Okay, just a quick point-Captain Tilney and all the other characters I'm using are from the movie BUT Capt. Tilney's hair is definitely not. I am not using that God-awful hairstyle that they stuck him with. Imagine any other hair cut and it would be better than that one.
Chapter Three
Permission
Three days went by and Catherine stayed inside the entire time, only going outside the back way and only for a few minutes at a time. The servants gave her a wide berth. She wrote and re-wrote her response to Eleanor five times and finally gave it to a servant to give to Captain Tilney. She sent the letter along with a maid, Dolly, with the strictest instructions to hand it only to the Captain and no one else. If Captain Tilney was not at home then Dolly was return to Catherine and they'd try again the next day.
Each day, Dolly returned and sorrowfully told her that Captain Tilney was detained at some function or another or was sleeping or simply didn't want to be disturbed. The letter unfortunately could not be sent out without him and he was not cooperating.
Catherine grew extremely angry and decided that the next day she would accompany Dolly. No matter what happened, Catherine was not leaving the house on Milsom Street without placing that letter in Captain Tilney's hands.
And so they went off the next morning, Catherine taking the lead and Dolly trailing close behind. She took great pains to make sure her bonnet was snug around her face and kept her head down so that no one might recognize her. She had Dolly direct her toward the servant's entrance and rang the bell to wait.
"Here, Miss, if you'd be so good as to let me speak?" Dolly asked a bit anxiously. "It's just that, I know one of the scullery maids who work here."
Catherine nodded, feeling anxious and out of place and knowing she was acting with a total lack of propriety. A footman answered the door and Dolly took over.
He rolled his eyes and leaned against the doorjam. "You again? Are you to come everyday?"
"My mistress has come today so save your cheek."
Catherine raised her face and tried to look as though she was used to commanding servants. The footman straightened and looked a little less jocular. "I know 'tis unusual, but Captain Tilney is expecting me and I could not go around the front way for fear of what people would say if they should recognize me. I will wait by the stairs for him to come down but I must see him today."
The footman looked behind him, uncertainly. Dolly spoke up. "Lead us to where we may wait and then alert Captain Tilney. Do as you're told, boy."
He looked amused and after a moment, stepped aside and let them in. "Be quick about it, Miss, for if if old Thorne sees you he will not approve. I assume this matter is a private one?"
Dolly replied for her. "It is and if all goes well today I will see to it there is compensation for you. What is your name?"
"Tom Boothe."
"Well, Tom, does that sound agreeable?"
He chuckled and glanced at the both of them sideways. "Well, I'd say that sounds just fine to me."
He waved away any stares throughout the kitchen and whispered something to one of the upstairs maids that encountered them. She nodded and walked away without questioning them. They darted up the stairs as quickly as possible and Tom ushered them through the door to the main floor and then shut it, quietly. He led them across the room and over to a chair where Catherine was to wait. Dolly stood next her.
"Tell Captain Tilney that Catherine Morland is here," Catherine said to Tom, "and tell him that I will wait here as long as it takes." She was done with his nonsense toward her maid. Tom raised an eyebrow but nodded and left.
Catherine waited for what seemed like an eternity until finally, heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs. She stood up and faced Captain Tilney as he descended toward her, the seemingly ever present smirk on his face.
"Miss Morland, this is a surprise. Your lack of propriety is a bit shocking, I must admit."
She ignored his baiting tone. "Please, sir, I have this to give you at your sister's request." She held out the letter that had taken her days to compose. He eyed it indifferently for several long moments before finally taking it. "She instructed me to have a servant deliver it to you but everyday this week you have been indisposed. So I came."
He gave a half-smile and she was almost sure he had done all this on purpose. "Did you actually come through the front door? I'm surprised at you, Miss Morland. What if someone should have seen you?"
Catherine shifted uncomfortable. "I went around. To the back." She glanced behind her. "Dolly helped me."
He noticed the maid and gave another twisted half-smile. "Well, you have delivered your letter. I will send it to Eleanor directly. Good day." He turned to leave but Catherine called him back.
"Sir, if you would be so kind as to allow us to leave through the servant's entrance?"
Captain Tilney looked as though she was an incredible nuisance and waved her on. "Do what you like. Do not let Thorne see you or my father will hear of it. We do not want that, do we?"
Catherine set her jaw and gave him a mutinous look. "I'm not afraid of your father." She moved past him to leave but he clamped a hand around her upper arm and stopped her.
"Maybe not, but if he hears about this it will most certainly lead to his discovery of Eleanor's correspondence with you. I suspect you are her only friend and it has been most hard on her these last months."
She looked at him and realized she was being selfish. "I apologize," she said, tiredly. "It seems I am forever acting thoughtlessly and being stupid. I'll do my best to not alert suspicion."
He released her and she drew up her hood and bonnet and started back the way they came. Dolly hurried her along when she faltered and soon they were back on the street with no one but Tom Boothe the wiser. He'd given them a tiny salute as they left and Dolly rolled her eyes.
Once they were safe, Catherine gave her maid a look. "He was certainly handsome."
Dolly appeared startled. "Captain Tilney? I suppose so, although he has a rather dangerous appeal that a girl really oughtn't trifle with. He looks as though he could eat you right up."
Catherine made a face at her. "Not Captain Tilney. Tom. Captain Tilney is very handsome, but he is also a debaucher of women. Your instincts about him are correct. I meant Tom Boothe."
Dolly immediately adopted a casual air. "I suppose so."
Catherine laughed at her maid's careful indifference and they continued on in silence until they arrived back at Pulteney Street. "Thank you for coming with me. If Mr. or Mrs. Allen ask I'm going to lay down for a bit."
Hurrying upstairs, she shut her door and took off her coat and bonnet and tossed them on the floor. The she collapsed into bed with a whoosh, sighing as the tension left her body. What a day.
She thought back to Captain Tilney detaining her with a firm hand on her upper arm and his low tones. There was a part of her that understood suddenly why Isabella had been so attracted to him. He was dangerous and wicked, she was sure, but in a way that was hardly as repellent as Catherine would like him to be.
What a day, indeed.
X
That night was the theater and something equal parts horrible and odd happened. They had gone to see an opera and all Catherine could do was think about the last time she and Henry had been in the theater and how angry he'd been with her until their misunderstanding had been cleared up. Which led her to think about the entire affair last year and sigh.
And cough. The air was heavy tonight and Catherine coughed more than usual. She suddenly felt tired and achy. Thankfully, the production ended soon and she could leave before everyone crowded outside the boxes.
She was alone briefly and clutched the handkerchief to her face, closing her eyes.
"Catherine."
It couldn't be. Their family wasn't in Bath, she'd made sure of it days ago.
"Catherine, my dearest friend."
Isabella Thorpe.
Catherine slowly turned around and saw John Thorpe and his sister standing in front of her. She kept the handkerchief to her face so they would not see the look of disdain that passed over her without meaning to.
Just be polite and they will continue on their way, she told herself. Dipping a slight curtsey, she said, "Miss Thorpe, Mr. Thorpe."
John looked uncomfortable, but Isabella was positively ecstatic. "I simply can't believe we found each other again, here in Bath, of all places."
Catherine inclined her head politely. "I must return to Mr. and Mrs. Allen now."
Isabella detached herself from her brother and grabbed Catherine's hands. "Please, I have so longed to see you. To explain any … misunderstandings there might have been between our families. Will you let me? Oh, please say you will have tea with me tomorrow?"
Catherine felt her ire rising and her chest caught for a moment. She raised the handkerchief back to her lips and stifled a cough. Isabella let go of her hands. "Miss Thorpe, I cannot tomorrow. I am sorry."
Isabella nodded and smiled. It all looked so false to Catherine now. "What about the following day? There is a novel I have been dying to tell you about. It's quite shocking."
"I do not read novels anymore. I now find them to be a waste of time. Please, I must go." Catherine turned away from her former friend and began to walk away.
"I am sorry about your Mr. Tilney," Isabella called after her, suddenly.
Catherine hesitated in her step. She turned. "I do not know what you mean." What about Henry?
Isabella now appeared more sure of herself, but it was her brother who answered. He seemed to take great pleasure in announcing, "He's got himself engaged, hasn't he? To a wealthy heiress from Yorkshire worth thirty thousand pounds. A Miss …" He turned to his sister for the name of the lucky young lady.
Isabella looked at him, annoyed, but answered. "Armitage. Miss Elizabeth Armitage." Her expression softened slightly into one of genuine caring at Catherine's shocked and pale face. "I am most sorry on your behalf, dearest one. Her family made their fortune in trade two generations ago and she is one of two children. Her brother, I believe, is set up to do quite well upon the father's death. Something about ten thousand a year."
Catherine barely heard her speech after 'Armitage'. Her mind grew fuzzy with disbelief. How could this be? Henry? Engaged? It was impossible. She turned away and started down the corridor to the entrance to the Allen's box. Vaguely, she heard voices calling after her. Everything swayed and tilted.
Then, black.
X
In the darkness, nightmarish creatures came for her wearing Henry Tilney's face. He mocked her for ever thinking he could be hers. He laughed and scorned her. She ran from him but it was never far enough.
When she came out of it, there was a small crowd of people surrounding her, including the Allen's and the Thorpe's. Mr. Thorpe was saying something, telling everybody to give her room. Then he said something so shocking she knew she was still dreaming.
"I want a doctor sent for immediately. Spare no expense. Nothing but the best for my ward. Hurry off!"
She felt hands underneath her head lifting her up slightly.
"Do you feel well enough to move to the chair just there behind you?"
It was a strange voice and she nodded her head. Someone pressed a cup to her lips and she drank. It was red wine and she felt the blood returning to her limbs immediately. "What happened?"
"You fainted, dearest one."
Isabella.
Catherine grimaced and remembered everything both her and her horrible brother had told her earlier. A stabbing pain seared her heart and her eyes welled up with tears. "Please, I'm fine now. I was suddenly out of sorts, that is all. There is no need to make a fuss about me, I assure you, Mr. Allen."
He and another gentleman helped her to her feet and then over to a chair, pressing the wine glass into her hands. "Drink this, Catherine, while the Doctor looks you over. I insist," he added holding up his hands to stave off her newest protestations.
She gave up and nodded, taking another sip of her wine. Isabella drew close to her and rubbed soothing circles over her back. Catherine withstood it only because she was still out of sorts. People began to disperse.
Mr. Allen took a seat on a nearby stool, waving Isabella out of the way. "I am sorry for you to find out this way, Catherine. I wanted to tell you in private tomorrow or some other day this week."
She looked at him confused. He reached over to take her hand and then looked up at his wife with a smile.
"I have no children, Catherine. No one but distant relatives to leave my fortune to. I have written to your mother and father and they have consented to my request …" He paused for dramatic effect. "To name you my ward and heir and settle upon you a substantial dowry for when you marry. Tell me this pleases you, Catherine and I will be a happy man."
She must have looked like a fish for the way she gaped at him and Mrs. Allen. Several long moments went by. Mrs. Allen gave an amused chuckle.
"I daresay the child is in shock, Mr. Allen. Please, for the sake of her health let us speak no more of it until we are in private. Come, both of you. I've sent for our carriage and sent a messenger to inform the doctor to go directly to Pulteney Street."
Catherine allowed herself to be lead away, still completely dumbfounded at what she had just heard.