The White Rabbit

Chapter Five: Advice From a Caterpillar

The shadow of the cloak hid Catherine's blushing cheeks as the tall man came to the door in his underwear. The light material clung lazily to his lanky frame, revealing his protruding hip bones and other parts of his body that shouldn't be shown so casually. He had nicely kept black hair, pulled back in a stubby pony tail; still damp from that evening's rainfall.

"Excuse me Sir," Catherine covered her eyes, "is Mrs. Holmes in? It's very important or I wouldn't be calling on her so late.." She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks.

His eyes danced over the dreadful woman as he tried to hide his delight. Alice had come home, just as he knew she would. He was grateful to this heap of a woman. He extended his hand in a gesture of friendship.

"Why yes, yes she is," he said with the twang of a Southern gentleman, "but she's in the other room, Ma'am. She fell asleep while she was rockin' the baby... But please, won't you come in?" the man in white offered, with the most sincere gratitude he could muster for the woman who returned his Alice.

Catherine's tired legs ached as she took the final steps into the foyer, carrying Alice past the threshold. She wobbled a bit as her left knee tried to give out on her, but she regained her footing so she wouldn't have to suffer any further embarassment in front of this handsome stranger.

"Here, ma'am, won't you let me take your load? I know you must be exhausted." he stated, already in motion to remove his prize.

Catherine's cheeks turned red as the man brushed up against her and took the young girl from her hunched back. Lifting Alice from the woman proved to be a feat for the man in white. As he lifted her, he released a water pocket that had formed and the icy chill of the water on his near bare skin was almost enough to make him drop his Dear Alice. He placed the girl on the chaise lounge in the adjoining room and turned to face his new guest, frontside almost completely transparent. Catherine hadn't seen a man in this fashion since she was a young girl and felt instantly embarrassed once she realized he had caught her gaze affixed on his nether-regions.

"I apologize Ma'am, I am dressed inappropriately. If you like, I'll take the girl downstairs and put her up for the night.." he said, watching her cheeks glow with a fleshy fire. It tickled him pink and made him sick all at the same time.

"Oh.. uh, yes, thank you kindly." Catherine stated, still looking down to avoid the man's gaze. "Are you the brother?"

"Yes, yes I am.." the man lied, "the name's Charles.. my sister, well; she got quite sick and I'm looking after her."

"Oh, what a gentlemanly thing you do." Catherine admitted, blushing a little more. She had never given a man a compliment while he was so revealed to her. She felt the embarrassment rise up into her face yet again.

"Actually, here.." he said, covering Alice on the pristine white chaise lounge, "let me help you.. I'll heat you some bath water, you can change into something dry. Come with me."

His soft hand wrapped gently into her gnarled and calloused palm as he led her up the stairs to her room.

Catherine watched the man pulled the door to and she felt her excitement rise yet again. What an exquisite man, she wouldv'e thought, if she had known such words existed. She pulled the wet woolen cloak from her shoulders as it tugged at her dirty linen shirt that was now soaked through to her skin. Draping the cloak across the wooden chest at the end of the bed, Catherine sighed, went to the side of Edith Holmes' marital bed and fell back onto the pillow-like mattress.

"Oh goodness, I'm wet, what am I doing?" she stated, forcing her body upright to remove the wet clothing.

Catherine began unbuttoning her breeches and at that moment--thoughts of the mysterious brother of Edith Holmes began to make their way to her nether-regions. She found herself giddy, sitting on the edge of the bed and biting her lip and Mary was the last thing on her mind.