Disclaimer: I really wish I own Alice but I don't so there!
~Chapter 6~
So, Tarrant had not been imagining things. Alice had really agreed to go back to Underland with him. But, there was one tiny little nagging question in the back of the Hatter's mind. "Why? I thought for sure you would not. What has changed?" Alice pulled, from her handbag, a crinkled envelope. Opening, she read aloud the not that was inside:
Attention: Alice Kingsley Hudson: Stop. In regards to your spouse Commander Henry Thomas Hudson: Stop. Missing in recent battle: Stop. Current whereabouts unknown: Stop. Presumed dead: Stop.
"When I read this note I was," She paused, thinking. "Ashamed of myself." Her voice shook slightly. She took the Hatter's hands in her own, facing him.
"When I read it, all I could think of was that I am free again. Free to go where I wish with… with whom I wish." She squeezed Tarrant's hands as she said this. They stood a moment quietly together. Neither making a sound. The Hatter wanted to say something to console her, but what? It was true that her husband had stopped loving her long ago, but they had loved each other very deeply once; otherwise, why would they have been married? Now, she was a widow. Reluctantly, she released his hands.
"I have been visiting all afternoon and evening with my solicitors arranging things. The house will be sold; my house keeper is arranging letters of recommendation and final wages for my staff."
"What is going to happen to dear Sophie? Is she to go to your mother's then?" Asked the Hatter.
"No, my mother's health is declining, and I cannot leave her with my sister's family, for I do not trust my brother-in-law. I fear that Sophie will have to come with us." Tarrant's eyes grew wide in shock and dismay.
"Alice! That is truly a preposterous idea! It's too dangerous for a little girl! We're going into a war-torn land!"
"I was just a little girl when I first arrived in Underland, and I daresay I survived it." Alice said with a slight smile at the Hatter's protectiveness of the little girl he'd only just met that afternoon.
"No!" He said with finality.
"Yes!" She insisted, knowing she was bound to wear him down sooner or later.
"No!"
"Please, Tarrant, I can't leave her here alone; I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I left her behind."
It was a fair comment, he realized, but it didn't stop him from disliking the idea of bringing such a young child into such a dangerous situation. Against his better judgment, he let his shoulders droop in defeat. "Fine, Alice." He sighed. "But if anything should happen to her, it was your idea."
::~::
Upstairs the Hatter waited quietly as Alice hastily packed a travel bag. He found it odd that she was throwing in some of her husband's old clothes. When he asked why, she said it was for when they went down the rabbit holes so as not to get their own clothes caught and torn on anything.
"The rabbit hole? Oh no, we can't use that to get back to Underland." Tarrant shook his head. "It was attacked and destroyed just as I was going up." Alice stopped packing, looking at the Hatter in confusion.
"Then how do we get there?" She enquired.
The Hatter smiled and raised his hand, forefinger outstretched, tapping it against Alice's forehead.
"Think now, Alice, how did you get back the second time?" Alice pondered his question for a moment, before looking back up at him, her blue eyes full of wonder.
"The mirror above the mantelpiece! It's in my mother's house." She frowned slightly. "At least, I think it is."
"What do you mean?" The Hatter asked, slightly concerned. If that mirror was no longer around it would put a serious hole in their plans.
"Well, you see on a recent visit to mother's, I noticed that the mirror had been replaced, when I asked mother about it she said that a crack had formed in one of the corners."
"Then all is lost! Unpack your things and go back to your solicitors, we're stuck topside, forever!" He said, his eyes turning a dull orange in irritation. How else would they be able to get back to his home?
"Why can't any mirrors work, Tarrant? I have several full length mirrors all round the house" Alice pointed to the large dressing tale mirror next to the bed.
"Yes, but a mantelpiece mirror is perfect, Alice," The Hatter explained. "Because nobody ever looks at it, it is forgotten, hidden in plain sight, right in front of one's face."
"There is a chance that she hasn't gotten rid of it yet. My mother hates to throw things away. It's probably sitting in her attic."
"Is there a way to be sure?" Tarrant asked, an anxious tinge to his voice. Alice smiled.
"Yes, Sophie would know. Whenever we visit my mother she runs off to play in the attic. She likes dressing up in the old clothes. I wouldn't be surprised if Mother had put the mirror up there for her to use."
There was a knock on the door then. Lizzie the maid entered the room, averting her eyes when she noticed that the Hatter was in the room with her mistress, alone. The scandal!
"Ma'am, Miss Sophie is ready downstairs, she has insisted that she bring the cake along, and so I have packed it in a tin." The maid curtsied. "The Little Miss has been asking where she is going this evening. What should I say?"
"Tell her we have to make an emergency trip to an exotic land." Blurted Tarrant. Lizzie raised her eyebrows at that. Nonetheless, she curtsied once more, before hurrying of to inform the inquisitive young lady.
"All set then." Said Alice, finishing her packing and closing the bag securely.
::~::
At the front door, Sophie was leaning on Lizzie rather heavily for such a little girl. The poor thing was so sleepy she could hardly stand up. Alice thanked the maid, sending her on her way. Once the trio was all alone, Alice asked Sophie about the Mirror.
"Is it at Mama's house still?" Alice asked, her voice laced with urgency.
Sophie rubbed her sleepy eyes and thought about it. "Yes, it is, I was using it last time we visited." She yawned. "Remember? I told you about how wonderful it would have been to walk through it into the mirror house?" Alice was shocked by what her little girl had just said. On the off chance, just to be sure, she had to ask.
"Did you ever go through the mirror, Sophie?" Behind Alice the Hatter wore a knowing smile.
"No, mommy. The glass was too hard to get through." Sophie yawned again, then did a most extraordinary thing. She walked around her mother and stood before the Hatter. She put up her arms over her head and looked up at the man, waiting expectantly.
"Sophie, dear, that is most impolite" Scolded Alice, but the Tarrant simply raised his hand in a calming gesture. It was all right. He lifted Sophie up and then, carrying her and her small yet oddly heavy bag out to the waiting carriage. Alice followed close behind, holding her own bag and the cake tin. She could see Sophie's head resting on the Hatter's shoulder. The very sight made Alice remember that Sophie was never carried around past infancy. Alice was no longer strong enough and Henry had never indulged Sophie in anything, let alone being carried.
Alice informed Harvey of their destination and they took off at a good speed. Inside the carriage, Sophie had already started to drift off to sleep as it was far past her usual bedtime. With the slight sway of the carriage and the steady clip-clopping of the horses' hooves, even Alice began to feel a little drowsy. Neither adult spoke about the thing clearly pressing on their minds. Sophie's father was presumably dead, and she did not know it. After fifteen minutes the Hatter pointed to the passed out child that was slumped against his side and smiled. "When will you tell her?" Concern was written all over his face.
"When the time is right, for the next little while she really does not need to know. There will be enough distractions where we are going."
"True enough."
For the rest of the ride, Alice regaled the Hatter with a few of her more interesting adventures in China.
Yeah Chapter 6 finished and ready for you all. And even though I have done this before I still want to once again thank Detafo for beta Reading for me. (You are awesome!!)
review please and feed the poor plot bunnies. Did you know that just one review can feed a whole village of bunnies for a week? DID YOU???!!!