Come, Josephine

Chapter 37

1928

Back inside the house, I went upstairs to rest in the bedroom the maid showed me to. It was relatively spacious; the bedroom had a high ceiling to accommodate a four-poster bed. There was a faded red curtain pulled around it, and the rug had seen better days. The bedroom was only large enough to house the bed, a wardrobe, and a dressing table with a pitcher of water and a wash basin. A fabric chair sat before it, and it was made of the same red cloth around the bed.
   The day began to fade, and the sky darkened. Lilac streaked across the sky, as if a ribbon was caught on a breeze. I opened the window slightly, propping it open, and left the curtains wide open. From where the bed sat, I could look straight out into the front garden.
   The room was warm, and I decided to change into my nightdress. I unbuttoned my dress and unlaced my corset, relieved to feel the realise after several days. I rubbed my ribs where they ached, and dressed in my cotton nightdress. I revelled at the feeling of the cool cotton.
   Finally, I drew out the necklace from the dress. Should I put it on? I locked the bedroom door, so that mamma could not walk in, and hid the necklace within the lining of my corset. When I put it back on, it would be safely concealed.
I folded my clothes so you could not see the outline of it, and got into bed. It was early still, but my head throbbed with the pressure of the day.

I awoke to shouting- or rather, raised and terse voices. On the other side of my room, I could hear mamma talking to Ruth within her room. I held my breath and tried to listen.
"Mother," I could make out, "you don't understand. I love Jack, and I'm happy, I really am. Can't you see that?"
"I understand perfectly!"
"Then why won't you listen to me? What is the problem?"
"You're acting like a child," Ruth scolded, "can't you see how- irrational it all seems? What woman marries for love to a man below her station?"
"I did, mother, and what an egregious crime it is to love someone."
"Egregious? It's perfectly acceptable to marry a man and grow attached to him and your children, but no one is respectable society chooses a poor match on a whim!"
"A whim? I love Jack because he is a good, kind, compassionate person- which is more than the man I was set to marry-"
"Caledon was a fine match- you tested him."
"Tested him? I was scarcely seventeen and he would threaten to do unspeakable things to me. Do you think you heard it all?"
"Every man is flawed..."
"Yes. And Jack's great crime is being poor!"
"He's a drifter."
"That's strange, because he is a better father than mine ever was-"
The slap was audible, and I could see mamma's wince through the wall, "I loved your father."
"You loved his money."
Mamma walked out and shut the door. I dare not leave my room in fear of seeing her crying again. I didn't want to see the outline of a hand on her cheek, or the tears in her eyes.
I waited until I heard mamma's door shut, and emerged from my room. I slipped into Ruth's room, for the door was ajar, and tried not to stir the creaking floorboards.
I locked eyes with the woman before I spoke. I kept my face still, my eyes steady, and opened my mouth.
"What is your problem?"
"Pardon me-"
"You heard me."
She levelled with me, "it's none of your concern-"
"Isn't it? You can't treat my parents that way without loosing my favour too."
There was a long, painful pause. Why couldn't she just admit she was in the wrong? I held her a stare, a little shakily.
At last, she sighed, "fine. I will be more civil to your father if it keeps you out of my way."
I gave a curt smile and left. If she could behave herself for a while, perhaps the following months wouldn't be so tough. She was brutal, really, but if she could at least ignore Jack instead of complaining about him, wouldn't that be better?
I went downstairs and started my day. As I ate breakfast, I wondered about when I would next hear from Nick.