Margaret Mitchell owns "Gone With the Wind" and all its characters. I own a handful of OC's and a story idea. Book-verse. Not "Scarlett" compliant.
Marybeth was in Dr. Meade's study helping Miss James rewrite patients' records. An extra table was brought in for the two ladies to work, but the room was none too big to begin with, and other furniture had to be pushed against the wall. Where it had once been a cosy little area, it was now a nightmare of books and papers and not enough space. Betsy had horrors every time she had to go in there and had all but given up on trying to keep it clean.
Marybeth sat writing. As she had told Dr. Meade, she did write clearly but her writing was not very pretty. She was no schoolmarm blessed with a perfect copperplate script. And she so rarely wrote anything at all that the going had been very slow at first, although she was starting to catch up to Miss James.
She had just finished writing a page and placed it on the finished pile when Mrs. Meade came in carrying an envelope.
"This came for you, Marybeth."
She took the envelope from Mrs. Meade with some surprise and a little trepidation, for she had not received a letter since she lived in Bethlehem. It was addressed to her, all right. Her hands shook and she frowned a little as she opened it.
"Oh, Mrs. Meade, it's an invitation to a party and dance at Ella's house," she said, laughing a little in her relief.
"How nice. When is it?"
"Two weeks. I'll send my R.S.V.P. immediately."
"That you're going?"
"That I'm not."
"But why not?"
"Surely, Mrs. Meade, you don't expect me to go."
"Surely, I do expect you to."
Marybeth hesitated. She hoped Mrs. Meade would understand her point of view, and she was a little at a loss as to what to say.
"So, why don't you want to go?" The older woman pressed.
"Well--I'm not really a part of their circle."
"Ella likes you--hasn't she tried to be friends with you? And Jenny Whiting likes you."
"Yes, they're both darlings, but it's different when I'm with just them. I'm afraid to go into a big crowd like this, if you really want to know."
"Because..." Mrs. Meade prompted.
Marybeth sighed as she tried to find a diplomatic way to express her thoughts. "They've all known each other since they were children. They're already friends. They don't really need me."
"Are you trying to tell me it's because you work for us but none of them need to hire out?" Mrs. Meade asked archly.
Marybeth rushed to answer. "I love working for you and Dr. Meade. I don't want to do anything else. I'm very content, and please don't think I'm ungrateful for everything you've done." There was absolute sincerity in her voice.
"You're afraid some people will think you're getting uppity?"
Marybeth had no answer for that. It was what she was afraid of, although she didn't want to state it so baldly. But she nodded her head.
"Ella invited you. You never tried to push your way in. Marybeth, I've been watching you, and I'm glad Ella has taken a liking to you. You should be glad, too. Given your own way, you spend entirely too much time with old people like me."
"But I don't mind, I like it that way."
Mrs. Meade put her hand gently on Marybeth's shoulder. "But it's not enough for a young girl like you. And as your employer, I insist you go."
Marybeth sighed. "May I R.S.V.P. to Ella in person?"
"Of course. Go this afternoon. And, Marybeth?"
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Make sure you borrow a dress pattern. You're getting a party dress."
oOoOoOo
It was the first time Marybeth had been to the Butler mansion on Peachtree Street, although she had seen it from the outside several times. Even to her unformed taste the place was rather a monstrosity--too ornate, too much of everything.
Marybeth pushed the baby carriage with both her children in it up the walk to the front door. She didn't plan to stay for very long, so she decided to take the opportunity to give them an airing. She knocked and they were admitted by a black woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties. The maid went upstairs to fetch Ella, and Marybeth waited in the foyer with Edward and Christina.
Marybeth looked around at her surroundings. There was so much red, so many mirrors, so much opulence. She had never seen anything like it in her life. And yet it seemed so gloomy. The Meades' comfortable little house was so cozy and light by comparison.
Ella came running down the stairs, followed by Jenny. The maid followed both girls more slowly.
"Marybeth! What a surprise! Welcome! Come on upstairs--no wait, the children. Do you mind if Prissy takes them in the back to play with Lanie? Lanie's the same age as Edward, remember?"
Marybeth nodded her assent and Prissy took the little ones in the back with her. Ella brought Marybeth up to her bedroom.
Marybeth never saw a bedroom as ornately furnished as Ella's before. It looked like a princess's sleeping chamber. But it had absorbed the personality of its owner; scattered here and there were Ella's prize possessions and souvenirs, needlework projects and flowers plunked haphazardly in vases. Instead of being off-putting like the rest of the house it was a welcoming room, albeit very grand. Jenny hopped up on the bed and Ella motioned Marybeth into a comfortable chair before offering her some tea.
"I suppose you got my invitation?" Ella looked pleased and expectant.
"Yes, Ella. You're so sweet to invite me, but I have a problem. Actually, two problems. It's really quite embarrassing after you've been so kind already but--I don't know how to dance."
"Not at all?"
"Well, I can two-step reasonably well, but that's all I know."
Ella grinned and winked at Jenny. "Then, we'll just have to teach you. Jen, the sheet music should still be where we left it." Ella grabbed Marybeth's arm as Jenny fished around under the bed for the music and led them up to the third floor, which to Marybeth's amazement was all ballroom. It was ornate and gaudy like the rest of the house, but spacious, with sheet-covered furniture pushed against the walls.
"Jenny can play anything on the piano. You'll see. Could you help her with that?" And Ella gestured towards the covered piano. Marybeth helped Jenny pull off the sheet and fold it while Ella lit some lamps.
Jenny sat down and with a flourish performed a few scales. Ella made Marybeth stand in the middle of the room, then stood there, hand on chin, thinking.
"We'll do the waltz, first. It's the easiest. Watch me. Step back, step to the side, feet together. Then step front, step to the side, feet together. Understand?"
Ella did move gracefully, Marybeth reflected. She tried to imitate her, but got confused and tripped over her own feet.
"Not bad for a first try," said Ella, lips twitching. "Do it again." Gracefully she demonstrated and far less gracefully Marybeth copied her, but at least she didn't trip up this time.
"Good, now faster." Ella stood next to Marybeth and took her hand. "Now--one, two, three. One, two, three..."
Ella practiced the other girl until Marybeth could move smoothly, if not expertly. "I'll be the gentleman now. Put this hand on my shoulder here and I'll put my hand on your waist. Take my other hand here. You just follow me. One, two, three..."
Jenny pounded out a Strauss waltz on the piano, keeping time despite laughing at the ridiculous spectacle of Ella trying to teach Marybeth to dance. Marybeth really was quite dreadful. She got confused, forgot where to go and stepped on Ella's feet until Ella wondered out loud if she'd even be able to walk by the time the party actually arrived.
"This was your idea, remember," said Marybeth.
"Never mind. Let's try it again. One, two, three--Marybeth, you're hopeless. Look up, not at your feet." But she was laughing.
"I told you, I can only two-step," Marybeth laughed, too.
"Fine, then a two-step. Jenny, play something to two-step to."
Jenny changed tunes and the other two girls, in a fit of silliness, were dancing around the room, laughing, swinging faster and faster until all of a sudden Ella stopped short and Marybeth collided into her. Looking to see why Ella had stopped, she saw Wade Hampton in the doorway, looking mildly alarmed.
Ella gave him an elaborate wave and bow, but he was already backing away.
"I--I heard noise--from up here--I didn't mean to disturb you." A blush was creeping over his face.
"It's just us, Wade, practicing for the party."
"Oh--uhm--well, good day--Jenny--Mrs. Dandridge..." he hurried away.
Jenny, who had joined the other girls when Wade arrived, waited until she could hear his footsteps dying away before she collapsed in a fit of giggles. When she could speak again, she said, "Oh, Ella, a year overseas and he still can't speak to a member of the fair sex."
"I don't think it bothers him too much, though," said Ella, also giggling. "Elsie's the only girl he wants to talk to, anyway."
Marybeth's ears pricked up at the sound of Elsie's name. "Is he her beau?"
"He'd like to be."
"But does she care about him?"
"Elsie Wellburn cares about Elsie Wellburn," said Jenny with a touch of distain. "And it's a pity. He's not bad looking, that brother of yours, Ella. Of course," she added a little dreamily," He's not Beau Wilkes."
Ella pinched Jenny playfully. Apparently, Jenny had always been a wee bit infatuated with Ella's handsome cousin.
"You just practice what I taught you, Marybeth and you'll be fine by the day of the party."
"Oh, that reminds me. Ella, may I borrow a dress pattern? Mrs. Meade and I are going to make a party dress."
"Do I have a dress pattern? Let's go!"
Some time later the girls were surrounded by discarded party dresses. They were back in Ella's room, and they had finally found one they all agreed looked good on Marybeth. She was standing on a stool in front of the mirror to model it, Jenny was fussing with the hem and Ella was kneeling on the floor, writing notes on the pattern with a pencil.
"You're shorter than me, so you'll bring up the hemline just so and..." At that moment she sat back on her heels. "What are you doing?"
Marybeth was tugging upward at the low neckline of the dress. "Adjusting the bodice."
"It's supposed to be cut that way."
"But I feel so exposed."
Jenny looked at her sternly. "You want to look stylish, don't you?"
"Stylish--yes. But not half naked. I'll have to walk around all night like this," And she crossed her hands in front of her chest, to the other girls' amusement.
"All right, all right," said Ella as she scribbled on the pattern. "You can bring up the neckline a half inch."
"Make it a whole inch."
"Make it three quarters. Although if I had your figure I wouldn't be in such a hurry to hide it. You never sewed ruffles to the inside of your bodice, did you."
"I should say not."
"You don't need to get a bee in your bonnet about it. I was only asking."
"Lilac," said Jenny suddenly.
"What?"
"You need a scent and I think lilac would suit you."
"That's it, Jenny--I knew I forgot something. You see, I wear violet and Jenny wears tea rose and you need a scent that's just you. I have a lilac sachet I never wear. Because it's not my scent. I'll give it to you."
"No, Ella, you mustn't. You've done so much already."
"Nonsense--It will be your Christmas present. Only early." She got up and found the lilac sachet. It was still fresh and Marybeth accepted it gratefully. Jenny was right. The scent was lovely and it really did suit her.
Mrs. Meade and Marybeth worked on the new dress and the result was quite pretty, even if Marybeth still secretly thought she was a little overexposed when wearing it.
Thanks for the reviews. I'm verklempt.