Chapter 1:
(9 years later….)
Sitting comfortably in a rocking chair by a window, dressed in a simple but elegant gown of pale green, was a beautiful, young woman. Her head was bowed slightly as her teal eyes scanned over the worded page of the book she was holding in her hands. Thunder softly roared outside, causing Catherine Jones to glance up from her reading and stare out of the window. The wind was starting to pick up as rain was started to fall. Catherine casually marked the page of the book she was reading before closing the book shut altogether while rising out of the chair. Turning half her body around, she gently placed her book down on the seat of the chair before turning her head to look over at the old grandfather clock that stood over by the unlit fireplace. The clock read half past five. Then with a quiet sigh, Catherine crossed the parlor room that she had been spending time in and exited out into the main hallway. She followed the nicely decorated hallway down towards the front door.
"John?" she called as she came to a stop in the foyer. Within less than a minuet, a middle aged man dressed in a simple black suit appeared who looked to have been coming out of the kitchen appeared before Catherine.
"Yes, Miss Catherine?" he inquired politely.
"Have you heard anything about my Father's coming arrival?" she asked curiously. Her father's manservant thought about the question for a few seconds before he shook his head,
"No Miss, I'm afraid I haven't." he answered respectfully. Catherine cast her eyes down in disappointment before she sighed,
"He should've been here by now…" she stated before leaving the foyer. She then entered the dinning room before cutting straight across it to the door that would take her into the kitchen. John followed obediently behind.
"Shall I make you some tea, Miss Catherine?" he asked politely as he bypassed Catherine's form and moved behind one of the kitchen counters, awaiting his order.
"Oh…yes…. tea would be fine, thank you." Catherine replied in a dazed tone as she went to take a seat in a chair at a small kitchen table. "What's keeping him do you think?" she asked out loud,
"Well Miss, your father is a very busy man and with the storm overhead it wouldn't surprise me to find that he's running a bit late." John answered while he rummaged around the kitchen, preparing a nice, steaming batch of tea. As if on cue, the loud rumbling sound of thunder sounded throughout the house. Catherine raised her eyes up to the ceiling at the noise while she considered her servant's words for a quick second before she nodded her head in agreement,
"Can't argue with that." She murmured. John chuckled softly before he walked over to the table with a silver tea pot, a glass tea cup and a small bowl of sugar cubes which he placed before Catherine. She turned her head and smiled up at the older man,
"Thank you, John." She stated while he efficiently poured her a cup of hot tea. The older servant softly smiled back and nodded his head,
"Your welcome, Miss." He answered courteously before he turned and moved back into the kitchen where he then began dinner for that evening. While Catherine watched him work, she placed two sugar cubes inside her tea before taking up the tea cup with both hands and bringing the steaming liquid close to her mouth. She inhaled its light aroma which hinted of mint before she took a tiny sip. Its warmth almost instantly spread through her body, causing a small smile of pleasure to appear on her face.
"Mmm…." She murmured in approval before she took another sip.
"I take it that you're enjoying the tea?" John guessed with a light smile playing on his face as he continued on with his work. Catherine neatly put down her tea cup and nodded,
"You always did know how to make a good cup of tea." She replied.
"Oh, you're too kind." John replied bashfully.
Catherine softly laughed to herself before she reached for her cup of tea once more. As silence settled over the kitchen, the faint sound of hoofbeats could be heard from outside. Catherine perked up immediately at the familiar noise as she once more set her tea cup down to listen more intently. When it became clear that without a doubt in her mind that the sound was being cause by approaching horses, she shared a quick knowing glance with the servant John before she rose from her seat, gathered her skirts within both hands and hastened to the front door. As she pulled open the front door to see her father's carriage pull up front, a full smile bloomed across her lovely face as her teal eyes sparkled with joy. When her father stepped out of the coach and spotted his daughter waiting patiently for him in the doorway, he too smiled before he quickly walked up the few steps that would take him up the front door.
"Daughter." He greeted while he pulled Catherine into his arms for a hug while placing a quick kiss on her forehead.
"Papa." She answered with a smile, "I'm glad to see you've returned safely. How was your trip?" she asked as she led the way inside their house.
"Nothing out of the ordinary," he answered. By now John had also appeared in the foyer, standing at the ready.
"Shall I take your coat, sir?" he asked as he stepped up to Andrew Jones, who nodded gratefully before he shrugged out of his lightly wet jacket before he handed it over to his manservant who took it away to hang it up in a closet.
"How have you been, dear girl?" Andrew Jones asked curiously as he and his daughter made their way through the house and came into the parlor room together. John joined them again by the time Catherine and her father took a seat side by side on the couch in the middle of the room.
"Shall I get a fire going, sir?" John asked politely as he made his way over to the fireplace.
"Uh yes please, John. Thank you." Andrew Jones replied before he turned his attention back onto his daughter, "So?" he inquired curiously.
Catherine smiled, "I've been fine." She answered. "There hasn't been a lot going on since your departure." She added.
"Well what on earth have you been doing for the past 2 and a half weeks then?" he asked curiously, amusement shown brightly within his warm brown eyes. Catherine shrugged a shoulder,
"Bookstore mostly." She replied. Her father chuckled before shaking his head,
"Don't you read enough already?" he threw back playfully. As the fire in the fireplace came to life, John rose off the floor to his full height and turned to leave the room but not before adding,
"Apparently not. That's all she ever does." He answered in a good natured tone before leaving the parlor room. Catherine silently glared after his retreating form causing her father to once again laugh.
"Well anyways, I have something for you." Andrew Jones stated as he quickly collected himself and grew serious. Catherine raised a soft eyebrow up at her father.
"Oh?" she replied as a small smile pulled at her lips; John once more entered the room carrying with him a large rectangular box which he presented to Catherine and placed in her lap. As she gazed down on the gift that her father had brought back for her, her teal eyes narrowed suspiciously,
"May I inquire as to the occasion for such a gift?" she asked playfully. Andrew glanced over at John who did his best to hide his own smile before he turned and left the room again.
"Does a father need a reason to dote upon his daughter who he has not seen in a couple of weeks?" he returned with a sheepish grin. Catherine laughed softly before she reached down and removed the lid of the box. As her eyes landed on what was inside the box, a look of awe came across her face before she placed the lid down on the floor so that she could lift the contents out of the box.
"Oh papa," she began as she stared at the new gown that she held up in admiration, "It's beautiful!" she exclaimed.
"Isn't it?" he replied with a proud smile.
The gown was the same captivating color of Catherine's eyes made of some sort of satin like material with sleeves that would hang low over her shoulders and a scooped cut bodice. The gown itself was also embroidered with intricate little flowerily designs. And at the bottom of the box were matching silk gloves. The gift was absolutely breathtaking.
Catherine glanced over at her father and smiled happily before she carefully placed the gown back inside the box, "Thank you, Papa. It's wonderful." She began, "….but when on earth will I ever wear something this extraordinary?" she asked curiously.
"Well actually….I was hoping that you would wear it to the Gala tomorrow night." He answered in a hopeful tone. Catherine blinked a couple of times as his words sunk in before she crinkled her nose in distaste,
"Papa…" she protested, "You know I don't like attending those..those….things." she reminded. Andrew Jones softly shook his head in amusement.
"Catherine, Catherine, what am I ever going to do with you?" he asked.
Catherine smiled sweetly and shrugged a shoulder innocently, "You know if you want me out of the house, you can always just take me with you next time you go on a trip." She suggested with hopefulness shining brightly within her eyes.
"Mmhmmm…I had a feeling you would pull that one." He answered as his eyes narrowed teasingly at his daughter.
"Well why not? You use to all the time when I was younger." She reminded as moved to place the box on the other side of her body.
"Yes but Catherine that was a bit different, you were too young to leave alone and now that you're older, it would be best if you just hung around here in England." He answered.
"Why? What purpose could I possibly have here in England, papa?" she asked curiously. Her father thought about her words carefully before he opened his mouth to reply, saying the one word that Catherine always seemed to dread hearing.
"Marriage?" He answered.
Catherine froze before she turned her head away in protest, "Oh papa, let's not go into that again." She groaned while directing her attention to look out of the window across the room.
"Don't you think it's about time though, Catherine?" he threw back softly, "You're a young woman now and most girls your age are normally ready to settle down and start a family." He pointed out. Catherine turned back around to face her father.
"Yes but papa, when have I ever been like any other girl here in England?" she replied, "Don't get me wrong, one day I will marry…but I don't see the point of rushing into this."
"Catherine…" Andrew Jones began in his most serious and fatherly tone, "I'm not going to be around forever….I just want to make sure that you will find someone who will care for you when I'm not there.; a good, strong man who will provide for you." He explained.
"Yes I know, papa but…" Andrew Jones held up a hand to silence his daughter's coming protest; Catherine lowered her gaze down to her hands which she now held clasped in her lap.
"Catherine, you're a beautiful, intelligent young woman…and word has reached me that there's quite a few men waiting to have a chance at your hand. You can't keep putting this off." He said before letting a soft sigh, "…I simply won't have it." He added.
Catherine's gaze snapped up to meet her father's, "I mean it Catherine." He finished.
"And what would you have me do, papa? Shall I put word out on the street that I have to accept offers of courtship from England's eligible bachelors?" she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Andrew Jones frowned softly at his daughter's words.
"No need." He replied, his eyes narrowing softly in silent warning, "…you'll make it known at the Gala that's taking place tomorrow night." He answered. Catherine's eyes widened softly in disbelief,
"….You're really serious about this, aren't you?" she declared in a hushed but firm voice. Her father nodded his head.
"Very, Catherine. It's time we started thinking about your future." He answered.
The look in his eyes and tone of voice told Catherine that there would be no way she could fight her way out of this one. So instead, she straightened up at her father words, her head raising itself up in silent defiance before she slowly rose to her feet. "Well who am I argue with you." She threw back before she cast a final and resentful glace down on the still open box that contained the new gown before she turned away from both it and her father. "If you'll excuse me papa, I'll be in my room." She stated in a cold tone before she swiftly left the parlor room heading for the grand staircase that would take her upstairs to her personal chamber where she would then be able to think clearly about her predicament. All the same, even as she climbed the marble stairway, a feeling of dread settled over her as it finally dawned on Catherine that she was simply resisting the inevitable. But if indeed her father was going to put her through such a ridiculous charade like courtship, she would do it her way and her way alone.