Chapter Twenty-One
In Sleep He Sang to Me
Melanie was forced to change for dinner. Only a few of the team members joined them. Morgan, Reid, Prentiss, and Garcia sat at the end of the table, while Melanie, Charlie, Aggie, and Victoria sat toward the front with their mother on the end. The Greywalds: Charlotte and Annette with Phillip sat on the other side.
"I just think it's wonderful that Phillip found Melanie after all this time and now...why their courting!" Annette mused.
"Perhaps a wedding is in the future, eh, Phillip?" Dresella said. Melanie coughed, uncomfortable. She ran her hands down her long red frock, smoothing it. Phillip tapped his foot against Melly's and she jumped with a yelp. His eyes widened and he smiled breath-takingly. She didn't notice Charlotte's glare at her as she smiled at her secret fiance.
"What a lovely supper, Dresella. You must simply tell me where you found your chef," Annette cried.
"Family friend. Don't go coveting, darling," Dresella crooned with a smile.
"Dresella, darling, I hope you don't mind, but I was wishing to take a look around Ardely's grounds."
"Oh, by all means. I do believe Miss Charlotte wanted to see the library?" Dresella cried.
"Oh, yes, please, Mrs. Wilkes!" Charlotte cried. She had never had a taste for books. They were dreadful boring and she didn't read anymore than her education demanded, but she needed to talk to Phillip. He couldn't court Melanie. Not while he loved her.
"Phillip, would you mind showing Miss Charlotte the library?"
"I'd be honored, Ma'am."
Melanie smiled at her mother after all the Greywald's had dispersed.
"What a cool liar you are, Mother."
"Yes, well, years of practice, darling. You, on the other hand, have a tell."
"I do?"
"Yes."
"...Well what is it?"
"I'm not going to tell you."
"Uhhhh!!"
"Don't make that noise," her mother reprimanded. "I'm retiring for the night. Give our guests my condolences, Charles."
"Yes, Mother," Charlie replied as mother left. Melanie tried to meet Charlie's eye, but he refused to. He was like Melanie.
Proud.
***
"Now, Charlotte, enlighten me. Why in the world do you want to see the library?" Phillip watched his adoptive sister run to the door and lock it without saying a word. "What are you doing?" he asked. "What's going on?"
Charlotte placed both her little hands on his lapels.
"Oh, Phillip, I love you."
"...Charlotte-"
"I love you, I do, I do. Say you love me. Say it."
Phillip shook his head. "Why can't we leave here and forget all that you've said?"
"Why?" she asked, scared.
"I do intend to marry Melanie."
"You can't love her. You can't. She's nothing but a pale ninny who can't open her mouth except to say 'yes' or 'no' or raise a pack of measly mouth brats-"
"You mustn't say such things," Phillip said.
"You do love her..." Charlotte said. Tears in her eyes. "I can't believe it...you lead me on..."
"Now, Charlotte, I never said-"
"No! It's true, you did! I hate you and I'll hate you till I die! I can't think of anything bad enough to call you!" she slapped Phillip as hard as she could across the face. He didn't look at his sister, instead he went to the door, and closed it behind him without a word.
That damn Melanie Wilkes! she thought, it's all her fault. She's taken my role and now my life. I'll... she fell into a heap on the floor, crying.
***
"Cal, that supper was lovely," Melanie supplied again, while she helped him wash the dishes.
"Thank you, Miss Melly," he sighed, running his tan hands over his bald head again. "You don't need to help me wash the dishes, Miss Melly. I thank you, but, it's not your job. You go to bed. You've got that big performance tomorrow night."
"Oh, Cal, it's alright, I'm not tired."
"Miss Melly-"
The door burst open,"Cal, have you seen-" Charlie stopped dead, staring at his sister. He straightened his back and stared coldly at the space just above her head.
"Mammy's looking for you."
"...Thank you, Charli-" but he had gone.
"What's the matter with Master Charlie?" Cal asked.
"I haven't a clue. Cal, what happened in that year when I was gone to college?"
"Nothing of significance. Charlie wasn't around Ardely much. When he was, he was with Miss Dresella."
Melanie sighed, wiping off one last plate. "Alright, I best go find Mammy before she gets us both."
***
Melanie performed the aerie flawlessly that night, much to Charlotte's dismay. Audrey had laughed saying that,"See? What did I tell you? NATURAL blondes have more fun!" Melanie had to bite her finger to keep from going into hysterics with her microphone still on.
"Honestly!" Audrey said,"It looked better when it was that black she was born with and then she gets a bottle of peroxide! And those eyes of hers...ehhh..."
"You mustn't say unkind things about her. She could be my sister one day."
"And I pity you for that."
Melanie rolled her eyes as Audrey laughed again.
"Help me get this huge dress off?" she asked.
"Nope. On your own."
"Audrey!"
"Kidding! You would like die of suffocation from all the lace. Which, although hilarious, would make for a sad death."
"Uh, yeah," Melanie said. "Spend the night at Ardely?"
"Can't. I, err-"
"Need to make up a lie so you won't have to say you're meeting Tommy somewhere?"
"Melly!" Audrey stared at her friend, in shock. "Is it that obvious?" she asked.
"Tommy isn't that bad," Melanie said, hugging her friend while shrugged off the petticoat, then the hoop.
"He's sweet on me," Audrey said.
"He always has been," Melanie informed her. A knock interrupted Audrey's next thought.
"Can I come in?" Phillip yelled through the door.
"I'm undressing, wait a moment!"
"So you can be fully naked?" Tommy's voice yelled back.
"I hate your boyfriend," Melanie hissed.
"You just said he wasn't that bad!"
"Tough, I hate him again," Melanie said as she slipped on a white cotton frock. Phillip and Tommy were let in the main dressing room, and the latter left with Audrey. Phillip stayed and shut the door. He presented his fiance with a red rose and kissed both her palms. He kissed her ring finger.
"I wish I could see the engagement ring on your finger. You don't have any idea how much joy I get from seeing you wearing it."
Melanie smiled, then freed her hands. Turning to the vanity, she reached in a drawer and pulled out her gold necklace she always wore with the gold plated cross and the skeleton key. There was a new trinket on it now. A gold band with a red ruby. Phillip smiled.
"Want to know a secret?" Melanie told him.
"Yes," he smiled.
"I have two," she said. "First...do you know I've kept every rose you've ever gave me?"
"Really?" he smiled.
"Yes. All 23 of them. Now 24. I keep them in a box, in my bedroom, hidden under a floor board."
"What's the other secret?" he asked.
"How much I really love you," she whispered. She smiled at her fiance as he kissed all over her face and neck. And the fact that I'm considering letting me kiss you.
***
Spencer wasn't surprised that Ardely had all the rooms. There were only a few downstairs, not counting the kitchen, great room, dinning room, library, an office that was locked, and a rec. room for the children. The second level was set up odd. A square. In the middle of the floor was two rooms back to back. Mrs. and Mr. Wilkes. Spencer didn't think it odd they slept in two separate bedrooms. Nothing was shocking about this family. They brought traditional to a whole new level. Their was then a hall outside of that, then more rooms along the perimeter. Melanie's, then Aggie's, Victoria's, and Charlie's on the other side of Melanie's. 12 rooms ran around the perimeter, then the two in the middle. The third floor was the biggest ball room ever seen. The library was well stocked, as was the kitchen.
Spencer was awake all that night, and he got up several times to go refill his cup of water. He heard music, very faint, coming from Melanie's room all night, and wondered how she stayed awake all day if that's what she spent her nights doing. Spencer sighed. She would be tired and irritable tomorrow.
***
"Where is that Miss Melly? You think that young girl could get herself up..." Mammy said. Spencer stared. "Is she still in bed?"
"I s'pose so, Docta Reid. Commin' check with Mammy." The two climbed the stairs to the second floor, and into Melanie's room. Mammy went and threw open the black out curtains and there was Melanie in her bed, the sheets tucked tightly around her as she sat up.
Her eyes wide and scared.
"Is it morning now?" she whispered.
"Yes, chile. You sure took your time to wake up."
"I'm sorry, Mammy," she said hoarsely.
"Melly," Spencer asked her,"what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Reid!" Morgan came bounding up the stairs,"We've got anther murder. Completely different M.O. Reid, this one was hanged."
"Melly?" Spencer asked.
"Last night..." she whispered,"...I heard voices...he was singing..."
"Damien..." Reid said, looking at Morgan. Morgan darted off as Melanie stared at nothing with her wide scared eyes. She could hear his voice echo up the stairs.
"HOTCH! HE'S BACK!"
"He's back..." Melanie whispered,"And more people are going to die..."
***
Melanie performed the aerie flawlessly that night, much to Charlotte's dismay. Audrey had laughed saying that,"See? What did I tell you? NATURAL blondes have more fun!" Melanie had to bite her finger to keep from going into hysterics with her microphone still on.
"Honestly!" Audrey said,"It looked better when it was that black she was born with and then she gets a bottle of peroxide! And those eyes of hers...ehhh..."
"You mustn't say unkind things about her. She could be my sister one day."
"And I pity you for that."
Melanie rolled her eyes as Audrey laughed again.
"Help me get this huge dress off?" she asked.
"Nope. On your own."
"Audrey!"
"Kidding! You would like die of suffocation from all the lace. Which, although hilarious, would make for a sad death."
"Uh, yeah," Melanie said. "Spend the night at Ardely?"
"Can't. I, err-"
"Need to make up a lie so you won't have to say you're meeting Tommy somewhere?"
"Melly!" Audrey stared at her friend, in shock. "Is it that obvious?" she asked.
"Tommy isn't that bad," Melanie said, hugging her friend while shrugged off the petticoat, then the hoop.
"He's sweet on me," Audrey said.
"He always has been," Melanie informed her. A knock interrupted Audrey's next thought.
"Can I come in?" Phillip yelled through the door.
"I'm undressing, wait a moment!"
"So you can be fully naked?" Tommy's voice yelled back.
"I hate your boyfriend," Melanie hissed.
"You just said he wasn't that bad!"
"Tough, I hate him again," Melanie said as she slipped on a white cotton frock. Phillip and Tommy were let in the main dressing room, and the latter left with Audrey. Phillip stayed and shut the door. He presented his fiance with a red rose and kissed both her palms. He kissed her ring finger.
"I wish I could see the engagement ring on your finger. You don't have any idea how much joy I get from seeing you wearing it."
Melanie smiled, then freed her hands. Turning to the vanity, she reached in a drawer and pulled out her gold necklace she always wore with the gold plated cross and the skeleton key. There was a new trinket on it now. A gold band with a red ruby. Phillip smiled.
"Want to know a secret?" Melanie told him.
"Yes," he smiled.
"I have two," she said. "First...do you know I've kept every rose you've ever gave me?"
"Really?" he smiled.
"Yes. All 23 of them. Now 24. I keep them in a box, in my bedroom, hidden under a floor board."
"What's the other secret?" he asked.
"How much I really love you," she whispered. She smiled at her fiance as he kissed all over her face and neck. And the fact that I'm considering letting me kiss you.
***
Spencer wasn't surprised that Ardely had all the rooms. There were only a few downstairs, not counting the kitchen, great room, dinning room, library, an office that was locked, and a rec. room for the children. The second level was set up odd. A square. In the middle of the floor was two rooms back to back. Mrs. and Mr. Wilkes. Spencer didn't think it odd they slept in two separate bedrooms. Nothing was shocking about this family. They brought traditional to a whole new level. Their was then a hall outside of that, then more rooms along the perimeter. Melanie's, then Aggie's, Victoria's, and Charlie's on the other side of Melanie's. 12 rooms ran around the perimeter, then the two in the middle. The third floor was the biggest ball room ever seen. The library was well stocked, as was the kitchen.
Spencer was awake all that night, and he got up several times to go refill his cup of water. He heard music, very faint, coming from Melanie's room all night, and wondered how she stayed awake all day if that's what she spent her nights doing. Spencer sighed. She would be tired and irritable tomorrow.
***
"Where is that Miss Melly? You think that young girl could get herself up..." Mammy said. Spencer stared. "Is she still in bed?"
"I s'pose so, Docta Reid. Commin' check with Mammy." The two climbed the stairs to the second floor, and into Melanie's room. Mammy went and threw open the black out curtains and there was Melanie in her bed, the sheets tucked tightly around her as she sat up.
Her eyes wide and scared.
"Is it morning now?" she whispered.
"Yes, chile. You sure took your time to wake up."
"I'm sorry, Mammy," she said hoarsely.
"Melly," Spencer asked her,"what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Reid!" Morgan came bounding up the stairs,"We've got anther murder. Completely different M.O. Reid, this one was hanged."
"Melly?" Spencer asked.
"Last night..." she whispered,"...I heard voices...he was singing..."
"Damien..." Reid said, looking at Morgan. Morgan darted off as Melanie stared at nothing with her wide scared eyes. She could hear his voice echo up the stairs.
"HOTCH! HE'S BACK!"
"He's back..." Melanie whispered,"And more people are going to die..."
No comments:
Post a Comment