The Three Musketeers

How Could You?

 Chapter One

(A Week Before)

"Miss Delacour you must get in the dress or your father will have a fit when he see's you are still in your hunting gear!" Mrs Watson scolded me as I placed my weapons on the bed.

"Oh Mrs. Watson where is the fun in that? I don't see why I need to wear a dress in the first place." I sighed as I walked back over to Mrs. Watson who was still holding the dress in her hands.

"Rose, your father has invited someone over. Do not ask me why, I do not know. But he did say it was of grave importance. He was very angry when he found out you left again this morning. He left not to long after you came back and specifically told me to put you in the finest one you owned." She gave me a wearily look as I took the distasteful thing from her hands and groaned as I stripped out of my leather and my soft linen shirt and corset and shimmed into a dress that felt as if I wore a second skin.

"Oh I'm sure he will calm down, why he must get so upset over me practicing? I've been doing it every day for most of this life. I do not understand why it must be this one? I don't understand why my father would do such a thing. He knows I bloody hate the ones with the tight bodice. I feel so exposed in this! I don't know how you do it Mrs. Watson." I muttered as Mrs. Watson pulled the strings tighter on the corset.

"Oi! Watch your mouth! If your father hears ye, he will lose his temper! Besides this is a gorgeous gown. Any girl would dream to wear a dress like this one." Mrs. Watson rushed me over to the mirror yanking and pulling my naturally long wavy dark brown, hair up and away from my face.

"You're the one who taught me! Besides I am not like most girls. I would never dream of wearing  dress as tight and discomforting as this!" I laughed out. She burst out into laughter with me until she finished with my hair and rested a hand on my shoulder.

"You's look just as your mum did at your age"

I sighed looking down at the locket that hung hidden beneath my dress. I pulled it up and unclasped it and looked at the picture of my mother who was around my age at the time. I sighed closing the locket back up and tucking it away. I looked up at my reflection and stared. I inherited my mother's piercing green eyes and my father's dark wavy hair. However my father always told me I had inherited my mother's strong will and his stubbornness.

I was about to respond to Mrs. Watson when the sound of a carriage sounded from outside the window. I quickly stood and rushed to my far window to see a sleek black carriage arriving down the road.

"I wonder who it is" I spoke aloud to myself.

"Miss Rose we must get you downstairs. The guest has arrived and your father is waiting."

I turned to Mrs. Watson

"Right! Yes of course, thank you for your help" I nodded to her as she smiled back at me fixing her gown before I left my room and down the stairs to see my father waiting by the door below.

"Rose! You look beautiful I must say- wait- Rose for God's sake wear are your shoes?!" My father snapped as I descended the stairs.

I looked at him with surprise. Shoes? What is he- I wiggled my toes and in fact my feet were bare. My eyes grew wide in shock as I was two steps away from the bottom

"Hurry! Go and get your shoes! Rosaline I ask only one thing of you and that is to look presentable and you cannot even try and do what is asked of you? I grow weary of your-" Before my father could finish a loud knock sounded through the house and I rushed down the last to steps and made my way over to the door.