A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Nineteen
"I’m not going Cal" Rose screamed,
eyes burning.
"Oh yes you are. I am tired of this nonsense Rose. Get dressed now!"
Cal was dressed ready to go. Rose sat at her vanity, still in her silk wrap,
refusing to get dressed.
"No, I’m not going."
"Rose, stop behaving like a spoilt child and put some damned clothes
on."
"No, no, no" Rose picked up the hand mirror and threw it at the wall.
It smashed sending Hannah scurrying to clear it up.
Cal raised his voice a level.
"You can stop this NOW." He went over to the wardrobe; pushed some
dresses around until he found the one he was looking for. He dragged it out and
threw it on the bed as though it were some rag.
"You will put this on and the pearl choker I bought you. The ruby earrings
I bought you in Paris will do too."
Rose stood up with her hands on her hips.
"I am not putting that on because I am not going. I do not feel
well."
"Stop being so damned difficult Rose."
"I am not going"
"Oh yes you are." Cal grabbed her arm and dragged towards the bed.
"Now put the dress on. Hannah come and help your mistress."
Hannah stopped clearing the glass and ran over. Rose pulled free from Cal.
"I am not going Cal. You cannot make me." Rose threw the dress to the
floor.
Hannah, unsure of what to do next, hovered.
"Yes I can and I will Rose. You are coming, even in your nightwear. The
choice is yours."
"Then you can drag me out there dressed like this if you dare!" she
spat.
Cal was at loss at what to do. He didn’t like losing. Both Rose and he knew he
would never drag her out of the front door without proper attire on.
"Right then. I am sick of this; do you hear me Rose? You have gone too far
this time." He nodded for Hannah to leave the room.
"You have left me with no other choice". Cal glared at her one last
time and turned to go. Rose was very surprised. She had expected a blazing row
with Cal, not for him to admit defeat and walk away. She stood and watched as
he left the room slamming the door behind him, trying to work out what he had
meant. She didn’t have to puzzle for long. There was a click from the direction
of the door. Cal had locked it!
Rose ran over to the door and tried the handle. It wouldn’t open. Rose tried again,
rattling the handle. It was definitely locked.
"Cal" she shouted. "Cal open this door!"
There was no answer. Rose beat on the door.
"Cal open this door now! Let me out!"
She heard Cal on the other side.
"No Rose, you had your chance. You thought it better to try and make a
fool out of me."
"Cal, this is so stupid. Open the door."
"You’ll stay here until you learn to behave."
Rose was getting hysterical. She beat on the door until her hands hurt,
shouting for the door to be opened, shouting for Cal, but to no avail. She
didn’t even know if he was still on the other side. Eventually she began to
realize that Cal wasn’t going to open the door and she was wasting her time.
She stopped and sat on the bed, looking at her sore red hands. What am I going
to do? She thought.
Cal sat in his study swallowing another glass of brandy. He was agitated, angry
at losing the argument with Rose and unsure if had done the right thing. He
remembered his father had resorted to this course of action a couple of times,
so it must be OK. He took another mouthful of drink. It burned a path down his
throat to his stomach, but it felt good. Lovejoy walked in. Cal gestured to the
chair opposite him and Lovejoy sat down.
"You passed on my instructions to the servants?"
"Yes Sir, they know, although I believe Trudy will find it hard to keep
away from Miss Rose."
"She will do as she is told." Cal took another drink. "If she
doesn’t, I send her back her to Ruth."
Cal looked at the time on his watch.
"Well, I suppose I had better attend this garden party alone again and
make some more excuses about my wife’s headaches. It’s been so long since I’ve
been seen out with her people will start to think I have had done away with. At
times, that would seem to be an easier option that what I put with. Come on
Lovejoy, let’s go to the car."
Rose sat on the bed, still in her nightwear. There seemed no point in getting
dressed. After all, she was going no-where and she had no maid to assist her
anyway. Her stomach growled with hunger. She had eaten nothing so far all day.
When was Cal going to let her out? Surely he wasn’t going to leave her there
all day?