"Mademoiselle! You have company!" Mary shouted up the stairs.
"Let him in." I said descending down from the staircase. I saw Peter's short form standing in the doorway.
"Gwen! I got your telegram. There was something you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Yes. Come sit in the parlor." We walked in and he seated himself in a large cushioned chair. The servants brought in various snacks. "Peter we've known each other for about three years now, right?"
"Yes."
"Wrong." I said quickly. "I know much about you and you think you know about me but you don't." He looked at me confused and bemused. It was a very funny look and I would have laughed except for the importance of the information I was getting ready to tell him.
"Go on."
"Before I came here I lived in France. A little village outside of Paris. Called Monmarte. I lived in the Moulin Rouge. I am the Sparkling Diamond, Christian's true love, a whore, Satine. There is no way for me to do the production if Christian over sees it. I staged my death to keep him safe and if he found out, he would doubt my love."
"No. there is no way for you to be Satine. Satine died! He wrote it in his book. He held her body in his very arms." Peter said looking at me shocked.
"Harold and I formed a plan. I would act as if I had contracted consumption. We would find a patron. Someone to fund me as I started out becoming a real actress. Then whatever acting company I worked for I would tell them that I was basically a nobody from a small village just outside of Paris, with no experience in acting. Except for the." Peter than interrupted me.
"The plays you would put on for birthdays and Christmases?" I only nodded.
"Nobody new and it was going great. I had fainting spells, I would have a little pouch of dye in the very back of my gum. I would bite down on it and the red dye would spurt out. I started eating less to make myself thinner and look a little more sickly. Then came Christian. A little nobody of a writer who stole the heart of a courtesan. I kept my acts up for Harold's sake so he would leave me alone about mine and Christian's affair behind the Duke's back. I was just getting ready to tell Christian the truth when Harold informed me that the Duke was insanely jealous of Christian. I had to protect him. So I made Christian believe I didn't love him. "In the play when he. he through the money down at me and told me I meant nothing to him as he thought he was nothing to me, I realized how much I had hurt him. And I could never live with the fact that he didn't think that I loved him. The curtain closed and everything was great. Until I saw Harold eyeing me. That was when I new it could never be. So I went through the plan of staging my death. And to make an already long story short here I am with Harold, Marie, and Christian's daughter Clare." I ended dramatically. Silence consumed the room for a two minutes. I looked straight at Peter with my crystalline eyes. He finally spoke.
"So I guess I shouldn't go get him from the buggy." I looked at him with big eyes.
"He's here?" I asked standing up, walking over to the window. Sure enough there he was waiting patiently for Peter to come get him.
"He wanted to talk to Harold about something. And wanted to get better aquatinted with the leading actress."
"Oh my god. Peter you have to go. He can't see me!." I turned around facing him.
"Darling just go put a veil on. Like the one you wore yesterday. You're a great actress and an incredible liar. I think you can pull it off." To my surprise he didn't say this sarcastically. It was almost as if he held me in higher respect for being able to keep my lie this long. I rolled my eyes at him and ran up the steps. I heard the front door open then close. And I heard it open and close again. This time I heard Christians voice. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could feel wetness already form in my eyes. Slowly I stepped down the stairs. My heart beat so loudly under my chest I could have sworn the whole house heard it.
"Ahh hear she comes." I heard Harold's voice say. "You have met Gwen before, have you not Christian?"
"I met her yesterday. But only for a short time." He responded.
"Yes, I'm sorry for my abrupt disappearance yesterday, Christian. I had to get home to take care of my child." Almost as if planned I heard Clare's feet pitter-pattering down the hall way and to the top of the steps.
"Mummy! Who's here? Is it for me?" She asked running down the stairs. I grabbed for her hand but she slithered past me. I stood there frozen to the spot. I grasped the railing as Clare ran into the parlor straight to Christian. She looked at him smiling until she really looked at him. For a moment she stood almost dazed, as he looked at her and as the rest of the room stood or sat in terror.
"Who are you?" I heard her whisper to him? "Are you the one in love with mummy?" I saw her take one small finger and touched the outside of his eye.
"I'm afraid I don't know your mummy. Besides doesn't your daddy love her?" His voice was quiet but traveled across the room.
"She said he did."
"Clare! What on earth are you talking about? Come with Auntie Marie and go play dolls. Or you can take a walk outside to the park. It's a lovely day."
"But mummy I want to stay here!" Her lip slipped out and gave me a puppy dog look. I could almost imagine Christian's brain going back to the first time I ever talked to him. Pouting because he wouldn't dance with me. Damn she looked like me! I could see it in his expression how he was thinking back. I walked over quickly picking her up.
"You're talking nonsense, love." Marie quickly came over taking Clare into her arms. "Let's go buy you a new doll. What about the one you saw in the window of the toy shop yesterday?"
"No!" Whined Clare. "Lets go dance and sing. And then after that read me a book?"
"Yes darling. Let's go do that!" Marie carried Clare off upstairs. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~
The reason for Christian's visit was to talk to Harold and I about my part as Satine (Myself) He wanted to make sure that I was the actress for the job. When he left relief and grief flooded my system.
"He'll recognize me Harold." I warned. "I cannot practice in front of him."
"Darling, there is a simple solution to that. Just say you need to stay home with your child. You will practice here all the songs and dances. I mean you know how the whole thing goes. As do I. I can help you and so can Marie." It seemed logical enough of an excuse. And besides, I had wanted to be with my daughter more.
"But what about opening night? Christian will surely be there to over look things." I pointed out.
"I told you. I'll get him drunk and he can miss the performance. Or take a sleeping pill."
"Harold!" I said warningly.
"Darling don't worry about Christian. Peter and I will figure something out. Meanwhile, hadn't you better get ready for the Duke? He arrives soon. And he plans on having a party."
"I think I'll be sick."
"You were sick last time."
I sighed and looked grudgingly up at Harold. "What shall I wear?" I surrendered.
"Marie picked out a lovely dress for you. Its up in your closet."
I got up and walked up the staircase to my room, feeling absolutely positively horrible. I saw the dress on my bed and sighed. By the looks of it, it was another low necked, squeeze - your - guts - out, dress. The dress itself was a luscious cream color. The bodice sculpted my figure perfectly and then flared out nicely from the waste. The dress was spaghetti strapped and dipped down below my neckline. My corset pushed my breasts up as far up as possible. A pale blue sash was tied around my waste. A shear fabric covered the creamy silk all over. And imbedded in the blue fabric, were tiny diamonds. The diamonds also lined the straps of my dress. Silk blue gloves ran up my arm (With diamond cuffs at my wrists), four inches past my elbow and cream high heals covered my feet. To top it all off, my hair was pulled up high on top of my head in a gathering ponytail. Curls spiraled out of it and a diamond scrunchy held it in place along with a small diamond Tiara. At my chest lay a gaudy diamond necklace and on my ears hung a straight line of diamond earrings. I sparkled in every way I turned.
"Satine, look happy. The Duke will be displeased if you are not your regular self." Marie said gently.
"Mummy your dress is pretty!" She touched one of the diamonds in the fabric.
"Thank you Darling." I smiled down at her. She smiled up at me. And with that smile I was able to will myself downstairs into the ball room.
"Let him in." I said descending down from the staircase. I saw Peter's short form standing in the doorway.
"Gwen! I got your telegram. There was something you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Yes. Come sit in the parlor." We walked in and he seated himself in a large cushioned chair. The servants brought in various snacks. "Peter we've known each other for about three years now, right?"
"Yes."
"Wrong." I said quickly. "I know much about you and you think you know about me but you don't." He looked at me confused and bemused. It was a very funny look and I would have laughed except for the importance of the information I was getting ready to tell him.
"Go on."
"Before I came here I lived in France. A little village outside of Paris. Called Monmarte. I lived in the Moulin Rouge. I am the Sparkling Diamond, Christian's true love, a whore, Satine. There is no way for me to do the production if Christian over sees it. I staged my death to keep him safe and if he found out, he would doubt my love."
"No. there is no way for you to be Satine. Satine died! He wrote it in his book. He held her body in his very arms." Peter said looking at me shocked.
"Harold and I formed a plan. I would act as if I had contracted consumption. We would find a patron. Someone to fund me as I started out becoming a real actress. Then whatever acting company I worked for I would tell them that I was basically a nobody from a small village just outside of Paris, with no experience in acting. Except for the." Peter than interrupted me.
"The plays you would put on for birthdays and Christmases?" I only nodded.
"Nobody new and it was going great. I had fainting spells, I would have a little pouch of dye in the very back of my gum. I would bite down on it and the red dye would spurt out. I started eating less to make myself thinner and look a little more sickly. Then came Christian. A little nobody of a writer who stole the heart of a courtesan. I kept my acts up for Harold's sake so he would leave me alone about mine and Christian's affair behind the Duke's back. I was just getting ready to tell Christian the truth when Harold informed me that the Duke was insanely jealous of Christian. I had to protect him. So I made Christian believe I didn't love him. "In the play when he. he through the money down at me and told me I meant nothing to him as he thought he was nothing to me, I realized how much I had hurt him. And I could never live with the fact that he didn't think that I loved him. The curtain closed and everything was great. Until I saw Harold eyeing me. That was when I new it could never be. So I went through the plan of staging my death. And to make an already long story short here I am with Harold, Marie, and Christian's daughter Clare." I ended dramatically. Silence consumed the room for a two minutes. I looked straight at Peter with my crystalline eyes. He finally spoke.
"So I guess I shouldn't go get him from the buggy." I looked at him with big eyes.
"He's here?" I asked standing up, walking over to the window. Sure enough there he was waiting patiently for Peter to come get him.
"He wanted to talk to Harold about something. And wanted to get better aquatinted with the leading actress."
"Oh my god. Peter you have to go. He can't see me!." I turned around facing him.
"Darling just go put a veil on. Like the one you wore yesterday. You're a great actress and an incredible liar. I think you can pull it off." To my surprise he didn't say this sarcastically. It was almost as if he held me in higher respect for being able to keep my lie this long. I rolled my eyes at him and ran up the steps. I heard the front door open then close. And I heard it open and close again. This time I heard Christians voice. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could feel wetness already form in my eyes. Slowly I stepped down the stairs. My heart beat so loudly under my chest I could have sworn the whole house heard it.
"Ahh hear she comes." I heard Harold's voice say. "You have met Gwen before, have you not Christian?"
"I met her yesterday. But only for a short time." He responded.
"Yes, I'm sorry for my abrupt disappearance yesterday, Christian. I had to get home to take care of my child." Almost as if planned I heard Clare's feet pitter-pattering down the hall way and to the top of the steps.
"Mummy! Who's here? Is it for me?" She asked running down the stairs. I grabbed for her hand but she slithered past me. I stood there frozen to the spot. I grasped the railing as Clare ran into the parlor straight to Christian. She looked at him smiling until she really looked at him. For a moment she stood almost dazed, as he looked at her and as the rest of the room stood or sat in terror.
"Who are you?" I heard her whisper to him? "Are you the one in love with mummy?" I saw her take one small finger and touched the outside of his eye.
"I'm afraid I don't know your mummy. Besides doesn't your daddy love her?" His voice was quiet but traveled across the room.
"She said he did."
"Clare! What on earth are you talking about? Come with Auntie Marie and go play dolls. Or you can take a walk outside to the park. It's a lovely day."
"But mummy I want to stay here!" Her lip slipped out and gave me a puppy dog look. I could almost imagine Christian's brain going back to the first time I ever talked to him. Pouting because he wouldn't dance with me. Damn she looked like me! I could see it in his expression how he was thinking back. I walked over quickly picking her up.
"You're talking nonsense, love." Marie quickly came over taking Clare into her arms. "Let's go buy you a new doll. What about the one you saw in the window of the toy shop yesterday?"
"No!" Whined Clare. "Lets go dance and sing. And then after that read me a book?"
"Yes darling. Let's go do that!" Marie carried Clare off upstairs. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~
The reason for Christian's visit was to talk to Harold and I about my part as Satine (Myself) He wanted to make sure that I was the actress for the job. When he left relief and grief flooded my system.
"He'll recognize me Harold." I warned. "I cannot practice in front of him."
"Darling, there is a simple solution to that. Just say you need to stay home with your child. You will practice here all the songs and dances. I mean you know how the whole thing goes. As do I. I can help you and so can Marie." It seemed logical enough of an excuse. And besides, I had wanted to be with my daughter more.
"But what about opening night? Christian will surely be there to over look things." I pointed out.
"I told you. I'll get him drunk and he can miss the performance. Or take a sleeping pill."
"Harold!" I said warningly.
"Darling don't worry about Christian. Peter and I will figure something out. Meanwhile, hadn't you better get ready for the Duke? He arrives soon. And he plans on having a party."
"I think I'll be sick."
"You were sick last time."
I sighed and looked grudgingly up at Harold. "What shall I wear?" I surrendered.
"Marie picked out a lovely dress for you. Its up in your closet."
I got up and walked up the staircase to my room, feeling absolutely positively horrible. I saw the dress on my bed and sighed. By the looks of it, it was another low necked, squeeze - your - guts - out, dress. The dress itself was a luscious cream color. The bodice sculpted my figure perfectly and then flared out nicely from the waste. The dress was spaghetti strapped and dipped down below my neckline. My corset pushed my breasts up as far up as possible. A pale blue sash was tied around my waste. A shear fabric covered the creamy silk all over. And imbedded in the blue fabric, were tiny diamonds. The diamonds also lined the straps of my dress. Silk blue gloves ran up my arm (With diamond cuffs at my wrists), four inches past my elbow and cream high heals covered my feet. To top it all off, my hair was pulled up high on top of my head in a gathering ponytail. Curls spiraled out of it and a diamond scrunchy held it in place along with a small diamond Tiara. At my chest lay a gaudy diamond necklace and on my ears hung a straight line of diamond earrings. I sparkled in every way I turned.
"Satine, look happy. The Duke will be displeased if you are not your regular self." Marie said gently.
"Mummy your dress is pretty!" She touched one of the diamonds in the fabric.
"Thank you Darling." I smiled down at her. She smiled up at me. And with that smile I was able to will myself downstairs into the ball room.
