I don't own M*A*S*H, but am a big fan.
Once he returned home, Charles waited only two days before requesting an audience with his grandmother. She replied for him to join her for dinner that night wanting him to meet Elizabeth so they could start on the official wedding plans.
Charles hadn't wanted to do this in front of the young woman, especially since he had already written a letter to her letting her know that he agreed to the engagement months ago, but it couldn't be helped. He felt guilty actually that she had wasted all that time for nothing, but he still could not marry a woman who had music so firmly in her life.
He had already removed all music from his home.
The records and phonograph had been placed in storage, along with the small stand-up piano he had for décor in the living room. He had thought about selling it all, but decided not to do so at this time. He just couldn't bring himself to do so just yet.
Perhaps he could gift the piano to Honoria for her wedding someday, but for now it would remain in storage.
He dressed in his finest suit and went straight to his grandmother's home. Tonight he would have to convince her and his soon to be ex-fiance that this marriage would never work. He took a deep breath as he was lead into the sitting room of his grandmother's large home.
His grandmother was sitting next to a young woman when he was announced.
He couldn't see the young woman's face, but her brown hair was up in a bun on top of her head. For a moment he thought that this might be one of his grandmother's servants, but from what he could tell of the way she sat and the dress she wore, she couldn't be.
"Charles, welcome home."
Marie stood and walked right across the room to hug her grandson. Unlike his parents, his grandmother was always full of love and never had a problem expressing it. It was one thing that he wanted to take into his future marriage. Charles wasted no time returning the hug.
Although Marie was in her early 80's she still had the smile of someone in their 20's. Her blue eyes shone with happiness at seeing him and her gray hair was pulled up in a tight bun, similar to the young woman in the room. The blue dress she wore just emphasized her eyes more.
She turned from Charles to the young lady who had just stood.
"Allow me to finally introduce you. Elizabeth Jacobs, meet Charles Winchester the 3rd."
The girl turned and Charles found himself looking into a pair of bright brown eyes.
Elizabeth was a small woman, standing she only reached the center of his chest. Her hair was dark brown which contrasted with her light brown eyes. She had an hourglass figure that would have made Hawkeye turn and take notice. The blue dress and gloves she wore complimented his grandmother's well but didn't really suit her darker coloring, but somehow she made it work. Her face was round and she had a soft smile.
Although she looked plain, it was her eyes that were fixed on him that were the most extraordinary thing about her. He didn't know why that was but they had already captured his attention.
This was the woman who was chosen to be his future bride?
She stepped forward and stopped a few feet away from him, those brown eyes cutting through to his core.
"Nice to meet you Dr. Winchester," she said. Her voice rolled over him like a soft melody, one that he didn't mind listening too. "I am Elizabeth Jacobs."
Charles took a deep breath, breathing in the sweet scent of roses that had to come from her, before responding. "Nice to meet you Ms. Jacobs."
She smiled wider, which suddenly made her plain appearance seem alluring. He mentally shook his head. He had been in Korea too long to think a plain woman to be more than she was. "Please, call me Elizabeth. We are to be married after all."
Married. That's right. He was here to end this engagement.
He opened his mouth to speak when Marie took Elizabeth's arm. She looked up at Charles with a big smile. "This young woman is just perfect for you Charles," she said firmly. "Accomplished and kind, everything a woman worthy of the Winchester name should be. You should be very honored." Elizabeth blushed and Charles found himself once again enchanted by her.
In the span of just a few minutes he was already reconsidering ending the engagement.
"Please Madam," Elizabeth said softly. "I am just me. Besides, it is I who am honored by becoming Dr. Winchester's wife."
"Charles."
She turned back to him with wide eyes. "Pardon?"
"Please, call me Charles, Elizabeth."
Her blush deepened and she looked away from him suddenly. Interesting. Maybe they could make this marriage work.
"I understand that you were in Korea and saved many lives," she said suddenly. "That is something anyone should feel honored about."
Instantly the coldness washed over Charles. The faces of those POWs flashed before his eyes and again he could hear the tune they played the last time he had seen them alive. "There is nothing honorable about war," he replied coldly, causing shivers to run up Elizabeth's spine. He turned from them both before walking from the sitting room into the dining room.
Elizabeth felt the pain almost as if he had hit her. It was obvious that she had made a mistake mentioning his time in Korea. She had only wanted to say something regarding his time there and the work he did. Everything had been going so well and she just had to go and ruin it. She wished that she said nothing or knew the words to release the tension she had accidentally created.
Instead, she let Marie lead her into the dining room behind Charles with a pat on her arm.
"It's okay dear," Marie said drawing Elizabeth's eyes to her. "Time will heal the wounds the war left on Charles, and perhaps you will help as well."
Elizabeth smiled at Marie, but wasn't sure how she would be able to help at all. It was obvious that Charles didn't want to talk about the subject. She took a deep breath before taking her seat across from Charles at the small table. She would wait until things calmed down before speaking again. She could fix this mistake.
After all, she looked up at Charles, this was what she wanted more than anything else.
The first course was served and Elizabeth allowed herself a moment to enjoy the soup before all thought of food went right out the window.
"This engagement is not going to work for me. I suggest we cancel it."
Elizabeth nearly dropped her spoon at those words and felt her blood turn cold. He wanted to cancel the engagement after just one meeting? One innocent comment?
Marie seemed surprised as well. She sat her spoon down and really looked at her grandson with firm eyes. "Charles Emerson Winchester, why ever would you want that?"
Charles made it a point not to look at Elizabeth as he spoke, choosing instead to focus his attention on his grandmother. It was deliberate and caused the ice in her veins to turn into fire as anger filled her.
"Grandmother, I feel that with Elizabeth's musical background she would be more comfortable making music than becoming a doctor's wife."
Elizabeth felt the anger continue to fill her, as well as pure heartache. There was no way that he could know how she felt about him, he didn't know her, but damned if it still didn't hurt.
She sat her spoon down firmly, drawing the attention of the other two. Marie looked concerned and Charles looked confused.
As much as she wanted to leap across the table and dump that soup over his head, Elizabeth instead took a deep breath, calmly ran the napkin across her lips before placing it on the table and stood.
Charles stood as well, manners instilled in him since a child unable to make him stop from doing so. Elizabeth kept her face as calm as she could as she walked around the table and right up to Charles. He remained standing with that confused look upon his face.
Then, just as she reached him, Elizabeth did something she never thought she would do.
She lifted her hand and swung, her palm connected sharply with Charles' cheek with such force that his head turned and her hand stung.
She then lowered her hand back to her side, curing the stinging hand into a tight fist, before letting out a deep breath and turning to Marie.
Marie's expression had changed from concerned to one of slight shock and even amusement.
"Thank you for dinner, but I'm afraid I've lost my appetite. Would you mind terribly if I was excused for the night?"
Marie shook her head and Elizabeth wasted no time turning her back on the still stunned Charles and walking right out of the dining room.
Charles lowered himself into the chair slowly, his hand coming up to rest on his still stinging cheek. He had figured she would be a little upset, but had thought that she would give him an opportunity to explain. He never thought that she would strike him like that. Granted it wasn't the first time he had been slapped, but it was the first time that it really surprised him.
"I am not calling off this engagement."
Marie looked at her grandson with wide eyes. "Really? You were so against it just moments before. What's changed?"
Charles lowered his hand and looked at it as if expecting to see evidence of her aggression there, but knew that there wouldn't be. Even he didn't understand why he wanted to get married to this woman. It just, felt like the right choice.
"I don't know," he told his grandmother honestly. He turned to her. "It just...feels right."
Marie smiled. "I'm glad that you agree. All this talk about canceling the engagement was just cold feet." She leaned over and patted Charles' arm. "You two will be happy together. I just know it."
Charles wasn't sure about all that, but he did know that if he continued to try and end this engagement, all that would do is upset and anger Elizabeth more.
And that was something he profoundly didn't want to do again.