A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Forty-Seven
The horse’s hooves resonated on the hot road
as the carriage traveled the small distance to the Catholic Church. Jack
breathed out deeply as he leaned back on the plush seats. He glanced over at
Fabri, who was looking out of the window.
“You OK?” he asked.
“Yeah” Fabri grinned. “You know Jack. I am
grateful that you are here for me” His face clouded a little. “I am sorry I
wasn’t there for you”
“Hey, lets not talk about that. It’s yours
and Maria’s day.” He smiled. “This is it!”
“You have the rings?”
“Of course!” replied Jack confidently, then
feeling secretly in his pocket for the box. It was there, safe with his
precious watch.
The church was only a few blocks away.
Flowers and ribbons decorated the gate. Already people were gathered. A buzz
went up as the carriage stopped. The coachman opened the door, Jack getting out
first followed by his friend. They straightened their jackets, and ran a hand
over their hair. Again Jack was lost in a crowd of people that knew Fabri. A
few of the men he vaguely recognized from the night before. Hands were being
thrust out for them to shake. Jack just smiled and nodded slightly at each of
them. Then one man he did recognize stepped forward.
“Hello again Jack”
“Hello Mr. Massarella”
“Please, please call me Joe”
“Ok, Joe”
“So how is the boy shaping up eh? You taking
good care of him?” The large friendly man gestured at Fabri.
Jack grinned in Fabri’s direction. “Yes I
am.”
“You still remember what I said last night
eh?”
“Oh yes.”
“Good, I was worried that the wine would
cloud your memory.” Joe laughed out loud.
“Listen, you come tomorrow as we arranged.
You bring some of your work. If it is as good as they say, then the job is
yours. I need a reliable artist and the job done by the end of the month.” He
slapped Jack warmly on the back, taking him by surprise. “You two look very
good, very good”. Laughing again, he wandered off to talk to someone else. Jack
was pleased, the arrangement still stood. He looked over to Fabri, whose hair,
buttonhole and suit were being fussed over by a gang of middle-aged ladies.
Poor Fabri looked so flustered. Jack glanced over to Joe. He was some friend of
the family with a big new restaurant almost ready to open. He wanted some
scenes of his hometown in Italy painting on the walls. Finding someone for the
job had not been easy. And he was offering good money too.
Jack pulled back into reality with the
arrival of another carriage. He dashed over to rescue Fabri. “Time to go in” he
told him. Jack smiled charmingly at the woman. “See you ladies later!” They all
smiled back at the polite young man and asked each other who he was.
Fabri nodded and re-straightened his
buttonhole. “Ok Jack”
They headed into the Church. As they passed
under the stone arch, Jack glanced backward and caught a glimpse of Teresa,
dressed in blue, stepping down from the carriage.
Putting an arm on Fabri’s shoulder he
whispered to him “This is it!”
Rose sat up in bed. She knew this was the
afternoon of the wedding and wondered what Jack was doing now. She tried to
picture him in a suit, but couldn’t. All she thought of was those intense blue
eyes and smudges of charcoal on his cheek. She was disturbed by a knock at the
door and Trudy appeared, followed by her Mother. This was unexpected.
“Rose darling, how are you?” she asked,
sitting on the bed.
“I am fine Mama and you?” To Rose,
pleasantries seemed totally absurd.
Rose looked at her daughters pale complexion
and red eyes. She had been crying, that was evident.
“I need to speak to you” Ruth turned to Trudy
and asked her to get some tea. Rose felt trapped. The serious look on Ruth’s
face belied what she wanted to speak about.
“Mama, I am tired and in the circumstances I
do not feel like talking” Rose played with the coverlet on the bed. She didn’t
know where this conversation was leading. Her voice was cracking with emotion.
Ruth took her daughters hand.
“This is very difficult for me Rose. But I
must ask. I am afraid for you. Did Cal push you down the stairs?”
Rose looked her in the face.
“No, mother, it was an accident. Cal wouldn’t
push me down the stairs would he?”
“Darling, I am not a fool. Rose, I, I know
what Cal can be like. Please. You must tell me.”
“Mother, it was an accident. I tripped and
fell. Cal tried to catch me but.” Rose paused. “It was too late” She turned
away from her mother now, a tear forming in her eye.
Ruth surveyed her daughters face. Just as she
had sold Rose into this marriage, without telling Rose the truth, now Rose too
was not going to reveal the truth. Ruth brushed a strand of red hair from
Rose’s face.
“ I know Cal can be difficult Rose. But you
have not made things easy. I told you not so long ago that you must behave
yourself. He will not tolerate your wild fancies. Now this has happened.” Ruth
sighed and released Rose’s hand. “Have you asked yourself just how much of this
you have brought on yourself?”
“Thank you for your support Mother” retorted
Rose, slightly flushed. She put a hand up to her eye. Her Mother silently
passed her a handkerchief.
“It is not a case of support Rose, but of
practicality.” Ruth snapped, them realizing her tone of voice, took a breath to
calm herself.
“You knew the situation we were in. Cal knew
we were practically penniless, but he accepted you. But you would not honor his
requests. Now what will become of us?”
“Of you, you mean,” thought Rose to herself.
“What do you mean Mother?” Rose asked. Her
Mother rose from the bed and walked over to he window.
“I fear for you Rose. I do not want my only
daughter dead because she could not behave herself. Goodness me, did your
schooling not prepare you to behave, as a wife should? Cal has been most
generous to us both and indeed, he could be a good husband and father if you
will let him.” She turned back to Rose.
“I only wanted to know, to hear from you
yourself that he tried to push you down the stairs.”
“You didn’t seem too interested all the other
bruises and marks I had. Why the interest now?” Rose couldn’t help herself.
Ruth came over. “Life is never easy for us
women. You do not think that your father never laid a hand on me?”
Rose looked wide-eyed at her mother in
disbelief.
“Father would never have. NEVER”
“You always believed your Father was perfect.
Of course he would never hit me Rose. The same as he would never gamble or
disappear for days on ‘business’”
Ruth leaned closer to Rose.
“Open your eyes girl and listen. No one is
perfect. But if you want to stay alive I suggest you do as Cal wants and says.
You have a good life here, as do I. do not ruin it for us. Or Cal may well ruin
it for us.”
There was a knock and Ruth called for Trudy
to enter. Rose sat and stared silently at her Mother clutching the handkerchief
tightly.
Trudy placed the tea tray on the table and
poured the tea. With a short curtsy, she left them alone.
Rose was still in shock at her Mother’s
words.
“Your Father was a very demanding man, just
as Cal with not such business sense or the available capital. He was deceitful
Rose. He lied to me and to you.”
“Not Daddy” Rose almost squeaked in a quiet
voice. She struggled to hold back the tears.
“You only saw him as a child sees someone.
You are old enough now to understand Rose. Oh Rose, I love you, can you not see
that?”
“Please Mother, I want to left alone” Raised
blinked back a tear.
Ruth put her cup down.
“Very well. But think on what I have said.
For your own sake.” With a kiss she was gone.
Cal heard Ruth coming down the stairs and
went to meet her in the Hall. Lovejoy had already informed him that Ruth had
raised her voice to Rose.
Ruth looked grimly at her son-in-law.
“You have done a very good job Cal. You are
right. She will not tell me the truth.”
Cal leaned towards Ruth.
“Let us hope that she does not then Ruth. Not
if you want to continue living in that house. We do not want a scandal do we?”
“Of course not Caledon. That is why Rose is
going to behave herself. Then there will be no need for any further
unpleasantries will there?”
Cal thought for a moment then nodded at Ruth
in agreement. Once again Rose’s life was beyond her control.