Chapter Four

Camille walked through the market, a basket in hand. Maggie would be there tomorrow. Two women looked over at Camille. They were about her age. One had brown hair pulled up in a perfect bun which was adorned with pearls. The other had beautiful blonde curls which cascaded down her back. They both wore beautiful dresses made of fine silk and their acessories were only the finest. They were some of the girls Camille had met at the many parties she had attended before her father had died.

"That's Camille Rowen" the blonde haired girl whispered as she pointed to Camille. "I heard that she was engaged to Randall Jackson. I guess she threw it all away to marry some poor, stupid sailor" the other girl replied.

"What a foolish girl" The blonde haired woman said. Camille dug her finger nails into her palms. Even though they were whispering Camille could hear every word.

"That's enough! I never truly loved Randall so why would I marry him?" Camille wasn't going to take the're crap.

" Because he is rich. I would give anything to marry Mr. Jackson!" That was Charlotte Jones, the blonde haired woman.

" Money doesn't matter. Its weather or not you love that person that matters." Camille's beliefs had changed a little. Most girls did believe that marrying for money was very important. Especially if you came from a rich family has Camille had.

" Well, its not just that, Camille. Not only is Randall rich, but he is also smart, and handsome" The other girl replied in a condescending tone. That was Virginia werthington. Camile looked at both girls left hands.

"At least I'm married. Your both 20 years old and neither of you are married. You aren't getting any younger, you know?" Camille almost smiled knowing she had hit a soft spot.

" We...just haven't found the right men yet" Charlotte defended.

"Could it be that your too rude? Or maybe because your standards are so high? Or how about the fact that your greedy and all you care about is money?" Camille asked, retorically, condescending, and mocking them at the same time.

"Ha! Well, when I marry at least it won't be too an uneducated bafoon who's manners are that of a wild apes" Virginia always looked for an insult to infuriate Camille with. They weren't exactly friends. In fact, they were sworn enemies.

" If you ever get married" Camille began.

"And Oscar isn't stupid! He's very smart and his manners are just has good as anyone's!" Camille was becoming more infuriated by the moment.

"Well miss Rowen. Aren't we a little touchy this afternoon" Charlotte said in a mocking voice.

" No. I am not" Camille said. She turned to walk away but than stopped.

" And my name isn't miss Rowen anymore. My name is Camille Kildare!" Camille snapped at them.

" She married him?" A third girl asked as she walked up. Camille knew this girl to be Marilyn Davenport. The rich, popular gossip of San Fransisco. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a bun as well. Her dress was covered in ruffles.

" What do you mean?" Charlotte and Virginia asked in unison.

"Oscar Kildare. He was her fathers first mate. I heard that he died-twice and that Camille over there brought him back to life both times" She was mocking, and condescending at the same time. All three girls burst into laughter and could hardly contain themselves. Where had she heard all of this? Ira. He had sailed all the way to San Francisco just for their wedding. Of course he would have said all of those things.

"I don't care what you say. No amount of mockery or insults could ever make me regret marrying Oscar" Camille said sternly.

"This is why we never got along, Camille. Because I am here" Virginia said raising her left hand above her head.

"And you are here" She added, her hand almost brushed the ground has she bent down. "Let's be honest, Virginia" Charlotte interceeded.

"Camille, this is you" she said rudely. Charlotte bent down and picked something up. It was a peice of dirt. "Oh contrare Charlotte. Camille is lower than dirt!" The girls began laughing again. Camille couldn't take much more of this. There were three tomatos in her basket.

Camille took one of them and threw it at Virginia. It splattered all over her face and the top of her dress. Camille took another shot. Marilyn ended up with a tomato on her neck. She now looked like she had been stabbed and her insides were spilling out. The three girls were horrified. People around them burst into laughter. One sailor fell over on his stomach and pounded the ground, too histarical to contain himself.

"What's the matter? Didn't think I could handle myself, girls?" Camille had just been served a huge plate of Mockery and insults. She was going to give it all right back.

"If I may ask, are you more horrified about the fact that your clothes are ruined and you look like you've been run through, or is it the fact that I, for once in my life actually stood up for myself?" Camille Snapped at them using a condescending tone as well. For as long as Camille could remember these girls had picked on her and teased her. But she never did anything about it knowing that her father would be ashamed.

" Oh Camille. You are just as stupid as the man you married. How surprising!" Charlotte said, her voice was drenched in mochery. Camille reached for the other tomato in her basket. She sent it flying through the air. The projectile missed Charlotte. It flew past her landing on top of a man's head. Randall Jackson's to be exact. He turned to face Camille. Camille's cheeks reddened and she wished she never would have thrown the third tomato. The sailor that had just recovered fell over again, holding his stomach.

"Camille?" Randall was shocked to see his ex fiance`. Randall touched the top of his head which was now covered in tomato guts. A look of horror passed over his face. He pulled a hankercheif out of his coat pocket and tried to wipe his hair clean. The inards of the tomato only became a bigger mess. Now he looked worse.

"Randall? How have you been?" Camille couldn't believe that she had just done that.

"I've been well. How have you been?"

" I've been good" Camille replied.

"If I might ask, Camille why are you throwing tomatoes at people?" Randall asked, slightly horrified and a little amused.

"Ummm. Well...These tomatoes were rotten and I wanted to see how badly they splattered" Camille fibbed, almost laughing. Only a child would have said something like that.

"So you threw them at people that you knew?" Randall could tell that she was lying and he knew that wasn't the real reason.

Charlotte, Marilyn, and Virginia had disappeared, probably embarassed to show themselves in front of Randall.

" Okay. The real reason why I threw the tomatos was because those girls deserved it. I never ment to hit you!" Camille said.

"Still. I don't think that's a pluasable reason" Randall commented. He looked up as if he was trying to see the red gooey mess in his hair.

"I'm...so sorry, Randall" Camille said with as much sencerity as possible. She closed her eyes and shook her head, apalled at herself.

"It's fine, Camille. I don't know how I'm going to explain this to my wife though. She will probably think that I was attacked by someone" Randall began to laugh as he pointed to his once brown, now bright red hair. Camille began to laugh too.

"When you think about it..it is pretty funny" Randall said, still laughing.

" It really is" Camille added.

"I guess I will see you around" Randall said.

"Yes. I guess so" Camille replied. She watched as Randall walked away. She was glad to see that ,even though they were once engaged, there was absolutely no tention between them. Camille felt sorry for Randall. He looked like a large rock had been dropped on his head. Or like a bright red tomato had been thrown at him.