The Green Soul

Chapter 19

Rose furrowed her brows at the door, trying not to panic.  Trying to scramble decency, even though she was alone in the room, she clutched the covers to her chest.  She tried to calm her breathing, feeling very anxious all of a sudden.  Telling herself she was foolish, she climbed out of bed and went to get dressed.  Upon touching her dress, she realized while she had been inhabited by the Entity, she'd sweated through it and muttered in disgust as she moved to the wardrobe to get a new one out. 

Because the Doctor had thoroughly destroyed her corset, she had to fish out a new one of those, too.  She hid the ruined corset in the back of the wardrobe, not wanting a servant to come in and find it.  She selected a deep golden-brown dress (Button down in the front, simply for convenience) with a ruffle of lace around the square neckline and gaping sleeves, which were tight until the elbows.

She didn't know how she was going to get into it all by herself, but she'd seen that someone could use bedposts to tie one's corsets, and she was determined to try it.  She started by putting on her slip, stockings, and other undergarments. 

Steeling herself, she mastered the art of tying her own corset, though she had to wipe sweat of her forehead several times along the way, and she struggled to tie the ends when she was finished, but she somehow managed.  She moved to slip the dress on, buttoning it up from the waist.  When that was finished, she gazed in the mirror and smoothed her hands down the skirt.  "Oh," she whispered, realizing for the first time that perhaps clothing from this time period really suited her. 

The next thing she noticed was the state of disarray her hair was in.  Not having a brush, she combed her hair with her fingers, just trying to get it to lay flat so no one would know what she'd really been up to.

She finished getting herself situated, slipped on a pair of matching heeled slippers the TARDIS had provided when packing for her, and exited the bedroom. 

Not quite sure where to head to meet anyone, and deep down, hoping to run into the Doctor, she moved as to walk downstairs.  She took a few steps and almost stumbled over her own feet, but caught herself on the railing.  Alright, so maybe she was still a bit weak from the Entity and... Well, other, less horrible things. 

Walking down the stairs very, very slowly, she ran into Marie just as she reached the bottom.

"Rose!  Shouldn't you be upstairs, resting?" She asked, grasping Rose's upper arms to steady her.

"Yes, perhaps, but I... I couldn't sleep any more."  She paused before continuing, saying what she really wanted to say.  "Where's my husband?"

Marie furrowed her brows worriedly, "He wasn't with you?" She asked slowly. 

"No, he's not with me, and he wasn't with me," Rose replied.  "You... You don't know where he is?"

Marie shook her head.  "No, I haven't seen him since he took you upstairs to calm you down.  You were in hysterics, are you alright?"

Rose nodded.  "Yes, I'm doing just fine, now, thank you.  I woke up and he wasn't in the room with me."

"That's odd," Marie seemed to be speaking more to herself than Rose.  "Ben and I have not seen him either.  I could ask Matthew if he has been with him.  Would that put you at ease?"

"Yes," Rose responded immediately, almost too fast, showing her worry.  "Yes, I'd like to see if he's been with Matthew."

Marie nodded slowly, still looking at Rose warily, and let go of her arms to lead her through the house to the kitchen.  "Matthew?" Marie called out.  A cook stood before them and nodded her head to Rose in greeting.

"Ma'am, Matthew is in the parlor.  He's been praying there for hours.  He's very worried about the goings-on that have been happening around here."

Marie hummed in agreement.  "As am I.  Would you happen to know if Doctor Smith was with him at all in that time?"

"No," the cook replied, "He has not been with him."

Rose had a wild suspicion that they were going on a wild goose chase for the Doctor and couldn't say she was very fond of the idea.  Every moment they didn't find him sent her anxiety skyrocketing.

He regretted it already.  He had to, for him to run off like that.  Was that all it was, just to get her warm and to swan off?  He acted as though... He acted as though he had wanted her, but she couldn't base all of that on her own muddled mind interpreting things.

"Shall we check the parlor?" Marie asked, turning to Rose.  She nodded mutely in response and trailed the other woman out of the kitchen, her mind numb. 

"I think we should rest for the rest of the day.  Do you enjoy painting, Rose?" Marie asked conversationally as they passed through the house.

"Yes," Rose responded, her voice a bit delayed, "I do like to paint now and then."

"Oh good!" Marie said cheerily, "We can paint this evening after supper.  I should have asked after you, are you hungry?"

Though Rose was, in fact, feeling a bit peckish, the rolling her stomach was doing wasn't helping her fight down being sick, so she shook her head. "No, that's alright.  I'd love to paint with you though, Marie."

Marie turned her head and smiled at Rose.  "Excellent!  I've a room for it, upstairs.  There are two very large windows, a lot of light is let in during the summer.  I have no doubt you'll enjoy it."

Rose forced her own face to smile back.  "Yes, that would be lovely."

They reached the parlor and Marie entered slowly, so as not to disrupt the praying Matthew.  Only he was not praying now, but sitting on the couch reading.  When he saw Marie enter, he got to his feet and set the book down on the table.  "Yes, mistress, what do you require?" He asked breezily.

"Nothing just now, Matthew, thank you," she replied easily.  "Mrs. Smith and I were wondering if you had, perhaps, crossed paths with her husband in the last few hours."

"More or less," Matthew said slowly, his face crinkling in what appeared to be confusion.

"What does that mean, 'more or less'?" Rose blurted out, "Did you see him?"

Matthew nodded, his eyes now focused on Rose.  "I saw your husband, just two hours ago, but I did not speak to him.  He appeared to be in a bit of a rush, as it were, and I didn't see fit to disturb him.  But... Mistress, didn't he say we shan't leave the house?"

The blood drained out of Rose's face at the words.  "What?"  Her voice was so soft she could barely hear it.  Luckily, Matthew still did.

"Mrs. Smith, I saw your husband, yes, but it was in passing.  He was muttering to himself.  As he left the house."