Me: Miserable! Miserable! Miserable!
Roxton: What now Marguerite?
Me: Mud and sand and dust and....O!
I've had it with my life at this point. I do not normally think that way but in some occasions, like now, I just feel terrible as I sit here translating the ancient writing. Here we are again, venturing in a cave, hopelessly trying to find a way out of this cursed plateau! I was needed to interpret some of the etched writings on the wall and that's why I came first of all. Challenger thinks this cave is promising but that is what he said about the expedition. Veronica...she clad in the most skimpiest clothing, was the princess in everyone's heart. Melone poor boy fell for our princess, or her legs, and now is trapped between the real civilization and Jurassic time! Which brings me to our lovely Lord Roxton, my favorite topic! Well I have...
Roxton: Marguerite? Marguerite?! MARGUERITE!
Me: WHAT?!
Roxton: Welcome back to earth! Are you finished with that?
Me: Here! (Roxton bends down to keep his backpack as Marguerite looks at his bottom)
Now where was I...O yes... Now Lord Roxton had the most scrumptious bottom...
Challenger: Okay Marguerite this is all we need...Marguerite?
Melone: O wait , she is lost in Roxton's hinny!
Me: er...what ...NO! I was looking... beyond it!
Veronica: That would be his...
Me: I mean the wall!
Roxton: Well Marguerite if you really like it, I don't mind parading for you!
Me: Ah don't flatter yourself!
I got up and walked towards the far wall and DID read the inscriptions. It told of a way to make your wishes come true. All you have to do was to write your wish on a book leave it open, lay a leaf across it and drop moon water over it. Moon water was the water taken from a place where the moon's reflection is held. Perhaps I'll try that to get out of this horrid place!
The men decided to stay back and look for a way out while Veronica and I made our way back to the tree house. As soon as I reached 'home', I took out a book and wrote my wish on it. It read, ' We finally found a way off the plateau'. As the inscription told, I laid a leaf and dropped moon water over it. And... nothing! Nothing at all! Not even a gust of wind to blow away the heat! With nothing more to do, I went to bed.
I was woken up by the cheerful voice of Roxton coming from below the tree house. Going to the balcony, I leaned over to find the men in high sprits.
Me: This better be good!
Challenger: We found a way out! We found a way out!
At that moment, it was as if someone woke me up from a nightmare. I felt so full of energy and life that I just stood there numb. The others came up and Roxton had to shake me to bring me back to my senses. After we all grasped the reality of going home, Challenger explained how the cave held a secret entrance to our world. We can't delay as something unfortunate might occur like all the past experiences. We had to leave now. My wish had come true!
As always, Veronica did not share our joy and shrunk into a corner. After I packed my bags, I went to see her.
Me: Come with us Veronica.
Veronica: I don't belong in your world.
Me: Nobody belongs in that world. You have to make your own world to belong to. Look at me. I never belonged there but I made sure that I did. Veronica, what do you have here? For 11 years you lived in utter sadness without a soul and now you have a chance to go back to a life. A real life.
Amazingly, I seem to get through to Veronica. She was more surprised than I was at this.
Me: Just imagine you in London. We going shopping, to the balls in honour of us, the press conferences, the publicity...it excites me just to think of it!
Veronica: But my parents...
Me: Listen to me. You are a very selfless and kind girl. You took strangers in and cared for them. You put humanity over safety. Now you don't get those qualities from no where. You get them from your parents. And I just know that they are as wonderful as you! Parents will never be angry when children decide to move on. Your parents will not. A mother want's her child to prosper. My God Veronica, they will grief at the thought of you wasting your life because of them. That would be the real torture. It's time to let go.
Veronica: Sometimes I do think of it.
Me: Well now it's time to stop thinking and start packing! You can stay with me. I will get a good tutor to teach you way of life in London. We could go to all the balls in honour of us, the press conferences and...
Veronica: the shopping
Me: The shopping! And Melone...
Veronica: Which brings us to Glades!
Me: Don't worry about her. That is between Melone and her. It is her who would suffer if she force Melone to be with her. Besides, I can easily find a good bloke for you. What would you like? A Officer? Governor? Lawyer?
Veronica: Governor would do!
Me: Well Governess (Making a curtsy) shall we inform the others?
Veronica: We shall.
We walked off laughing.
Challenger: Well what is this all about?
Me: Veronica, do the honors!
Veronica: I'm coming back to London!
Roxton almost choked at his drink and Melone stood stoned. When he finally came to, he threw his arms around her and celebrated forgetting about his other, how should I say, engagements.
All packed and ready to go, with the diamonds safely in my backpack and Veronica in a proper dress, we sat down for a meeting. Challenger had decided that he would first look at the reaction of the people before answering to if we had found the Lost World. He felt that it would be a disaster if the plateau was to be raped by greedy men like Applegate....and me. Till everything is clear, I will hide a dinosaur egg in my traveling case and when given the green light, present it to the world. Talk about asking the wolf to take care of the hens!
We decided to leave the tree house as soon as possible, stopping only to bid good bye to Asai. Wish I had met Tribune! I was sure going to miss him. As hard as it was, we decided not to look back and went to the cave. As we entered, I spoke to Roxton.
Me: Well Roxton. We are finally going home. Taking anything precious?
I added that remembering the story Melone wrote. He obviously knew that and answered to my disappointment.
Roxton: No!
v
Me: O sad! I was planing to give a prize for the best souvenir.
Roxton: What would be the prize?
Me: Me to know and for you to find out!
I ran my finger across his chest and went to road to civilization.
There was a light at the other end. I passed through and....
We all reached the end of the tunnel to reach a shore, a fishing village in Brazil. Melone and Roxton went to the town, where they would find means of communication with London, while we stayed back. They came back with the good news that London had wired a cruiser to bring us all back to London. However, due to traveling problems, only Challenger, Veronica and myself was able to reach the ship in time. Melone and Roxton were to follow in the next voyage. It was better as Melone needed to come up with more excuses for Glades! I could not even bit a proper farewell to Roxton. There was so much to be said but...O there was time. I could always tell him under the lights in London.
It had been a week since we arrived in London and what a week it had been. The only good news was that of Summerlee who had found a way back to London a few months back. The poor soul had been suffering from amnesia and is currently in Paris for a vacation. He was informed of our arrival but it failed to ring a bell. I had to settle my business, which was not pleasant, and also got our Jungle princess settled down although she still preferred to use the curtain and not the stairs to come down! Challenger tried to say as less as possible in press conferences stating Roxton and Melone's absence as an excuse. Ah Roxton, or John as I refer to him in my heart...
The doorbell interrupted my thoughts. After a while, my maid announced the name of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Miss Elizabeth. She was a hard woman, richly dressed with an even richer aristocratic tone. Following her was a girl of no more than five and twenty. The rosy cheeks small hands and curled hair made her look like a character from a Charles Dickens novel. I performed a curtsy, which she ignored and took seat on a chair.
Lady: Miss Krux I presume?
Me: Yes my lady and this is Miss Layton. (Veronica bowed her head)
Me: To what do we owe this honour?
Lady: I come here to ask you about my godson Lord Roxton.
I set out a burst of laughter, which I turned to a cough, not being able to believe that Roxton having a babysitter!
Lady: As I was saying, he went on this treacherous expedition without my permission and finally he will be back.
Me: With Gods blessings, yes.
Lady: Miss Krux, as you know he is of fine class and comes from a very respected family (She said those words with great emphasis, lifting her chin higher each time)
Me: I'm sure Hippolita and Danielle would confirm that. (Veronica started to laugh at the back)
Lady: Those are monarchs I believe?
Me: O yes. (Veronica just had to leave the room!)
Lady: As I was saying, when John returns, he will be engaged to my fine daughter Elisabeth.
I felt my whole world collapse at that moment. It was as if someone pulled out my very heart!
Me: Lord Roxton did not mention any of...
Lady: That's due to the reason that he himself does not know it.
Lady: Miss Krux, I'm here to ask you and your other friends, that reporter boy and that girl you have, to keep away from him. From now on your friendship with him will have to be of mere acquaintance and nothing more. You know of your social class and breed and I'm sure you realize that it is far from ours. I do not approve of his attachments with people without a...past.
Me: I understand.
Lady: Well then my job here is done. Please keep your word.
Me: I will my lady.
Lady: Come now Elizabeth!
She left with the same pride as she walked in and I related the story to Veronica. I also made her promise that she would not utter a word to Roxton. In my heart, I knew that Roxton recognize the proposal. He was probably the one who sent the message! After that I went up to my room. That was all the distance I could take without grief. I threw myself on the bed and cried bitterly. O why, why can't we ever be together?!
The next day, the ship carrying the two harbored. Of cause Elizabeth was present to greet Roxton as I kept further as possible. Veronica was delighted to see Melone as she threw her arms around him, as the cameras flashed. Melone did look around for Glades.
Me: She is not coming.
Melone: Uh?
Me: Glades. She married a Lawyer and now resides in Bath. An unhappy marriage I heard.
Melone: thank God! I mean....
Me: We know!
At that moment, Roxton walked in with Elizabeth on his arm.
Roxton: Marguerite! (He leaned over to wish me but I stepped back to his surprise)
Roxton: I'm sure you have been enjoying yourself! Well look at Veronica! (Elizabeth tugged at Roxton)
Roxton: Where are my manners! Everyone this is Elizabeth. She is my...
Me: Your acquaintance with her needs no explanation.
Roxton: Fine. This is Veronica, Melone, Challenger and Mar...
Me: Miss Krux.
Roxton: And Miss Krux.
Me: Well if you are done Veronica, I need to go home.
Veronica: I'll come with Melone.
Challenger: Don't forget the press conference!
Me: I won't. Good day Miss Elizabeth, Good day lord Roxton. Bye Guys!
I left hoping Roxton will feel the change in me. That afternoon, Melone arrived with Veronica and Roxton. While the two talked by the door, Roxton and I took a walk.
Roxton: How is Veronica doing?
Me: Well she had been busy exploring London to miss the plateau. But she does need constant reminder to go to the door and check who is here rather than climbing on a tree!
Roxton: Mar...
Me: Miss Krux.
Roxton: What is going on with you?! You have been calling me Lord Roxton and Miss Krux and curtsying and what not!
Me: I'm just giving due respects to a person of higher class and position!
Roxton: No you are Marguerite Krux the woman I...
I covered my ears and ran back to the house as Roxton ran after me. I was running up the stairs when the maid stopped me just as Roxton reach the foot of the stairs.
Maid: Shall I serve tea mum.
Me: No need (I said without turning) Lord Roxton was just leaving!
Not a wink I slept that night. How could I when all I lived for despise me? I hated him for what he did. Every one who ever loved or pretended to love me did this. Promised me the world and took it away again! Why, John, why?
At the conference next day, Challenger denied the fact that we found the lost world to protect the it from the rapacious hands of the world. It was hard for him, we knew, but he did a brave thing. I guess the egg will now have to be disposed of. Of cause I was in another world, starring at nothing at all. After sometime, the interview turned to the topic romance.
Reporter 1: Miss Krux?
Me: Er...yes
Reporter 1: You have not commented at all.
Me: Well I have nothing to comment on!
Reporter 2: Miss Krux, Mr. Melone told of his love story. Any of yours?
Me: Well, the only eligible bachelor was taken, challenger was very married and Summerlee...well he went missing before I could propose! (Everyone laughed)
Reporter 3: What about Lord Roxton?
Melone: Ya what about him?
Me: Well, Lord Roxton and I are friends, we still are and fortunately or unfortunately, I do not know, we did not have any romance. He did have a love affair with his guns!
I decided to leave as soon as the interview was over when Roxton caught me.
Roxton: Mar... Miss Krux, will you be at the ball next week?
Me: Does it matter to you?
I got into my automobile and left. The next morning, I received news that Challenger was sick due to the humiliation of his expedition. Worst of all, Roxton's engagement was to be announced today! I went to the third floor in my house and stepped over the rail and closed my eyes. The wind slapped my face and teased my hair. It was as if Roxton's hands clasped me. I wanted that feeling! I needed it! But I can never have it!
So I'll let go!
Will she jump? Is it a dream? Or reality?
