All summer I've had writer's block :O I do not like it. But, I'm finally forcing myself to add yet another chapter to my masterpiece (it's hardly a masterpiece but whatever)
Chapter Nine
Matilda's heels clicked against the shining hardwood floor. But besides that, there was silence. Madeline didn't mind, of course. Silence was something quite rare in Tortuga. Instead of breaking the soothing quiet, Madeline watched as Matilda's tall shadow slide against the hallway wall to her left, occasionally drifting over a vase of flowers or a portrait of one of the Covingtons' beloved ancestors.
The clicking stopped and Madeline's feet fumbled to a halt. She heard a sigh come from the head housekeeper beside her.
"Be on your best behavior, girl." She snapped, but somehow, Madeline could hear a bit less nerve as usual.
She nodded obediently and watched as Matilda walked into the room, her back straight. Her voice loud and clear, yet not demanding as before. "Miss Madeline, your new maid, sir."
"Ah, yes." She heard a gentle voice from within the room. "I told you of her arrive, did I not, George?"
Another voice answered, a gravely, deep, obviously aged voice. "I don't recall such a remark from you, Mrs. Covington. I would surely remember such a thing."
The gentle voice sighed, "Well never mind that. She is here. Do bring her in, Matilda."
Matilda turned to leave the room, stopping before Madeline and saying "Well go on, then." and closing the door behind her.
Madeline walked in, shyly, and bowed her head before the family in front of her.
A woman of about 20 years her senior smiled, automatically making her feel less discomfort. She sat at a chair beside the fireplace, a closed book in her hand, but appearing effortlessly regal. "Hello Miss," She paused, "Madeline, is it?"
"It is, Ma'm." Madeline stood as straight as a post and held a small, respectful smile.
"I feel that this fact should be stated before we go any farther: We are not such a family that treats our servants with distaste."
Her smile grew a little at this, "Thank you, Ma'm, that is quite a relief."
"I do not doubt this." She said with a chuckle, before sitting in silence for a moment. She then whispered, "George?"
For the first time, the man on the couch by the bookcase looked up from his newspaper. His eyes were bored. "Yes, my dear Edith?" He said with obvious sarcasm.
"Have you nothing to say to our new maid?" Edith's eyes were telling him to be nice, but the rest of her face remained cheerful.
"Oh, yes." He cleared his throat and looked to Madeline, "We are glad to have some new help here."
Edith's eyes drifted to Madeline and she nodded with a smile, agreeing with her husband.
Madeline bowed her head, "I am happy to help, Sir."
As soon as those words reached him, George bowed his head slightly and then buried it back into his newspaper.
"Helene? Harvey, my son?" Edith looked to the two adolescences. Harvey, her son, tracing his finger over the globe beside his chair. And Helene, her daughter, smoothing her dress with one hand whilst holding a book with her other, occasionally flipping a page or gathering her eyebrows in confusion as she hit a word too big for her understanding.
Helene looked up from her book and smiled a little, "Welcome to our home." then quickly looked down to her book. And made it obvious that another word was not to escape her lips.
Harvey didn't even bother to look at Madeline as he gave a slight wave in her direction, "We hope you are most comfortable."
After a long, rather awkward talk of cleaning with Mrs. Covington, Madeline walked alone to her room. She sat on the bed and sighed. She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she missed him. She wanted to be with him.
But she shouldn't.
He let her down one too many times.
She was sure that his whole plan, and promise, was a scam to get her money. Or the money of someone else. Either way, Jack's only reason for trying to help Madeline was because one way or another he was going to profit from it.
She wanted to say that she liked it here. That she preferred this over the roaring seas and the rocking of the Black Pearl. But she would be lying. She wanted nothing more than to be aboard that ship again.
She shook her head, shaking such thoughts from her brain. She was here, helping Lucas. Something she surely could just leave. She couldn't just walk away from it. Could she?
It wasn't like she hadn't done such a thing before. But, of course, she would stay and be a loyal friend to Lucas, who had always been a loyal friend to her.
She straightened out her dress and went downstairs to help serve the family their dinner. Dottie stood in the kitchen waiting for Victor to finish his entrée.
Jack stood on the perfectly manicured lawns and looked at the huge home. He could smell food from the chimney. The smell of fine food. An amazing aroma that he hadn't had the pleasure of taking in for quite some time.
He turned to his friend and checked one last time, "Are you quite certain that this," he motioned towards the house, "is, in fact, where your beloved daughter currently resides?"
"The compass is never wrong, Jack." Mr. Gibbs said back.
Jack nodded and walked forward. Gibbs grabbed his arm. "Where the blazes are you going?"
"In?"
"You can't just walk in. This is obviously the Covingtons' quarters."
Jack wretched from Gibbs' grip and made his way towards the back of the house, where the dinner room's windows were. But not before calling back over his shoulder, "I know what I'm doing."
Madeline stood between Dottie and Victor in a row, in the dining room, as the family ate their lobster bisque. She struggled to keep her back straight and look forward. Her eyes drifted to the windows. Though it was dark, she could see the beach from where she stood. She could see the moon hitting the water beautifully. And she could see-
"Jack?"
Oh don't you love a good cliff-hanger? It always makes me happy to write one.. Anyways, review please! Tell me what you think! I thrive on your opinions.
-Hayley