A TWIST OF FATE
Chapter Nine

Rose was dressing for the dinner party. She sat at her dresser whilst Trudy helped to pin her hair up. Cal walked in, without knocking. Rose glanced up at him. He didn't appear to steady on his feet and had a strange grin on his face.

"Excuse us please Trudy" Rose turned to face Cal.

"You've been drinking."

"I might have had a few pre-dinner drinks with my friends."

"And I thought you went to the Gentleman's club to talk."

"And my fair Rose, what do you know of Gentleman's clubs?" Cal leaned over and started to kiss her neck.

"Cal, stop it. I am trying to get ready for dinner."

Cal continued to kiss her neck and ran his hands over her shoulders.

"Cal, I said stop it." Rose pulled his hands off her then nervously waited for his reaction.

Cal sat slightly unsteadily on the dresser top. "My fairest Rose with a temper like fire!" he laughed.

Rose was slightly confused. When Cal was like this she could never tell which way he would go. Luckily, he seemed very good-humored at the moment.

"My fire Rose, I have a small gift for you." Cal pulled a box from his pocket and offered it to Rose. She took it and opened it. Inside was a ruby and pearl choker.

"Why Cal, it's quite beautiful," exclaimed Rose.

"It's a thank you gift. To say thank you for the improvement in your attitude of late." Smiled Cal.

Rose felt like a good dog that had been given a bone.

"It is part of a set of three pieces. When you are pregnant, you can have the second. When my son is born, you can have the third." Cal continued to smile at Rose. She couldn't help notice that his smile seemed false and not as dazzling as Jacks.

"I'd like you to wear it for me tonight."

"Why certainly Cal." Rose smiled back. "Now can you leave me to continue to get dressed?"

"Of course sweetpea, of course!" Cal departed the bedroom and Rose heaved a sigh of relief. She looked at the box. Another trinket, just what she needed. She had more jewelry than Asprey's. And how dare he reward her like some dog! She picked the box up and angrily threw it across the room. By the end of the evening Cal was going to be well drunk. That meant he was going to be rough with her. Her anger and revulsion began to well up inside her. She began to take deep breaths to try and calm a little. Trudy returned.

"Are you ready Miss Rose?"

"Yes Trudy" sighed Rose. I am going to have to pretend again, she thought.

Rose hated dinner parties. The food was normally extravagant and rich, just like the company. The conversation was narrow minded and boring. She feared tonight it would be exceptionally so. However, when Colonel Brandon, an old friend of Cal's switched the subject to art, Rose could hardly believe her luck.

"These are some paintings you have here of your most beautiful wife Cal. Are you a bit of a collector?"

"No not at all George. These are just a little something I had done to remind me of what a lucky gentleman I am! No I can't stand these obscure daubings that they call art these days. Rose purchased some dreadful paintings when we were in Europe. She has a proper little collection of the damned things." Cal gestured that he wanted his wine glass refilling.

"Ah Rose, so you are the collector of the house then?"

"Oh yes Colonel Brandon. I'd be pleased to show you my gallery. I am afraid my taste and Cal's differ somewhat."

"Yes, I can see that. Yes." The colonel took a swallow of his drink. "That explains what you were doing at the park the other day. Some fine artists sell their work there, yes. You buy some pieces there?"

Rose didn't take her eyes off the Colonel. From the corner of her eye she could see Cal stop in mid sip to stare at her. This meant trouble.

"You are correct. I have purchased some works from there. There are some fine new artists displaying their works." Rose gave one of her dazzling smiles to everyone at the table without catching Cal's eye.

"And some fine looking one's to boot eh?" the Colonel chuckled. "Especially that young blonde one eh, Rose?" The Colonel carried on chuckling at his joke. "You'll have to watch her Cal, else the young rogue will have her off to Paris to join the bourgeois set."

Rose could feel Cal's eyes boring into her. The conversation topic was immediately changed, but she knew that the damage had been done.

After dinner the men got up and went to the drawing room for a brandy, the ladies to the parlor. As the ladies went into the room, Cal stood in the hall smiling and nodding to them all. Rose was the last one to leave the dining room after checking the servants were clearing up. Taking her by surprise, Cal grabbed her roughly by the arm and pulled her towards him.

"What was that all about?" he hissed into her face.

"Cal, let go of my arm, you're hurting." Rose exclaimed quietly not wanting anyone to overhear.

Cal glanced around to make sure everyone was still in their respective rooms.

"Not until you tell me what that was all about."

"What?"

"Rose, don't make a fool out of me. George saw you in the park with a blonde man."

"Cal, he was just an artist."

"What were you doing in the park? I forbid you to go out."

Rose was nearly crying from the pain in her arm.

"Are you coming Cal?" George emerged from the drawing room.

Cal let go of Rose, turned round and smiled " Of course old man! Pour me a brandy."

He turned back to Rose and angrily hissed. "I will deal with you later." He then followed George into the room leaving a shocked and fearful Rose behind.

Chapter Ten
Stories