Chapter 10 – "Are you the One?..."
"Don't slouch! How many times do I have to tell you to always keep your body straight and your chin up. No wonder nobody wanted you for a wife!" an old man told the young lady walking beside him. She was wearing a light purple silk gown with a pink chiffon drape by the waist emphasizing her tiny waist. All young men takes a lingering stare to the young lady as they pass by, her sparkling emerald green eyes made it even more impossible for them to look away. The ladies stared too of course. Not because of dying admiration, but of teeth clenching envy.
"Katherine! You better start acting like a lady or I'll throw you in the convent!"
"Father, you know I hate to go to these kinds of gatherings. I would rather go watch Cara peel a sack of potatoes than be here."
"Now you listen to me," her father whispered threateningly, "All my life I have worked hard for everything, I never asked anything from anyone, but there was one thing that I begged God to give me, a child, a son, but you came along…" Lord McGavin stopped talking and held Katherine by the arm.
It was always the same story for her. She was the child he had wished for, but the daughter that he never wanted. As far as she could remember, it had always been like that. Her father would sometimes lock her up in her room whenever there's a feast in their house.
Lady Elizabeth McGavin would braid her hair and adorn it with gold and silver butterfly hairpieces. Her mother would tell her that ladies are supposed to always look pretty and presentable to the 'gentlemen'. Katherine always remarked that her head would just tip back and her whole body would follow due to the weight of the things that her mother puts on her hair.
Lady McGavin is the complete opposite of Lord McGavin. She was gentle as he was rough, kind as he was cruel and generous as he was selfish. The only thing that has been holding their frail relationship together is their daughter. Lord McGavin talked more of his horses than his family that his daughter thinks that he would not even notice if they suddenly disappear.
"…and I talked to the Duke of Amarile. He was such a good man. Very generous to the people. He owned they say, so many lands that even kings would envy. He only got two sons to carry his name but unfortunate to have a good for nothing daugh…Anyway, he said he would send one of his sons to the manor to meet you. Maybe we could establish a better relationship with the Duke's family." He grinned at the thought of his daughter marrying the Duke's son. He turned to find his daughter mesmerized by the wine barrels being stacked by a young man who he recognized as one of his workers in the wine cellar.
Katherine slowly approached the young man and stared at his face. His ragged clothes seemed inappropriate for his looks. He's tall and dark with a face that would ignite jealousy in any man.
"Are you're the one…" she said longingly, her green eyes boring into his.
"Yes…I am." The young man said, not even a hint of wondering about what Katherine had just said.
"I really don't know how they met," the gardener said. "But I heard that the young man works in Lord McGavin's vineyard."
"Maybe she likes raisins, I like raisins. And you know what else I like…?" Jack said then winked playfully.
The gardener waved his hands dismissingly at Jack.
"Oh, oh, oh, I know," raising his hands in the air, "Maybe she's an alcoholic," Jack said.
"Well, I'm not gonna be surprised since her father has a very bad temper. Lord McGavin was known for his display of irrational acts against people who disobey his orders, or those who look at him the wrong way'
"So, do you know where the wine cellar is?"
"Wine cellar you say? It's funny you asked. Nobody knows where it is...well, now that is. Lord McGavin's horses came only second to his prized wines and whiskies. Now that I mentioned it, there is a pub that is four miles from here. Look for the owner and tell him that your friend owns the Walker Manor. Maybe he can tell you more about Katherine and Wilhelm.
BEEP beep beep beep!
Thud
Grace knocked down the alarm clock from the bed side table with one swift hand movement. She automatically scratched her head using two hands. She felt her bed sheets as if looking for something, and when her fingers touched a round pill, she popped it in her mouth and said, "Thank God for breath mints." Feeling too lazy to even open her eyes, she rolled out of the bed and stayed a whole two minutes lying on the floor. She stood up when she finally realized that the bathroom would not come to her. She dragged her feet, made her way to the sink only to find an empty tube of toothpaste.
"Oh, who am I kidding? I had a breath mint anyway."
She tied her hair in a messy bun and washed her face and headed to the breakfast table. It was 7 am in the morning but it seemed that the staffs in the castle are all awake. She could hear the clattering and busy footsteps coming from the kitchen. She sat on the table and was the first one to be there. Jack must still be asleep, or maybe he got lost inside the castle and couldn't find his way back...Oh well, he's still got a couple of weeks till we fly back to New York. She smiled at the thought of that, no one to bother her for a whole day, or maybe a week or two. She sat at the end of the table, laced her fingers, tucked it under her chin and rested her elbows on the table. She closed her eyes and smiled as she inhales deeply, as if savoring the air.
"Bacon, cheese omelet, sausage, French toast… Ohhhhh, fancy coffee, and …and...this one's hard…"
"That will be the eggo madam," the servant said, trying hard to suppress her smile.
"Oh…thank you…but I could have gotten that one if that stinky bug repellant plant is not so near the table."
"But it does such a good job, this place would be swarming with insects if it isn't for those plants."
"Oh yeah, it does a great job, it repels appetite too." Grace mumbled
The servant lady gave her a stiff smile and went back to the kitchen, and came back with plates after plates of food. After eating, Grace went straight to Jack's bedroom to see if her friend was there.
"Jack! Jack! Time to get up. The sun is up! Pack up you gaydar and brush your shiny wig, there are lots of Scotsman waiting for you, begging to be outed. Jack!" Grace yelled as she knocked impatiently on Jack's door. When she got no reply, she opened the door and was not surprised that it wasn't locked. She immediately found a letter on top of Jack's unmade bed saying;
Be back at eightish or ninenish, I don't know, I don't have to tell you, you're not my mother! Have a roast beef ready with boiled potatoes when I get back and, oh... darn it, and salad on the side, no dressing, you know how I'm trying to loose a couple. And hey! You are NOT suppose to be inside this ROOM!, how dare you!
"Ah, peace and quiet..." she whispered and clutched the letter close to her chest.
"Wait, Jack, out? Be back later? No Will to steal money from... HOLY CRA…' with that she quickly turned towards the door but tripped onto Jack's ballerina shoes. She ignored the throbbing pain from her knees ands run as fast as she could back to her room. Grace took her purse out of her closet and set it on her bed, looking afraid as if it might explode any minute. She carefully opened it and peered into its pocket.
'No. no no no no no.. no where the hell is my.. JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!! Grace yelled on the top of her lungs.
'NOT MY MASTER CARD!"
"You don't look like a Grace Adler to me," said the bartender looking hard at the credit card and then to Jack.
"Oh, Thank you!" Jack said back, flashing a girly smile.
He took his strawberry daiquiri and planted himself in the bar seat. He took a long sip from the straw and scanned the room. When he didn't see any guys that he wants to be 'friendly' with, but found that most of the customers are, he swiveled his seat back to the bartender's direction and said, "Yummy."
"Excuse me?" the bartender replied, raising one of his thick eye brows.
"My drink…It's yummy," Jack said, trying to sound seductive. "I'm Jack by the way and where have you been all my life?' Jack offered his hands as if waiting for the guy behind the bar to kiss it.
He stared at Jack's hand and then to his face. Jack batted his lashes and giggled. He took Jack's hands and shook it roughly.
"I'm Matthew, Matt for short. I have been working in this bar for as long as I could remember," he was continually wiping the bar table with his left hand. "So, what brought you to…Wait, Jack?? I thought your name is...?"
"You just told me I don't look like a Grace Adler to you! But…I could be what you want me to be…" and he winked again.
Matt shifted his body, obviously uncomfortable in way the conversation is going. He had always been friendly to the bar customers. At 34, he had accomplished most of his goals in life. A perfect face, that's how some people would describe him. Golden strands of hair adorn head and seemed to be light enough to dance at the gentlest of breeze. The thin fabric of the gray shirt that he's wearing followed the toned contours of his torso.
"Jack then, so, what brought here? Visiting family, friends perhaps?"
"How'd you know I was newbie?
"Well, this is a small town; I know almost all of the people that live around the area."
"So do you wanna get to know me? I live around the area you know."
"Hahaha."
"Ok baby boy, as much as I want to chat with you and stare at your fabulously well maintained body, I'm afraid I need to do some research now.' Jack took another sip of his drink, with one pinkie sticking out in the air. He slipped on his dark glasses, took a pink scarf from his body bag and wrapped in once around his neck. A small note book and a pencil with a fluffy green feather at the eraser end came out next and he placed it down by the bar table.
"Would you be a doll, Matt, and get me the owner of the bar... Please."
"OK," was all that Matt said, he hanged the cloth that he used for wiping on his left shoulder and placed both his hands at the bar table.
"Don't tell me. You're cute and you know it? Listen, I can give you my number later, but I really need to talk to the owner right now. I need to get back home before dinner."
Matt smiled, "I should have introduced myself properly, Matthew McGavin, bar owner. How may I help you?"
