False Southern Gentility
Unraveling...
A tall man stood, his black hair swept back, ran behind her. "You know, you are the hardest woman to catch this side of the Mason-Dixon line?" the man said with a smile as he swept down into a bow; Christine curtsied.
"I'm so sorry, do I know you?" she asked as he fastened his hat atop his head, pressing one side farther down than the other; Christine smiled and took a step forward, "May I?" she asked as she tilted one side up, trying to even them out better.
The man nodded and laughed as he kicked at the dust; Christine laughed to herself at how shy he was.
Why in God's name is he being like that? Like he's some little schoolboy having just gotten his first little kiss from a girl, just how much more funny COULD this man get?
"There," she said with a bright smile as she adjusted her own bonnet. "now, you said that you needed me for something? What on Earth could you need with this storm coming in?" she asked as she looked up at the small tuffs of white clouds turning to gray.
The man smiled, a shy quiet smile; Christine began to get annoyed with his timidness. "Oh, well..." he said as he looked down at his feet. "I am James Henry...do you remember me, oh you must?" he said, a smile breaking through his beard.
Christine smiled to herself again. "Oh, of course I remember you, Mr. Henry, how lovely it is to see you again, and don't you just look the dashing!" she exclaimed as she looked over his fairly new suit.
James Henry bit into his lip, "Oh, well-- thank you, thank you very much-- that means a lot...coming from a lady like--well, from a lady like you." he said as he put his right arm out to Christine; she stared at it for a moment and then fastened her hand gently.
Well, she could do with James Henry, oh yes, James Henry could do just fine, and besides, one of her mother's favorite rules had always been, 'Beggars may not be choosers.'
"So, Mr. Henry, why in Heavens name are you out in such weather?" she asked as she feathered her lashes down demurely, creating an almost velvet curtain for her eyes; James missed a step and tripped.
Ha! Look at that, a few old tricks and I've got them sputtering and stumbling, oh how much fun this was, to feel young and new again, she thought to herself with a smile.
"Oh-- I was only out for-- an evening stroll-- that's all-- why are you out?" he asked as he looked back down, as if he had bee asked in the utmost intrusive way.
His manner was honestly beginning to peak Christine's nerves, and she didn't like it.
"Oh, I believe I was doing just the same thing, I did need a nice breeze to help me relax this evening, the house was just so stuffy today, so I decided I'd walk for a little a while." she said as she squeezed onto his arm carefully.
Suddenly, a thought struck her, if she could have James here, why not have him where she really needed him? Right back in the old present day, wouldn't that be just as easy? Oh, why hadn't she thought of this before, how could she have missed something like this? What a fool she was!
"Oh, Mr. Henry, I must hurry home...I'm afraid I feel faint." Christine said as she swayed to the left, trying to remember how it had looked when she had seen other girls swoon after an evening of hot weather or too much dancing.
James eyes drew wide, "Oh, yes, yes of course!" he exclaimed as he jerked her standing straight, sending her neck snapping painfully; Christine grimaced for a moment, and then she closed her eyes; how nice this breeze felt, how cool and calm it was, if she could just sleep, only for a little while, just sleep...
Christine's eyes snapped open, staring straight up at the faded and dusty remnants of lace above her head.
Yes, she was back again...damned be the Yankees...she thought to herself.
She stood, her blankets falling from around her waist into puddles at her feet, how lovely little puddles of faded velvet could look.
"Oh, darling, you're awake--" Meredith started.
"Call for, Mr, Henry, I do need to speak with him, once he's arrived, have him sent straight up to my sick-room, I'll see him there." and with that, Christine turned away from her Aunt and went, racing, back up the stairs to her bedroom.
A small rap came at the door, then Meredith's strangely petrified face showed. "Christine, darling, are you alright?" she asked as she opened the door the rest of the way; the old James Henry stood behind her.
Christine snapped her eyes closed again and let out a petrified moan; Meredith covered her mouth quietly. "She--she asked for you--not to long ago." she said as she entered the room; James followed closely behind her, not moving unless she moved first.
Meredith stood beside the bed, took Christine's hand in hers and laid it against her cheek. "She seems to be coming out of the fever, would you--could I be so bold as to ask you to--to look after her while I went and sent for the doctor?" Meredith questioned quietly.
James cleared his throat uneasily, "Yes--yes ma'am, I would--I would be happy to stay with her." he said hoarsely; Meredith's small footsteps sounded her retreat.
Christine swallowed and rolled her head slowly towards James; her eyes remained closed while she reached her hand towards him, releasing another quiet moan of fake pain.
The moan was not lost on James.
Suddenly, a hand slipped underneath hers, a large but brittle hand, cupping hers lightly within his; Christine stifled a smile and opened her eyes. "Oh....Mr. Henry..." she said as she blinked slowly, giving off the appearance of having just awakened.
"Oh you're--I hear you--you were just--I didn't mean to--you were crying in your sleep..." he finally managed to get out; Christine's thoughts swirled as he rambled on, she had to cut him off soon or she would be forced to kill him or herself!
"Oh...you're so kind..." she said as she squeezed his hand softly; his incessant sputtering ceased almost instantaneously. "I...I had only been in...town a few....days when I...fell ill..." she said as she closed her eyes between breaths; smiling like a Chester Cat inside.
"No...you...you mustn't worry about that now....you need...you need all of the rest that you can...that you can get a hold of..." he said as he started to slide his hand out from under hers; Christine gripped onto it.
"No...please...don't leave...I know it's...not very lady like to say...but...since I've come here...and since I've left...I...I haven't been able to stop thinking...of you and I..." she said with what seemed to be a sick and weak smile.
James was a simple man, quiet of mind and weak of heart, so he took Christine for what she seemed to be. Always.
"You know--you know that I--that I haven't either--I'm sure--I'm sure that there--are plenty of other--other men in line--but would you--if you thought that--that you might--well--that you might marry me?" he said as his eyes went straight to the floor; Christine smiled triumphantly while he wasn't looking.
"Mr. Henry...James...I...I would be honored to be your wife..." she said as she lifted her other hand and smoothed the top of his; James looked up at her quickly, and then back down again.
"After you are well...then we will marry...after you are well...when we may have a proper and quiet ceremony." James said as he stood, looked down at Christine, and hesitantly kissed her forehead; Christine rolled her eyes when she was sure that he couldn't see anything of her face.
Christine smiled, "Mr. Henry..." she stopped, blushing as if she had made a new and welcomed mistake, "James...do you think that we could marry...marry soon?" she asked as she touched his chest, smiling at him; James swallowed.
"Soon? But you--you aren't well--I wouldn't want to--to jeopardize--jeopardize your health." he said as he kissed her hand quietly; Christine let her eyes mist up. "Oh, no, don't--you mustn't cry--yes--yes, we'll marry--marry soon--I'll speak to your--your Aunt Meredith--tomorrow afternoon--we'll bring one of the Priests." he said as he smiled down on her as she closed her eyes as if she were tired.
Yes, she was getting it now, obtaining what she needed to succeed through these hurtful times, money, but somehow, somehow she felt she was forgetting something, forgetting someone. Why should there be anyone for her to worry about? Anything and everyone that she needed to worry about was home, on the plantation, but somehow, she felt she was unraveling something that only started spinning.
Unraveling a tapestry...a marvelous tapestry.
"I'm so sorry, do I know you?" she asked as he fastened his hat atop his head, pressing one side farther down than the other; Christine smiled and took a step forward, "May I?" she asked as she tilted one side up, trying to even them out better.
The man nodded and laughed as he kicked at the dust; Christine laughed to herself at how shy he was.
Why in God's name is he being like that? Like he's some little schoolboy having just gotten his first little kiss from a girl, just how much more funny COULD this man get?
"There," she said with a bright smile as she adjusted her own bonnet. "now, you said that you needed me for something? What on Earth could you need with this storm coming in?" she asked as she looked up at the small tuffs of white clouds turning to gray.
The man smiled, a shy quiet smile; Christine began to get annoyed with his timidness. "Oh, well..." he said as he looked down at his feet. "I am James Henry...do you remember me, oh you must?" he said, a smile breaking through his beard.
Christine smiled to herself again. "Oh, of course I remember you, Mr. Henry, how lovely it is to see you again, and don't you just look the dashing!" she exclaimed as she looked over his fairly new suit.
James Henry bit into his lip, "Oh, well-- thank you, thank you very much-- that means a lot...coming from a lady like--well, from a lady like you." he said as he put his right arm out to Christine; she stared at it for a moment and then fastened her hand gently.
Well, she could do with James Henry, oh yes, James Henry could do just fine, and besides, one of her mother's favorite rules had always been, 'Beggars may not be choosers.'
"So, Mr. Henry, why in Heavens name are you out in such weather?" she asked as she feathered her lashes down demurely, creating an almost velvet curtain for her eyes; James missed a step and tripped.
Ha! Look at that, a few old tricks and I've got them sputtering and stumbling, oh how much fun this was, to feel young and new again, she thought to herself with a smile.
"Oh-- I was only out for-- an evening stroll-- that's all-- why are you out?" he asked as he looked back down, as if he had bee asked in the utmost intrusive way.
His manner was honestly beginning to peak Christine's nerves, and she didn't like it.
"Oh, I believe I was doing just the same thing, I did need a nice breeze to help me relax this evening, the house was just so stuffy today, so I decided I'd walk for a little a while." she said as she squeezed onto his arm carefully.
Suddenly, a thought struck her, if she could have James here, why not have him where she really needed him? Right back in the old present day, wouldn't that be just as easy? Oh, why hadn't she thought of this before, how could she have missed something like this? What a fool she was!
"Oh, Mr. Henry, I must hurry home...I'm afraid I feel faint." Christine said as she swayed to the left, trying to remember how it had looked when she had seen other girls swoon after an evening of hot weather or too much dancing.
James eyes drew wide, "Oh, yes, yes of course!" he exclaimed as he jerked her standing straight, sending her neck snapping painfully; Christine grimaced for a moment, and then she closed her eyes; how nice this breeze felt, how cool and calm it was, if she could just sleep, only for a little while, just sleep...
Christine's eyes snapped open, staring straight up at the faded and dusty remnants of lace above her head.
Yes, she was back again...damned be the Yankees...she thought to herself.
She stood, her blankets falling from around her waist into puddles at her feet, how lovely little puddles of faded velvet could look.
"Oh, darling, you're awake--" Meredith started.
"Call for, Mr, Henry, I do need to speak with him, once he's arrived, have him sent straight up to my sick-room, I'll see him there." and with that, Christine turned away from her Aunt and went, racing, back up the stairs to her bedroom.
A small rap came at the door, then Meredith's strangely petrified face showed. "Christine, darling, are you alright?" she asked as she opened the door the rest of the way; the old James Henry stood behind her.
Christine snapped her eyes closed again and let out a petrified moan; Meredith covered her mouth quietly. "She--she asked for you--not to long ago." she said as she entered the room; James followed closely behind her, not moving unless she moved first.
Meredith stood beside the bed, took Christine's hand in hers and laid it against her cheek. "She seems to be coming out of the fever, would you--could I be so bold as to ask you to--to look after her while I went and sent for the doctor?" Meredith questioned quietly.
James cleared his throat uneasily, "Yes--yes ma'am, I would--I would be happy to stay with her." he said hoarsely; Meredith's small footsteps sounded her retreat.
Christine swallowed and rolled her head slowly towards James; her eyes remained closed while she reached her hand towards him, releasing another quiet moan of fake pain.
The moan was not lost on James.
Suddenly, a hand slipped underneath hers, a large but brittle hand, cupping hers lightly within his; Christine stifled a smile and opened her eyes. "Oh....Mr. Henry..." she said as she blinked slowly, giving off the appearance of having just awakened.
"Oh you're--I hear you--you were just--I didn't mean to--you were crying in your sleep..." he finally managed to get out; Christine's thoughts swirled as he rambled on, she had to cut him off soon or she would be forced to kill him or herself!
"Oh...you're so kind..." she said as she squeezed his hand softly; his incessant sputtering ceased almost instantaneously. "I...I had only been in...town a few....days when I...fell ill..." she said as she closed her eyes between breaths; smiling like a Chester Cat inside.
"No...you...you mustn't worry about that now....you need...you need all of the rest that you can...that you can get a hold of..." he said as he started to slide his hand out from under hers; Christine gripped onto it.
"No...please...don't leave...I know it's...not very lady like to say...but...since I've come here...and since I've left...I...I haven't been able to stop thinking...of you and I..." she said with what seemed to be a sick and weak smile.
James was a simple man, quiet of mind and weak of heart, so he took Christine for what she seemed to be. Always.
"You know--you know that I--that I haven't either--I'm sure--I'm sure that there--are plenty of other--other men in line--but would you--if you thought that--that you might--well--that you might marry me?" he said as his eyes went straight to the floor; Christine smiled triumphantly while he wasn't looking.
"Mr. Henry...James...I...I would be honored to be your wife..." she said as she lifted her other hand and smoothed the top of his; James looked up at her quickly, and then back down again.
"After you are well...then we will marry...after you are well...when we may have a proper and quiet ceremony." James said as he stood, looked down at Christine, and hesitantly kissed her forehead; Christine rolled her eyes when she was sure that he couldn't see anything of her face.
Christine smiled, "Mr. Henry..." she stopped, blushing as if she had made a new and welcomed mistake, "James...do you think that we could marry...marry soon?" she asked as she touched his chest, smiling at him; James swallowed.
"Soon? But you--you aren't well--I wouldn't want to--to jeopardize--jeopardize your health." he said as he kissed her hand quietly; Christine let her eyes mist up. "Oh, no, don't--you mustn't cry--yes--yes, we'll marry--marry soon--I'll speak to your--your Aunt Meredith--tomorrow afternoon--we'll bring one of the Priests." he said as he smiled down on her as she closed her eyes as if she were tired.
Yes, she was getting it now, obtaining what she needed to succeed through these hurtful times, money, but somehow, somehow she felt she was forgetting something, forgetting someone. Why should there be anyone for her to worry about? Anything and everyone that she needed to worry about was home, on the plantation, but somehow, she felt she was unraveling something that only started spinning.
Unraveling a tapestry...a marvelous tapestry.