Onward To Laurentford
Lily's Family Chapter 9
Notes: Well folks, this story is almost over! Do not worry though a new Annie story about Ms Hannigan's backstory is in the works. Stay tuned! We own no characters from Annie. MissBrownClue13 AKA Holly owns the rights to Lily's relatives and Thomas Winston.
The next day was filled with hustle and bustle. The Warbucks residence had been thoroughly searched for anything that might prevent Lily from leaving, and Oliver had announced that the car was perfectly secure.
In her room, Lily sat rocking the cradle where Danny Junior was tossing and turning agitatedly.
"I know, baby, it won't be long now." Lily whispered comfortingly. Danny Junior let out a loud wail and began to cry.
"Oh, no, no, Danny, baby, please don't cry." Lily lifted him out of the cradle and placed him against her chest, kissing his forehead.
"In a few hours, we'll be home." She told him, but her voice trembled as she said it. Why did she feel so nervous about leaving? Wasn't she about to marry a lovely handsome, wealthy man, and set up a glorious new life with him?
"Lily," Grace poked her head around the door, "Mr Warbucks would like to see you in his study."
Lily nodded and carried Danny Junior downstairs to the office, where Oliver was waiting.
"You asked to see me, sir?"
"Yes, I did, Lily." Oliver sat back in his chair. "obviously, you and Mr Hannigan did not part on good terms and as such, he may come looking for you once you are in New Jersey, I want to assure you that everything has been sorted, and you will be looked after by your family, the Aldonquinns."
"Yes, sir." Lily nodded. Larentford. The school. It was all a whirl of fantasy, wasn't it?
"Once you have arrived in Larentford, I will see to it that Mr Hannigan does not pursue you."
"Thank you, Mr Warbucks, sir." Danny Junior nuzzled into her, "but…I'm not sure…"
"You'll be fine, I know."
"Yes." Lily bowed her head and made her exit, carrying Danny Junior back to her room, where she lay on the bed, wrapped in thought.
When she awoke the next morning, her face was pale and drawn, as though she hadn't eaten in days. She barely noticed the journey from the Mansion to the station, it was a quick breeze in the grand scheme of things.
"Well, it is time for pastures new." Oliver exclaimed as they stood in the entrance.
"Yes, I suppose." Lily replied dreamily, "I'll write, I promise. Thank you for everything…"
"Not at all, my dear." Oliver patted her on the back.
"Now, we're just a call away if you decide…" Grace dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief before throwing her arms around her friend. Lily allowed herself to be pulled into a tight embrace before hurrying off to board the train. Just a case of clothes and Danny Junior at her side. She really was making a new start. Soon enough she would be trapped in that domestic world that she was supposed to idolize, a smart and tall husband on her arm. A husband called Thomas Winston, heir to a glorious fortune that would keep her safe for life.
The train began to chug out of the station, gathering pace as it passed through the city, until the tall towers melted away into bright green meadows strewn with clover. It reminded Lily of the first time she had travelled to New Jersey, except then she had been tailed by a chauffeur driven limousine and the restrictions of first class. Danny Junior hauled himself up and stuck his hands on the glass, breathing little clouds onto the pane. Lily giggled and drew a face on the condensation patch. Danny turned his little head and gave his Mother a look so reminiscent of Daniel that Lily had to double take. It was a coy smile, the very tip of his lip curled and almost mocking.
"I definitely gave you the right name, Danny Boy." Lily bounced him on her knee, staring straight in to his green eyes, "you miss Daddy?"
At the mention of the name Danny began to wriggle uncomfortably. It was everything Lily needed to know that although she might marry a millionaire, the only one her son wanted was his Daddy.
A little later and Danny Junior had settled for a nap, and Lily draped his blanket around him for comfort. He had no toy, no teddy for company, just Lily's finger, which he squeezed as he dreamt.
Lily stroked his head lovingly, wondering what reception she would receive from the Aldonquinns. They'd told her in their letters that the wedding had been planned to the last detail and that she would be wearing the finest silk and satin gown made by the local tailor. It all seemed such a fuss compared with the simple wedding she had had with Daniel, in the church, wearing a Bergdorf's dress, just because…well…she could.
"LARENTFORD!" a voice suddenly bellowed from the platform outside and Lily looked out. Surely enough, there was the ramshackle station house with its slates and crooked windows and apart from the station master himself, the platform was bare. Lily climbed down from the train, case in one hand, Danny Junior balanced precariously on her shoulder, the blanket wrapped around him.
"Welcome, Ma'am." The master tipped his hat to her, "can I get you a taxi?"
"I'm sure someone will be here to meet us."
"If you don't mind me saying so, Ma'am, the little man looks beat."
"He's very tired," Lily told him patiently, "it's been a long journey."
"Sure, Ma'am. Where you stayin' then?"
"The Academy."
"Then you must be an Aldonquinn?"
"That's right." She was about to explain when a familiar voice called to her from the opposite end of the platform.
"Uncle Roger!" She shook Danny Junior, "wake up, sweetie, Uncle Roger's here."
The tall form of Roger Aldonquinn strode toward them, looking as stately as ever.
"Lily," he kissed his niece on the cheek, "and little Danny Junior." Danny Junior seemed pleased at the attention and allowed Roger to chuck his cheeks playfully.
"Is something wrong, Uncle?" Lily asked.
"No, not at all. Let's go home, shall we?"
He led them to the car and climbed into the back with them, allowing Richmond, the new English chauffeur to drive them to the school.
The afternoon sun blazed across the roof, igniting the whole building with a warm glow. The gates swung back and the car drove to the front porch, stopping level with the terrace.
"LILY!" Several voices cried at once. Lily looked around at them all, struggling to recognize their faces. Then she saw Lois and her fears were diminished.
"Lois!" She threw her arms around her half-sister, taking care not to squash Danny, and set him down next to Ellie on the steps.
"Shall we go inside?" A cold tone cut through the happy moment, slicing the merriment. Jean Farquis held open the door and Lois and Lily shuffled obediently inside, Roger carrying the two young children in his arms.
Jean Farquis held court until they were safely settled in the parlor room, where she took the opportunity to dominate the conversation with talk of the impending wedding for Lily and cast a solemn glare over Lois' attire. It was one of the new fashions, cut quite short and frilled.
"Go and put something suitable on, girl." She instructed, "Make sure I don't hear another word from you."
"Yes, Aunt." Lois left the room.
"Now, Sara, I have made the arrangements for your transportation to and from the church, and no one needs to know of your previous marriage. If anyone should ask, it was a betrothal."
"But that's a lie!" Lily remonstrated, "just because I am marrying Daniel…"
"Thomas, dear. Thomas. Thomas Winston of the Winston family, Alabama. You will forget Mr. Hannigan entirely."
"How can I? He's the Father of my…"
"Ah yes. Onto my next point. Roger and I have decided that in the interests of Daniel Junior, it would be best to separate you until you are married to Mr. Winston. It will tarnish the reputation of the family for you to be seen holding another man's child."
"I want Danny at my wedding. He is my son. Whether you like it or not. How dare you think you can just throw him out like garbage?" Lily stood up threateningly.
"Sara! Sit down!" Jean pointed her finger at the seat.
"No. I will not. You want to take away my baby! You tried to have him put into the school, like a foundling!"
"You are obviously overwrought with travelling. I suggest you go to bed, Sara, and think over what you have said. I will expect a full apology tomorrow."
"You'll be waiting' a long time yet." Lily marched out of the room, her bag swinging back and forth against the wall.
She found her room and threw herself down on the bed, punching her hands hard against the pillow, denting it.
"Why?!"
Downstairs in the study, Thomas Winston waited patiently for Roger Farquis to return from the parlour. He could hear the man's voice faintly through the walls, and for once, he sounded angry. Thomas smiled to himself. In just a couple of days he would have everything he wanted. Not just the girl, but everything that came with her.
"Daniel, you've got to get out of this drunken stupor!" Aggie pleaded as Daniel cracked open another bottle and held it aloft.
"To my beautiful backstabbing wife."
"Daniel! Please!" Aggie stretched to grab the bottle but it was no use, Daniel gulped it back, the liquid frothing at his lips.
"To marriage. To making women happy."
Aggie shook her head, looking around at the bare room. Since returning from the Mansion she had watched Daniel consume nearly three bottles of gin, each more potent than the last. He had stood on top of the desk, swinging his arms around, shouting abuse at her and she'd just taken it. There was no point in retaliating, she knew, not when he was like this.
Despite all his claims about being a mature adult she could see him for what he really was, the frightened and vulnerable little baby brother she'd been left to protect, but what use had it been? In and out of prison like a rat, always scoring a new scheme, barely scraping the barrel; then SHE had come along. Little Miss Sticky Fingers with her flirty smiles and witty wisecracks. He'd grown up. No more drinking or lazing about.
"Daniel. You have to stop this! STOP IT!" Aggie threw the paperweight at him. He dodged it with a smile.
"Aw come on sis, you know how it is, and how it ain't. I guess," he shrugged, "I got the latter."
"You got the latter cos you're a schmuck, Daniel."
"Wooster." Daniel slurred. "Daniel Hannigan ain't nothing on Rooster Hannigan."
"Drop the bottle, Daniel. I spent nights here staring into them and believe me, it don't get you anywhere. I hurt those kids, I'm meant to take care of 'em!"
The bloodshot eyes rolled around before settling, calm and still, on Aggie. The legs that swayed stopped, locking straight and clambered down from the table, sitting on the chair. Aggie seized her chance and tore the bottle from her brother's hands.
"Now." She poured the liquid into a puddle on the floor, "listen to me."
Daniel shook his head, his free hand scattering a pile of old newspapers across the desk and onto the floor in frustration.
"Daniel Francis Hannigan, you are not a bad person." Aggie began soothingly, "you have so much to offer. You've got a wife and child who need you, but you just want to play around."
Daniel met her eyes.
"I don't mean…"
"I know you don't. What we did to that kid was wrong, we all know it, but you can make it better. You don't have to be a con man, you know. You can be an honest man, the man who commands respect. You're not a schmuck although you behave like one."
"Yeah, that's me alright. Aggie, clear out, would ya?" He waved her away.
"Okay, I'll get out. Just remember, Daniel, she's your wife."
She kicked a stray newspaper out of the way as she left, leaving Daniel to contemplate, alone.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Daniel clutched at his pounding head and slowly lifted it, feeling the muscles in his neck stretch painfully. Bottle. His hand reached across the desk for the bottle but it wasn't there. Blinking a few times, he allowed his eyes to adjust before feeling around blindly for the bottle. He didn't want another drink, just the bottle. It was time to put that behind him. He'd dreamt of Lily, in a cold bare room, crying for him. It was ridiculous, but it had seemed so real. He could almost smell her perfume, touch the softness of her skin.
He hauled himself to his feet and began to stumble across the room, each step lighter than the first. His jacket lay tossed over the back of the chair, and as he waded through the mess of newspapers, a headline caught his eye.
"WINSTON CON-FIRMED AGAIN."
He snatched the newspaper from the pile and laid it on the desk. There, in black and white was Winston's name, or rather Rory McManus, an Irish immigrant who was known to the police for swindling rich families. He'd worked in the offices of a town in Alabama, and had managed to forge a birth certificate with a completely new identity. Daniel winced, recognising the similarities in their situations. McManus had then gone on to 'marry' three rich heiresses, each of whom had lost considerable fortunes in the process and McManus had cleverly disappeared without a trace. It couldn't just be a coincidence, could it?
Then he remembered.
"I'm marrying Mr Thomas Winston whether you like it or not, Daniel."
There weren't many Thomas Winstons in Alabama, and the picture looked too familiar. Daniel tore upstairs, threw the bucket of water over his face, changed into his best suit and hurried out of the door.
Grand Central wasn't far from Hudson Street, but Daniel found himself hailing a taxi instead. It wasn't long before he was on the train, travelling far out of New York, across the bridge into New Jersey, where Lily awaited at the school.