Chapter 8- A fake engagement
It was Saturday afternoon, and the entire Kingsley household was in rush to get ready for the Cunningham's engagement party. Margaret had even agreed to go, as long as Lowell was not to attend.
After the terrible incident early that week, Margaret had moved into the manor, and Alice was doing her best to cheer up her sister.
Margaret had many questions for her sister about a certain Mr. Hightopp.
"Do you love him?" She asked one night, when Alice returned to her room past curfew.
"I…." Alice was astonished by her sister's straightforward question.
"Tarrant…Do you love him?"
"…. Yes, Margaret, I do…" Alice admitted, with a far away smile.
"I knew it…"Her sister said arrogantly
"Excuse me?"
"I knew the first day I met him. That's why I invited him to the ball…." Margaret scooted over towards her sister who sat on the floor, sewing new ribbons onto one of her dresses. "That for Tarrant?" She insinuated slyly.
"Listen Margaret…I'm sorry about Lowell…" Alice said sadly, feeling bad for her sister. Why must her sister suffer why she was in bliss?
Margaret gave her a sad smile, trying to assure her sister that there was really nothing she could do.
"I'm glad you told me Alice. It's better now that I know…." Margaret sighed, picking up a needle in her hand. She then began to help Alice sew. "So what are you going to do about mother?" Margaret asked, glancing at her sister as she sewed.
"What do you mean?"
"Well you said you love him…Does he love you?"
"Yes…" Alice said hesitantly, wondering what her sister was getting at.
"Then you plan to marry of course. Has he asked you yet?" Margaret asked.
"Of course not!" Alice said shocked.
"It's a legitimate question Alice. I know some girls that didn't know their husbands a week before they got married." Margaret said, looking down diligently at her work.
"And how happy did their marriages turn out?" Alice was disgusted. How could people live like that? To be married to someone they hardly knew.
"Either way you're going to have to get mother to agree to the match, sooner or later. She did kick the man out of the house after all! How do you think she will react if you try to run off with him or something like that?"
"Oh, I couldn't. Not with you like this…. And mother…I know it would hurt her…" Alice said anxiously, sticking herself accidentally with her needle.
"All I'm saying Alice, is that it might be easier to do it sooner than later…." Margaret said wisely.
The gears turned in Alice's head, until something clicked.
"Margaret…Do you think I could have Lowell's invitation…"
"Alice, what ever for?" Margaret questioned, seeing the mischievous look on her younger sister's face.
"For my escort of course…."
And it was with that, that Tarrant stood at the entrance of the Cunningham's house in a dark navy suit and tie, waiting for Alice to arrive by carriage.
" Don't you look nice…" She said once she finally arrived, straitening his tie.
"It's not really my taste…" He said uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot.
"I know…and I know you don't like these large gatherings either…But please do this for me…." Alice smiled at him, looping her arm with his as one of the butlers's opened the door for them. Then she whispered, "It's not really my taste either…" in his ear, making him smirk.
"What happens if your mother catches us?" He asked, conserved as they walked into a large room full of stuffy, old aristocrats.
"That, my dear Hatter, is exactly what I want to happen…" The Hatter gave her a confused look, before returning his gaze to his surroundings and noticing the exact woman they had just been talking about walking swiftly towards them.
"How on earth did he get in here?" Helen gave the Hatter a disproving look, though instead addressing her daughter.
"He's my…." Alice started before that hatter took over.
"I'm her escort."
"Oh, are you now." Alice's mother raised her eyebrows at this and raised her voice.
"Mother, people are staring…"Alice warned, glancing at the faces around them.
"Yes…" Mrs. Kingsley stepped backwards away from them a bit. "Well sure have enough reason to…" she muttered as she walked away.
This made the Hatter feel self-conscience about his appearance, glancing down at the elegantly tailored suit he was wearing.
"It's not you they are staring at…" Alice reassured him… "It's us…."
Seeing that Alice had arrived, Cal Barker quickly made his way over to her, surprised to see the man she had on her arm.
"Oh, I didn't realize you had an escort… Is he one of your butlers, Alice?" Alice felt Tarrant stiffen next to her, his arm clutching onto her more that necessary.
"Mr. Barker, I'd like you to met Mr. Hightopp…" Alice introduced them.
They both made polite bows.
"So, Alice, what did you think of those books I sent you?" Cal piped on.
"What books?" Tarrant asked, his jealousy rising.
"Oh, just some books about traveling…" Alice attempted to smooth over.
"I know you mentioned the other day at tea that you very much wished to see India, so I thought you might enjoy them."
"Yes, well that was very kind of you. And yes I did. I shall have them returned to you tomorrow. My maid can bring them…" Alice attempted to be polite, though the whole time noticing that Tarrant eyes were turning a deeper shade of orange.
"Well, you can bring them yourself!" Cal said enthusiastically, "for you, your mother, and I are going to play croquet tomorrow afternoon!"
"Really?" Alice was perturbed. Her mother hadn't even mentioned this to her. She was insisting on matching her up with this boring man, but wouldn't tell Alice when he was visiting or likewise. For all see knew, she could be marring the man the next day.
"Oh yes it's all set up! Your mother said you have the most peculiar story about croquet and flamingos..."
The Hatter couldn't take it anymore. He stormed out of the room, and onto a small balcony that was mostly out of view from the ballroom.
Alice looked concerned. Her eyes followed the Hatter to the balcony and the quickly followed after excusing her self.
"Tarrant, what' wrong?" She asked anxiously, looking over her shoulder to see if anyone could see them out on the small terrace.
"You mother has a problem with me, but yet she has no problem with…. that…" Tarrant said in disgust, in a Scottish accent.
"She just doesn't understand…she…" Alice tried to explain, moving towards him, concerned.
"Understand? What is there to understand?"
"Well you know, she could…." The Hatter raised and eyebrow when she couldn't come up with anything. "I don't know Hatter, maybe she just needs time…."
"Time to do what? Marry you off to someone like Cal?!" He said the name in disgust. Alice's heart beat faster when the Hatter said marriage, thinking back to the conversation she had had with her sister.
"Hatter!" She finally said, calming him down, grabbing his face between her hands.
"I'm fine…." He muttered.
"I love you, you know…." That Hatter chuckled at this random, wonderful statement. "If that's any consolation."
The Hatter just smiled his toothy grin, and then leaned forward to kiss her tenderly on the kisses, slowly deepening it when Alice responded to his touch.
While doing this, they completely forgot that the door was made of glass and that they were partially visible from the ballroom.
One old lady noticed them and was scandalized, quickly pointing out to her friend that it was Alice Kingsley, Helen's little girl and some bizarre man.
The other woman quickly passed it on to another person next to her, until the whole ballroom ha heard…. all except….
"Where is Alice, mother?" Margaret came up to her mother who was drinking a rather large glass of wine.
"Throwing away her morals like a whore in a whorehouse…."Alice's mother took another swig of wine, looking out the window at her daughter.
"Mother!" Margaret said, noticing what her mother was staring at. She then rushed over towards the balcony's glass door, and knocked on it, drawing Alice and Tarrant out of their embrace.
It was only then that they realized people were staring.
"Oh, god…." Alice said embarrassed, trying to hide her face with her hand.
"It's alright Alice. We will deal with this together," The Hatter reassured, taking a hold of her hand in his.
Unlocking the door, Alice and Tarrant walked out into a silent ballroom, all eyes on them. It was so quiet that they could hear their footsteps on the marble floor.
They walked towards Alice's mother, making nervous glances to the other people as their eyes watched their every movement, as though they were the people, looking at the 'animals' inside a cage.
"So…. Having fun are we?" Her mother said pompously.
"Mother we…" Alice started, but her mother interrupted.
"So I assume this means the two of you are engaged."
"What?" That Hatter asked, shocked. He had expected a huge blow out, Alice's mother throwing things off the tables, things like that.
"Well, it's not like you have much choice now…" Helen looked at all the people around her, who were closely listening in to their private conversation.
"Yes, mother, we are…." Alice finally said, looking up at the Hatter no noticed the somewhat scared look on his face.
"Well then…" Said the host who was not too far away, "I guess this party is celebrating two engagements then. To the happy couples!" He raised his glass happily in a toast.
"To the happy couples!" Everyone shouted, also raising their glasses, before going back to their own business.
"Tarrant?" Alice asked, scared by his frightened look. But then he smiled back down at her.
"Come, Alice. Shall you dance with me?"
"With pleasure sir…" She teased taking his offered hand after he made an outrageous bow.
That night, Alice and her Hatter danced almost every dance together. And those that they didn't dance together, they didn't dance at all.
"How are you enjoying the evening, my dear?" The Hatter asked her once he had procured them both seats at a dinner table.
"It's wonderful…you are a very good dancer. I mean I should have known from you futterwaken years ago, but I was very pleasantly surprised that you danced the waltz just as well…" Alice complimented, putting her hand over his on the table. Alice liked the new open relationship. They were free to do almost what ever they wanted now that they were an 'engaged' couple.
"Hatter..." Alice said, testing the waters, "Are we really going to get married?"
The Hatter was surprised by this, and remained quiet.
"I mean…it's just pretend right?" Alice wondered, wrinkling her eyebrows in confusion. She didn't want it to be, but she needed to know for sure.
"Right…" The Hatter said, slightly hurt… "Just pretend…"
"Alice, darling!" Margaret rushed over to them, pulling her sister into a rib crushing
hug, "I'm so happy for you both." She said with a large smile, hugging Tarrant as well.
The hug caught Tarrant by surprise, but she hugged her back, quickly recovering.
"So when's the wedding?" Margaret slide out a chair to sit beside the couple.
"Oh…we're not sure yet…." The Hatter said, his eyes a slight blue color.
"No matter. I shall handle everything. Flowers, music…what do you like about the 27th? It's in about a week, I think that should be enough time to get things in order…"
The Hatter shifted uncomfortably. The 27th was that day that they could return to Underland.
"Now Alice, what colors do you think you would like? And of course we must have you fitted for you dress immediately…"
Alice gave an anxious look at Tarrant, for hadn't they just agreed that they engagement was a fake?
"Alright, I'll leave you two love birds be…" Margaret said, misinterpreting the look.
"Now what are we going to do?" Alice sign, hopelessly.
"Eat cake." Tarrant said, taking a bit of a piece that had just been placed in front of him.
"What?"
"No use worrying about it now, dear. We might as well enjoy ourselves." He lifted his fork to her mouth, and shoved in a piece of the cake.
"Not fair!" Alice mumbled with her mouth full.
"They call me the 'Mad Hatter', Alice, not the just!" He said excitedly, shoving more into her mouth and his own.
Alice made a pout face which the Hatter mimicked, and then they both burst out laughing, trying to keep the cake in their mouths.
"Hatter, I'm rather disappointed in you…" Alice teased.
"Why?" He asked offended.
"Well we have been at this party all of this time, and you have not once said anything mad or crazy… I rather miss it…"
"Well than, to satisfy you my dear…" the Hatter whispered mysteriously, looking around them.
"Fulliwonkey!" He said loudly, drawing people's attention, then glancing away as if he himself was wondering where the noise was coming from.
Alice giggled, "What does that mean?"
The Hatter leaned down to whisper to her. "It's a peculiar kind of Underland monkey. It starts turning in circles when you try and steal it's apples…"
"Apples? I thought monkey's liked bananas…" Alice whispered back.
"What a silly idea!" the Hatter said before leaning his head up and yelling, "Fulliwonkey!" Again.
Alice laughed louder, noticing that the people around them were starting to catch on….
"Hatter…" She called, through laughs
"Fulliwonkey!"
"Hatter!" Alice dragged him out of the room, he still managed to scream, "Fulliwonkey" one more time before they left.
Alice, laughing heartily, pushed Tarrant out the entrance, and the both ran down the steps of the large house.
"That was the most fun I've had at a ball in a long time…" Alice said happily, a twinkle in her eyes.
"Well, maybe you should just go to different balls then. The ones here really are droll. But the ones in Underland, I rather think you might like…." He rambled.
"I bet I will…" Alice smiled at him, and he smiled back also, noticing that she had said 'will'.