Disclaimer: This fanfic is rated 'M' for adult themes. I do not own any of the characters of The Hunger Games or of Pride and Prejudice.
Chapter 3:
"If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him; and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark."
- Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Dawn crept slowly over the horizon by the time the Abernathy's and the Everdeen's had returned to Seamfirth. Mr. Abernathy had already retired for the night and therefore was not present to greet them upon their arrival, which Mrs. Abernathy made a point to comment on as the footman helped her down from the carriage. Mrs. Abernathy bid her daughters and nieces a pleasant night, but Katniss had to hold her tongue when the pungent scent of alcohol that still lingered on her aunt's breath caused her nose to wrinkle in distaste.
"Can I help you to your room, Mamma?" Annie asked when her mother stumbled and almost lost her footing as she crossed the threshold.
"Heaven's no my sweet child! I shall be quite alright," Mrs. Abernathy bellowed as she slowly hobbled up the stairs to her bedroom.
Johanna and Portia, still wide awake and brimming with excitement from the ball, giggled loudly as they hurried up the stairs past their mother to the room they shared, and slammed the door shut behind them. Mrs. Abernathy paused on occasion to catch her breath and place a steadying hand upon the wall to keep from swaying.
After Katniss had shut the front door behind her and locked it in place, she caught hold of her sister's arm. "Please be sure that she makes it to her room this time." Amusement flashed across Primrose's face. "We wouldn't want to find her fast asleep outside the kitchen like last time, now would we?"
Primrose gave her sister an understanding nod and quiet like a mouse, lightly padded up the steps after their aunt. She followed her aunt to her bedroom before she retreated to the room that she and Katniss shared to prepare for bed.
Katniss linked arms with Annie as they took their time ascending the staircase. Although her body was thoroughly exhausted from the ball, her mind was not as ease, for the blatant rudeness and sharp words of Mr. Mellark still hung heavy in her thoughts. Noticing her cousin's unusually apprehensive demeanor, Annie took to break Katniss from her thoughts.
"I was quite surprised when Mr. Odair asked me to dance with him a second time tonight, it was quite unexpected," Annie whispered, as not to disturb the quiet that had finally overtaken the household.
Katniss chuckled at her cousin's reserved nature. "You may have been taken by surprise, but not I. Did you not see the way his eyes were upon only you the entire night?" Annie lowered her head shyly, but Katniss could make out a small smile as it played across her face. "It is true, and if I am not mistaken, you share the same level of affection for him, as he does for you?"
Annie paused and dropped hold of the skirt of her dress once they reached the top of the stairs. "Yes, very much so," she confessed.
As they approached the door to Annie's room, Katniss could sense that something was plaguing her cousin when her hand hovered hesitantly over the doorknob. Annie's gaze dropped to the floor as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "Would you mind helping me prepare for bed, Kat? I do not think that I shall be able to rid myself of this dress and corset on my own."
"Of course," Katniss said with a smile. "Allow me to see that Primrose is tucked in first, and then I shall join you shortly after."
Primrose had already changed into her nightdress by the time Katniss had crept into their room, but she was seated at the small vanity in the corner as she brushed the curls from her hair.
"Let me help you with that," Katniss said as she approached Primrose and took the coarse boars hair brush from her sister's hand.
"Is Annie asleep?" Primrose asked through a yawn.
"No, not yet. I need to check back on her once you are to bed. Have you washed up?"
"Yes, and I stirred the fire and ran the bed warmer through the sheets." Katniss could see Primrose's lids hang heavy over her eyes as she battled with the tendrils of sleep. Once she had smoothed out the last of her sister's curls, Katniss placed a soft kiss to her hair and tugged Primrose to her feet.
She pulled back the layers of blankets and sheets from their queen size bed and felt the warmth envelope her, calling her to slumber. Katniss stifled a yawn as her sister climbed under the sheets and her eyes instantly fell shut the moment her head sunk into the down filled pillow.
Katniss tucked the heavy duvet around Primrose's petite frame and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead as she whispered, "Good night, my Little Duck."
Once she was sure that Primrose was fast asleep, Katniss quietly changed into her nightdress and gathered her and Primrose's evening dresses off of the floor. As she draped the discarded dresses over the dressing screen in the corner of their room, she paused at the mirror that hug over the vanity for a moment and studied her reflection.
The flush from the night's festivities was still present on her cheeks and she turned her chin back and forth as she assessed her profile. "Tolerable," she whispered under her breath, repeating the stinging word that played over and over in her head.
Katniss was aware that the hue of her skin differed greatly from that of her sister and cousins, especially in the summer when she spent most of her days outdoors where she allowed the sun to kiss her cheeks. She had been reprimanded by her aunt throughout her childhood to wear a bonnet or take a parasol when she ventured outdoors, so as to keep the sun off her face. If only she had listened, perhaps then her complexion would have paled to the creamy, fair tone that most gentleman were fond of.
Frustrated by such foolish thoughts, she splashed cool water onto her face from the wash basin beside her, and turned from the mirror with a frown.
Katniss knocked lightly on the heavy wooden door of Annie's bedroom before she inched it open and slipped through the doorway. Annie was still in her evening dress, seated at her small ebony vanity, her face focused in concentration as she stared into the mirror and removed her mother's pearl earrings.
Katniss placed a hand on her cousin's shoulder and smiled back at her through the mirror. "Now, shall we get you out of this mess?" she laughed as she helped Annie to her feet and began the meticulous task of unclasping the endless line of tiny buttons that adorned the back of the evening dress.
The pair stood quietly for a few moments as Annie kept her balance against one of the post of her bed. She released a diminutive sigh and looked over her shoulder to Katniss with pursed lips. "Kat, what did you think of Miss Odair? She was quite a fine woman, do you agree?"
Katniss motioned for Annie to step out of the gown when she had finished with the buttons and began to loosen the ties of the corset. "She was…quite agreeable with regards to her fashion, but as for her disposition, I think she left much to be desired."
"But you did not have the pleasure of introductions with her. If you had, I believe your judgment of her would be much more favorable."
"If I had, but you were the only one with which she bestowed that pleasure if I'm not mistaken. She did not appear to be interested in much, or anyone for that matter, besides Mr. Mellark of course."
"They are indeed good friends, or so Mr. Odair has informed me. What did you make of him? Mr. Mellark that is?" Annie released a heavy breath as Katniss loosened the final knot of her corset and stepped forward in search of her nightdress. "I thought him to be quite handsome," she added as she stepped behind her dressing screen.
Katniss leaned back onto the plush down comforter of Annie's bed and entwined her fingers behind her head. She stared up to the ceiling silently, choosing her words wisely to answer her cousin's inquiry. "Is that all you noticed? His appearance? Did you not have the pleasure of conversing with him at all this evening?" Katniss bit her lip, somewhat remorseful of the mockery in her tone.
"Only briefly, but why do I sense hostility in your tone?" Annie called out as she tossed her garments over the screen. "Did you not find him agreeable?"
"Quite the contrary," Katniss frowned as she tried to ignore the increasing stream of spiteful thoughts at the mention of Mr. Mellark.
"He was quite reserved, was he not? I am curious though, how did you come to such a lowly opinion of the man?"
Katniss sat up and stretched out the tired muscles of her legs as she tried to rub away the tension that had been steadily building at her temples. "I—Madge and I—we overheard him as he spoke with Mr. Odair. When Mr. Odair insisted he ask me to dance, Mr. Mellark responded that he did not think me 'tolerable enough to tempt him'," Katniss laughed as she mimicked the indifferent tone and manner with which Mr. Mellark had chosen to use.
Annie poked her head out from behind the dressing screen with a horrified look upon her face. "He did not!" she gasped as she covered her mouth with her hand. Katniss nodded her assent as she drew her legs up to her chest and rested her chin upon her knees.
Annie seated herself next to Katniss on the bed and took her hand and patted it gently. "I…I am sure there was an explanation. How could he, or any man in their right mind, believe you to be 'tolerable'? I do not lie when I tell you that I myself, witnessed his fixed stare in your direction on more than one occasion. There was even a moment when Mr. Odair and I were conversing with both him and Miss Odair, that I noticed his prolonged gaze upon you."
"I was merely under his critical eye I'm sure," Katniss said with a defensive tone. She pulled her hand from her cousin's grasp and gave an indifferent shrug. "It is no matter, for I do not foresee having to suffer in his presence ever again."
"Even so, I still believe there is an explanation, Kat. It would be wrong to judge a gentleman such as Mr. Mellark, by this one occurrence."
Katniss heard the words her cousin spoke, but her wounded pride clouded any logic which Annie had tried to instill upon her. She stubbornly rose to her feet and started for the door to take her leave. She paused for a moment at the doorway and turned back to Annie, her face set in a resentful scowl. "I could easily forgive his pride," she said as she straightened her posture and lifted her chin proudly, "if he had not mortified mine."
"You look well rested, Madge!" Primrose said as she seated herself next to Madge and untied the ribbon from beneath her chin to free her head from her bonnet.
Mrs. Abernathy had accepted an invitation from Lady Undersee at the ball the previous night, to join them at Undersee Lodge for dinner the following evening. Katniss' mood had not improved much, even after a good nights rest, so when she joined her friend and sister in the drawing room; she avoided their stares and took to busying herself by picking at her nails.
"Your choice of evening dress for the ball last night was simply breathtaking!" Primrose continued. "Did you enjoy yourself?"
Madge blushed lightly at the compliment and looked down shyly to her hands that were folded neatly in her lap. "Thank you, Prim, you are too kind. Yes, I enjoyed myself very much so, and yourself?"
"I had a pleasant time indeed," Primrose answered with a smile before turning to face Katniss. "Although, I do wish more gentlemen would have asked my dear sister for a turn about the dance floor!" she teased as she leaned over and hooked an arm through Katniss'.
"I am sure you would have." Katniss frowned as she batted her sister's arm away. She looked around the drawing room and her mouth twitched into a mischievous grin as she narrowed her eyes. "Why don't you go see how Richard is fairing," she chuckled as she gestured towards the back of the room. "Perhaps you should join him? I am certain he would appreciate your company far beyond we ever could."
It was not a secret that Madge's younger brother, Richard, had held Primrose in high regard since the day he first laid eyes on her; however, his affection was not returned. Primrose was civil towards him, but always reserved in his presence for she did not want to offer any sense of false hope to the poor lad. Nevertheless, Katniss had decided early on that it was her rightful responsibility to take full advantage of an opportunity to tease her sister whenever one presented itself.
Primrose's eyes widened as she turned about to see if Richard was indeed present. When she realized that he was not, and that Katniss was anxiously awaiting a reaction, Primrose narrowed her eyes and she stood to her feet. She quickly stuck her tongue out at her sister before she retreated to join Portia and Johanna who had already seated themselves at the dinner table.
"Why do you tease her so?" Madge asked while trying to suppress a smile.
Katniss shook her head and attempted to stifle a laugh. "For the same reasons you choose to do the same with Richard."
"We are truly dreadful, are we not?" Madge laughed as she clutched Katniss' arm.
Since their childhood, Katniss and Madge had hoped to one day become sisters through numerous attempts to make a match between their siblings. When Primrose had discovered their plot a few years back, she was so furious that she refused to speak to either Katniss or Madge for over a week. Katniss smiled to herself at the memory, but was interrupted from her thoughts by the sweet laugh of her elder cousin.
"Annie looks to be in good spirits today, does she not?" Madge asked innocently, though Katniss could sense the hint of a hidden agenda behind her tone.
"Why yes, she does," she answered as she picked at a loose thread on the sleeve of her dress. Katniss could sense that Madge was waiting for her to continue, but she remained silent, waiting for her friend to implore her due to her vague response.
Madge cleared her throat and sighed impatiently. "Would her pleasant mood happen to be associated with a certain gentleman? A one by the name of Mr. Odair, perhaps?"
"My dear Madge, you know very well that my cousin is always of a pleasant mood." Katniss smiled innocently, but she could see the frustration in her friend's face and decided that she had teased her long enough. "But you would be correct to assume so."
"Just as I had suspected!" Madge squealed with delight. "You know, shortly after you departed from the ball, I overheard Mr. Odair confess to his sister that Annie was the prettiest of all the ladies last night, and that he likes her very much."
"What wonderful news!" Katniss rose to her feet and tugged at Madge's arm. "Come, we must discuss this with Annie at once!" She took a step towards in the direction of her cousin who was conversing with Mrs. Abernathy and Lady Undersee, but Madge caught Katniss' arm in a firm grasp, preventing her from moving forward.
"Wait! Are you certain that is a good idea?"
"Why ever not?" Katniss hissed, her voice suddenly thick with irritation. "If he so openly confessed his admiration towards Annie, she deserves the right to know!"
Madge urged Katniss to calm herself and take a seat back down next to her. She leaned in and in a hushed tone, she asked, "But does she return his affections?"
Katniss frowned. "Yes, of course she does, I but shared words with her before we retired last night. She likes him very much."
"That is good to hear, for he truly was adamant in regards to his feelings towards her. However, I hope she does not let her timid nature interfere with him discovering her true feelings for him. She would be better off to act upon her feelings as soon as possible."
"That is who Annie is, Madge. Her quiet demeanor is but part of her character, she would not be true to herself to go against it."
"Of that I am aware, Kat, but all I am insisting upon is that if her feelings for him are genuine, she should make haste in acknowledging them publicly. Gentlemen, especially those from the Capitol, have a tendency to shift their attentions from one lady to the next if their feelings are not reciprocated in a timely manner."
Katniss looked to Annie with a worried brow, uncertain of how to respond to her friend's pessimistic view of the matter. Unfamiliar with the means by which Capitol gentleman carried themselves, who was she to counter her friend's judgment? Due to her family's station, Madge had superior insight into the ways of the Capitol which left Katniss with the only option to insist Annie make public her feelings, which she believed to be honest and genuine.
"I will be sure to discuss your concerns with Annie," Katniss replied with a smile as she patted her friend's hand. In hopes of directing their conversation elsewhere, Katniss smoothed out the skirt of her dress and turned to Madge. "Come, let us join the rest, I am famished!"
When Madge and Katniss joined their families at the dining table, Katniss took the empty chair next to her sister, and folded her napkin into her lap. She surveyed the spread of delectable dishes before she helped herself to the mustard crusted leg of lamb and spooned a generous amount of roasted leeks and onions onto her place. Her stomach groaned in anticipation, but just as she lifted her fork to her watering mouth and the tender meat brushed her lips, her aunt's loud shriek startled her. She turned her attention to Katniss with wide eyes.
"My dear child! What is this news I heard with regards to Mr. Mellark refusing to ask you to dance? Is this true?" Mrs. Abernathy asked with concern etched upon her pale face.
Katniss sighed as she released her fork from her grasp and set it down gently onto her plate. She did not want to answer her aunt's inquiry, but she knew avoiding the question was futile. So she reached for her napkin and patted the corners of her mouth as she contemplated the appropriate words with which to respond.
Sensing her friend's discomfort, Madge took it upon herself to explain the conversation they had overheard between Mr. Odair and Mr. Mellark. All the while, Katniss sat quietly with her hands folded in her lap and her eyes trained to the untouched leg of lamb on her plate.
When Madge had finished her recollection of the event, the curious eyes of those around her, left Katniss' skin prickled with embarrassment. She wanted to hide her face in her hands from the unwanted attention, but she jumped in her seat when her aunt suddenly dropped her cutlery to the table and clicked of her tongue.
"I do say, what a dreadful man! To disgrace my niece in such manner, and out in public, with prying ears all around!" Mrs. Abernathy pursed her rouged lips together and slapped the edge of the table with her palm. "He has insulted us all! How could such a jovial and esteemed gentleman such as Mr. Odair possibly be so closely affiliated with such a despicable man?"
Katniss sank sheepishly back into her chair in hopes of avoiding everyone's gaze, but it was no use, for they all sought her out to assess her reaction. She pressed her lips into a tight line to display her discomfort, and looked sternly back at her aunt. "It is of no matter, for he is expected to return to the Capitol from whence he came soon enough, and we shall not have to hear of his name ever again."
Lady Undersee coughed lightly into her napkin, seeking the attention of Katniss and Mrs. Abernathy. She looked to her lap hesitantly before she turned to Mrs. Abernathy with conflicted eyes. "I was hoping to invite you to dinner later in the week, but now I am unsure if you will accept our invitation."
"Good heavens!" Mrs. Abernathy gasped. "How could I decline an offer to dine with such good company, my dear friend? Why would you assume so?"
Lady Undersee cleared her throat and looked to her husband for support. "For I have also invited Mr. Odair and his company to join us, which would of course include…Mr. Mellark…" she trailed off quietly, meeting Katniss' stare with apologetic eyes.
Katniss could see the conflict in her aunt's face as she debated the invitation in her mind. If she declined, it would be for her sake, and Annie would miss out on an opportunity to further her acquaintance with Mr. Odair. If she accepted, she would risk looking a fool to Lady Undersee to whom she had just so adamantly expressed her distaste for the company of Mr. Mellark. It was no contest though; Katniss knew that her aunt's desire to marry off her eldest daughter was far greater than protecting Katniss from another potentially embarrassing situation with Mr. Mellark.
To save her aunt the difficulty of such a decision, Katniss swallowed her pride and spoke up as she boldly lifted her chin. "Aunt Effie, please do not decline the invitation on account of myself, for my wounded pride will be easily mended soon enough."
Mrs. Abernathy nodded and smiled, relief washing over her face. "Thank you, my dear," she said before she turned to Lady Undersee. "We would be honored to dine with you, and I do look forward to seeing Mr. Odair again. He is such a pleasant and jovial man, and what fine manners!"
Katniss looked to her cousin and the shy smile that Annie attempted to conceal did not go unnoticed. To see Annie happy, and hopefully in greater respects by Mr. Odair, was more than reason enough for Katniss to put aside for an evening her disfavor for Mr. Mellark. She sighed quietly to herself, relieved that it was settled and she at least had the opportunity to prepare herself for another encounter. She reached for her fork once more in hopes of enjoying her meal in peace, with no more talk of Mr. Mellark. However, to her dismay, her aunt could not be persuaded to move from the topic.
"Surely, I am not the only one curious with regards to Mr. Mellark and why everyone in town treats him with such respect?" Mrs. Abernathy searched the table for agreement but was met with silence. "Come now, how is it that such an unpleasant man came to such good fortune?" Mrs. Abernathy questioned with a huff. "With manners as such, I do no believe it was through estimable means."
"Quite the contrary," Sir Undersee grunted as he reached over the table to retrieve a honey colored roll from the linen-lined bread basket in front of him. He pulled at the roll and it broke apart with ease, revealing the light, fluffy center that still steamed with heat. Katniss noticed that the roll was not one that she was accustomed to at Seamfirth. The airy, white center was a stark contrast to the dense, dark brown rolls that Mrs. Sae baked with the rye flour that Mrs. Abernathy purchased from the local mill.
Sir Undersee took a bite into the roll and let out an approving moan as he held the rest up in his hand for the table to see. "Have you heard of the Mellark Milling Company?"
"Yes, vaguely though," Mr. Abernathy muttered as he squinted his eyes, something he did when he was deep in thought. "Was that not the family that was at the heart of the milling fiasco from a few years back?"
"It was a bit of a scandal really," Sir Undersee replied with a clandestine smirk.
Katniss could see her aunt's ears perk up at the mention of the word "scandal" and a curious grin appeared on her face as she clapped her hands. "A scandal? Oh, please do tell!" Mrs. Abernathy squealed in delight.
"Mamma!" Annie interrupted. "It is not our business as to what has befallen Mr. Mellark and the history of his business."
Mrs. Abernathy paid her eldest daughter no mind and pushed her manners for appropriate dinner conversation aside in favor of gossip. "Please Sir, do continue with your story, for I do wish to hear it!"
"I do believe that most of it was contained to the Capitol, so that is why I am quite surprised that the story made its way this far out to the country, to your ears Mr. Abernathy. We should consider ourselves lucky enough to still have Mr. Chaff as our town miller. As I recall, during the last year that we resided in the Capitol, the elder Mr. Mellark had suddenly fell ill. He was confined to his sickbed for months, which left him incapable of overseeing his milling operation. It was his wife, who I do recall was a cold and unpleasant woman really—'
"Well that explains Mr. Mellark's horrendous manners," Mrs. Abernathy interrupted as she raised her glass to her lips. "The unfortunate result of bad breeding."
"Mamma!" Annie hissed again, her face flush with embarrassment for her mother's disrespectful outburst. Katniss, however, fought back the urge to raise her goblet and toast her aunt's offensive display.
Sir Undersee cleared his throat and waited for the ladies to settle before he continued. "Ah, yes, his wife, she had taken it upon herself to seek out the help of her uncle, Sir Coriolanus Snow, to help keep the mills running until Mr. Mellark mended."
"Sir Coriolanus Snow?" Mrs. Abernathy interrupted again, but this time her mouth gaped open in awe. "My word, Mr. Mellark is a descendent of his lineage?" she asked, her voice laced with unexpected excitement and curiosity.
Katniss was not a stranger to the way her aunt's eyes widened as she focused on processing this information. The way her nose crinkled when her head was spinning with meddlesome thoughts. If Mr. Mellark was indeed related to Sir Snow, then it explained a great deal from whence his wealth was acquired.
"Kat?" Primrose whispered as she tugged on Katniss' sleeve to catch her attention. "Who is Sir Snow?"
"Hush, Prim," Katniss chided, not taking her eyes away from Sir Undersee as she eagerly waited for him to continue. Against what good manners she had been raised with to not partake in gossip, the story of Mr. Mellark's intriguing past has piqued her interest, even if his uncouth words rattled in her mind.
"Yes, Mr. Mellark is of blood relation by means of his deceased maternal grandfather," Sir Undersee continued. "Uh, where was I…oh yes, rumor had it that once his mother took control of the mills, under the persuasion of her uncle, the production of the refine white flour they produced from their mills had somehow doubled in a matter of months. It was quite a curious matter, as this type of flour was the most expensive of the flours they milled, for it took a great deal of effort and labor to produce."
Katniss had only seen the type of flour that Sir Undersee spoke of once before, when Mrs. Abernathy's sister and her husband had visited years ago and brought with them a small sack of it as a gift. Mrs. Sae could not contain her enthusiasm over how the flour was such a pleasure to work with and quite a luxury in comparison to the gritty rye flour they usually ordered.
"Most, if not all, of the millers from the towns surrounding the Capitol began to fall behind in production and soon grew fearful of losing business for they could not compete with the quantity from the Mellark mills. Unfortunately, some were eventually put out of business all together. This left those from the surrounding towns to purchase their flour from the Mellark's as their only option."
"What a shame," Mr. Abernathy grunted in disapproval. "Only in the Capitol would a monopoly over such a valuable commodity occur."
Sir Undersee nodded his head in agreement as he shoved the remaining piece of his roll in his mouth and chewed. "However, that was also the year that the youngest Mellark son had returned home after completing his schooling abroad. He took an immediate interest in the workings of the family business, and visited the mills they operated to gain a further understanding of what was involved in the production of their products."
"Mr. Mellark is the youngest of the sons?" Mrs. Abernathy asked curiously. "What of the elder brothers?" Katniss was surprised that Sir Undersee was still able to hold her aunt's interest with his story, despite all the business-related talk.
Sir Undersee raised his brow in uncertainty and looked to his wife questioningly. "Yes, there were three Mellark sons, as well as a younger daughter who arrived quite a few years later," Lady Undersee answered. "The eldest decided that the milling industry was not of his interest, so he abandoned his father's business in favor of seeking a position with one of Sir Snow's other numerous ventures. The middle son also showed no interest for the family business, so the moment he turned of age, he enrolled in the royal navy and set sail shortly after for the West Indies."
"Ah, yes, quite right my dear!" Sir Undersee smiled as he tapped his forefinger to his temple. "Much more of a reliable memory for such details than mine," he laughed. "So this of course, left the youngest son, our Mr. Mellark, most likely to inherit the family business. So to better prepare himself for the task, he traveled abroad to study business in hopes of one day taking over the Mellark Milling Company. Not long after his return though, Mr. Mellark became aware of the unexplained increase in their mill production. After questioning and observing the workers, he discovered that they would take the lower grade flour and combine it with additives, such as alum lime or chalk, and then pass it off as the finer, more refined white flour in attempt to turn a greater profit."
"That is illegal!" Mr. Abernathy hissed, startling everyone at the table with his sudden heated outburst. "How were they not ruined after that?"
Katniss glanced at the wide eyes around the table and realized that she still had not touched her dinner. It was surely cold by now, but she forced herself to take a bite to satisfy her grumbling stomach. As she chewed, she waited again as Sir Undersee took a sip from his glass to clear his throat.
"Well you see, Mr. Mellark inquired to the workers as to who had directed them to add the additives to the flour. To his surprise, it was his uncle, Sir Snow, who had given the order and had secretly been in charge ever since his father had fallen ill."
Mrs. Abernathy let out a horrified gasp. "How is that possible? A gentleman with such high standing and respect as Sir Snow, to commit such an act?"
"Social standing and pedigree does not dictate the allegiance of one's morals, nor does it reveal one's true character, my dear," Mr. Abernathy stated with a frown.
"Quite right, quite right," Sir Undersee agreed as he stroked his chin with his fingers. "In the case of Mr. Mellark however, he thankfully took after his father who was known throughout the Capitol as an honest and respectable man."
"Respectable," Mrs. Abernathy repeated under her breath, her voice thick with contempt. "Did your ears not hear what your own daughter has just confessed with regards to Mr. Mellark's insolent conduct at the ball?"
Sir Undersee frowned. "Why yes, I do believe my hearing to be in good working order, but as I was about to touch upon before I was interrupted yet again," he paused to give Mrs. Abernathy a pointed stare and clear his throat. "It was Mr. Mellark's deep sense of honesty and noble character which led him to confront his mother and uncle. He demanded, and quite fervently I heard, that they cease operations and confess their offenses before he ousted them to his father. However, his demands feel upon deaf ears. His uncle paid him no mind and countered that with a lack of evidence, it was the word of lowly workers against that of a well respected gentleman."
"Did…did Mr. Mellark give up?" Primrose questioned with concerned eyes as she leaned into the edge of the table.
"No, no, my dear, of course not," Sir Undersee answered with a smile. "It only furthered his cause to expel his uncle from power, and the deeper Mr. Mellark searched, the more he uncovered. Inaccurate book keeping…missing funds…shoddy transactions…he had finally found the proof he required. He went straight to his father and the very next morning, our Mr. Mellark had been appointed the sole owner and operator of the mills. But it did not end there, with his new position; Mr. Mellark thought it best to distance himself and the company from his uncle. He shut him out completely and personally dismissed all of those who were in favor of Sir Snow's corrupt business strategy. The only person he kept was father's accountant, a…a Mr. Cray, I believe.
"In little under a year, Mr. Mellark had turned his father's company around. He purchased the mills in the surrounding towns that had gone out of business and rehired the original millers so they could continue to mill and supply them with the lesser grade flours. He even introduced a new milling method with something called a steam engine, I believe, which doubled their production legitimately. Mr. Mellark now owns and successfully operates over half the mills in the area."
Katniss looked around the table and noticed that most were either quietly picking away at their meals or staring off into space. She had a suspicion that when Sir Undersee's story had taken on a more business-related nature, that it would bore her aunt almost to sleep. So she muffled a laugh when she caught her aunt's head began to lull back against her chair, causing Annie to discretely nudge her mother's arm, startling her awake.
"Oh!" Mrs. Abernathy looked up, patting the back of her hair while she attempted to stifle a yawn. "That was, ah, quite the story. So, which part of that was a scandal exactly?"
"Mamma, please," Annie murmured under her breath to chide her mother once again. Mrs. Abernathy waved off her daughter as she returned to nursing her goblet of wine.
Taking note of the unpleasant silence of the table and not wanting to disappoint her guest, Lady Undersee turned to Mrs. Abernathy excitedly. "But what my dear husband forgot to mention, is that Mr. Mellark also distanced himself from his mother, cutting off all ties with her as well! Can you imagine?"
"How dreadful! To turn from one's own mother!" Mrs. Abernathy shrieked as she held her hand to her chest, her interest in the conversation restored. "I could not imagine, no wonder his manners are in such a terrible state."
"What became of his mother?" Katniss asked quietly as both Annie and Madge turned to study her. Katniss herself was unsure of what spurred her curiosity regarding the fate of Mr. Mellark's mother, but she dismissed their probing eyes and waited for Lady Undersee to continue.
"She passed away shortly after," Lady Undersee answered with a sigh.
Mrs. Abernathy clenched her first over her heart and looked to her friend sympathetically. "From a broken heart, no doubt."
Katniss could not keep from rolling her eyes. "Oh Aunt Effie, please do not be so dramatic," she groaned.
"No, it was not from a broken heart," Lady Undersee clarified. "I heard from a good friend of mine from the Capitol, that the late Mrs. Mellark took her own life by drinking herself into a stupor. One can only assume that it was the shame and embarrassment of the whole disaster with the mills that forced her hand."
"How tragic," Mrs. Abernathy lamented.
Throughout the rest of the meal, Katniss sat aloof, lost in her thoughts as she considered Sir Undersee's account of Mr. Mellark's tragic past. Even after her unfinished dinner had been cleared away and the rest of her party had withdrew to the drawing room, she lingered at the table, sipping her
"Is something troubling you?" Madge asked, taking hold of Katniss' hand and pulling it into her lap. Katniss looked to her friend with anxious eyes, but shook her head. "Are you certain?"
Katniss drew in her bottom lip with her teeth and bit down in an attempt to rid her thoughts of Mr. Mellark. She had already spent too much of her precious time regarding him and it disturbed her, how deeply he had already began to affect her.
"Kat?" Madge tried again. "I spoke with Annie, and must confess that I agree with her. There must be an explanation for the way Mr. Mellark behaved towards you. Perhaps his arrogance and standoffish nature were not directed to you precisely, and that there is more to him that he did not let on to? Perhaps it is a mask, and hiding behind that mask is the good-hearted and honest man that my father spoke of. Please, promise me that you will allow him to redeem himself at dinner this week?"
Katniss mulled over the words her friend spoke. It was true, from Sir Undersee's account, the actions of Mr. Mellark depicted him to be a man of honesty and valor, but it was such a vast contrast to the man that she herself had witnessed at the ball. She let out a frustrated sigh, but looked to Madge with promising eyes.
"I promise I will give him another chance," she relented, "but just this once."
Author's Note: Hello! Many apologies for the long delay in getting this chapter posted, the next chapter will not take as long, I promise! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the glimpse into Mr. Mellark's past. At least he'll have a chance to redeem himself in the next chapter…right? Maybe? ;)
Fun Facts from Jane Austen's Time:
- Balls were considered major social events and gentleman were expected to dance with as many ladies as possible during these gatherings; hence why poor Katniss is so offended when Peeta refuses to dance with her and Mrs. Abernathy is so insulted by the rude act. Ladies had to sit and twiddle their fingers until a gentleman approached them, to which they were obligated to accept the invitation and dance with them, even if they despised them! Oh, and a gentleman could only ask a lady to dance if they had already been introduced, which is why Mrs. Abernathy was so upset for the delayed introductions to Mr. Odair.
- Most people chose to consume alcoholic beverages (ale, beer, wine, or any other fermented drink) over fresh water because the majority of the public water sources found in towns and cities were so unsanitary, it was at times lethal if consumed. Most people drank ale for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
- Before the introduction of rubber hot water bottles, people used metal bed warmers with long wooden handles to warm their beds on chilly evenings. They would fill the metal pan with hot coals and then gently sweep it back and forth between the sheets. Toasty warm!
- True fact about the additives millers/bakers added to flour. In England during the early 1700's, a law was passed stating that the only bread permitted to be baked for public consumption was white, wheaten, and household (made from lower grade flour). So millers/bakers were accused on numerous accounts for add alum lime, chalk, and even powdered bones (ew!) to whiten the lower grade flour so as to pass it off as the more expensive white bread. The addition of additives was banned shortly after, thank goodness, but not everyone abided by the law :P
I'd like to say a big thank you to my wonderful beta Court81981 for her continued support, patience, and feedback. Without her, this chapter would be dismal!
Please feel free to leave a review and any feedback you may have because I love hearing from you guys! Also, I'm on tumblr (pookieh) if you want to come by and chat!
Thanks for reading!
