A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Rose awoke with a jump, confused and
disorientated. She looked around her room in surprise. Realizing she had just
had a bad dream, she threw herself back against her pillows. She had gone from
a bad dream to bad reality.
It seemed so very, very real. She was in a little boat, on a lake. Cal and Jack
were on opposite ends of the shore shouting her. She was trying to row to Jack,
but didn't know how to row. The oars were flaying around in the water and the
current was pulling her towards Cal. She was screaming for Jack but the harder
she tried to manage the oars the more she drifted towards Cal who was gleefully
shouting, "I always win Rose!" Jack was shouting her name again and
again, but his voice got fainter as Cal's got stronger. The little boat floated
towards Cal and Lovejoy waded out and got the boat rope and began to pull it in
to the shore. Cal was shouting at her about dresses and jewelry and children
until her mind went numb. That was the point at which she woke.
Lovejoy allowed Trudy to bring her meals, but despite Rose's shouts and pleas,
Lovejoy refused to fetch Cal for her. Rose was slightly bewildered by all of
it.. She knew full well Cal was playing a cruel game and believed that when he
tired of it he would come and free her.
But Cal still did not make an appearance and Rose began to get distraught from
days of being locked up like some animal. Trudy was not allowed to attend to
her and apart from when meals when brought, she was truly alone. Whilst
grateful that her room adjoined their private bathroom, she lost all will to
present herself like a lady. She thought of Jack, his unruly blonde hair and
amazing blue eyes, willing her to be strong. She tried to think of leaving Cal,
walking away from all of this. She would tell Cal her marriage was over and go.
But go where? Jack said he would help her. But would he? She wasn't sure of
herself anymore, let alone words from a virtual stranger. Daddy had let her
down, Cal had let down. Just as likely Jack would too. Her idea of leaving Cal
seemed ever more impossible.
In a fit of temper, she had smashed everything on the dresser. With no maid to
clear it up, the shattered remains lay on the floor. She pulled dresses from
the wardrobe and flung them across the room. The cost of each one being more
than some families earned in a year. They just seemed to her to represent bars
of the gilded cage Cal wanted to put her in.
Cal sat nervously in his study not sure of what to do next. He had only
intended to leave Rose in her room for a day to teach her a lesson. One day had
turned into two, into three. Now it seemed it had gone on so long, he didn't
know how to release her or more to the point what on earth to say. She would be
mad or upset. He would have to find some way of getting round her or his plan
would have backfired completely.
She lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. Nothing seemed to have a point
anymore. Her hair was tangled her face pale. The sound of the key in the lock
brought her back to reality. She didn't move. She lay where she was, staring at
the ceiling, staring at nothing. The door opened and without looking, she knew
it was Cal. His very presence crawled around the room like a bad smell.
"What do you want?" she asked without even looking at him.
Cal looked around the room in disgust. Glass was smashed, other objects strewn
round. He looked at Rose.
"God, you look a fright."
"Wouldn't you if you had been left here to rot?" Rose continued to
look at the ceiling.
"I haven't left you to rot. I gave you time to think over your situation,
undisturbed."
Cal circled the room looking at the disarray before sitting beside her on the
bed. This wasn't going to be easy. He could just say he was sorry, but it was
Rose's behavior that had created all of this. She should apologize.
"I'm sure now you have had time to think you will have realized I was
doing this for the best." He paused. Seeing no reaction he said angrily.
"It was hard for me too you know! You put me in a very difficult situation
Rose. I had to make you understand your role as my wife."
"I understand my role as your wife very well Cal. It was installed in me
from the moment we became engaged."
"So you know what I expect from you. Why do you try and anger me all the
time? I told you before Rose, I will not be made a fool of." Cal's dark eyes
cast over Rose. She still stared at the ceiling and wouldn't look at him. He
felt his temper rising but fought to keep control of it. He rose from the bed
and cast another look around the mess in the room.
"I will ask Trudy and Hannah to attend to you."
For a brief moment Rose thought there was a note of remorse in Cal's voice. She
looked at him for the first time. He looked back at his disheveled wife. She
wasn't fit to be seen out in public. He looked at her in disgust.
"You are my wife and I would be glad if you would remember that from time
to time. I do not want a repeat of this behavior." He gestured at the
shattered remains on the floor.
"You are lady Rose, not some Bohemian artists whore." With one
warning glance, he left the room.