WARNING: If you don't care about the author's notes, and ways of life JUMP
the 2 following paragraphs.
This chapter might a bit weird!! It might confuse you. Everything will make sense later. Promise. But, while waiting for that, here is the fifth chapter!!! I'm doing great efforts, writing as quick as this, a chapter by day, I might not be able to always do that, so don't be disappointed if you'll have to wait a bit long for the next ones, because I'm going to be going somewhere for my holidays!!! Yea hi!! (it's new to me, I'm usually stuck in my small french village with the church clock ringing every half a hour.)
Anyway, here it is!!!! -Human Nature-
Time seemed then to slow considerably, not as Jesse wished to.
An old plump women with a cat had recognised Winnie as Mrs Gregory and was now always in her company.
"His name is Mr Fluffytail," the women had told Winnie. "He is a wonderful sweet kitten," she'd said taking the cat close up to her face.
Jesse thought the cat looked more like a duster than anything else. Worse of all was when the women had handed Jesse the cat to keep while Winnie and her would talk privately between women. After they had turned the corner, Duster (- the name that Jesse had given the cat-) had clawed him in the face and ran off. The cuts closed themselves immediately and Jesse was now searching for Duster all over the place with grey hairs stuck on his white shirt.
He asked a couple of people if they had found the cat. They replied that they hadn't had, and continued their way.
Jesse wished that Mr Fluffytail had fallen over board. He then asked a young girl with straw hat and a skirt down to her knees and very curly blond hair.
She looked at him from under her eyelashes, with a lollypop in her mouth. She took it out to speak:
"You're a violinist?" she asked instead of answering.
"Yes", he replied. "Have you seen a grey cat?" he repeated his question.
"I've heard that you play pretty well," she continued.
Jesse abandoned her, thinking that she didn't know where Duster had went.
"You're in trouble, that's for sure."
Jesse turned around and came back on his steps.
"What do you mean?"
The girl just smiled wickedly, put back her lollypop in her mouth and tilted her head.
"I speak better with a little money..." she told him.
Jesse searched his pockets and found some money. He gave the girl three dollars.
"I've heard that someone is meant to look after you when you get to France," she said with another smirk. She held out her hand for some more notes.
Jesse looked down searching in his pockets for some money. But as he looked up again the girl was gone.
Jesse sat down and wondered what this was about. "Being in danger." He knew for sure that he wasn't in danger of death. So he couldn't see what kind of danger could make him in danger. Except if it was being discovered, like with the man in the yellow suit. He decided that he would abandon the cat and find Winnie.
Finding Winnie was actually as complicated as searching for Duster. She didn't seem to be anywhere. He finally fell on the old women that was actually stroking the cat. Jesse glared at Mr Fluffytail and asked where was "Mrs Gregory."
"She returned to her room, she wasn't feeling too well, the poor girl."
Jesse took the lift. He had the impression that the lift was going to slowly too. But he came at last to Winnie's door.
The chamber man let him in with a slight bow. Jesse then crossed the antechamber that was very red and knocked on Winnie's bedroom door.
"Little Winnie!" he called.
Jesse heard some sobs. He opened the door, entered, and closed it quickly behind him.
Winnie was on the bed, holding her knees against her chest, in her fancy dress.
He hurried to her and took her hands away from her face.
"Winnie Foster, what's the matter?"
She leaned forward to be taken in his arms. He patted her back while she hiccuped, he felt warm tears against his neck. Winnie finally leting go, took a handkerchief and blew her nose loudly.
"Henry, he's..."
She didn't finish her phrase.
"What is he?" Jesse suspected that it had to do with Mr Gregory's strange behaviour.
She breathed in deeply.
"He wanted to become immortal."
"You didn't..."
"No!" she yelled. "No," she repeated more softly. "I promised. Like I explained to you, his son will make sure that no one will buy it."
"But they could go there," said Jesse.
"It's too far," she reassured him. "And they're too busy to wonder about it."
"What is wrong Winnie." Jesse put a stray lock of hair behind her flushed ear. "You look like a mess."
She chuckled and looked at him in the eyes.
Jesse was taken aback by her gaze. There was so many emotions in them, every one trying to cover the other.
"I've just discovered that Henry had a bad heart. That was why he wanted to know how. I left to not be tempted to tell him," she explained. "Mrs Gromp told me so. Her husband is Henry's personnel doctor."
"Mrs Gromp is the woman with the cat?" he asked. She nodded.
"Then it's good?" Jesse ventured.
"He needed me," she said hitting the bed with her fist. "He needed me," she repeated bending her head forward. "Henry needed me to be with him all the way..."
Jesse sighted. He understood what was happening to Winnie. She felt miserable because of the passing of time and her friends, even if one of them was Henry.
"Look," he said taking her shoulders in his hands. "What did you think when your parents passed over."
"It was their time, and it was good for them, it was meant to be so."
"What are you thinking now about Henry?" he asked.
"That we could have been together for ever, like your parents..."
"Wrong," Jesse interrupted. "If he really respected you like Pa and Ma do to each other, they wouldn't go around making each other miserable. Nagging for something that can't or won't give something is a caprice."
"Jesse!" she exclaimed, her cheeks red. "We loved each other, I thought it would pass, I wanted to be sure we were right for each other..." She was babbling.
"Now, get hold of your self! Winnie Foster, it would have been the same if you hadn't meet him at all!"
Winnie didn't look sad anymore, but a bit angry. "He can't be capricious, he isn't capricious!"
"Say as you want, Winnie Foster. But I find him capricious, and I don't like the way he looks at everyone from above like if..."
Jesse wasn't able to continue because Winnie threw him a cushion in the face.
"No, it can't be, I couldn't be that wrong about him! I married him in the first place because he thought of me as his equal," Winnie told Jesse.
"A bit more than others, true. But I don't think as equal," Jesse said seriously. "I've heard much about him. Everyone wants to be with him to take some of his popularity."
Winnie frowned.
"He is a jurist, he is meant to defend " she told Jesse. "I don't believe you," she finished by saying.
Jesse shook his head. Winnie had really been too enclosed in false ideas.
"I think you should start over again," he said. "First by letting your hair loose, you look strict like that. And abandoning those silly hats. It gives the impression that you neck is going to break under it's weight," he told her.
"And I think I might have a problem," he confessed. "This girl on he deck looked pretty serious when she told me that..."
And so he told her what had happened while Winnie had been talking with Mrs Gromp.
***
The fifth day was more pleasant than the other four first passed on the boat. Winnie gave false excuses to Mrs Gromp to be able to get away from her sight and boring conversations.
She had let her hair fall from her usual bun but refused point black to take off her make-up.
Jesse and Winnie were now playing a game of chess talking about the years that had passed away from each other.
"I worked up a plan to leave my parents before they found out that I wasn't changing anymore. I asked them to send me to the United states in a private girl school. I left in 1894," Winnie told Jess.
She advanced her Queen in E4.
"When I was over there I was completely on my own. My parents had gave me money for a room and food. I told the director that had gone wrong in my name, that I wasn't called Winnie Foster but Holy Torfe. I studied ancient languages and got a job at the library translating scripts and other. But what I did most to gain my life was giving lessons to young wealthy girls on how to act in the presence of company."
Jesse moved his last Pawn a step farther.
"My parents died and gave the house and property to Treegap because they thought I was too busy to keep care of the house. I got the letter two months later and hurried back to Treegap where the Foster property was going to be sold by auction. That was when I met Henry for the first time."
Winnie examined the board and moved her Night to check the King. Jesse made it step back.
"How come you came to play at the Gregorys?" Winnie asked.
"It was a matter of luck. I have been taking courses from Francis Ormail. We were meant to come to New York by train from Boston. He was delayed and missed it, so I arrived in New York and replaced him."
"Check mate!" Winnie announced moving her black Castle to check the King, the Night and Queen was stopping the white Royal male from moving.
"You've got me," Jesse admitted. "I played this most of my life and you managed to win!"
"Play again?" Winnie proposed.
"No, it's alright, I've had my serving of losing today."
He got up and walked over to his violin.
They were in a antechamber, rich red wall paper with soft carpet and comfortable couch with fat cushions.
The chessboard had been put on a small table in front of the couch where Winnie was now sitting. Jesse had put a chair on the other side of the board.
He took his violin out and prepared his bow.
Winnie titled her head to the side. She was still wondering about what Jesse had told about Henry. Was it true? But she couldn't turn back.
Jesse suddenly froze as he heard a high voice asking the servant of their apartments if Mrs Gregory was there.
"Gromp," Jesse whispered. He quickly put down the violin and pulled Winnie behind the couch.
The door, which was turned towards the couch, opened. The chamber man came up to the bedroom door that was opposite the first and knocked. "Mrs Gregory?" he called.
He then turned around and saw Winnie and Jesse just in front of him crouched behind the couch. Jesse put a finger to his lips to tell the surprised Chamber Man to not say anything. Winnie nodded to say it was ok.
"Sorry Madam, but it seems they have left. They might be dinning."
Jesse and Winnie heard the doors close.
"Jesse," Winnie hissed. "Poor Mrs Gromp. I'm already lying to her, but this... is so much useful," Winnie finished putting her hand in front of her mouth to stop the words coming out.
She then yawned.
"I think I should go to bed," she said looking at the gram-pa clock. "It's already late and we'll be arriving in France tomorrow.
Jesse's smile dropped.
Winnie understood what he was thinking about.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. Did you find her?"
Jesse had been searching for the blond girl and hadn't found any trace of her.
Winnie gave Jesse a kiss goodnight on his cheek and went to her room.
He got up at his turn and walked to his violin. He picked up and pinched a couple of notes and then put it back down, ranged his bow and closed the case and walked out leaving it there.
¤¤¤¤¤¤
Tada!!! Wonder what kind of danger? Huh? Well, you'll have to read on.
I'd like some special thanks to WhatAboutBreakfast, who has seemed to have done a big effort to Review. Thanks a lot!!!
Remember, you must REVIEW!!!! I don't know exactly how much time a boat takes to cross the Atlantic, so if anyone knows, tell me please!!! It's a big ship from 1914.
Last memo: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!
Thanks in advance.
This chapter might a bit weird!! It might confuse you. Everything will make sense later. Promise. But, while waiting for that, here is the fifth chapter!!! I'm doing great efforts, writing as quick as this, a chapter by day, I might not be able to always do that, so don't be disappointed if you'll have to wait a bit long for the next ones, because I'm going to be going somewhere for my holidays!!! Yea hi!! (it's new to me, I'm usually stuck in my small french village with the church clock ringing every half a hour.)
Anyway, here it is!!!! -Human Nature-
Time seemed then to slow considerably, not as Jesse wished to.
An old plump women with a cat had recognised Winnie as Mrs Gregory and was now always in her company.
"His name is Mr Fluffytail," the women had told Winnie. "He is a wonderful sweet kitten," she'd said taking the cat close up to her face.
Jesse thought the cat looked more like a duster than anything else. Worse of all was when the women had handed Jesse the cat to keep while Winnie and her would talk privately between women. After they had turned the corner, Duster (- the name that Jesse had given the cat-) had clawed him in the face and ran off. The cuts closed themselves immediately and Jesse was now searching for Duster all over the place with grey hairs stuck on his white shirt.
He asked a couple of people if they had found the cat. They replied that they hadn't had, and continued their way.
Jesse wished that Mr Fluffytail had fallen over board. He then asked a young girl with straw hat and a skirt down to her knees and very curly blond hair.
She looked at him from under her eyelashes, with a lollypop in her mouth. She took it out to speak:
"You're a violinist?" she asked instead of answering.
"Yes", he replied. "Have you seen a grey cat?" he repeated his question.
"I've heard that you play pretty well," she continued.
Jesse abandoned her, thinking that she didn't know where Duster had went.
"You're in trouble, that's for sure."
Jesse turned around and came back on his steps.
"What do you mean?"
The girl just smiled wickedly, put back her lollypop in her mouth and tilted her head.
"I speak better with a little money..." she told him.
Jesse searched his pockets and found some money. He gave the girl three dollars.
"I've heard that someone is meant to look after you when you get to France," she said with another smirk. She held out her hand for some more notes.
Jesse looked down searching in his pockets for some money. But as he looked up again the girl was gone.
Jesse sat down and wondered what this was about. "Being in danger." He knew for sure that he wasn't in danger of death. So he couldn't see what kind of danger could make him in danger. Except if it was being discovered, like with the man in the yellow suit. He decided that he would abandon the cat and find Winnie.
Finding Winnie was actually as complicated as searching for Duster. She didn't seem to be anywhere. He finally fell on the old women that was actually stroking the cat. Jesse glared at Mr Fluffytail and asked where was "Mrs Gregory."
"She returned to her room, she wasn't feeling too well, the poor girl."
Jesse took the lift. He had the impression that the lift was going to slowly too. But he came at last to Winnie's door.
The chamber man let him in with a slight bow. Jesse then crossed the antechamber that was very red and knocked on Winnie's bedroom door.
"Little Winnie!" he called.
Jesse heard some sobs. He opened the door, entered, and closed it quickly behind him.
Winnie was on the bed, holding her knees against her chest, in her fancy dress.
He hurried to her and took her hands away from her face.
"Winnie Foster, what's the matter?"
She leaned forward to be taken in his arms. He patted her back while she hiccuped, he felt warm tears against his neck. Winnie finally leting go, took a handkerchief and blew her nose loudly.
"Henry, he's..."
She didn't finish her phrase.
"What is he?" Jesse suspected that it had to do with Mr Gregory's strange behaviour.
She breathed in deeply.
"He wanted to become immortal."
"You didn't..."
"No!" she yelled. "No," she repeated more softly. "I promised. Like I explained to you, his son will make sure that no one will buy it."
"But they could go there," said Jesse.
"It's too far," she reassured him. "And they're too busy to wonder about it."
"What is wrong Winnie." Jesse put a stray lock of hair behind her flushed ear. "You look like a mess."
She chuckled and looked at him in the eyes.
Jesse was taken aback by her gaze. There was so many emotions in them, every one trying to cover the other.
"I've just discovered that Henry had a bad heart. That was why he wanted to know how. I left to not be tempted to tell him," she explained. "Mrs Gromp told me so. Her husband is Henry's personnel doctor."
"Mrs Gromp is the woman with the cat?" he asked. She nodded.
"Then it's good?" Jesse ventured.
"He needed me," she said hitting the bed with her fist. "He needed me," she repeated bending her head forward. "Henry needed me to be with him all the way..."
Jesse sighted. He understood what was happening to Winnie. She felt miserable because of the passing of time and her friends, even if one of them was Henry.
"Look," he said taking her shoulders in his hands. "What did you think when your parents passed over."
"It was their time, and it was good for them, it was meant to be so."
"What are you thinking now about Henry?" he asked.
"That we could have been together for ever, like your parents..."
"Wrong," Jesse interrupted. "If he really respected you like Pa and Ma do to each other, they wouldn't go around making each other miserable. Nagging for something that can't or won't give something is a caprice."
"Jesse!" she exclaimed, her cheeks red. "We loved each other, I thought it would pass, I wanted to be sure we were right for each other..." She was babbling.
"Now, get hold of your self! Winnie Foster, it would have been the same if you hadn't meet him at all!"
Winnie didn't look sad anymore, but a bit angry. "He can't be capricious, he isn't capricious!"
"Say as you want, Winnie Foster. But I find him capricious, and I don't like the way he looks at everyone from above like if..."
Jesse wasn't able to continue because Winnie threw him a cushion in the face.
"No, it can't be, I couldn't be that wrong about him! I married him in the first place because he thought of me as his equal," Winnie told Jesse.
"A bit more than others, true. But I don't think as equal," Jesse said seriously. "I've heard much about him. Everyone wants to be with him to take some of his popularity."
Winnie frowned.
"He is a jurist, he is meant to defend " she told Jesse. "I don't believe you," she finished by saying.
Jesse shook his head. Winnie had really been too enclosed in false ideas.
"I think you should start over again," he said. "First by letting your hair loose, you look strict like that. And abandoning those silly hats. It gives the impression that you neck is going to break under it's weight," he told her.
"And I think I might have a problem," he confessed. "This girl on he deck looked pretty serious when she told me that..."
And so he told her what had happened while Winnie had been talking with Mrs Gromp.
***
The fifth day was more pleasant than the other four first passed on the boat. Winnie gave false excuses to Mrs Gromp to be able to get away from her sight and boring conversations.
She had let her hair fall from her usual bun but refused point black to take off her make-up.
Jesse and Winnie were now playing a game of chess talking about the years that had passed away from each other.
"I worked up a plan to leave my parents before they found out that I wasn't changing anymore. I asked them to send me to the United states in a private girl school. I left in 1894," Winnie told Jess.
She advanced her Queen in E4.
"When I was over there I was completely on my own. My parents had gave me money for a room and food. I told the director that had gone wrong in my name, that I wasn't called Winnie Foster but Holy Torfe. I studied ancient languages and got a job at the library translating scripts and other. But what I did most to gain my life was giving lessons to young wealthy girls on how to act in the presence of company."
Jesse moved his last Pawn a step farther.
"My parents died and gave the house and property to Treegap because they thought I was too busy to keep care of the house. I got the letter two months later and hurried back to Treegap where the Foster property was going to be sold by auction. That was when I met Henry for the first time."
Winnie examined the board and moved her Night to check the King. Jesse made it step back.
"How come you came to play at the Gregorys?" Winnie asked.
"It was a matter of luck. I have been taking courses from Francis Ormail. We were meant to come to New York by train from Boston. He was delayed and missed it, so I arrived in New York and replaced him."
"Check mate!" Winnie announced moving her black Castle to check the King, the Night and Queen was stopping the white Royal male from moving.
"You've got me," Jesse admitted. "I played this most of my life and you managed to win!"
"Play again?" Winnie proposed.
"No, it's alright, I've had my serving of losing today."
He got up and walked over to his violin.
They were in a antechamber, rich red wall paper with soft carpet and comfortable couch with fat cushions.
The chessboard had been put on a small table in front of the couch where Winnie was now sitting. Jesse had put a chair on the other side of the board.
He took his violin out and prepared his bow.
Winnie titled her head to the side. She was still wondering about what Jesse had told about Henry. Was it true? But she couldn't turn back.
Jesse suddenly froze as he heard a high voice asking the servant of their apartments if Mrs Gregory was there.
"Gromp," Jesse whispered. He quickly put down the violin and pulled Winnie behind the couch.
The door, which was turned towards the couch, opened. The chamber man came up to the bedroom door that was opposite the first and knocked. "Mrs Gregory?" he called.
He then turned around and saw Winnie and Jesse just in front of him crouched behind the couch. Jesse put a finger to his lips to tell the surprised Chamber Man to not say anything. Winnie nodded to say it was ok.
"Sorry Madam, but it seems they have left. They might be dinning."
Jesse and Winnie heard the doors close.
"Jesse," Winnie hissed. "Poor Mrs Gromp. I'm already lying to her, but this... is so much useful," Winnie finished putting her hand in front of her mouth to stop the words coming out.
She then yawned.
"I think I should go to bed," she said looking at the gram-pa clock. "It's already late and we'll be arriving in France tomorrow.
Jesse's smile dropped.
Winnie understood what he was thinking about.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. Did you find her?"
Jesse had been searching for the blond girl and hadn't found any trace of her.
Winnie gave Jesse a kiss goodnight on his cheek and went to her room.
He got up at his turn and walked to his violin. He picked up and pinched a couple of notes and then put it back down, ranged his bow and closed the case and walked out leaving it there.
¤¤¤¤¤¤
Tada!!! Wonder what kind of danger? Huh? Well, you'll have to read on.
I'd like some special thanks to WhatAboutBreakfast, who has seemed to have done a big effort to Review. Thanks a lot!!!
Remember, you must REVIEW!!!! I don't know exactly how much time a boat takes to cross the Atlantic, so if anyone knows, tell me please!!! It's a big ship from 1914.
Last memo: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!
Thanks in advance.