Author's Note: I had an idea for this chapter and I ran with it. Granted, I
was listening to disco music as I wrote this, so it might be a little bit
weird. Bear with me, folks. Also, is there countryside in London? If not,
pretend that there is one. I don't know from experience.
The apartment was now empty, with the exception of a musty, red-velvet covered chair and a rusty bed frame and lumpy mattress. With a long sigh, Christian picked up his two suitcases and typewriter carrier and walked out of the building. His eyes burned with tears as he walked down the street towards the train station and passed the gigantic red windmill to his right. With a shudder, Christian whispered "Goodbye, Satine."
Later, on the train, Christian sipped glass of red wine as he stared out of the window at the scenery running by. Shaking his head, he finished his wine and hoped to get some peaceful sleep as he walked back to his compartment.
Meanwhile, in London, Catharine was sitting on private balcony at the mansion that she and Christian owned, gazing at the sunset and remembering the day's events. After breakfast, she had an exhausting day in town looking at hats, gloves, and fabric for new dresses. She met Lady Anderson for tea and then came back home and visited with other society ladies over dinner. They knew that Christian was returning home, and they were inviting the "happy" couple to numerous social events and formal balls, two of the things that made Catharine happy.
With a frown, Catharine stared at her wedding and engagement rings. They were both heavily decorated but they didn't have any sentimental value to her. Her husband had left her for another country and she knew that he probably would not want to see her anymore. Without his connections, Catharine worried that she would go back to being poor. Well, poorer than she was before marrying into the James family. Her last name granted her access into the inner circles of society. If she were to lose her last name, she would lose her position. Shaking her head, she retired for the evening.
Christian awoke with tears running down his face. Looking around him, he knew that he was still on the train, and he relaxed to a point. He had just woken up from a disturbing dream. After the performance of "Spectacular, Spectacular!" and he was embracing Satine, the Duke crept up behind them and shot them both.
"It was only a dream. It was only a dream." He mumbled to himself as he closed his eyes again.
The next morning, Christian awoke to the conductor announcing his stop. Christian dressed quickly and gathered his things so that he could get off the train as quickly as possible. He was in no hurry to return home to Catharine, but he wanted to get away from France and the memories of Montmartre. The train came to a halt, and Christian prepared himself for the boat trip across the Channel.
Author's Note: I've never been on a boat trip or a cruise, so I can't really write about that, so I'm gonna jump ahead a little bit. Deal with it.
*Later, in London*
Christian tipped his carriage driver and as the horses pulled away, Christian stared up at the stone mansion in front of him. With a gulp, he walked up the paved walkway towards the house and knocked on the door. A butler with graying hair opened the door and greeted him.
"Ah, Mister James. Welcome home. May I take your things?" he asked kindly, motioning for the bags.
Christian handed them over and told the man that he was going to look around the house before going in. The butler nodded and closed the door. Quietly, Christian walked around, looking at the rose bushes, blossoming fruit trees, and ivy-covered walls. Walking to the back of the house, Christian noticed that it had been changed dramatically. The plot of grass and two trees had changed into a stone patio with a table and chairs, potted plants, and a fountain. Beyond that, the hill that led down to a quiet steam had stone steps leading down to a cleared area near the stream that had a few rose bushes, a willow tree, and a bench.
With a pleasant sigh, Christian took a seat on the bench and listened to the water run over the rocks. It was so peaceful that Christian didn't notice a thin and elegantly dressed woman approach him with a smiling baby in her arms.
"I wondered when you would get back, Christian." The woman said in her snobby voice.
"Hello Catharine," Christian replied in surprise, "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, thank you. What on earth are you wearing? Is it some kind of new fashion over in Paris?" Catharine said, looking at Christian's attire as if it was diseased.
"Not really. When you have virtually no money, you can't really afford to take good care of your clothes." Christian replied with a smirk.
Catharine sighed disapprovingly, "You could have written and asked for money. Lord knows that you have the resources."
Standing up, Christian looked at Catharine, "While that may be true, that wasn't going to help me accomplish my dream of being a penniless writer and learning about life.
"I can't stand to see you angry, Christian dear. Why don't you say hello to your son Oliver?" Catharine said quickly as she handed the baby over to him.
"Oliver?" Christian said quietly as he stared at the infant in his arms. The baby boy smiled innocently and looked up at Christian. His eyes were a rich hazel color and his hair was the same color as Christian's. He looked so adorable.
In the meantime, Catharine had taken a seat on the bench and was smoothing out her skirt. Christian sat next to her. After a few moments, Christian broke the silence.
"Look, Catharine. I'm sorry for leaving you. If I had known that you were pregnant I would have never left. How have you been managing?" he asked with concern.
Catharine whined in reply with mock tears streaming down her face, "It's been horrible! There have been so many rumors about us and I can't go out in public without being asked a million questions that I don't know how to answer. Do you know how hard it is to be a proper lady without a husband? It's a good thing you came back before people stopped associating with me."
A gentle June breeze swept over the steam and Christian thought about how Toulouse told him to move on. With a nod, Christian knew he was about to do the right thing.
"I know that I haven't always been the best husband, but I promise that I will try as hard as I can now that I'm home. No more running off to Paris to live as a poor writer. I promise." He said, looking at Catharine.
"As long as you promise." Catharine replied quietly as she thought about the lavish parties and balls she could now attend and the things she could buy now that her source of income had returned. She smiled sourly at Christian before kissing his cheek and standing up.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to freshen up." She called out as she walked up the hill. As she passed one of the maids, she said with a smirk, "Colette, tell Roger that I'll be going shopping first thing tomorrow morning. I've been waiting too long to spend real money."
To be continued.
The apartment was now empty, with the exception of a musty, red-velvet covered chair and a rusty bed frame and lumpy mattress. With a long sigh, Christian picked up his two suitcases and typewriter carrier and walked out of the building. His eyes burned with tears as he walked down the street towards the train station and passed the gigantic red windmill to his right. With a shudder, Christian whispered "Goodbye, Satine."
Later, on the train, Christian sipped glass of red wine as he stared out of the window at the scenery running by. Shaking his head, he finished his wine and hoped to get some peaceful sleep as he walked back to his compartment.
Meanwhile, in London, Catharine was sitting on private balcony at the mansion that she and Christian owned, gazing at the sunset and remembering the day's events. After breakfast, she had an exhausting day in town looking at hats, gloves, and fabric for new dresses. She met Lady Anderson for tea and then came back home and visited with other society ladies over dinner. They knew that Christian was returning home, and they were inviting the "happy" couple to numerous social events and formal balls, two of the things that made Catharine happy.
With a frown, Catharine stared at her wedding and engagement rings. They were both heavily decorated but they didn't have any sentimental value to her. Her husband had left her for another country and she knew that he probably would not want to see her anymore. Without his connections, Catharine worried that she would go back to being poor. Well, poorer than she was before marrying into the James family. Her last name granted her access into the inner circles of society. If she were to lose her last name, she would lose her position. Shaking her head, she retired for the evening.
Christian awoke with tears running down his face. Looking around him, he knew that he was still on the train, and he relaxed to a point. He had just woken up from a disturbing dream. After the performance of "Spectacular, Spectacular!" and he was embracing Satine, the Duke crept up behind them and shot them both.
"It was only a dream. It was only a dream." He mumbled to himself as he closed his eyes again.
The next morning, Christian awoke to the conductor announcing his stop. Christian dressed quickly and gathered his things so that he could get off the train as quickly as possible. He was in no hurry to return home to Catharine, but he wanted to get away from France and the memories of Montmartre. The train came to a halt, and Christian prepared himself for the boat trip across the Channel.
Author's Note: I've never been on a boat trip or a cruise, so I can't really write about that, so I'm gonna jump ahead a little bit. Deal with it.
*Later, in London*
Christian tipped his carriage driver and as the horses pulled away, Christian stared up at the stone mansion in front of him. With a gulp, he walked up the paved walkway towards the house and knocked on the door. A butler with graying hair opened the door and greeted him.
"Ah, Mister James. Welcome home. May I take your things?" he asked kindly, motioning for the bags.
Christian handed them over and told the man that he was going to look around the house before going in. The butler nodded and closed the door. Quietly, Christian walked around, looking at the rose bushes, blossoming fruit trees, and ivy-covered walls. Walking to the back of the house, Christian noticed that it had been changed dramatically. The plot of grass and two trees had changed into a stone patio with a table and chairs, potted plants, and a fountain. Beyond that, the hill that led down to a quiet steam had stone steps leading down to a cleared area near the stream that had a few rose bushes, a willow tree, and a bench.
With a pleasant sigh, Christian took a seat on the bench and listened to the water run over the rocks. It was so peaceful that Christian didn't notice a thin and elegantly dressed woman approach him with a smiling baby in her arms.
"I wondered when you would get back, Christian." The woman said in her snobby voice.
"Hello Catharine," Christian replied in surprise, "How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, thank you. What on earth are you wearing? Is it some kind of new fashion over in Paris?" Catharine said, looking at Christian's attire as if it was diseased.
"Not really. When you have virtually no money, you can't really afford to take good care of your clothes." Christian replied with a smirk.
Catharine sighed disapprovingly, "You could have written and asked for money. Lord knows that you have the resources."
Standing up, Christian looked at Catharine, "While that may be true, that wasn't going to help me accomplish my dream of being a penniless writer and learning about life.
"I can't stand to see you angry, Christian dear. Why don't you say hello to your son Oliver?" Catharine said quickly as she handed the baby over to him.
"Oliver?" Christian said quietly as he stared at the infant in his arms. The baby boy smiled innocently and looked up at Christian. His eyes were a rich hazel color and his hair was the same color as Christian's. He looked so adorable.
In the meantime, Catharine had taken a seat on the bench and was smoothing out her skirt. Christian sat next to her. After a few moments, Christian broke the silence.
"Look, Catharine. I'm sorry for leaving you. If I had known that you were pregnant I would have never left. How have you been managing?" he asked with concern.
Catharine whined in reply with mock tears streaming down her face, "It's been horrible! There have been so many rumors about us and I can't go out in public without being asked a million questions that I don't know how to answer. Do you know how hard it is to be a proper lady without a husband? It's a good thing you came back before people stopped associating with me."
A gentle June breeze swept over the steam and Christian thought about how Toulouse told him to move on. With a nod, Christian knew he was about to do the right thing.
"I know that I haven't always been the best husband, but I promise that I will try as hard as I can now that I'm home. No more running off to Paris to live as a poor writer. I promise." He said, looking at Catharine.
"As long as you promise." Catharine replied quietly as she thought about the lavish parties and balls she could now attend and the things she could buy now that her source of income had returned. She smiled sourly at Christian before kissing his cheek and standing up.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to freshen up." She called out as she walked up the hill. As she passed one of the maids, she said with a smirk, "Colette, tell Roger that I'll be going shopping first thing tomorrow morning. I've been waiting too long to spend real money."
To be continued.