Author's Note: Whoope, a new chapter! I can feel the excitement!
Sorry, I'm slightly hyper today. Anyways, thank you soooooo much to
everyone who reviewed the first chapter: LilacFairy, Sellenity00000,
CrazyCheeseGirl, Steph, Aquarius Angel, Kelly Melly and Maggie.
NOTICE: this chapter picks off immediately where the last one left off.
Disclamier: Margaret Mitchell/Alexandra Ripley are (though, sadly, I should use "were" in MM's case) awsome writers, and while I am amusing myself by playing around with their characters and/or settings, everything still belongs to them, except for Curt. He is mine!
Rated PG because the other chapter was :-)
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Chapter Two Breaking the Bad News
After insisting that her mother take a nap to sleep off the effects of all the brandy she had consumed, Cat went down to the kitchen, where Cassie was using a knife to cut open the boxes containing Cat's purchases.
"Have you found a purple bonnet yet?" Cat asked upon entering the kitchen.
"No, ma'am," Cassie replied, lifiting a frilly parasol from one of the boxes. "But there's still one box left."
So excited was Cat at the prospect of wearing her new bonnet that she took another knife and cut the last box open herself. Inside was a lavendar bonnet that had an inset of white lace. It matched the dress Cat was wearing so perfectly that a stranger looking at it might have thought the two came together in a set. Cat pracitcally shrieked with delight, and quickly tied it on using the technique her mother had taught her. She rushed to the mirror in the parlor and couldn't help but feel pleased with herself. Purple was one of her most becoming colors, though it wasn't the old matron color of deep purple that she wore today. Cat delighted in wearing pastels, bright, brillant hues that brought out the specks of green in her hazel eyes.
Cat decided right then and there that she must do something to release all the pent up energy she had. She walked into the kitchen once more, grabbed her new parasol, and strode out the door, calling over her shoulder to Cassie, "I'm going for a walk. I'll be home before dark. See that Mother gets some rest."
And, with that, she set off. Just where she was going, Cat didn't know. Normally she was such a responsible, stable person that it was fun to be a bit reckless for a change. She resolved to let her spirit guide her.
Apparently, though, her spirit didn't feel up to guiding that day. Instead, her feet took over, and without really thinking about it, Cat found herself at the dress shop. It took a lot of restraint, but Cat managed to stay out of the store, remembering all the money she had already spent that day. Her father graicoulsy paid for all her living and spending expenses, as he was so incredibly rich, but Cat was sure that even he would frown when he saw her next shopping bill.
A welcome sight drove the beautiful gowns from her mind. Across the street, at the general store, a young man was leaning against the door frame, whistling and absently watching the people walk by. His name was Curtis Andrews, the seventeen year old son of the owner of the general store, Mr. Joshua Andrews. Curtis was tall and gangly, and wore rather large round glasses. Those glasses, in addition to his rather unruly light brown hair, almost completely hide his sparkeling blue eyes.
Curtis caught a glimpse of Cat out of the corner of his eye. He smiled at her and sprinted across the road that seperated them. "Why, if it isn't Catty O'Hara," he said by way of greeting.
Cat scowled. "You know I hate that nickname."
"Yes, but it isn't exactly unearned."
"Curt, you cad!" she cried, so loudly that several passerby stared at her. But there was a smile upon her lips, and she answered boldly, "You certainly know how to provoke a person."
"I only provoke people who are so irrestibbly vulnerable as you," Curt replied teasingly. Cat felt a blush crept along her cheeks, but Curtis didn't seem to notice.
"So, what brings you to Five Points today?" Curtis asked. "I have it on good authority that you've already been here today, and made quite a few purchases, too."
Slightly flustered, Cat said, "What business is it of yours? I happened to wander into the dress shop while I was out running errands for my mother, and I saw this divine bonnett, and then I remembered that I needed a new one."
"Needed?" Curtis chuckled. "Wanted is more like it."
Cat didn't reply, only casing Curtis to laugh louder. He stopped abruptly, and then, in a very different tone of voice, he commented, "Your father's in town, did you know?"
Cat sighed. The very topic that she had hoped to escape by leaving the house was haunting her. "Yes," she said briskly. "I heard mention of it."
Neither of them spoke for a moment, engrossed with their own thoughts. Finally, Cat blurted, "Have you seen her? This woman that has my father wrapped around her finger?"
Curt didn't answer immediately, just stared at the ground to avoid looking at Cat. Still, despite the din of creaking wheels, neighing horses, and the buzz of many conversations, Cat distinctly heard Curtis mumble, "Yes, I saw her arrive at the Five Points Hotel."
"And?" Cat persisted, eager for more information. "Is she pretty?"
Curtis coughed but didn't say a word. It didn't matter: his nervous expression told her everything.
"So she's pretty, then. But she's uneducated, I suppose? Ill bred? Poor?" Cat knew it was very unlikely that a person who would catch her father's eye wouldn't be any of these things, but until Curtis actually spoke, she could still hope.
"I'm afraid you're kind of off mark," Curt said with a smile. "Miss Huntington is a member of one of the finest Southern aristocract families in Virginia. Whole family was Confederates, Stars and Bars through and through, yet they still managed to hold on to some of their fortune after the wreck of the war."
"And Miss Hunington herself?"
"Well, from what I hear she just turned twenty-five. Turns out, Miss Hunington is actually quite the scholar. She was a teacher after she finished school, and she actually applied at that college in New England somewhere, that Coloumbia place, you know? And she got in! No, I'm not fibbing, Catty, it's true. And don't give me that look! Anyways, her mother finally talked some sense into the woman and convinced her not to go off and pour her head over more books. Miss Hunington stayed in Virginia and was helping her mother run their place- housewife duties, the whole deal- when she met your father. They were at a ball that Mrs. Hunington was hosting, I think. Your father was there because the late Mr. Hunington was a friend of his, and old Mrs. Hunington felt compelled to invite him when she heard he was in town. And, well- that was it." Curtis broke off suddenly, as though finally aware of whom he had been rambling about.
Cat grinned. "My, my Curt. You seem to know an awful lot about Miss Hunington."
Curtis blushed. "Just town gossip, you know."
"I see." Cat sighed. It certainly looked as though her mother was up against some stiff compition. "But not if I have anything to do with it," Cat thought to herself. "I'm going to see to it personally that Mother and Father fall in love with each other again. Perfect Miss Hunington will soon be out of the picture."
"So, do you know where they're planning to have the wedding?"
Curtis's words brought Cat back to reality in a snap. Her stomach lurched. "Wedding?"
"Why, didn't you know?" Curt exclaimed in surpirse. "Your father and Miss Hunington are going to get married. You're going to have a stepmother."
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Author's Post Script: Ahhhhhhhh! The shock! The horror! Oh, who am I kidding, everyone knew that already *cries because my attempt at being dramatic isn't working* Again, please forgive me if some of the tiny details, such as wheter or not there were sinks in this era, are innocorrect (eg. Are Cat's eyes hazel? I don't know, I just assumed they were, but since I haven't read "Scarlett" for nearly two years I'm starting to forget little details like that. Also, I don't know if Coloumbia University had been established yet. If you hate that I was too lazy to look it up somewhere, feel free to insert your own college)
Disclamier: Margaret Mitchell/Alexandra Ripley are (though, sadly, I should use "were" in MM's case) awsome writers, and while I am amusing myself by playing around with their characters and/or settings, everything still belongs to them, except for Curt. He is mine!
Rated PG because the other chapter was :-)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------
Chapter Two Breaking the Bad News
After insisting that her mother take a nap to sleep off the effects of all the brandy she had consumed, Cat went down to the kitchen, where Cassie was using a knife to cut open the boxes containing Cat's purchases.
"Have you found a purple bonnet yet?" Cat asked upon entering the kitchen.
"No, ma'am," Cassie replied, lifiting a frilly parasol from one of the boxes. "But there's still one box left."
So excited was Cat at the prospect of wearing her new bonnet that she took another knife and cut the last box open herself. Inside was a lavendar bonnet that had an inset of white lace. It matched the dress Cat was wearing so perfectly that a stranger looking at it might have thought the two came together in a set. Cat pracitcally shrieked with delight, and quickly tied it on using the technique her mother had taught her. She rushed to the mirror in the parlor and couldn't help but feel pleased with herself. Purple was one of her most becoming colors, though it wasn't the old matron color of deep purple that she wore today. Cat delighted in wearing pastels, bright, brillant hues that brought out the specks of green in her hazel eyes.
Cat decided right then and there that she must do something to release all the pent up energy she had. She walked into the kitchen once more, grabbed her new parasol, and strode out the door, calling over her shoulder to Cassie, "I'm going for a walk. I'll be home before dark. See that Mother gets some rest."
And, with that, she set off. Just where she was going, Cat didn't know. Normally she was such a responsible, stable person that it was fun to be a bit reckless for a change. She resolved to let her spirit guide her.
Apparently, though, her spirit didn't feel up to guiding that day. Instead, her feet took over, and without really thinking about it, Cat found herself at the dress shop. It took a lot of restraint, but Cat managed to stay out of the store, remembering all the money she had already spent that day. Her father graicoulsy paid for all her living and spending expenses, as he was so incredibly rich, but Cat was sure that even he would frown when he saw her next shopping bill.
A welcome sight drove the beautiful gowns from her mind. Across the street, at the general store, a young man was leaning against the door frame, whistling and absently watching the people walk by. His name was Curtis Andrews, the seventeen year old son of the owner of the general store, Mr. Joshua Andrews. Curtis was tall and gangly, and wore rather large round glasses. Those glasses, in addition to his rather unruly light brown hair, almost completely hide his sparkeling blue eyes.
Curtis caught a glimpse of Cat out of the corner of his eye. He smiled at her and sprinted across the road that seperated them. "Why, if it isn't Catty O'Hara," he said by way of greeting.
Cat scowled. "You know I hate that nickname."
"Yes, but it isn't exactly unearned."
"Curt, you cad!" she cried, so loudly that several passerby stared at her. But there was a smile upon her lips, and she answered boldly, "You certainly know how to provoke a person."
"I only provoke people who are so irrestibbly vulnerable as you," Curt replied teasingly. Cat felt a blush crept along her cheeks, but Curtis didn't seem to notice.
"So, what brings you to Five Points today?" Curtis asked. "I have it on good authority that you've already been here today, and made quite a few purchases, too."
Slightly flustered, Cat said, "What business is it of yours? I happened to wander into the dress shop while I was out running errands for my mother, and I saw this divine bonnett, and then I remembered that I needed a new one."
"Needed?" Curtis chuckled. "Wanted is more like it."
Cat didn't reply, only casing Curtis to laugh louder. He stopped abruptly, and then, in a very different tone of voice, he commented, "Your father's in town, did you know?"
Cat sighed. The very topic that she had hoped to escape by leaving the house was haunting her. "Yes," she said briskly. "I heard mention of it."
Neither of them spoke for a moment, engrossed with their own thoughts. Finally, Cat blurted, "Have you seen her? This woman that has my father wrapped around her finger?"
Curt didn't answer immediately, just stared at the ground to avoid looking at Cat. Still, despite the din of creaking wheels, neighing horses, and the buzz of many conversations, Cat distinctly heard Curtis mumble, "Yes, I saw her arrive at the Five Points Hotel."
"And?" Cat persisted, eager for more information. "Is she pretty?"
Curtis coughed but didn't say a word. It didn't matter: his nervous expression told her everything.
"So she's pretty, then. But she's uneducated, I suppose? Ill bred? Poor?" Cat knew it was very unlikely that a person who would catch her father's eye wouldn't be any of these things, but until Curtis actually spoke, she could still hope.
"I'm afraid you're kind of off mark," Curt said with a smile. "Miss Huntington is a member of one of the finest Southern aristocract families in Virginia. Whole family was Confederates, Stars and Bars through and through, yet they still managed to hold on to some of their fortune after the wreck of the war."
"And Miss Hunington herself?"
"Well, from what I hear she just turned twenty-five. Turns out, Miss Hunington is actually quite the scholar. She was a teacher after she finished school, and she actually applied at that college in New England somewhere, that Coloumbia place, you know? And she got in! No, I'm not fibbing, Catty, it's true. And don't give me that look! Anyways, her mother finally talked some sense into the woman and convinced her not to go off and pour her head over more books. Miss Hunington stayed in Virginia and was helping her mother run their place- housewife duties, the whole deal- when she met your father. They were at a ball that Mrs. Hunington was hosting, I think. Your father was there because the late Mr. Hunington was a friend of his, and old Mrs. Hunington felt compelled to invite him when she heard he was in town. And, well- that was it." Curtis broke off suddenly, as though finally aware of whom he had been rambling about.
Cat grinned. "My, my Curt. You seem to know an awful lot about Miss Hunington."
Curtis blushed. "Just town gossip, you know."
"I see." Cat sighed. It certainly looked as though her mother was up against some stiff compition. "But not if I have anything to do with it," Cat thought to herself. "I'm going to see to it personally that Mother and Father fall in love with each other again. Perfect Miss Hunington will soon be out of the picture."
"So, do you know where they're planning to have the wedding?"
Curtis's words brought Cat back to reality in a snap. Her stomach lurched. "Wedding?"
"Why, didn't you know?" Curt exclaimed in surpirse. "Your father and Miss Hunington are going to get married. You're going to have a stepmother."
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Author's Post Script: Ahhhhhhhh! The shock! The horror! Oh, who am I kidding, everyone knew that already *cries because my attempt at being dramatic isn't working* Again, please forgive me if some of the tiny details, such as wheter or not there were sinks in this era, are innocorrect (eg. Are Cat's eyes hazel? I don't know, I just assumed they were, but since I haven't read "Scarlett" for nearly two years I'm starting to forget little details like that. Also, I don't know if Coloumbia University had been established yet. If you hate that I was too lazy to look it up somewhere, feel free to insert your own college)
