I do not own Divergent. Credit goes to Veronica Roth.
I do not own Pride and Prejudice. Credit goes to Jane Austen.
"I never liked this room," Lady Evelyn stated as she was in a sitting room near one of the gardens.
"The scenery from this window is breathtaking in the evening," remarked Beatrice.
Things were tense from breakfast. Lady Evelyn's continue censure of the girls in the morning appearances seem to be the first topic of conversation that she held with them. When responding that they had just awoke, Lady Evelyn stated that a proper young woman best not sleep in at all.
They continued on Lady's Evelyn demand to see what Beatrice had changed to Dauntless. Things that she did not like she voiced, even the things that Beatrice had kept from the late Mrs. Eaton.
"My mother enjoyed this room," Marlene smiled softly.
"Yes, well I told my dear sister that if she wanted to be in a dark room then she should put curtains up in every part of the house," Lady Evelyn replied. "I hope you plan to move the furniture around in here, Miss Pri... Forgive me, Mrs. Eaton."
The way Lady Evelyn said Beatrice's name rolled off her tongue with disdain.
"You never did tell me, your Ladyship, to what do we owe this visit," asked Beatrice. The last unexpected visit she had from Lady Evelyn was still fresh in her mind despite the fact that it had happened months ago.
"I have come to see that Dauntless is still intact. I hear my nephew has left," Lady Evelyn remarked. "I can only presume that the home where my sister was Mistress is still in one place, though smudged."
"Excuse me," Beatrice smiled sweetly.
"The paintings need to be dusted," Lady Evelyn commented. "You refuse the courtesy to show me your bed chambers or that of your guest," she pointed her cane to Christina. "I need to know that the furniture is that of good quality. Who knows what has been moved into this home?"
"What is in the bed chamber of my husband and I is none of your concern," Beatrice replied. "Not to mention that I have allowed our guest to maintain the room as to how she would like it."
"Very hospitable indeed," kind words but by the tone of her voice Beatrice knew that Lady Evelyn did not mean it.
"Lady Evelyn, I assure you that we are handling things very well here."
"I think not and I shall stay until I see that you have changed things about as to how they should be," was her Ladyship's reply.
"You will be staying a rather long time if that were the case. I think it be best if you just returned back to your home, Lady Evelyn. I am the Mistress of Dauntless."
"That may be the case but even Miss Marlene here knows that my opinion is always the highest regard here."
Beatrice was overcome with courage at this moment. There was no need for her to be civil towards this woman when there was no kindness extended by her Ladyship. "That may have been the case but up until a month ago I became Mrs. Eaton and it is my opinion here that is to be highly regarded. Now that I have received you, fed you, and heard your advice, perhaps it is best that you leave," Beatrice walked over to call for one of the attendants. "Carl," she called for him.
When the older man appeared and bowed to Beatrice, Lady Evelyn scowled. "Yes Mrs. Eaton?"
"Please show her Ladyship to her carriage."
Marlene hid a smile. No one ever refused Lady Evelyn but here was her brother's wife, her sister in law, her newly founded best friend doing exactly the opposite of what Lady Evelyn expected.
"You will be the ruin of him," Lady Evelyn stated as she stood and walked.
"Good day Lady Evelyn," Beatrice curtsied and smiled.
"Good day Lady Evelyn," Marlene repeated.
Lady Evelyn simply took the skirts of her dress and marched out of the room with her chin held high.
"The worst is behind us," Marlene looked over at Beatrice and smiled.
"Let us pray that it is," replied Beatrice.
However it was not to be the case. During the day, Beatrice had taken down some curtains and floor rugs. While she had gone outside with the maids to beat the dirt from them, Marlene saw to it that the wood inside was polished. It happened later that afternoon, clouds formed over Dauntless. Rain caused the carpets to get wet. A few of Tobias' dogs had gotten loose and were running about either in the house or through the woods on the grounds.
The next morning they discovered that no one had locked up the pantry and some food had spoiled. Though Beatrice did not mind, there was no ham or pork for them to eat at dinner.
"I thought I had ordered enough meat for the week," Beatrice said at dinner.
"There's no need to fret about it," Christina told her. "This is fine."
"No, it's not," Beatrice covered her face and wished that Tobias had come home. "I ruined one of your mother's carpets today," Beatrice said to Marlene.
"The weather was not agreeable, sister. Surely it is not your fault."
"It is," she replied to Marlene. "I am the Mistress of this home. I should know what to do. Lady Evelyn was right."
"Do not say such a thing," Marlene encouraged. "This is all temporary. Tomorrow will be better."
The following day, there was nothing that had gone well at all. Marlene was finishing up a painting lesson in the garden when one of the horses got spooked and trampled all over her work. Christina was previously on said horse, riding until they happened to come across a snake or some creature. Being hurled from the horse, Christina emerged from a nearby bush covered in grass, branches, and her dress was torn.
"My art," said Marlene as she picked up the canvas that had fallen into a nearby pond.
"My silk ribbon," Christina pulled at it to see that it was stuck on the bush. Her moving caused it to rip.
Meanwhile in the house a soup that the cook was preparing for the servants fell and was all over the breakfast dining room. Beatrice was assisting in cleaning it up when Marlene walked into the home, covered in paint.
The rug had gotten ruined again when Christina decided to walk through the home, cursing silently at the horse.
Beatrice sighed. "Why on earth is this happening?"
"It has just been a couple bad days," Marlene assured her.
"Bad days," Beatrice cried. "The rugs are dirtier than they were before, some of the curtains are torn, the wood has been stained, there's soup all over the place," she said as she stood up. As she went to take a step forward, Beatrice lost her footing and fell back down onto the floor.
When seeing her dress was covered in soup she could not help but bring herself to tears. Marlene went to comfort her but Beatrice shook her head.
"No, we must clean this first. Hurry," Beatrice motioned to her sisters and some maids as they began to scrub the floor or clean the carpets.
"What is going on here?"
Everyone in the room turned to see the Master of the home had returned.
"Brother," Marlene cried out as she stood up. "We did not expect you back," she looked about the floor. "So soon," she finished.
Tobias could not help but look at the situation at hand. Perhaps it was the fact that it was being done in his home that caused his lips to turn up at the ends, slightly. It was an amusing situation for him to say the least. Tobias was assisting Ezekiel getting settled at purchasing a small property near to Dauntless only to come home and find his wife sprawled across the floor in a wet mess, his sister's dress dirtied and hair a mess, while his sister in law looked nowhere near her usual self either.
Beatrice's cheek heated with embarrassment. Did her husband think her incapable of running their home? That thought made her cry and before she bolt from the room was taken into Tobias' arms.
"Put me down," Beatrice pouted when Tobias began to carry her.
Tobias said nothing in response continuing to carry Beatrice to their room where he then proceeded to make her bath for her. Beatrice covered her face in shame.
Beatrice could decipher that chaos had only erupted the moment that Lady Evelyn had come to visit and felt heartily at fault for being so fearful of her Ladyship.
Tobias removed Beatrice's hands from her face and slowly undressed her. "Forgive me my husband. I did not..." Tobias pressed a gentle finger to her lips to silence her and once she was removed from clothing, carried her to the tub, placing her in the hot water.
"Do not worry anymore, my dearest," Tobias knelt down by the tub, smoothing his wife's hair with his hand. "I am here with you now."
With a soft kiss to her shoulder, Tobias stood and departed giving his wife time to relax and sooth her weary self in a hot bath. He ordered that Miss Marlene and Miss Christina retire for the evening as well and that dinner would be brought to them.
Beatrice let out a deep sigh as she sank deeper into the water allowing it to run just under her chin. Tobias was home now.