Obscure Occurrences |C. BAREBONE|

☛ Ten ☚

• December, 1925 •

After last night, Genevieve couldn't pull that sound from her lips again. Not in the same way and without using her hands like before. Of course, she couldn't do that now as she sat opposite her Father at breakfast. Genevieve could tell from the look on his face that he was successful.

In what?

She had a small inkling yet Genevieve was hoping she was wrong. Yes, Henry Shaw Jr seemed like a fine man... For a woman who was around his age and preferably with more... Meat. Or that's what Genevieve saw reflected in those hazel eyes. Yet, even if she presumed that was his ideal woman, Henry Shaw Jr still looked at her as if she was the most beautiful thing. However, Credence had that exact same look. He just gave her more butterflies and heart thumps. 

"What did you think of Mr. Shaw?" Victor asked his daughter, pressing closer against the table as if that would effect her reply.

"He was kind. He offered to teach me ice skating".

"I heard... He seems pretty taken with you" Victor carried on, a smile beginning to widen against his thin lips.

"It seems so. He couldn't keep his eyes off me" Genevieve drawled quietly, her eyes rolling before she heard a sudden slam of flesh against wood.

She looked up to see her Father. His eyes blazing with a beady accusation of improper thoughts and distasteful intolerance.

"Don't. you. Dare speak like that is this house-" he seethed in a suppressed rage, "- do you hear me?".

Genevieve nodded her head frantically against a thick, pointed finger.

"Yes Father".

                                    ☛✹☚

Genevieve had to wait later than usual before she could escape to the wide outdoors. After all, Mrs. Glover was too busy to sneak her away and give her a time to be back by. Plus, Victor couldn't help but situate himself in the parlour instead of his study. This was strange considering it was his day off and he was hardly a man to accept such a thing.

Therefore, it was already eight o'clock in the evening by the time Genevieve could meet Mrs. Glover. And her reaction wasn't what she innately desired.

"No!" She screeched while folding away Genevieve's clothes with a clear frustration.

"But-",

"No buts little Miss. your Father will have my head once he finds out what I've been doin' behind his back" she huffed.

"You don't understand Penny... I have to go-".

"You don't have to go-" Mrs. Glover interrupted, "- you want to go. Don't think I don't know what's goin' on" she continued to chastise.

"Alright, fine. I want to see him. Happy now?" Genevieve grunted as she knitted her arms together and collapsed back into her bed. She could feel the blankets envelope her as Mrs. Glover sighed.

"You only know I'm lookin' out for you" she breathed out reluctantly.

"I know!" Genevieve said with a building tantrum.

"Then you understand why I can't let you go" and with that, Mrs. Glover carried her empty basket out of the door with a faint click.

Once again, Genevieve fell to her sheets with a deep exhale. She couldn't help but disdain Mrs. Glover in that moment. She kept Genevieve from Credence, the boy she adored in her dreams as she looked out, over beyond her ivory tower...

But who said the princess didn't eventually save herself and climb down?

With a giddy smile she jumped from her bed and wrapped up in her new red, cape
-gifted by her Father- and her cloche hat before she reluctantly pulled open her window. The heavy panel broke from the pane with a chilly breeze filtering through. The winter air nipped at her button nose and froze her fingers until she pulled on a pair of leather, brown gloves.

She was ready.

With a deep breath, Genevieve climbed up carefully onto the window seat and finally dipped her head under the wooden frame. Thankfully, she was fond of wisteria and her Father opted for the pretty, purple flowers to scale the house upon wooden trellises.

One step at a time she put one foot below the other in utter care; making sure to not wake her Father... As she dismounted the wall to Credence.