Torn Curtain: Part 70
Part 70: Eavesdropping Is Contagious
“I do not judge,” she heard the strange man say. “But surely, Samuel, you must be aware that your father---”
“John,” Samuel said, holding his hand up to halt conversation. “My father wishes for me to remain at the service of my uncle. He has not shared any other plans with me.”
“All that your father speaks of is your return to Harvard,” the strange man said. “And that he is said to encourage a match between yourself and Miss Hannah Hill.”
“John, I took you for a shipping merchant and not matronly gossip,” Marianne heard Samuel say with a chuckle. “I shall remain on this island for quite some time, I assure you.”
“And your friendship with The Widow Fletchley? Will it turn into a courtship?”
“What has caused your sudden taste for gossip?” Samuel asked, his tone of admonishment hard to ignore. “I hardly recognize you.”
Marianne peered through the crack in the doorway to see what strange man looked like. The man's face was gaunt and worry seemed to be permanently fixed there.
“I ask because I am curious,” the strange man said, smiling. The expression did not improve his face.
“Eavesdropping, Marianne?” a familiar voice whispered into her hear, causing an equally familiar and pleasant shiver to move down her spine.
She turned to find her Captain smiling so smugly that she felt the urge to nudge him in the ribs. She refrained, however, and lifted her index finger to her lips.
“Do you plague Adams with your curiosity?” Samuel asked his friend.
Samuel's friend put his hands up to signify his surrender, then he spoke again.
“As I am not permitted to ask about Mrs. Fletchley, there is one other thing I would like to ask,” he said. “You are well acquainted with the Kensington family. What can you tell me about the girls?”
“Tread carefully there, John,” Samuel said, poking his friend's shoulder. “If I were you, I would not even let a passing interest of Miss Marianne form. Not only has she a father with a handle, but she also has ardent suitors--- one of whom, you wouldn't care to make your rival.”
“That much is certain,” Marianne heard her Captain muttering. She was unable to repress a grin in reaction to the sudden change in his mood.
“Clearly,” the man answered Samuel with a chuckle. “What you state is self-evident. Anyone with eyes can see that she and Captain Gillette are enjoying their courtship of one another. My interest lies with the Kensington girl with the dark hair. Martha, I believe, was her name.”
“That would be Miss Margaret, and you'll have as much luck there as you would with Miss Marianne.”
“She is not spoken for, surely!”
Marianne was about to turn to ask her Captain to stop shifting his weight, but before she could, he was moving past her and through the door. She moved slightly backwards to remain unseen.
“There are rumors of such, Mr. Hancock,” her Captain said upon entrance into the room. “However, that will not be what hinders any effort of yours... Gentlemen, please, keep your seats.”
“John, you remember Captain Gillette?”
“Yes,” Mr. Hancock answered. “Captain, a pleasure to meet you, once again. Pray, continue with your advice.”
“Certainly, Mr. Hancock,” he said. “As I was saying, the biggest obstacle you must overcome if you intend to woo the young Miss Margaret will be her mother.”
“A rather insurmountable obstacle, indeed,” Mr. Hancock said, shaking his head.
“Greater men than you have been quite intimidated,” Samuel said, laughing.
“Indeed, they have,” she heard her Captain say. “But those men were, eventually, able to rally their courage.”
Marianne felt a tapping at her shoulder. She turned to find Elizabeth shaking her head at her.
“I believe that I have had a very bad influence on you, Marianne,” she whispered, continuing to shake her head.
“This is a new realization?” Marianne hissed.
“Nevermind that. Shall we go through?”
Author's Note:
Setting up three things---
A few of things that I know for certain:
“I do not judge,” she heard the strange man say. “But surely, Samuel, you must be aware that your father---”
“John,” Samuel said, holding his hand up to halt conversation. “My father wishes for me to remain at the service of my uncle. He has not shared any other plans with me.”
“All that your father speaks of is your return to Harvard,” the strange man said. “And that he is said to encourage a match between yourself and Miss Hannah Hill.”
“John, I took you for a shipping merchant and not matronly gossip,” Marianne heard Samuel say with a chuckle. “I shall remain on this island for quite some time, I assure you.”
“And your friendship with The Widow Fletchley? Will it turn into a courtship?”
“What has caused your sudden taste for gossip?” Samuel asked, his tone of admonishment hard to ignore. “I hardly recognize you.”
Marianne peered through the crack in the doorway to see what strange man looked like. The man's face was gaunt and worry seemed to be permanently fixed there.
“I ask because I am curious,” the strange man said, smiling. The expression did not improve his face.
“Eavesdropping, Marianne?” a familiar voice whispered into her hear, causing an equally familiar and pleasant shiver to move down her spine.
She turned to find her Captain smiling so smugly that she felt the urge to nudge him in the ribs. She refrained, however, and lifted her index finger to her lips.
“Do you plague Adams with your curiosity?” Samuel asked his friend.
Samuel's friend put his hands up to signify his surrender, then he spoke again.
“As I am not permitted to ask about Mrs. Fletchley, there is one other thing I would like to ask,” he said. “You are well acquainted with the Kensington family. What can you tell me about the girls?”
“Tread carefully there, John,” Samuel said, poking his friend's shoulder. “If I were you, I would not even let a passing interest of Miss Marianne form. Not only has she a father with a handle, but she also has ardent suitors--- one of whom, you wouldn't care to make your rival.”
“That much is certain,” Marianne heard her Captain muttering. She was unable to repress a grin in reaction to the sudden change in his mood.
“Clearly,” the man answered Samuel with a chuckle. “What you state is self-evident. Anyone with eyes can see that she and Captain Gillette are enjoying their courtship of one another. My interest lies with the Kensington girl with the dark hair. Martha, I believe, was her name.”
“That would be Miss Margaret, and you'll have as much luck there as you would with Miss Marianne.”
“She is not spoken for, surely!”
Marianne was about to turn to ask her Captain to stop shifting his weight, but before she could, he was moving past her and through the door. She moved slightly backwards to remain unseen.
“There are rumors of such, Mr. Hancock,” her Captain said upon entrance into the room. “However, that will not be what hinders any effort of yours... Gentlemen, please, keep your seats.”
“John, you remember Captain Gillette?”
“Yes,” Mr. Hancock answered. “Captain, a pleasure to meet you, once again. Pray, continue with your advice.”
“Certainly, Mr. Hancock,” he said. “As I was saying, the biggest obstacle you must overcome if you intend to woo the young Miss Margaret will be her mother.”
“A rather insurmountable obstacle, indeed,” Mr. Hancock said, shaking his head.
“Greater men than you have been quite intimidated,” Samuel said, laughing.
“Indeed, they have,” she heard her Captain say. “But those men were, eventually, able to rally their courage.”
Marianne felt a tapping at her shoulder. She turned to find Elizabeth shaking her head at her.
“I believe that I have had a very bad influence on you, Marianne,” she whispered, continuing to shake her head.
“This is a new realization?” Marianne hissed.
“Nevermind that. Shall we go through?”
Author's Note:
Setting up three things---
- What happens to Cpt. Andrew Gillette and Miss Marianne Kensington--- how their life together starts, etc.
- Teasing out the other Kensington/Navyboy infatuation...
- The epic significance that the Torn Curtain universe could have had (if it really existed) on the friendships between The Sons of Liberty and The Loyalists... (which really is a whole other epic in that's been rolling around in my head for a couple of years, but I still have to highlight how it started here in the TC universe)
A few of things that I know for certain:
- Clearly, I am a dork.
- Torn Curtain, as a story WILL have an ending.
- Torn Curtain, the universe, will continue... because I feel the need to excersize my writing muscles with characters I am familiar with... and I've been intimate with these characters for five years now.
- I need to, and will, work on pieces for other fandoms.