-1Beauty and the Beast
Chapter 10
Matthew walked about the living room, pacing back and forth, wondering when to strike his plan with Mary Elizabeth and how to. The plan was complex and there were ways for it not to work out. Everything had to be done precisely as planned and nothing could go wrong. Nothing.
"Will you stop pacing! You're giving me a migraine!" Mary Elizabeth said, fanning herself with a rather large purple feather fan. Matthew nodded and stopped.
"Sorry. Just a bit nervous," Matthew said. His arm had started to bleed once again. Mary grunted with disgust.
"Argh. That's positively horrid," Mary said. She quickly stood up and fixed her hair. "I'm going outside. Call on Caledon please and tell him to come outside," Matthew nodded and stopped pacing.
"Would you like me to assist you Miss?" Matthew asked politely. Eve though he had a devilish plan along with Mary, he was still a servant. He wouldn't forget his reasoning for being at the Mansion just because of a new found friendship.
Mary Elizabeth waved her fan at him and exited the room, her dress trailing behind her. "I'm quite fine, Mr Fane. Just don't forget to keep your lips sealed until the gala," Matthew fell back into the couch. How did he get himself into a situation like this? He never knew someone could be so horrid as Mary. But, if he were to disagree with Mary and turn her plan down, she would have him fired for reasons that were unknown to him. There was nothing else he could've done. He had to agree.
If the plan were to work out Lizzie would most likely come to Matthew for help. Tonight was the gala dinner at the Hockley Mansion. Friends from all over the country would be coming in just to meet with Caledon Hockley and The Russells. There would be media and press at the party, taking down their everyone's comments about the sudden tragedy of Titanic.
Suddenly Matthew heard the door of Caledon's bedroom open and close, while hearing footsteps coming down the stairs, Cal was coming down with his bowler hat in hand. Matthew quickly shot up from the couch and rushed over to Cal. "Mr Hockley, Miss Russell would like for you to join her in the backyard now," Matthew said. Cal nodded and brushed past Matthew quickly, hardly taking notice at him at all.
"Thank you for that," Cal said, putting the hat on. He quickly spun back around to face Matthew. "Oh, and about earlier, I do hope you've recovered from your accident," Cal said. Matthew looked at his employer with awe, eyes wide open. Did Caledon Hockley just tell him that he hoped everything was well? Nothing like this had ever occurred to Matthew during his entire life at the Mansion before. Maybe Cal had changed? Was he a different man just because of his new love for the house maid?
Matthew blinked twice and cleared his throat before answering. "Uh, yes Sir. I'm quite fine now. Just a-" Matthew was quickly cut off by Caledon.
"Yes, yes. Oh that's good. See you then," Caledon said, while grabbing his gloves and walking out of the room, ignoring the fact that he'd just cut Matthew off while he was still talking. Matthew chuckled to himself before walking out of the living room and into the kitchen. Once he was in the kitchen, Matthew thought to himself quietly as he cleaned the cut out with a damp rag. He shook his head. What was I ever thinking? A changed Caledon Hockley! I must've been mental. Matthew was quickly pushed out of his thoughts as Nathan came up to him and thrust vegetables into his arms.
"Come on then! I'm not going to do all of this work for tonight's gala by myself. You've gotta cook these up while the rest of the workers come in. We've got a few new cooks comin' in for tonight so we're not all alone. Should be a night to remember. Good thing for that, eh?" Nathan said laughing. He nudged Matthew in the back approvingly. Matthew just nodded and smiled.
"Yeah, good thing," Matthew mumbled, thinking about the gala tonight. Yeah, tonight was definitely going to be a night to remember.
"Lovely day out, isn't it ladies?" Keith said, sitting back in a lawn chair. Marie and Katherine were playing croquet as Keith sat and took a quick break. Maids stood by on hand, setting out large glasses of lemonade and ice cold water. Tea was also being served, but no one touched it seeing as the weather was quite warm that afternoon. Marie sat her club down and walked over to Keith, taking a seat beside him and sipping carefully at her lemonade.
"How has my nephew been Keith? Is he coping well from the disaster?" Marie asked anxiously. She had been terrified once she'd heard from her husband about the sinking and asked immediately if Cal was alive. Once she discovered that Rose had not made it off alive, she gave up all hope of Cal surviving. Soon after her sister-in-law Mary Elizabeth was told that Caledon had indeed survived and it was now just the simple process of finding out where he was. William Russell was told he had come home safely to the Hockley Mansion in New York City and was taking some time off there. A healing process, she supposed.
Keith smiled kindly at Marie and sighed. "He's been a bit depressed I suppose. With the death of Miss Dewitt Bukater. Moping around the mansion with nothing else to do but mourn from his loss. It's very kind of you to come so early before the gala tonight to comfort him. It must mean the world to him," Keith said. He closed his eyes and felt the warm heat from the sun spill over his face before it set before them.
Marie nodded. "Of course we came early. I wouldn't leave my poor nephew alone in this mansion for any longer. William will be along later of course. Finishing up some last minute changes at the mill. He wishes he could have came earlier but business is business," Marie said. She picked up her lace fan from the table and started to fan herself slowly with it. "Mother! You should take some time off now. The sun's a bit stronger right now. Come sit with us for a small drink," Marie shouted, watching as Katherine played the game herself. Katherine nodded and placed her ball and club down along with Marie's.
"Ah, that was much needed. I haven't played in ages!" Katherine said happily, taking a seat beside Marie. A servant poured a sparkling glass with water and handed it to Katherine politely, which was took hastily. "Keith, where has Caledon got to? And Mary Elizabeth! They've both disappeared," Katherine said. She scanned the fields but not one of them appeared to be seen. Marie giggled.
"Maybe they just wanted a bit more alone time mother. Nothing to worry about. You know Caledon. He's a good boy," Marie said, fanning herself some more. Katherine nodded.
"Ah, such a tragedy Titanic, wasn't it? Lovejoy, Rose, Ruth…such a terrible thing to happen," Katherine said, drinking the water. Marie nodded approvingly.
"Yes. I knew Lovejoy quite well. He was hired by my brother to watch Caledon when he was younger. So unfortunate for him though," Marie said, barely whispering. Just then Mary Elizabeth walked out onto the porch, closing the inside glass doors behind her. Keith stood up, welcoming her back.
"Mary! Where did you get off to? We were wondering where you were," Keith said, placing a seat out beside his for Mary. Marie smiled.
"Off with Caledon, I suppose?" Marie giggled. Mary shot her a quick glance and stuck her nose quite far up into the air, taking the seat Keith had offered.
"I have no reason to tell any of you where I went off to. That's my personal business and I shouldn't tell anyone if I do not wish to," Mary puffed. Katherine nodded approvingly.
"You're completely correct, my dear. Such a correct young lady, isn't she Keith?" Katherine said. Keith laughed and sat down beside Mary.
"Very correct indeed. We rarely see girls with such independence these days," Keith said, chuckling. Caledon came outside soon after Mary sat down. "Ah, Caledon. Come to join us for a drink?" Keith asked, pointing out that the lades were joining them as well. Cal laughed and nodded, taking a seat beside Katherine. He pointed up at the man servant near by.
"You! Could I get the morning paper?" Cal demanded. The man nodded hastily and picked up a newly pressed copy of the New York paper. Cal searched through the pages for the business and politics section. Suddenly, something caught his eye and he turned back. Before him flashed a picture of the Titanic on the day of her voyage, people boarding her happily. He scanned the article carefully, searching through the death tolls and such.
"Anything important we should know about Cal?" Marie asked. Cal waved a hand and kept reading.
"No, just an article about the sinking. Death toll high…missing people…big tragedy…ah, nothing we haven't already been told," Cal said, tossing the paper aside. He looked out onto the sun and thought carefully. Must've have been horrible for Rose to die so suddenly. Froze to death, most likely. Poor thing. I wonder whatever happened to that Dawson one? Drowned along with the rest. Good.
"Looks like the sun is about to come down on us soon," Katherine said. She stood up and unruffled her dress before looking at both Mary and Marie. "I think we should prepare for the gala tonight ladies. You know how long you both take to get dressed," Katherine laughed. Marie and Mary stood up and walked back into the mansion along with Katherine.
"See you tonight Cal," Mary Elizabeth said, bending down to put her hands on his broad shoulders. "It should be fun," She whispered down into his ear. Cal grimaced as he felt the hot breath in his ear.
"Goodbye," Cal said, drinking a lemonade.
Meanwhile, back in the mansion, Lizzie was folding sheets in one of the guest bedrooms. A fellow house maid, Clara, entered the room with a long sheet of white paper.
"Lizzie you've got some errands to run in town today for tonight's dinner." Clara said. Lizzie put down the linen sheets into a wicker basket and took the sheet from Clara's outstretched hands, starting to frown.
"Why must there be THIS much food tonight? They barely eat all of it most of the time and the rest goes to garage!" Lizzie complained. She stuffed the list into her apron pocket and pulled her bonnet hard onto her head.
"Here I've brought your coat. Just be back quickly because we need your help later on tonight." Clara said, before waving to Lizzie and rushing out the bedroom door. There was a loud slam of wood against the door framing and silence.
I'd better get on with these before dinner tonight, thought Lizzie as she finished up her sheets. She touched the sheets gently, caressing the tops of the linen and laces, a silky feeling arousing onto her finger tips. She loved the feeling of freshly washed bed sheets. She loved folding them and placing them into bedrooms more then anything else. Just the feeling, the smell and the warmth meant everything to Lizzie, even on the saddest of days. But she was thrown back into her present day reality. She had chores to do in town and she'd better get at it. Lizzie threw on her jacket, grabbed the basket and left the bedroom in a quick haste.
Lizzie's POV
As I felt the winds blow through my thin jacket, a small piece of leaf flew into my eye, causing me to start to scratch it. I couldn't see where I was going. As I walked blindly through the busy streets of New York City, I felt someone suddenly collide into my body at that very second. I fell to the ground hard on my behind. As I opened my eyes, I realised it was a woman who I had bumped into and she was on the ground as well.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't see where I was going…" I stopped at the very second the woman looked at me. It was her! Rose Dewitt-Bukater! Cal's fiancée! But I thought she was supposed to have frozen in the Atlantic Ocean? But she was here instead, in front of me, on the ground, covered in dirt.
"No, it was my fault. I'm sorry. It's just so busy here!" Rose said sweetly. She stood up and offered me a hand. I took it politely and stared at her closely. She was beginning to get uncomfortable.
"You're Rose Dewitt-Bukater, aren't you?" I asked, not knowing what I had said until it had actually come out. Rose looked back at me with a shocked and confused expression. She shook her head and picked off a dead leaf from her coat.
"I think you've confused me with someone else. That is NOT my name." Rose said sternly, shouting NOT with extra emphasis on the word. I didn't give up so quickly.
"Yes, you are, Miss. I've seen photographs. You are Caledon Hockley's fiancée from the Titanic." I said. She continued to ignore me. "Although no one told me you were staying in New York City, or even alive for that matter." I continued., trying to make eye contact with Rose. She seemed to be crying, or maybe she just has a fairly bad cold. But it was April!
"No, I'm sorry. You've got the wrong person. Now please, leave me alone." Rose said. She stepped right past me and walked away without even looking back. I couldn't let her get away. Something was wrong. Why didn't she try and contact Cal after she arrived in New York City? She was hiding something and I was going to find out what.
I quickly ran after her, pushing past the city people as I ran. I would get the list of chores finished later. This was much more important. As I turned a corner, Rose was no where to be seen. She'd disappeared! After fifteen minutes of searching, I became exhausted rather quickly. A small coffee shop emerged from behind a bank and I stepped in for a quick break. And that was when I spotted her. She was right there, at a table, with her back facing me. She was crying now. I watched as her back rose and fell, the seconds of sniffling and hiccups sounded from her pale body. She really was beautiful. No wonder Cal loved her. She had bright red hair, that fell beyond her shoulders in curls upon curls. She had a blue coat on that was tied tightly around the waist and buttoned to the very top, a very modest appearance for someone who had once be First Class.
She had no expensive adornment or makeup on. She was just…natural. She was natural beauty in itself.
I walked slowly up to her table and sat myself down opposite to her without asking. "I love him." I blurted out. I watched as Rose looked at me with raised eyebrows.
She began to wipe away her tears with a napkin from her purse. "Pardon me?" Rose asked, visibly confused.
"I love him, Cal! I want to have a life with him and in order to do that, I need your blessing." I said breathlessly. Rose looked at me as if I'd just told a horrid joke. She shook her head at me and began to stand up, but I grabbed her arm forcefully before she could even take another step. "Please! I only want to talk to you." People around the coffee shop started to whisper amongst themselves and look curiously over at our table to see what all the commotion was about. Rose shifted uneasily in my grip but quickly gave up.
"Not here. Follow me." She said. I loosened my grip and she led me out of the coffee shop and back out into the screaming streets.