Curse of Rose de Winter

Chapter 48

Blanche went to live in the de Winter house and without further ado I returned too, sending Rosalind some money that I had kept when I worked long ago. The rent was high but she refused her parents' money, so I hid it under a cup then ran away.

It was fall and leaves were changing into my more loved colors, red, yellow, and trees looked golden from their place. I thought of bringing Dylan to see it from outside the treehouse, or a higher place.

When I entered the house I learned from Irene that Claribel and Scarlett both left. Calvin wanted to leave, too, but Ruby wanted to see me. So it was Blanche, Dylan, Vaughn, Calvin, Ruby, and I.

Blanche had briefly met them, even Dylan, and when I came I saw her at the table.

"Good afternoon Blanche," I whispered. She was definitely upset at my choice to refuse and testify against Dylan, but she only nodded.

"Rosemarie Blackwood, right?"

"Listen, Blanche, I'm not really Rosemarie. I pretended to be a dead girl," I explained suddenly, not caring Irene was standing at the doorway. "I'm a poor girl. My dad died and my mom threw me out of the house, and I don't really live in this area growing up. I had a rough life."

Why was I so aggressive? Oh, I suppose these are the witches people read about in books, always mean and needing to feel above you.

"But of course I know your suffering can't be compared to anything I've ever experienced," I lied.

"Oh, you have a transatlantic accent. Like how they speak in the films."

What? Out of everything, this was not what I expected to hear from Blanche. Was this mockery? No, it didn't sound like one.

"Yes," I said slowly, suddenly overtly aware of my words, "I have indeed copied famous actresses like Kelly Grace and Marilyn Monroe." I sat down. "I can even do impersonations. Look." I changed my voice before I spoke again.

"Excuse you, watch where you are going, young lady!" I snapped, stretching out the word 'lady'. I had Scarlett's voice in mind.

Blanche smiled, amused at my dumb theatrics.

"Fine, do one of a rich and tragic young heiress," she said.

"Oh, woe be me! I must find a husband, of all people! This is ridiculous, if only father in Heaven knew how much I missed him!" I said.

"Wow. That's really just...not me." Blanche turned away. "I'm leaving this place."

"What?"

"Listen, you knew what happened to me, and how Hughes betrayed me for the eldest son." Blanche gave a glare, aghast at my betrayal she heard from Vaughn, I'd guess. "I'm leaving this place, but I'll be marrying and receiving money. Vaughn has agreed. And this house, we said, we won't ever need."

"Wait, what?"

Vaughn agree? To marry her?

He was a jealous snake! He wanted the fortune—

"Before you get this wrong, we agreed to go on with our own lives and the money will all be mine. I simply didn't want any of you winning," Blanche said again, as though I was a de Winter. As though I were Scarlett the witch or Claribel the Great. Or maybe, in her eyes, I did look like a well-off and greedy crone.

I sighed and tugged at my hands, raising my head to look at her, ashamed. There were no excuses for my choice.

"I'm sorry, Blanche," I whispered.

"Don't call me that." Her eyes darted back to me. "I'm sorry, I'm just—not Blanche. I'm not pretty like you, rich, smart enough to act, and I am in the end, unlike most of the de Winter family. My name is Judy."