Roselyne was dreaming. She had a daddy, who was a famous actor and who was married to her mother and she could be an actor like she wanted to! Life was beautiful! She was smiling in her sleep. When she opened her eyes, she asked herself where she was for a minute, then everything came back to her. She was at her "father's"... and she has to call her mother to tell her where she was... She was had to confront her mother sooner or later.
She woke up and ran to look out the window. She looked outside, people were walking, some came from the bakery with hot bread, others came from the market, others were coming back from work, it was a normal day for everybody.
There was a knock at the door.
- Come in! She said
A maid came in with clothes for her.
- Good morning Miss. I came to prepare your bath...
- Good morning! Oh... thank you! She replied smiling.
The maid looked at Roselyne. She looked so much like Eleonor Baker! She was probably the hidden daughter of Master Grandchester! Poor Miss Marlowe! She would have to tell the others! She went to prepare the bath for Roselyne and she got out, leaving the young lady to wash herself on her own. She was going to come back and help her get dressed. Meanwhile she ran to tell the news she had just uncovered to the others. Master Grandchester had a hidden daughter! The news spread like fire in the household...
*
* *
Roselyne finished taking her bath and got out of the bathroom, draped into a big towel. She went to the bedroom and she found the maid arranging a very beautiful dress for her.
- Oh but, I can put the dress I had on last night!
- Master Grandchester insisted you wear this dress, the other one is not in good shape...
Roselyne looked at her ruined dress by the thugs last night...
- Oh I forgot... all right! I'm going to make sure to thank my father...
The maid opened her big eyes. Her father? She was indeed Master Grandchester's hidden daughter! Poor Miss Marlowe!! How could Master Grandchester be so horrible with the woman who saved his life? She loved him so much and he was having children with another woman! What a lout!
The maid continued helping Roselyne, against her will and she did her hair, by brushing it hard, but Roselyne seemed to have a strong scalp...
- Thank you so much, said Roselyne with a nice smile
- You're welcome, said the maid.
And she left. Roselyne went downstairs for breakfast. She arrived in the living room and she found Terry and Eleonor.
- Good morning! She said smiling
- Good morning! Said Terry smiling
- Good morning! Said Eleonor smiling
Roselyne sat down next to Eleonor. Terry looked at them. The resemblance was uncanny.
- You have to call your mother today, said Terry.
- Yes, she said with a little voice.
- She must be very worried..., said Eleonor.
- I'm sure of it, said Roselyne.
A maid arrived to serve her and she ate with good appetite. They talked about the theatre, Shakespeare, Terry's school...
*
* *
Susanna was in her room with her nurse, who had heard the rumours about Roselyne.
- Do you know if Terry is up, Martha?
- Yes, he's having breakfast with his mother and the young lady.
- I'm wondering who she is, and why Terry is protecting her so much. Have you heard the rumours Martha?
- Yes, it seems that the young lady is his daughter...
- His daughter? No she's not! What a stupid rumour! She's not his daughter!
- But we never know...
- Terry is a faithful man, Martha, believe me, he comes to my room every night and doesn't sleep around...
Martha remained silent. It was hardly a secret in that house, the fact that the master wasn't touching his mistress, despite the fact that this last one would affirm the opposite...
- His daughter, continue Susanna, but no!
- She looks like Miss Baker...
- It doesn't mean anything, people look alike...
- Not like that... Miss Marlowe, open your eyes! She's the master's daughter!!
"Terry is mine, he's mine only! He didn't sleep with anybody else; he's sleeping with me...!"
- Thank you Martha, said Susanna, tell me what else you've heard...
- Of course Miss, said Martha.
- I have to get rid of that young lady and fast.
- Don't worry Miss Marlowe, the young lady has to call her mother to come and pick her up today...
- Good! The sooner she leaves the better! Said Susanna with a smile
There was a knock on the door and Mrs. Marlowe came in.
- Good morning, mom...
- Good morning darling
- Mom, you know the young lady from last night? She's Terry's daughter!!! Do you realise he brought his illegitimate daughter here in my house?!
- What are you babbling about?
- The young lady from last night, mom, she's Terry's daughter!
- Who told you that?
- Everybody is talking about it...
- You're listening to rumours from the help?
- They're right mom, and they hear everything that happens! That little bastard child is not going to take my Terry away...
- If she's his daughter, you have nothing to fear from her then. He won't sleep with her...
- What about her mother? If her mother comes to take him back? I'm going to lose Terry mom and I'm going to go crazy...
- Susanna... You blackmailed him, we forced him to be with you... even knowing your critical state, he didn't marry you and you didn't go crazy... I think that fifteen years is enough don't you think so?
- Mom, you want me to let go of Terry? Are you insane?
- Susanna, listen to me... let's leave now while you can still have children...
- I will have my children with Terry.
- He doesn't touch you! He's not marrying you! You're wasting your time...
- Mom, I love Terry, said Susanna crying, how could you ask me to give up on the love or my life.
- He doesn't love you, he doesn't want you... not even to fool around with you once in a while...
- I am not leaving mom, he owes me his life... I love him and I'm going to marry him...
- Susanna...
- Mom, if you're here to talk nonsense, you can leave my room...
- I'm going to go eat my breakfast. I'm sending someone to help you come downstairs, said Mrs. Marlowe going out the door.
Mrs. Marlowe was thinking. If that young lady was indeed Terry's daughter, it would mean that her mother was around and that Terry would probably want to be a family with his daughter... He was so happy last night; the presence of that young lady had made him happy... In fact, he's been in a very good mood for days now... Mrs. Marlowe had the feeling that her daughter was never going to be Terry's wife and that their days in the Grandchester's mansion were numbered...
She arrived in the dining room and she looked at the portrait it gave her: Terry, Eleonor and Roselyne talking like it was the most natural thing in the world! Mrs. Marlowe didn't like it at all!
- Good morning! She said coming in.
- Good morning, said the others.
Mrs. Marlowe sat down and a maid comes to serve her come coffee and toasts.
- I see that the young lady is still here. I thought her mother would've come to pick her up first thing in the morning... she must be dead worried...
Roselyne felt Mrs. Marlowe's hostility...
- I'm going to go call my mother as soon as I'm done eating my breakfast.
- Looks like you've been done for a while, said Mrs. Marlowe looking at her empty plate and cup.
- Mrs. Marlowe, my guests are none of your concern, said Terry.
- No, she's right, I have to go call my mother, said Roselyne standing up, excuse-me...
Terry stood up too and followed Roselyne. Eleonor looked at Mrs. Marlowe.
- You really stooped low to attack an armless child...
- Your son dared to bring his illegitimate daughter here...
Eleonor, who wanted to discourage the Marlowes, didn't deny it.
- She actually has more rights than you to be here...
- How dare you? My daughter saved your son's life! Said Mrs. Marlowe outraged, and what about her mother? She's going to come and steal Terry away from my daughter?
- If my memory serves me right, you daughter is the one who stole Terry from Candy by faking mental illness...
- She wasn't faking; her mental illness is still very fragile...
- Really? Well Terrence doesn't seem to be in a hurry to marry her... you're wasting your time
- Without my daughter, your son would be dead! That horrible man is not even grateful to her...
- My son survived the sinking of the Titanic, he escaped death... it wasn't his time on the Titanic, and it wasn't his time when your daughter saved him... otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to save him... so for me, it's destiny, more than anything else...
Eleonor stood up and left the dining room. Susanna arrived and found her mother alone at the table.
- Where's Terry?
- He's done eating
- He usually waits for me
- He's got other preoccupations at the moment, notably his daughter...
- Oh mom, what am I going to do to get rid of this girl and her mother?
- Let's wait and see, I'm going to talk to her, don't worry...
