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Dancing to a new tune (Wolvenrogue and Dead Rose Garden)

Catherine smiled at his offer but Anna was the one who spoke, “We currently live above the theater but soon we will have a long holiday until the next season comes. While we will have minor performances it will not be so much that we are required to spend all of this time there. Perhaps we can come to call for a stay then.”
“That is if the offer will still stand.” Lizzy said seeming concerned about the notion. Or perhaps it was the way Kitty kept looking at the man.
“But you said you will come tonight?” Catherine smiled at him a bit brighter at the thought of seeing him again so soon. Lizzy came beside her nudging her in the side as it to warn her about her eagerness. Catherine gave her a ill tempered look but let the action go, “I want to have the man who saved us there hopefully as some conciliation for what we put you out.”
 
"Well ladies, let me say that you did not put me out, need not compensate me in any way, your company is compensation enough, ad had I know the dance hall featured such singing talent, I would have come along time ago." I finish my last pilot run around 4 this afternoon, and I shall be there for your six o'clock performance." As for my offer of a room to stay in, that offer will stand, I have a large empty house, and your company, would be most appreciated at any time. I will be heading to the dock in a moment, perhaps you would allow me to walk you to the dance hall." Robert set about cleaning up from breakfast, and then went to his room to change into his pilot's uniform.
 
Catherine walked ahead of them unsure how proper it would look for him to be near her. She was not concerned for her own status but that of his. Her family’s demise had been hot gossip in its time and the quick accent of the daughter to the place she was at in the Theater had people talking and looking at her as if she were some common prostitute. The truth behind the matter was not relevant to anyone else aside from her but still she wanted to spare him any embarrassment of being seen in public with her as company.

Anna and Lizzy had no such shame to them as they were still unheard of in the public's veiw so they felt no shame walking beside Robert talking pleasantly.
 
"Robert walked ahead and extended his arm to Kitty. The other girls were very nice, but whom he wanted to be with. He matched her pace, waiting for her to take his arm and let him accompany her to the theater. He didn't know nor did he care about her reputation he only knew what a wonderful time he had the previous evening, and he wanted to spend as much time with her as he possibly could. "Would you have dinner with me after your show?" he asked. "I would love to take you out, and then if you would indulge me possibly we could share our music again this evening. I can't remember when I enjoyed myself quite so much as last night." They arrived at the theater and he bowed and kissed her hand and excused himself and hurried to the dock for his next assignment. All that day, as he ran the boats up and down the river, he thought only of her, and her beautiful voice.
 
She took the offered arm the other two snickering quietly. "I am but at your call good Sir. I shall wait for you after the show."

The girls explained what had happened to them to the worried occupants and gossip began about a man who seemed to be thinking of seeking after their new star. Knowing he was there listening Kitty preformed better than she ever had. Many threw flowers and some were trying to seek her attention but she waited only for him.

Across her arm she held his wifes dress and it was clean and ready to be put away. She however was dressed still in her preformance gown. The manager had insisted when word of her suiter got out.
 
Robert left his table at the front of the hall, and walked back to the foyer looking for Kitty, he found her standing waiting for him with his wife's dress draped over her arm. He walked up to her and bowed politely. "I meant that for a gift," he said. "Why don't you take it to your dressing room I'll wait here for you". He waited for her to return and as she did he offered her his arm, and let her probably out of the dance hall and down the street to a fine restaurant. When they entered the restaurant, the maître d'. Robert like an old friend, and said "your table is ready sir!" Robert led Kitty to their table, and seated her than took a seat himself. "That was a wonderful performance you put on this evening, I only wish I had been able to play piano for you."
 
Catherine had the perfect posture that most women on pretend to have as she sat in the chair a soft smile being a constant fixture as he spoke, “Well if it is an conciliation I much preferred your piano over any of tonight’s options.” Her hands folded politely in her lap and she looked away from him long enough to take in the surroundings, “I am sure the girls would very much disapprove of me coming chaperoned but I truly enjoyed our company last night. I am so lucky to have found a bosom friend in you within such a short time. The ladies were talking of going to town a few weeks hence and they inquired if you should like to come.”

Anna to be more specific, and she also told Kitty that widower or not he would make a fine catch. Kitty insisted at the time that his intentions were none but Anna saw a very different thing in the pair when they sang and enjoyed themselves at breakfast. Anna informed Kitty sternly that the man was taken by her despite Kitty’s ignorance.
 
They enjoyed a quiet meal together, talking softly of the music they both loved, Robert was as happy as he had ever been in his life. When they had finished dinner, and it would have been time to take her home, Robert turned to Kitty, and asked, "would you do me the honor of joining me at the piano tonite? Nothing would make me happier" He wanted to kiss her buy knew that would have been improper. As much as it scared him, he was falling in love with her, and he knew it.

He helped her from her chair and walked he out of the restaurant still waitiong for her reply . He waited as long as he could, then when they had reached the end of the street, where they must either turn to the music hallor his home, he stopped, and held her around the waist facing him. "Well? which way shall we go?"
 
“I shall take a song up with you tonight but I think the next time we go to your home I had best have an escort. I am after all a never married woman and I must preserve what little reputation I maintain.” She noticed the look in his eyes and the way he held her but what could she truly say? HE had saved her and treated her with great kindness but she had to speak plainly now.
“I hope you to not find me common for saying so but Anna has warned me your intentions may be one of a more permanent nature and if that is the case I caution you. I am like any other woman my age and I must think of my virtue in the public eye. Meaning sir that you must let me go lest someone would see and think your intentions had been made plane to me.”
 
Robert let go of her waist, and stepped back placing respectable distance between them. "I'm sorry, he said i meant no harm to your reputation. let us go to the theater, there is a piano there, and it being closed, I shouldn't think they would mind their star staying after hours practicing. As they walked back to the theater, he continued talking with her . "Kitty, I feel I must tell you, that while my intention were pure, my ultimate intention is to make you my wife. Since I have met you I have grown more steadily in love with you each and every passing moment.
 
“We met but yesterday! I am sorry but I think perhaps I must go my separate way Robert. You are too bold and hardly know me! I am not a woman who is so easily won.” Her heels clacked as she lifted her skirts racing in the direction of the theater without him. Anna had been correct in all her hopes and Lizzy had been right in all her fears. Catherine was too quick to run however and as she tumbled to the ground she felt her ankle crunch and knew she was certainly a fool.
It was too soon for her to love anyone and for a man to be so brazen so quickly, while common in that day, she was far to reserve to accept such a gesture. In an attempt to stand she crumbled again and fear took her, would she again be alone and defenseless in the night?
 
Robert felt crushed when she rebuffed him and took flight, he had meerly tried to be honest about his feelings, however ill advised, it was completely innocent. When she fell he hurried to her side and picked her up out of the dirty street. He Carried her silently to the dance hall, but when they reached the door it was locked. Hesitantly he spoke. "It appears I used poor judgement in being honest about my true feelings this evening, and have offended you, but I beg that you not let that offense stand in the way of good common sense. I would like to offer you use of the same room in which you were safely housed last night. I assure you my intentions are pure. Though it is true that I am falling in love with you, that shall not be excuse for abusing you, in fact quite the opposite.
 
She said nothing as she was embarrassed but nodded unable to look at him. His feelings were not what bothered her but the fact that she had no true way of responding. He had loved before and Catherine had not. Her hands fastened securely about his neck and because of their close proximity her face turned a dark red. They had known she was out and she knew that the manager was up to some sort of mischief by locking the doors.
As he carried her she did finally manage to look at him, “Are you a well-known man Robert? Why would you choose a girl like me when you are so clearly handsome and wanting for little in his home? I could never replace your wife. I am moody, emotional and dramatic. You do not want me. Anna or Lizzy are fine women why not them?”
 
Robert set her down a moment, while he unlocked the door and carried her in and laid her down on the sofa. He went back and closed the door, and returned to her. He kneeled at her feet, and pushed back her dress just enough to examine her ankle. It wasn't broken but badly sprained. It would hurt for quite some time. "Its a bad sprain he said. you should keep it elevated and I'll wrap it for you in the morning."He lifted her feet to the sofa and sat in a chair next to her.

"I am not trying to replace Erin, no one could ever do that. But then no one could replace you either. Have you never fallen in Love? Its not a contest you win or lose based on qualities and faults. I am falling in love with you, with all your peculiarities. I knew almost from the moment i saw you even before you sang. It was that way with Erin also. I guess i have a gift that way. I should have been less forward about it though I guess," he said looking down.
 
“ Thank you again for all your kindness. I am sure I do not deserve it after how I acted. You did not answer my first question though because I think a plot is a foot. Are you a well known man? Wealth or possibly of any other asset to the theater? Would they benefit from your feelings to me?”
She knew she owed him a response as well and she ducked her head to avoid his gaze, “ I have been far too busy to fall in love. But I would like to someday.” She looked at him with a meaningful glance, “I should have never brought up your wife. That was rude of me.”
Again she looked away, “Let me know you more and perhaps this friendly feeling I have shall become for you what you want it to be. You are a kind and good man, a woman such as I would be lucky to have you. I am simply not yet ready to be a wife.” She gave a sad smile still looking away from him.
 
"what kind of plot?" he asked. " I am a simple ships pilot, nothing more. True I've spent and saved wisely, but wealthy, no. I wasn't asking you to marry me, and I know you haven,t had time to even know me well, but I shared my feels so that you might understand my actions for the honorable thing that they are, and not misconstrue them as a vile attempt to take advantage of you by my kindness.

I will allow all the time you may need, and I apollogize for being so forward as i have been.
 
“They all knew I would be returning home yet the theater was locked. It seems to me they are trying to force us together but I cannot see why.”
Catherine looked over at him again, “No please I am the one who is sorry. I was frightened by the thought of someone loving me. The only other people who truly loved me were my parents and Mama died of disease and Papa died from being shot. Getting too close with others has always hurt me.”
She struggled to stand and hobble closer to him kissing his cheek softly, “You can love me Robert if that is what you wish. And if you will help me to the piano I will sing for you again.” Her eyes were less guarded now and her heart a little more open to him, She did not love him yet but she could see how one day she would.
 
Robert's heart soared. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the piano and sat her on the bench. He slid in beside her, and began to tickle the ivories. As she sang, though he did not know the tune he played along by ear, and then joined her on the chorus with an improvised baritone harmony. He loved the sound which their voices made together, and the way they played off one another, It simply made him joyful. He could have played with her all night, but he knew her ankle needed resting. "My dear" he said " he said " it pains me to stop playing and say good night, but my concern for you ankle compels me to do so. He got up and carried her gently to her room, sat her on the bed, lit her lamp, kissed her on the cheek, and closed the door. He had wanted to do more, but he knew that propriety required that he did not, no matter what might be assumed by others.
 
Her eyes closed and sleep found her with ease. By morning her ankle was black and blue and she certainly was in no way to preform that night. When Robert would come to her she knew she would have to have a message sent back to the theater to inform them of her injury. Luckily the other diva was doing well enough to be the understudy for tonight.
 
Robert woke early as usual and started breakfast, then went to her door and knocked. Kitty? are you awake, he asked. Using that as his first notice, he returned to the kitchen and turned the bacon and poured a steaming cup of coffee and returned with it. He knocked again. "Kitty?"
 
“Come in Robert.” She sat in the bed and despite her open eyes she was looking into the distance like she was dreaming. She had been thinking of how it felt to be here in this house for another night. “I don’t think they theater is going to take me back until the injury heals and when it does I will never have a chance as being the star again.” IT was clear she felt her dreams of living a privileged life were dead for her now. She had once dreamed of becoming so famous that they would send her to Paris but now she was trapped as a chorus girl forever.
 
"How are you feeling?" he asked as he entered the room. When he heard her answer, he knew from her downcast eyes and tone of voice that she was depressed. "I think you are too hard on yourself," he said. "If they don't take you back they are fools, and don't deserve you, you have more talent in you than all the rest of the girls put together. In any event don't worry, you may stay here as long as you like. I have some friends with the St. Louis Opera Company, perhaps I could give pay them a call, that is if you are interested in singing the classics. It's certainly not as fun as singing show tunes, but I'm sure the money and prestige is better. I know you have the voice for it. Why don't you let me help you to the table, and get some breakfast, and we can talk about it."
 
“I am grateful to you. I would hate to put you out though so perhaps I should look for work I can do to help here.” She shut her eyes leaning her head back a little bit, “I love that theater because of Anna and Lizzy. Might I call on them while I am here? I am sure they will come but perhaps not right away.”

She looked at him now, “About last night. I am so very sorry for running. I have been a nuisance since you met me. She thought more about his offer and then spoke, “Yes I would like to talk more about it around the table. Thank you so much for your kindness.”
 
"Nonsense!" he said "You have been nothing but a pleasure to me. I would please me greatly should you consent to stay, and I'm sure I could arrange for an audition for you if you like. As for Anna, and Lizzy, they have an open invitation here whenever they like, but being honest," he said smiling " my greatest pleasure is you." "If it would make you feel better to help out while you are here, you are welcome to try, but please do not think it necessary. You are my honored guest, unless you were willing to become a permanent member of the household," he said with tongue in cheek, hoping she would accept such a proposal, but guessing that she would not.
 
“I will stay until the theater will take me back. I would however enjoy an audition if you would not mind. I fear that if you could court a theater girl your reputation will suffer and as you have made your intentions clear I will gladly become the lady worthy of you.” She smiled at him softly.
“Thank you also for allowing me to call upon my friends. They are the world to me and the only thing close to family that I have. I am an orphan you know.” She watched his face with interest enjoying his strong desire to have her here with him in his home.
“Will you be leaving me for work today?” Her eyes looked almost sad at the thought of being alone.
 
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