Reaver's Servants
Mother Hatch and the Tragedy in Lace
The mornings in the mountain town of Brightwall always seemed the sunniest. The sun rose over the mountains and the sleepy little mountain village awoke to start the day. If the town crier didn't wake townsfolk up, the roosters from the chicken farm on the far side of town did. The shopkeepers were opening their doors, the drunks were staggering home, and the guards were switching shifts. The sounds of children running along to school rang through the air.
The tiny mountain village had expanded greatly in the few years since the Bowerstone Rebellion overthrew King Logan. Though the size of the town still paled in comparison to Bowerstone, the number of businesses and homes was still significantly greater. The residents of the mountain village were a prosperous folk.
One such resident, Mrs. Bernadette Hatch, was already up and starting her day. Mrs. Hatch had moved to Brightwall many years ago, inheriting the house when her elderly mother died some years ago. Before moving to Brightwall, Mrs. Hatch had worked as a seamstress in Bowerstone for years after her husband died from illness. Not a day went by that Mrs. Hatch didn't miss her late husband or her son, Barry, who lived in Millfields just outside of Bowerstone.
Mrs. Hatch's home was a modest one. It had a large living area downstairs and an upstairs with two bedrooms. She often wondered who designed the older houses in Brightwall, seeing as their designs didn't seem to make sense. She also wondered why anyone would put the stairs to the second floor on the outside of their home and why a big family only had two beds in the entire house. Mrs. Hatch lucked out and got a pretty normal looking house.
Her coffee was still warm, despite the cold air coming in from the window. She had forgotten that fall was coming and there was no need to open the window in the mornings anymore. Mrs. Hatch closed the window and opened the curtains to get the sunshine going in the house. Mrs. Hatch still did seamstress work now and then, particularly if the clothing store on the other side of the street needed help, but Mrs. Hatch didn't really have much else going on in her life. She had her garden and her old cat, and occasionally she'd go down to Ye Quill and Quandary Pub to hear the latest town gossip with her knitting group. She never questioned why they met at the pub, but a few instances have occurred where things in her knitting group got drunkenly violent. After the last incident, they were considering meeting somewhere else.
The sounds of children running off to school past her window filled Mrs. Hatch's heart with a warm yet sad feeling. Her late husband, Mr. Bertram Hatch, died when their son Barry was just a little boy. Before he became ill to the point of barely being able to move without groaning in pain, the late Mr. Hatch was an outgoing, hardworking, and rugged man. He worked as a blacksmith and sometimes moonlighted as a machine repairman for the factories in Bowerstone Industrial. He married Bernadette when his blacksmith apprenticeship finished and almost immediately afterward, their son Barry was born.
Mrs. Hatch wanted a house filled to the brim with children, and her husband was eager to give her that. When he died when Barry was about five, Mrs. Hatch knew she could never love any other man the way she had loved her husband. She was heartbroken by her loss, but she knew she had to be strong for her son. The first few years were tough, but Mrs. Hatch was tougher. She would often get sad looking at her son as he grew older because he resembled her late husband so much.
After Barry left home to start his own life, Mrs. Hatch got startling news that her elderly mother had passed away unexpectedly. Mrs. Hatch didn't think it was too unexpected, seeing as her mother was only three years younger than dirt itself. Being the oldest of all her siblings, she inherited her childhood home and decided to start her life anew in Brightwall.
Mrs. Hatch believed Brightwall was the perfect place to raise a family. It had everything: clean mountain air, lots of space to roam around, friendly people, and the town proper was very well protected by the bridge and stone wall. Mrs. Hatch was just about to go out and get her morning paper (provided the paperboy didn't toss it in the bushes again) when she heard the post man come up her walkway. She opened the door just as he was about to place the morning mail in her mailbox.
"Mornin', Mrs. Hatch." The post man shouted, handing Mrs. Hatch her mail. "You have a lot of mail this morning. A few catalogues and it looks like you got something from all the way in Millfields."
"Oh, that must be from my Barry. Thank you, Horus." Mrs. Hatch sang as the post man walked away. After fishing the morning paper out of the rose bushes in front of her house, Mrs. Hatch took her mail inside and tossed it on the table next to her coffee. Barry wrote her sparingly, so she decided to see what he had to say. She opened the letter and sipped her coffee. Her eyes glided along the writ and widened as she got to the middle. She nearly spit out her coffee and had to read it over and over.
"Dear Mother,
How are you? I know I don't write you as often as I should, but I have some good news for you! A few weeks ago, I went into Bowerstone and decided it was time to take charge of my own life once again. I wanted Sarah to be a part of the new life I was planning. A few days ago, depending on how soon you get this letter, I asked Sarah to marry me. And she said yes! The wedding will be around the beginning of autumn. Fitting, isn't it? The season of change will mark the beginning of the biggest change of my life!
Reaver has unanimously named himself the wedding planner and decided he was going to help plan the wedding. I see only disaster, but Sarah seems optimistic. Rosie is going to be the Maid of Honor and Willa and Beryl are going to be bridesmaids, of course. I haven't chosen my Best Man, but I'm not in much of a hurry to do that. Sarah is having trouble finding a dress. The ones Reaver suggested are too expensive and she might just end up making her own. I think she looks beautiful in anything.
There is a lot to plan and only a few weeks to plan it. We want to be married before the end of fall and things are looking good. I close this letter knowing that the moment you stop reading it, you'll probably already be boarding a train to Bowerstone. We hope to hear from you soon, Mother.
Love,
Your son, Barry Hatch"
The entire town could hear her cheering from inside her home. After a little while the town was treated to Mrs. Hatch dashing to the small post office (which was also the town clerk's office), knocking over three children, a town guard, a woman carrying a basket of vegetables, and jumping over a barrel that fell off a cart. She ran inside like a woman possessed and slammed her letter town on the clerk's counter. "I want this sent with the fastest service you have! I will pay any price but it must get to Millfields AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!" Mrs. Hatch roared, scaring the poor girl at the window.
After paying for nearly next day delivery, Mrs. Hatch ran back to her home. She had to pack. "Rosie was right! I will be needed for this!" she shouted, running back into her home. She ran upstairs and starting packing her biggest suitcase. "If I leave tomorrow morning, I can be in Bowerstone by late tomorrow evening. My Barry-bear is getting married!"
Mrs. Hatch had been preparing for this day and when she finished packing her suitcase, she ran to the big oak chest on the far end of her bedroom. Inside, she had the perfect gift for Miss Sarah.
A few days later, in Millfields
"It's perfect!" Miss Sarah shouted, stepping back from her creation. Miss Sarah had locked herself in one of the guest rooms for a few days (except when making meals, sleeping, and bathing) and she finally finished her secret project. Reaver allowed her to turn this relatively empty room into the wedding planning room and she was making good use of it.
The "War Room", as Reaver had started calling this room, was a few doors down from Reaver's room. It was located near a door that went to the upper level of the grand ball room that Reaver rarely used (and warned the servants about ever going into without him). Before Miss Sarah started using it, the room consisted of a small bed and a dresser. Now, thanks to Miss Sarah and the other servants, it had a full length mirror, a desk with a ledger on it, and a big table for discussing wedding ideas. The bed was still relatively unused except to lay garments and pieces of fabric on.
Miss Sarah, who had forgone sleep to finish her project, slowly stood up when she heard a knock at the door. She had enlisted Beryl to cook Reaver's breakfast the past few mornings and though Beryl knew her way around a cookbook and was pretty handy with a skillet, her cooking talents didn't even come close to Miss Sarah's. Miss Sarah, using the bed post to help herself off the floor, stood slowly. She placed her needle and thread on the bed and placed the silk dressing screen in from of her finished project. She wobbled her way toward the door and opened it.
Beryl stood there, covered in food. "Mr. Reaver says you had better get back into the kitchen and make his breakfast right tomorrow. He says this 'joke' has gone on long enough." Beryl took off her glasses and wiped them on her apron. "I apparently can't make Crepes Suzette like you can. Nor do I prepare his plate right." Beryl put her glasses back on.
"But you're the one who taught me that recipe." Miss Sarah argued, going to find a towel in a nearby closet. "If anyone can make it right, it'd be you."
Beryl appreciatively took the towel and wiped herself off. "Well, he ate most of it. Mr. Hatch told me that as long as Mr. Reaver eats at least half of it, he actually enjoyed it and there's no need to remake it again. Mr. Reaver called me up and yelled at me that I couldn't make it right. He threw the rest at me and told me this joke has gone on long enough. I got out of the room before he had a chance to throw his coffee at me. When he said joke, I didn't know if he was referring to his breakfast or the wedding planning that's interrupted our routine."
Miss Sarah sighed and helped Beryl straighten herself up. "I sometimes think Barry and I are the only ones happy that we're getting married." Miss Sarah pouted, walking over to the dressing screen.
Feeling bad, Beryl walked over to Miss Sarah and placed her hand on her shoulder. "We're all happy for you two, Miss Sarah. Most of us are still in shock, actually. We know a lot goes into planning an event this big. I mean, compared to the other parties Mr. Reaver has made us prepare, this should be a cake walk. But this isn't about Mr. Reaver, for once. It's about you and Mr. Hatch. You have to admit, it's kind of thrown us all off balance a bit."
Miss Sarah walked over to the dressing screen and sighed. "I know this wedding is throwing the routine all out of sorts. Tell Mr. Reaver I'll be back making his breakfast tomorrow morning. I'm done with the project that's taken a lot of my time anyway." Miss Sarah took away the dressing screen and smiled wide.
Stepping back, Miss Sarah stood in awe of her project. Beryl smiled as Miss Sarah walked around her project. What started as a bundle of fabrics and a pile of designs turned into a splendid wedding dress. It was a floor length dress with a soft floral design in the bust. The shoulders were exposed and the train was short. It had long sleeves, perfect for a fall wedding. She still had to make the veil and decide if she was going to wear gloves or not, but the dress itself was finished.
"Miss Sarah, it's beautiful!" Beryl exclaimed softly. Beryl held her hand out to touch the dress but forced herself back. "Has Mr. Hatch seen it yet?"
Shaking her head, Miss Sarah walked over to the dress and dusted it softly. "Oh, no, no, no! It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride's dress before the wedding!" Miss Sarah sounded panicked and walked over to the dressing screen again. "It took me a while to get the hemming straight and for some reason I can't loosen the bust line to where it doesn't sag. I guess Barry will be happy for the low bust line but I'm trying to keep myself modest!"
Beryl giggled softly. Miss Sarah cocked an eyebrow and placed the dressing screen back in place. "It's just so weird hearing you call Mr. Hatch by his first name." Beryl giggled.
"It took some getting used to for me as well." Miss Sarah sighed. "But I can't keep calling him 'Mr. Hatch' after we're married." Miss Sarah yawned softly and leaned against the bed. "Beryl, I didn't think I could be so happy but…I can't wipe this smile off my face."
Before Beryl could say anything, another soft knock came from the door. Beryl had forgotten that she had left it open. Rosie and Willa poked their heads through the doorway. "Can we come in?" Willa chirped from under Rosie. Miss Sarah smiled and waved the two in. "We heard Mr. Reaver tossing dishes around. Are you going to start making breakfast again soon, Miss Sarah?" Willa asked. Miss Sarah sighed and nodded before going back to the dressing screen.
"So, what is it you've been working on in here for the past week and a half?" Rosie asked. Miss Sarah once again revealed her dress. Rosie and Willa stood in awe. "Has Mr. Hatch seen it yet? I hope not because it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride's dress before the wedding."
"Barry hasn't seen it. He doesn't even know I'm working on it. He and Mr. Reaver seem convinced that I should go to a dress maker in town, but they are so expensive." Miss Sarah put the dressing screen back in place and sat down in a nearby chair.
"Well, we know you're handy with a sewing needle, Miss Sarah." Willa leaned against the wall closest to the door. "We just didn't know you were this handy."
Miss Sarah smiled. "I've been reading up on how to sew wedding dresses. I'm quite proud of it. Now, your bridesmaid dresses are the ones being made by the dressmaker in Bowerstone. They are being delivered this evening and I need you girls to try them on so I know where I need to make alterations."
Meanwhile, in Reaver's room, Barry helped Reaver get dressed. After sliding on Reaver's jacket, Barry walked over to the side table and picked up the schedule book. The two men hadn't spoken to each other since Beryl left Reaver's room screaming. Barry knew the wedding was disrupting the routine of the manor, and Reaver didn't like was change to the routine. Barry figured since Reaver "volunteered" to be the wedding planner, Reaver was a little less bothered by it. That sentiment was mostly true.
"Miss Sarah is expecting the bridesmaid dresses for the girls to arrive tonight. Which begs the question, Hatch: Who are your groomsmen going to be?" Reaver finally asked as he placed his hat on his head. Reaver watched Barry in his peripheral vision.
Barry put down the schedule book and straightened himself up. "Well, Gordon will be in the party, of course. Since Sarah only has three in her party, including the maid-of-honor, I figure three for me as well. I have yet to pick out my best man."
"Is that so?" Reaver asked, suddenly interested.
Barry nodded and looked around nervously. "Well, it's not exactly a big contest. I don't think Gordon would be interested, considering I asked him and he said he wasn't interested. He said the responsibilities of being best man would get in the way of his other duties around the wedding. What with having to prepare the flowers and what not. It is a big job. So, it's down to you and Elliot."
Reaver didn't say anything. "So, the contest is between me and the Queen's pretty-boy?" Reaver asked softly, a hint of deviousness to his voice. "Doesn't sound like much of a contest, does it? Well, the position should go to someone you trust completely and respect no matter what. Someone who can uphold the sacred duties of a best man and make sure nothing crazy happens at the wedding. Someone who knows you better than anyone, even better than you yourself, and has always been a part of your life."
Barry nodded. "You're right, Master Reaver. The choice should be so obvious. I will send Elliot a letter and ask him if he's interested."
Reaver chuckled softly as Barry started to leave the room. Reaver knew this contest was already won, no matter what Barry said. Reaver always had an ace up his sleeve because Reaver never played clean. Reaver had no qualms about going to the lowest common denominator when it came to getting what he wanted. "So, how do you think Miss Sarah will take the news?" he asked.
"Of Elliot being my best man? I'm sure she'll be fine with it." Barry answered, as he reached for the door knob.
"…of you being a balverine…" Reaver announced, before Barry could open the door. Barry stood there with his hand on the door knob, shaking nervously. He swallowed hard and couldn't seem to get his fingers all the way around the knob. Barry didn't move. His hand stayed on the doorknob, starting to grip it tightly. Barry was literally frozen in his spot. Reaver could only laugh. Barry didn't see Reaver's eyes or the evil glow they had that matched his demented Cheshire cat grin. If there was one thing Reaver knew how to do best, it was turn things in his favor.
"I'm just curious what would happen if Miss Sarah just happened to find out her soon-to-be hubby was a horrifying beast. I bet the announcement of such news will be quite unexpected. I can see it all now: screaming in terror, calling you a monster, and calling off the entire wedding. And what about your dear mother? Poor old Mother Hatch must have just gotten your letter and knowing her, she's probably on the train to Bowerstone as we speak. How disappointed will she be, not only losing a daughter-in-law before the event even happens, but also learning her baby boy is a dreadful balverine? And I'm betting Mr. Finn would just love to come out of retirement and make an easy target of the monstrosity that sullied his good name." Reaver chortled and put his gloves on. "It will be oodles of fun watching this farce of a wedding go up in flames; everyone's hard work gone to complete and utter waste all because you couldn't be honest with your future wife about your ailment. I do say, quite a lot of damage one little mention could do…"
Barry took his hand away from the doorknob and turned around, his head low. Barry figured he should have seen this coming, but all the excitement of the upcoming wedding was the only thing on his mind. Now, the vision of Miss Sarah running away from him while screaming that he was a monster was all Barry could think about. He had worked too hard to finally win her over, and Barry wasn't about to lose Miss Sarah before their marriage even had a chance to blossom. "Master Reaver, will you please do me the honor of being my best man?" Barry asked, still shaking.
"Oh, now Hatch, there's no need to beg. All you had to do was ask. I'd be honored!" Reaver laughed and left his bedroom.
Barry just stood there, a cold sweat going down his forehead. "You play dirty." Barry mumbled, following his boss to the foyer. Reaver just laughed and descended the stairs.
Meanwhile, on a train
The sound of a train whistle sounded through the thick forest. The Trans-Kingdom railways made cargo shipping and transportation across land much easier and safer than by carriage or caravan. Passenger trains were still something of a novelty but each time Mrs. Hatch used the train, more people seemed to be on board. Mrs. Hatch smiled at the passing scenery. The train was making great time and she hoped to be in Bowerstone by late evening. She held the letter firmly in her hand, still unable to believe what she had read. Mrs. Hatch sighed softly, remembering when Barry was only a little boy making faces at the prospect of one day liking girls or the idea of marriage. Now Barry had successfully courted a fine woman and in a few short weeks he would be married.
Mrs. Hatch sat back in her seat, remembering her own courtship with the late Mr. Bertram Hatch. She remembered coming to Bowerstone as a young woman out to see the world. Bernadette was born and raised in the mountain town of Brightwall and longed to see the world. She was a tall young woman with hair the color of fall leaves and had sun kissed freckles on her cheeks. With her family's blessing, Bernadette left the sleepy hamlet and made her way around the kingdom. Bowerstone was her last stop. The budding kingdom had so much to offer a young woman like Bernadette, but it wasn't until she decided to settle in Bowerstone that she realized how much her life was about to change.
She had taken up a job as a barmaid at the Cow and Corset Inn when she used up the last of the gold her family gave her just to get to Bowerstone. The tavern owner let Bernadette stay in one of the rooms above the bar while she was working at the tavern. The hours were long and the pay was meager, but Bernadette loved it. Every ounce of gold she made (that didn't go towards food and rent), she saved. Bernadette wasn't sure what was keeping her in Bowerstone. She decided to save up her gold some more and get passage home when someone caught her eye.
Truth be told, she caught his eye as well. The blacksmith came into the tavern after his stall closed and brought in his apprentice. Bertram Hatch was a tall, lean man with a mop of hair the color of a campfire on his head. He had a goofy smile that seemed to bring a smile to his master's face. Bertram looked up at Bernadette once when his master had gotten up to fetch their drinks. He didn't blink for an entire minute. Bernadette couldn't stop staring at him, either. It wasn't until her boss yelled at her to get back to work that their unwitting staring contest ended. It would be at least a month until Bertram worked up enough nerve to come into the tavern by himself and introduce himself to the barmaid. When he finally did, he had no words; just soft gasps of air and a nervous laugh.
Their courtship was a pretty standard one by outward opinion. After work, Bertram would make his way to the tavern, sit in his usual chair, and wait for Bernadette to be done with her shift. Then, they'd go for a walk around the market and talk about anything. It took him a while to get up the nerve to hold her hand. Their first kiss by the bridge was a memory that still sent happy shivers down Mrs. Hatch's spine.
Before too long, Bernadette forgot why she was saving her gold and began spending her extra wages on pretty dresses and make-up to impress Bertram. Bertram started cleaning himself up after work, just to make himself look presentable to the lovely barmaid. Bertram promised Bernadette that once his apprenticeship was up, he'd marry her. Bernadette only laughed at the notion. But Bertram Hatch was a man of his word and before too long the Bowerstone Clock Tower bells would be ringing to announce the marriage of Bertram and Bernadette on a clear spring morning.
For the first few months of their marriage, the two lived in Bernadette's tavern room. It was small, but it was all the space they needed. Once Bertram took steady employment in Bowerstone Industrial and Bernadette took up seamstress work in the market dress shop, they were able to buy a decent home near the Industrial entrance. It was in this modest home that their son, Barry, was born. Bertram promised Bernadette that they'd fill their house to the brim with happy healthy children.
Of all the promises he kept, this was one he couldn't. Bertram took ill one winter when Barry was five. The doctors couldn't help him and Bernadette watched helplessly as her husband died a slow and painful death. As they lowered her husband into the cold wet ground of the Bowerstone Cemetery, Mrs. Hatch knew from that day forth there would never be another man in her life. No one could ever compete with the late Mr. Hatch and Mrs. Hatch decided she would stay faithful to her husband's memory. She raised her son as best she could all alone. It broke her heart that her long hours working as a seamstress kept her from her son for so long.
She hoped Barry turned out at least mostly good. Mrs. Hatch knew a young man would get into trouble now and then. His infrequent letters after he left home gave her so much heartache, but Mrs. Hatch knew her son had to make it on his own. She read each letter with a pained heart; reading of his staggering lows, his problems keeping a steady job in one city, his brief career as a lightweight boxer, and his eventual employment with Reaver. Each letter sounded more depressing than the last. There was a long period of time that Barry didn't write her. She was relieved to hear from him again almost a year and a half later. She was convinced the Darkness that tried to envelope Albion had gotten him but she was happy to see a letter from him sitting in her mailbox.
In this letter, he talked about being "indisposed" for a while and apologizing profusely for not writing her. But the letter wasn't depressing at all. Barry told her that he was in search of new servants for his boss. Mrs. Hatch was not happy to hear he was still working for Reaver. She had come to visit Barry only a few times before his year or so of silence. Reaver seemed to enjoy having Mrs. Hatch visit, considering Reaver hated most people in Albion. Mrs. Hatch thought he was a nice enough man, but kept reminding herself to keep arm's length from him at all times.
In one letter in particular, Barry mentioned the new servants. Former circus performers in need of jobs came knocking at the massive doors of Lakeview Manor. He barely mentioned the others, but he went into great detail about the new cook. A woman named Sarah whose smile lit up a room. He described her so well that Mrs. Hatch didn't need a picture. He spoke fondly of their morning conversations and having tea with her in the afternoon while Reaver was in town. Mrs. Hatch knew, when Barry wrote down that when he'd met her he had no words, that this woman would one day be her daughter-in-law.
Mrs. Hatch left her daydream when the conductor announced the train would be arriving in Bowerstone in a few hours. Mrs. Hatch clutched the letter and placed her gloved hand on the big suitcase next to her. She paid the extra fee to bring it on the train with her instead of putting it in the luggage car with the rest of her luggage. Her gift to Miss Sarah was in this suitcase and she wanted to make sure it was safe.
At the manor
It was Barry that answered the door when a delivery boy knocked late in the afternoon. Reaver had been at the factory all day, so Barry signed for the packages and even tipped the delivery boy. Three individual white boxes tied with different colored ribbons; one was purple, one was red, and one was yellow. Barry assumed they were the bridesmaid dresses. Barry placed them down on a couch near the front door and walked over to the kitchen.
Miss Sarah was inside preparing dinner. Reaver asked for steak that night, but Miss Sarah found it odd that he asked for three instead of two (one for him, one for Barry). Miss Sarah assumed he would be working up quite an appetite at the factory, though she always believed he did nothing but sit at a desk and scowl all day (she'd be mostly right). Miss Sarah was at her cutter board, smashing the steaks with a meat tenderizing hammer. Her grunts made Barry laugh. Barry cleared his throat softly and smiled when his bride-to-be turned around.
"Barry!" Miss Sarah shouted happily. She immediately ran and gave him a big hug. Barry decided he could get used to this. "I'm sorry I wasn't in the kitchen this morning. I will be back making breakfast tomorrow. Any idea why Mr. Reaver wants me to make three steaks?" she asked, going back to the meat she was tenderizing.
Barry shrugged. "Haven't the foggiest, love." He murmured. "I came in to tell you that three frilly packages just arrived."
Miss Sarah's smile grew wider. "The bridesmaid dresses!" she shouted, running to the sink to wash her hands. She shook her hands dry as she ran to the foyer and to the boxes sitting innocently on the couch. "I knew they'd come in soon, but I didn't think it'd be this soon. As soon as I'm done preparing dinner, I'll have the girls try them on."
Watching Miss Sarah gush over the tiniest details of the upcoming wedding gave Barry a warm feeling in his chest. He often felt she was too good for him. The other servants and his boss often told him she was. But of all the people in Albion, Miss Sarah chose Barry to spend her life with. She said yes to his proposal and in a few short weeks they'd be husband and wife. It gave Barry a lot to think about.
Upstairs, the girls were inside the "War Room" picking up stray fabrics and papers. Though he never used this room, Reaver still hated messes in his house. A stray piece of paper flew toward the dressing screen and attached itself to one of the hinges. Reavie, who was napping on the bed nearby on top of a folded fashion catalogue, opened her eyes and watched Willa chase the stray paper. Reavie locked her eyes on the paper and decided she wanted to play with it.
"Gotcha!" Willa shouted happily, grabbing the paper.
"Be careful near the dressing screen, Willa." Beryl warned while tossing her bundle of stray fabrics in a nearby trash can. Willa waved away Beryl's warning and took the paper just as Reavie ran for it. Reavie jumped on the stack Willa was carrying and knocked her over. Rosie and Beryl heard Willa yelp and fall back onto the dressing screen. Reavie, Willa, the dressing screen, and the mannequin the dress was on fell over as the papers rained down upon the girls.
Rosie and Beryl shrieked loudly as Reavie pranced away happily with her paper treasure secured in her mouth. Beryl ran to help up Willa while Rosie ran to the dress. She picked up the screen and then the dress, dusting it off softly. The door slowly opened just as Rosie put the screen back in place. Miss Sarah stood at the door with the boxes in her arms.
"Girls, your dresses arrived!" she shouted as she placed the boxes on the bed. Miss Sarah then noticed all the paper on the floor. "Girls, Mr. Reaver will be home any minute! I have to finish dinner, or I'd help you pick up all this paper! If he sees this, he'll throw a fit!" Miss Sarah picked up a few pieces of paper and tossed them. "After I finish dinner, we're going to try on those dresses and make alterations as we see fit. Please, I know this last week has been pretty tough on everyone and it's not going to get easier; but it means a lot to me that you all help me out."
Rosie, Willa, and Beryl nodded and sighed softly. Miss Sarah smiled. "I'm lucky to have such good friends. I'll be back up as soon as I'm done making dinner to help clean up and to do the alterations. Please be careful around my dress."
Miss Sarah left and the girls let out a huge sigh of relief. Rosie went to inspect the dress and dust it off a little more. It was at that moment she noticed a wrinkle. The wrinkle wasn't what made Rosie gasp. On the hip seam was a small loose thread. It was barely noticeable, but by the amount of time Miss Sarah had spent on this dress, she'd notice. She'd point fingers. She'd be mad. "Oh, a thread has come loose from the hip seam of the dress." Rosie murmured.
Willa looked up from her pile of papers. "Oh, Miss Sarah must have missed it when she finished! We should fix it for her."
Rosie shook her head. "I don't want to risk damaging the dress. We'll just tell her when she comes back later."
"Oh, she won't even notice!" Beryl whined, making her way to the dress. It was a small thread and Beryl's glasses magnified it. But the girls saw it and it stuck out, taunting them. "I bet it's just a piece that accidently got sewed in. It probably goes to nothing. Here…" Beryl plucked the tiny thread and smiled wide. "There, no fuss, no-"
At that moment, the stitching of the right side of the hip seam came loose, causing a hole to appear. Beryl could hear the thread unravel and slowly turned to look at the dress. All of the maids screamed in horror. Rosie ran to the dress and held up the piece that had fallen. "I said not to touch it!" she growled. Rosie took a few deep breathes and stood up. "Willa, you can sew, right?"
Willa nodded. Willa was a girl of few talents other than her strength, but she could sew fairly well. While she couldn't make anything as impressive as a wedding dress, she had repaired some of Reaver's socks when Rosie was too busy doing other chores to do it herself. "I'm not as good as you or Miss Sarah, but yes I can sew." Willa murmured.
"I'll need your help to repair this. Hold this in place while I go find Miss Sarah's sewing kit." Rosie commanded. Willa nodded and ran to the dress, taking the hanging piece from Rosie. "Please be careful. I will be back as soon as I can."
Willa held the piece in place, trying not to move. Beryl, still holding on to her tiny piece of thread, still couldn't believe one little thread could unravel an entire side. "Maybe she rigged it to do that as a warning." Beryl pondered, twisting the little thread in her fingers. "Maybe she knew we'd come in here."
"Of course she knew we were going to be in here. She's the one that asked us to clean up the papers in the first place. Still, we just have to wait for Rosie to get back." Willa looked around the room and heard the soft patter of little kitten feet. Reavie had chased her piece of paper back into the room and it now sat trapped under the bed. Reavie mewed mournfully and pawed at the just out of reach paper. Beryl dangled the little thread in front of Willa.
Reavie's eyes lit up and slowly walked over to Beryl's foot. She batted at Beryl's shoe and made her intentions known. Reavie wanted that piece of thread and Reavie was used to having her way. Reavie hopped a few times and batted at the thread. "No, Reavie!" Beryl scolded. "We have to wait for Rosie to come back!"
The thread taunted Reavie and she growled softly. Reavie kept trying for the thread, but Beryl kept it just out of reach. Reavie didn't like this game anymore. She started growling. Then she started hissing. Then, after backing up a bit, tiny little Reavie let out the loudest roar she could muster and leaped at Beryl. Beryl screamed as Reavie leaped for her. Beryl jumped out of the way and Willa found herself in Reavie's path. Everything went in slow motion as Willa leaped out of the way and Reavie collided with the dress.
Willa and Beryl shrieked loudly. They shrieked even louder when Willa realized she didn't let go of the piece of dress she was holding up. Rosie returned at that moment. The dress was on the floor with a big hole in the hip, and Reavie's head was poking out of it. Rosie dropped the sewing kit and her eyes grew wide. "I was only gone for two minutes!" she shouted, running to help Willa up. "Why is it whenever you two are left alone, only bad things happen? And why do they usually involve the cat?"
The maids then started arguing with each other. Soon, the stomping of familiar boots interrupted their squabbling. "Girls, Miss Sarah is just about done with dinner and my table has yet to be…" Reaver, walking in holding a glass of wine, walked into the room and just stared at the chaos around. His eyes immediately darted to the dress his cat was emerging from. Reavie, feeling her job was done, slowly slinked her way out of the room with her tail between her legs.
Reaver didn't look mad. He looked amazed that three maids could cause such damage. He set his drink down on a stool as he bent down to pick up the dress. "If this were my outfit, you'd all be strung up by your toes in the basement for the damages done. And after all the blood rushed to your obviously empty heads, you'd be working night and day to the bone to pay for this. Luckily for you three, this isn't my dress. Personally, you'd have to take the waist in a bit and I would never have chosen this fabric."
Holding the dress up, Reaver grimaced a bit and glared at the girls. "Rosie, I never expected this kind of behavior from you. As Miss Sarah's maid of honor, I figured you'd be taking your duties more seriously. Now, I don't care what you do, but as Miss Sarah's wedding planner, I REFUSE to have her walk down the aisle in a shabby dress! I don't care if she is marrying Hatch of all people. Find a way to fix this before she comes back up here!"
Reaver didn't realize he left his wine behind. He certainly didn't realize he hit the stool as he stood up and left the room. The stool wobbled a bit and finally the wine glass fell over. The dark red wine flowed from the chalice like a waterfall and onto the white dress. The soft trickle of the wine caught their attention. Rosie picked up the dress and examined the stain.
Willa grabbed the skirt. "We have to clean it!" she shouted, tugging it towards her.
Beryl grabbed the back, where the neck drooped. "We have to sew it back up! Then we can clean it!" she shouted, tugging the dress towards her.
Rosie held onto one of the sleeves. "We need to take it to Miss Sarah and admit what happened!"
"Clean it!"
"Repair it!"
"Give it back to Miss Sarah!"
The girls argued and tugged the dress in each direction. "You think you know everything because she named you her maid of honor!" Willa accused, pointing to Rosie with her free hand. "You wouldn't even have that title if you didn't scare the daylights out of everyone!"
Rosie blinked. "Maybe I got the title because no maid of honor dress in all of Albion could fit you properly!" Rosie shouted, tugging the dress in her direction. "Besides, if Beryl knew how to keep her hands to herself, we wouldn't be in this mess!"
"It's not my fault Miss Sarah can't sew a hip seam!" Beryl blurted out, tugging the dress in her direction.
"We have to clean it!" shouted Willa.
"We have to repair it!" shouted Beryl.
"We need to give it back to Miss Sarah!" shouted Rosie.
As the girls shouted and tugged at the dress, Reaver came back, looking for his wine. "What is going on in here?" he shouted, attempting to snatch the dress from the girls. "If you three can't play nice, you're not going to play together at all!" he shouted, grabbing the front neckline and trying to yank the dress away from his squabbling maids. Soon, their boss joined into the argument.
Barry, who had been looking for Gordon all afternoon, heard the arguing when he came back into the manor. Miss Sarah left the kitchen she heard Barry come in. The argument could be heard all the way downstairs and Miss Sarah knew exactly where the sounds were coming from. She panicked and ran up the stairs with Barry hot on her heels. The two made their way to the "War Room" and Barry opened the door wide. Miss Sarah's eyes widened at the spectacle in front of them.
"Clean it!"
"Repair it!"
"Give…it…BACK!"
RRRRIIIIIPPPP!
The fighting stopped at that moment. The entire manor was silent. Each of the four people arguing had a piece of the dress in their hands. Eventually, they all looked in the direction of the door and saw Miss Sarah standing there, quivering. She walked slowly to the pile of fabric on the floor that was once her dress. She kneeled down and picked up the pile slowly and looked it over. Miss Sarah couldn't speak. She just held her destroyed creation in her arms and started sobbing.
"My dress…" Miss Sarah whimpered, hugging her destroyed dress. Barry walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulder. "How…how did this happen?" she whimpered as Barry made comforting shushing noises to her. "I gave them one job and they somehow destroy my dress…" Miss Sarah fell to her knees and started sobbing heavily.
Reaver walked over to Miss Sarah and took his handkerchief from his coat pocket. "Now, now, Miss Sarah; all is not lost." Reaver pretended to be regretful, but everyone knew he wasn't. "You're a talented woman in the ways of domestic affairs; you can just make a new dress. Or, you could go to the dress shop and get a new one."
This statement only made Miss Sarah cry more. Reaver, not seeing the heartless nature of his statement, simply handed Miss Sarah his handkerchief and left the room. The three maids, with an urging glower from their boss, slowly made their way to Miss Sarah. "We're sorry, Miss Sarah." Willa chirped. "We know how hard you worked on this dress."
Rosie stepped forward with a handful of lace still clenched in her fist. "We should have come to you immediately when we noticed something was wrong." Rosie noticed she still had some lace in her hands and shook it over the trash can.
"We'll put our money together and buy you a brand new dress!" Beryl shouted without consulting the others. The others agreed anyway. "Please don't cry Miss Sarah. We love you and we want you to be happy."
Miss Sarah sniffled a bit. Barry helped her up, wiping her tears away with his gloved hand. "It's okay, lovey. We have plenty of time to get you a brand new dress! This coming Wednesday, when Master Reaver gives us our annual day off, we'll go into Bowerstone and we'll pick out a new dress for you."
Sniffling softly, Miss Sarah leaned against Barry. "You all just don't understand. I've had this vision of what my wedding dress would look like since I was a little girl and now it's nothing but a pile of lace in my arms. It was supposed to be special. I'm can't stay mad at you three, but…" Miss Sarah held the remains of her dress close. At that moment, as if the forces of the universe were telling them to do so, everyone in the room looked over at the door.
"Well, it seems I got here just in time!" shouted Mrs. Hatch, her arms folded. Gordon stood beside her, carrying an extra-large suitcase. Mrs. Hatch marched into the room, directing Gordon where he could put down her suitcase. "Your boss greeted me at the door and told me everything."
Barry blinked a bit. "Mother? I didn't know you were coming for a visit. Why didn't you write me?"
"I wrote your boss and told him I'd be coming in to help with the wedding. I didn't want to spoil the surprise I have." Mrs. Hatch walked over to Miss Sarah, who was still crying a bit. "Oh, my dear future daughter-in-law seems to be crying. Now, why is that, Sarah dear?" Mrs. Hatch asked, sitting on the bed with her purse in her lap. Miss Sarah showed Mrs. Hatch the remains of her dress. "Ahh, I see. Well, it seems I did indeed arrive just in time. Chin up, my dear. Mother Hatch is here to save the day." Mrs. Hatch walked over to her suitcase. "Anyone who isn't a woman, out now!"
Gordon and Barry left the room and shut the door behind them. Barry was a little upset that his mother was here without him knowing. He always preferred to know when his mother was coming to visit so he'd have plenty of time to get his usual hiding spots ready. Barry should have known that the news of his engagement would have his mother flocking toward Lakeview Manor.
In the room, Mrs. Hatch dragged her suitcase to the bed and plopped it down. "When I was a young woman, I met and married the man of my dreams. Bertram was a rough and tumble man who had scores of women after him. But as luck would have it, he only had eyes for me. When it was time for us to marry, he worked day and night to afford our wedding. The wedding itself was simple, but there was one aspect that was the most elaborate and beautiful. We were walking by a dress shop one day and I pointed out the wedding dress they had on display in the window. Bertram saved every last gold piece he made just so he could afford to buy me the dress of my dreams."
Mrs. Hatch opened her suitcase and smiled down at its contents. She pointed to Beryl to get the dress dummy and set it by the bed, making hurrying motions. "I always looked forward to the day my Barry-bear would marry and I couldn't be happier than he's marrying you, Sarah. Honestly, I was dreading him bringing home some surly barmaid that he'd settled for. But I'm so happy he met you. I'm also glad he earned your heart fair and square, Sarah. Now, when I got married, my mother-in-law quite reluctantly gave me a pearl necklace when I had no jewelry to wear. She said the women in the Hatch family have a lot of traditions and one of them is giving a gift of something that's needed to any woman entering the family. She gave me the pearls she wore when she married her husband. And now, Sarah, I continue this tradition with something you need the most."
Mrs. Hatch pulled a beautiful old wedding dress from her suitcase and draped it on the dress dummy. Miss Sarah dropped the remains of her own dress and walked over to the dummy. It looked almost exactly like the dress she had been sewing. The bust line was where Miss Sarah had been trying to sew hers and the color had dulled, but nothing a good washing couldn't fix. Miss Sarah noted it would have to be taken out around the hips and the bow on the lower back needed to be replaced, but all minor details.
Miss Sarah, her tears now happy ones, hugged Mrs. Hatch tightly. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Hatch." She chirped.
With a big smile, Mrs. Hatch patted Miss Sarah on the back. "No, no, my dear. It's 'Mother' from now on. In a few short weeks, you are going to be Mrs. Hatch." With a big smile and a soft chuckle, Mrs. Hatch hugged Miss Sarah tightly. "Now, after dinner, we have a lot of work to do. Reaver said something about the bridesmaids dresses coming tonight?"
All was forgiven, though the girls knew they had a lot of apologizing to do to Miss Sarah. Miss Sarah, luckily, was not one to hold anger for long. After dinner, the women of Lakeview Manor went back to the "War Room" and started discussing plans. Mrs. Hatch was a welcome help, altering the dresses as she saw fit.
Later that night, Miss Sarah sat at the dining room table after dinner had been cleaned up. Reaver and the others had already gone to bed (as far as she knew) so the night was hers. She sighed softly and looked down at her cold cup of tea. She barely drank any. Miss Sarah couldn't stay mad at her friends, but the night's events were still in her head. "Sarah?" murmured a voice behind her. Barry, still in his uniform, walked into the dining room towards Miss Sarah. Every night after the servants and Reaver went to bed, Barry checked the house to make sure it was locked one more time.
Miss Sarah smiled and pushed her tea away. "Barry! Did I wake you?" she asked softly, standing up.
"No, just doing my final rounds before bed. Have to make sure the house is locked up tight. Why are you still up, lovey?" Barry asked, sitting next to her.
"Just replaying tonight's events in my head. Those three knuckleheads are the best friends a girl can have. They mean well, but they destroy more than they fix." Miss Sarah laughed. Barry put his hand on Miss Sarah's and smiled wide. It was nice to be able to do things like that without acting like nervous teenagers. "It was sweet of your mother to give me her wedding dress. I will treasure it always. And maybe one day I can pass it on to any potential daughter-in-laws."
Barry blushed as Miss Sarah got up and kissed his cheek. Barry took Miss Sarah's hand again. "You know, we still need to figure a few things out, Sarah." Barry whispered, directing Miss Sarah toward the hallway with his bedroom. "For example, how well we share a bed together." Barry got a sneaky look while Miss Sarah pondered this. "I sprawl out sometimes, but I think with you sleeping next to me, I might have to force myself to curve that nasty habit. I wouldn't want to wake you up every night just to move my arm out of the way."
While Barry didn't think this would actually work, he was surprised when Miss Sarah nodded in agreement. "You make a good point, Barry. Besides, we'll be using your bed, seeing as mine is too small. I think I'll sleep easier knowing you're next to me."
Barry directed Miss Sarah toward his bedroom with a sly smile. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't learned anything from Reaver in the years he'd been working for him. "Let's get some sleep, shall we?" Barry put his hand on Miss Sarah's back and let her enter his room first.
"Barry?" Miss Sarah chirped.
"Yes, lovey?" Barry answered.
Miss Sarah kissed Barry softly on the lips, causing them both to blush. "Be gentle…" she whispered. Barry's grin grew wider and he hurried in after Miss Sarah, trying to keep his laughter down as to not alert any other occupants of the house. He didn't notice the door to the guest room housing his mother was slightly opened.
Mrs. Hatch watched Barry's door shut softly. Mrs. Hatch grinned to herself and slowly shut her own door. She didn't want to make too much noise and ruin the evening. She left the guest room quietly and went to the dining room to pick up Miss Sarah's tea cup. Mrs. Hatch had the same silly grin Barry had. "If all goes well, I'll be a grandmother before this wedding even happens!" she murmured with a soft giggle.
With a skip in her step, Mrs. Hatch hummed the wedding march as she walked downstairs to the kitchen. Rosie was right: She would be needed, but in more ways than she imagined.
N'cha, my loves! OOooh, things got a little steamy at the end, didn't they?
Oh my, is it hot in here? *fans self*
Well, only a few more chapters to go before the big day! And I got some fun stuff planned for you guys.
I've got a lot of work ahead of me, and not just from this story, from a few other stories of mine as well. I had a lot going on in these past few weeks. For example, I suspended my OkCupid account. I figured I still had too much to work on before I bring another person into the crazy equation that is my life, you know? I think a significant other is not what I need at the moment. Don't get me wrong; I do still get a little lonely, but with all the stuff going on, it might not be worth the investment.
Enough about that! So, how did I do? Leave me a review and let me know! I have to finish getting ready for work, so don't forget to drop me a line over at deviantArt (user name LunaPeachieWasHere) or better yet, drop me a review! Keep this story going strong with reviews! Tasty, magical, reviews! Lol
Review and be merry, my friends!
Reaver and Barry Hatch belong to Lionhead