but Charlotte smiled reassuringly at her before moving to the door of the kitchen.
"Hello my dear, whatever you are cooking it smells beau- oh," Theodore Groves gave his wife a kiss before his gaze landed on Edith, who was standing at the bench, not sure what to do with herself. He bowed before greeting her "good evening Miss Reynolds."
"Good evening" Edith replied as she went back to getting the food ready.
"I hope you don't mind but Andrew and James are coming a bit later, they had some work to finish up at the thought and apparently James' mother has been in a foul mood…" Theodore trailed off when he spoke about James' mother and looked at Edith who was biting her cheek.
"Don't worry; I'm sure I cooked enough." Charlotte laughed before putting the plate of meat near the fire, "Edith can you help me set the table?"
~Quasso~
When Edith heard the door open and the gentle murmur of two male men, her palms expectantly became sweaty under the heavy plate of food she was carrying. Theodore left the kitchen and went to direct them to the dining room so that dinner could get underway. Charlotte gave her a smile before moving out of the kitchen and through the door to the modest dining room.
"…Yes, we will be then going around the area that is done for patrols, Captain Granger will be looking over things at the fort, so there will be the rest of the captains out on patrols until we make our way round." Edith could hear the Commodore talking from the dining room. The conversation stopped as Charlotte moved through the open door, and they greeted her warmly before Edith stepped through the door following her. The men were still standing from Charlotte's entrance and Edith saw that the Commodore's eyebrows furrowed before he smoothed out his expression, Gillette smiled and greeted her casually before taking his seat and making a rather audacious comment how lovely the food looked.
"Edith, take a seat, I'm sure that you'll be wanting to taste what we have spent so much time on." Charlotte smiled widely and gestured to the seat that was next to hers and across from the Commodore. Edith waited for Theodore to bless the meal they were having before daintily taking a bite from the meat that rested on her plate in front of her. The meat tasted no different, but the satisfaction of making her own food and helping Charlotte made it taste even better. The five people who ate around the table did not speak for a short while before the silence was broken by Charlotte addressing Norrington.
"Have you finished the Shakespeare book yet?" she asked politely after she had finished chewing.
"Yes it was rather agreeable; Othello would have to be one of his best works, the intricacies of the book are well detailed and it is tied up wonderfully in the end, it has taken the place of being one of my favourite books." The Commodore agreed after he had taken a sip from his wine.
"Yes, it was rather wonderful." Charlotte smiled before twisting slightly in her seat to face Edith who was sitting next to her. "Edith have you read Othello?"
"Yes I have read it." Edith blushed before continuing in a quieter voice. "it happens to be one of my favourites too."
She did not look up to see the small flicker of interest in Norrington's eyes, but Charlotte did and smiled secretly to herself before turning to her meal.
Soon the meal was over and Edith glanced at the clock that sat on the mantle before sighing and turning to her company. "I really must be going" she said before rising from her seat. "Emma will be wondering where I am." The men rose from their seats and stood as Charlotte followed Edith through the door back to the kitchen.
In the silence of the kitchen, the sound of heavy rain hitting the glass window and Edith grimaced. Seeing as how the woman had walked up to the Groves' residence, there would be no way for her to get home without being thoroughly soaked to the bone and ending up with a fever that would not be the best for her health, especially for a wedding. Charlotte turned to her and bit her lip, a troubled look crossing her face.
"I would not want to impose on you even more than I have, Charlotte." Edith told Charlotte honestly, not wanting her to be offended, but the desire to get herself back to the inn to prepare herself for the no doubt tiring day that was sure to come.
"I understand Edith, do not hold back the words you want to speak, I'm not offended easily." Charlotte paused, smiling slightly before passing Edith her hat. Just before she was about to speak, Edith pushed the hat back from Charlotte's outstretched hands.
"Keep it, it will be destroyed if I wear it now, so keep it."
"I'm sure we can get you back to the inn, Edith" Charlotte said, gripping her friend's hand before dropping it to leaving to the dining room. "Edith needs to get home James. Did you leave Darby out the front?"
Edith blushed and dropped her head, not wanting to see the exasperation showing on her future husbands face.
"Of course, I was thinking of leaving anyway." He said standing up from the table and moving to take his coat from the back of the seat it rested on and placed his hat on his head. The Commodore moved from where he stood behind his seat, and held the coat out to Edith. "Please, put it on. It would not be wise to go out and get sick, especially at a time like this."
Hesitantly, Edith wrapped the large coat around her body, breathing in the musky, yet citrusy smell before checking the pockets in her dress for the bracelet. Satisfied that she was ready to go, Edith looked up at Charlotte before hugging her friend tightly, who whispered in her ear that she would see her before the wedding. Edith gave her a smile before bidding farewell to the two lieutenants before following Norrington through the front door.
Rain pelted down hard and the Commodore stopped Edith under the door way before he moved into the rain, his boots squelching against the mud of the Groves' drive. He then came around on the back of a beautiful horse and jumped down, still holding the reins, leading the horse to the small porch where Edith stood.
The rain was running off the sides of the Commodores hat as Edith hopped onto the horse and sat side saddle, shuffling back so that the Commodore was able to mount the horse himself.
The horse moved un-expectantly and Edith, caught surprised, moved her arms to grasp on something. She then realised that she had placed her hands on the Commodores sides before pulling back and just resting her fingertips on his back. All the way to the inn, it rained constantly and heavily and the coat Edith wore became wetter than she hoped it would. Sighing, she would hate for the Commodore to ride in a wet coat, and just waited for him to stop.
As they made it to the inn, Edith slid off the horse as it slowed to a stop. The Commodore also slid off and grasped the reins and moved them into the dry area that sat at the front.
"thank-you" Edith muttered as she unbuttoned the coat.
"No need to thank me, it is the least I can do." The Commodore said as he accepted the coat back from Edith, their fingers brushing for a few split seconds. "I understand that I will be seeing you tomorrow as well?"
"Yes, I believe so. Goodnight Commodore." She smiled before turning and moving into the warm relief that was the inn.
~Quasso~
Edith was rushing, she had accidently slept late and Emma didn't have the heart to wake her, so she had spent most of the little time left trying to perform two tasks at once. She grabbed the box which contained the veil and pulled herself into the carriage, leaving room for Emma who was carrying the large box which contained her dress. Closing her eyes for a few minutes, Edith tried to catch up on some rest, which she would undoubtedly need for the next few days and began preparing herself for the onslaught that would rush from Mrs Norrington's mouth when she would enter the house.
After the carriage rolled to a stop, Edith gathered herself before moving from the carriage, and up the stairs ready to face whatever was going to be thrown at her. Pulling the door open slowly, Edith peeked her head in and looked around carefully before moving in and greeting the butler.
"Where is Mrs Norrington?" she asked carefully.
"I believe she is awaiting your arrival in the parlour." He said before moving from his post at the front door to the parlour doors which he slipped in before opening the door fully to admit Edith and carefully sliding away and closing the door behind her.
"Where were you! I try to organise a wedding and you go off gallivanting around the town as if you were some lower class miscreant! I cannot understand why you would go running off two days before you wedding! And then to find out that you are spending the day with someone from the middle class! Miss Reynolds, it is not socially acceptable for people of our calibre to be seen with those types of people! It is simply astounding that you find it hard to follow the simplest of rules and just be a normal upper class lady! Imagine the scandal that would be caused if you would be caught with someone like that by someone like the governor! When will you learn! I cannot take the full responsibility for the wedding and have to watch you like some governess! You are never to leave this house within the next two days without either mine or the Commodore's consent. Do you understand?" Mrs Norrington screeched as she raged, throwing her hands up in the air and pacing the room, moving to stand right in front of Edith.
"yes, Mrs Norr-' Edith was cut off by a sharp slap cutting across her cheek, throwing her head to the side and inducing a hard stinging pain in her left cheek. She moved her hands to the throbbing pain and gasped, her mouth open wide.
"You will not talk back to me!" she screeched once again. Edith was too focused on the pain to notice the words that Mrs Norrington spoke.
Edith ran through the doors, tears beginning to run down her cheeks and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Commodore standing at the opposite side of the room, his face showing clear shock.
As she slipped out the doors, Edith heard Mrs Norrington call out behind her, "Go get some ice on that, I do not want to see any remains of that on your face by tomorrow."
Well, this turned out a bit longer than expected… I apologise for any spelling mistakes along with the long wait that has come with this chapter, I've been busy with many things, but I have got motivated to do finish this. Anyways, leave a review on your way out, and don't forget to add this to your favourites and story alerts! Love Libellus x