Songbirds excerpts
Feb. 18th, 2011 05:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seraph7I thought I'd post a few excerpt from what I have been writing at the moment, just to whet your appetite a little. This first bit is from the sequence where Tom finds out he has been outed by the press. He finds out in a rather traumatic way, bless him.
Tom couldn't sleep for worrying about the expose, and when it would hit. The circles under his eyes grew darker and deeper. Even Edwin who was notoriously self- centred noticed how ill his assistant was starting to look.
"Go home, lad. You look positively sickly. You're no good to anyone like this."
"I'm fine, really. There's no need-"
For once Edwin put his foot down. “Iestyn Thomas, it’s an order not a suggestion.
“But-“
Edwin looked over his wire-rimmed glasses with an imperious air. Tom didn’t dare gainsay him then."I’ve informed Miss Painsworth you are indisposed and I’ve taken over your rehearsals for the day. Go home.”
Tom slipped out of the door to get Flora’s grocery list while she was still out. He entered the corner shop, weirdly aware of the stares of the other shoppers. He could feel their stares like a brand on the back of his neck, hear the whispers behind their hands. It was not a pleasant feeling.
What the hell is going on? Why are they all staring at me?
“He doesn’t know. Poor bastard-“ he heard one old lady mutter. “Seems such a crying shame, it does-“
“Know what? What don’t I know?”
The woman behind the counter pulled out the paper. “We’ve just got these in. I’m sorry.”
Tom looked down at the headline. The nerwsprint seemed to swirl in front of his eyes. He thought he was going to be sick.
None of it made any sense. I paid them. I did everything they would have wanted. They promised me none of this would come out.
The woman behind the counter gave him a commiserating smile. She leant over and patted his hand which was trembling with shock. “You poor man. We don’t believe it, do we Alfie? You’ve always been good to us and our Mavis.”
“I have to go-“ he rasped, fighting the urge to retch, to get away from those poisoned words.
Tom pushed open the door of the shop, desperate to get away. There were people blocking his path shouting things at him down the street.
“Thomas? Thomas Perebryn Mawr?”
“Leave me alone! Please-“
“Is it true? You and some mystery man. Those pictures in the paper?” shouted one bold journalist blocking his path, pulling on his tweed sleeve.
He fought the urge to lash out at the unwanted touch. Violence wouldn’t help, right now. The Press would adore something like that, make the story even bigger than it was.
“I have nothing to say. I don’t want to talk to anyone. Please leave me alone!” he pleaded, raising his hands up to shield himelf from the blinding lightsbulbs of the flashes.
“Did you know? Did you know the story was about to come out?”
“Look at him, that poor bastard. ‘Course he didn’t bloody know. He’s in shock. Look how he trembles!”
“Does Lord Kilvey know? About his son?”
At that Tom panicked. He broke free of his tormenters and fled down an alleyway, losing them in the twisted back ways and leaning against the dank wall, fighting for breath admist the overwhelming panic.
It’s only a matter of time before the story breaks. I’ll be shamed utterly. My father will never forgive me. My mother will never speak to me again.
A wave of nausea went through him as he thought of how his parents would react to the news. It was going to be a huge story as well, as soon as the Press found out about his Kilvey roots.
Everyone would remember that he was Lord Kilvey’s heir. His father, the war hero Daffyd Perebryn Mawr burdened with a pederast as his only heir.
This excerpt is when Rosanna decides to pursue Rob and Flora's reaction to that.
Rosanna decided to tackle reeling in Rob with the cunning of a seasoned veteran. She sat at Sylvie’s dressing table, applying makeup to her flawless face.
“Just a touch, I want to look my best for Rob, don’t I?”
“Do you really like him?” Sylvis asked, not hiding her curiousity.
“Of course I do, why wouldn’t I? With a face and body like that?”
“I didn’t think he would be your type, Rosanna-“ Sylvie remarked.
“I’m sure I could make an exception, this once.” She turned to the older woman eagerly. “Help me get him. You have tons of chances to get to know him. He’s always associating with Sergei. Introduce us, won’t you?”
“But aren’t you engaged to Mickey Spillane?” Sylvie asked delicately, eager to get at the gossip, wait til she let everyone know Rosanna was intending to cheat on him.
“Him?” Rosanna nose wrinkled with scorn. “He’s a liability. I’m moving on. It’s time.”
Does Mickey know about this? thought Sylvie.
Rosanna gazed dreamily into the mirror, admiring her own beauty. “Rob would be so much better, wouldn’t he? He’s so goodlooking and wealthy, you say?”
Sylvie enjoyed holding all the information that Rosanna needed in her pursuit. It gave her a heady sense of power.To have Rosanna Lucchese beholden to her!
“Well, you know he’s a Pemberley. Serious wealth. His father’s a multimillionaire and Rob stands to inherit the lot. The girl who marries him would never want for a thing.”
“That sounds marvellous-“ smirked Rosanna.
Her eyes met Sylvie’s in the mirror. You help me get him, and I’ll make it worth your while. How’s that for a bargain?
Sylvie mused to her self as she went to rejoin Sergei in the garden. She couldn’t help but be amused by Rosanna’s amorous scheming. So she’s switched her attentions from Tom to Rob.
She is a ruthless little madame, isn’t she? I doubt she has the slightest scrap of honest true emotion for Rob. He’s just a means to an end, an object to her. There’s no way she’ll ever get to keep him.
“So you and Rosanna are an item now?” There was something about the coolness of her voice that irritated him like a grain of sand in the eye.
“It’s early days yet-“
He couldn’t say why he was so bothered by the look in her clear hazel eyes at his answer. He felt judged. Weighed in the balance and found wanting. It was not a sensation he enjoyed.
“What do you see in her?”
“Apart from the obvious?” Mavis couldn’t resist remarking.
“I don’t know why you’re both acting so strangely.”
Mavis just gave him a scornful look , but managed to keep her mouth shut, for a change.
“It’s just-“ Flora went pink, averting her eyes. “I shouldn’t say anything.”
“No, you shouldn’t.”
Mavis was not remotely cowed. “Maybe you should, Flora. No need to hold back-”
“It’s just that I thought better of you, Robert.” Flora said softly before she walked away.
“What? What the hell did she mean by that?”
Mavis just raised one eyebrow at him, a mocking smile curving her scarlet painted mouth. “Well , it’s just that we all thought better of you. If you could go for someone like Rosanna, then maybe you’re not the man we took you for.”
She shook her head, her blond fringe falling into her eyes. “I have to say poor Flora took it very hard. She really did think a great deal of you. But you blew it. I hope you’re going to be happy with Rosanna Lucchese. She’s a horrible piece of work but you’ll find that out for yourself-“
The more Rob thought about it, the more irritated he became.
What the hell did she mean by that? What possessed meek Flora Monaghan to criticise his choice of partner however mildly, and why was he even bothered by what she had said?
It’s none of her godamned business. It’s none of anyone’s business. Bloody nosy Glasslakers, always poking their nose into other people’s business!
She’s never even deigned to give me the slightest bit of encouragement. She’s always hanging off Tom Perebryn Mawr’s arm, staring at him admiringly. I thought she adored him. What does ‘she thought a lot of you’ even mean?
Comments are welcome. Let me know what you think!
Tom couldn't sleep for worrying about the expose, and when it would hit. The circles under his eyes grew darker and deeper. Even Edwin who was notoriously self- centred noticed how ill his assistant was starting to look.
"Go home, lad. You look positively sickly. You're no good to anyone like this."
"I'm fine, really. There's no need-"
For once Edwin put his foot down. “Iestyn Thomas, it’s an order not a suggestion.
“But-“
Edwin looked over his wire-rimmed glasses with an imperious air. Tom didn’t dare gainsay him then."I’ve informed Miss Painsworth you are indisposed and I’ve taken over your rehearsals for the day. Go home.”
Tom slipped out of the door to get Flora’s grocery list while she was still out. He entered the corner shop, weirdly aware of the stares of the other shoppers. He could feel their stares like a brand on the back of his neck, hear the whispers behind their hands. It was not a pleasant feeling.
What the hell is going on? Why are they all staring at me?
“He doesn’t know. Poor bastard-“ he heard one old lady mutter. “Seems such a crying shame, it does-“
“Know what? What don’t I know?”
The woman behind the counter pulled out the paper. “We’ve just got these in. I’m sorry.”
Tom looked down at the headline. The nerwsprint seemed to swirl in front of his eyes. He thought he was going to be sick.
None of it made any sense. I paid them. I did everything they would have wanted. They promised me none of this would come out.
The woman behind the counter gave him a commiserating smile. She leant over and patted his hand which was trembling with shock. “You poor man. We don’t believe it, do we Alfie? You’ve always been good to us and our Mavis.”
“I have to go-“ he rasped, fighting the urge to retch, to get away from those poisoned words.
Tom pushed open the door of the shop, desperate to get away. There were people blocking his path shouting things at him down the street.
“Thomas? Thomas Perebryn Mawr?”
“Leave me alone! Please-“
“Is it true? You and some mystery man. Those pictures in the paper?” shouted one bold journalist blocking his path, pulling on his tweed sleeve.
He fought the urge to lash out at the unwanted touch. Violence wouldn’t help, right now. The Press would adore something like that, make the story even bigger than it was.
“I have nothing to say. I don’t want to talk to anyone. Please leave me alone!” he pleaded, raising his hands up to shield himelf from the blinding lightsbulbs of the flashes.
“Did you know? Did you know the story was about to come out?”
“Look at him, that poor bastard. ‘Course he didn’t bloody know. He’s in shock. Look how he trembles!”
“Does Lord Kilvey know? About his son?”
At that Tom panicked. He broke free of his tormenters and fled down an alleyway, losing them in the twisted back ways and leaning against the dank wall, fighting for breath admist the overwhelming panic.
It’s only a matter of time before the story breaks. I’ll be shamed utterly. My father will never forgive me. My mother will never speak to me again.
A wave of nausea went through him as he thought of how his parents would react to the news. It was going to be a huge story as well, as soon as the Press found out about his Kilvey roots.
Everyone would remember that he was Lord Kilvey’s heir. His father, the war hero Daffyd Perebryn Mawr burdened with a pederast as his only heir.
This excerpt is when Rosanna decides to pursue Rob and Flora's reaction to that.
Rosanna decided to tackle reeling in Rob with the cunning of a seasoned veteran. She sat at Sylvie’s dressing table, applying makeup to her flawless face.
“Just a touch, I want to look my best for Rob, don’t I?”
“Do you really like him?” Sylvis asked, not hiding her curiousity.
“Of course I do, why wouldn’t I? With a face and body like that?”
“I didn’t think he would be your type, Rosanna-“ Sylvie remarked.
“I’m sure I could make an exception, this once.” She turned to the older woman eagerly. “Help me get him. You have tons of chances to get to know him. He’s always associating with Sergei. Introduce us, won’t you?”
“But aren’t you engaged to Mickey Spillane?” Sylvie asked delicately, eager to get at the gossip, wait til she let everyone know Rosanna was intending to cheat on him.
“Him?” Rosanna nose wrinkled with scorn. “He’s a liability. I’m moving on. It’s time.”
Does Mickey know about this? thought Sylvie.
Rosanna gazed dreamily into the mirror, admiring her own beauty. “Rob would be so much better, wouldn’t he? He’s so goodlooking and wealthy, you say?”
Sylvie enjoyed holding all the information that Rosanna needed in her pursuit. It gave her a heady sense of power.To have Rosanna Lucchese beholden to her!
“Well, you know he’s a Pemberley. Serious wealth. His father’s a multimillionaire and Rob stands to inherit the lot. The girl who marries him would never want for a thing.”
“That sounds marvellous-“ smirked Rosanna.
Her eyes met Sylvie’s in the mirror. You help me get him, and I’ll make it worth your while. How’s that for a bargain?
Sylvie mused to her self as she went to rejoin Sergei in the garden. She couldn’t help but be amused by Rosanna’s amorous scheming. So she’s switched her attentions from Tom to Rob.
She is a ruthless little madame, isn’t she? I doubt she has the slightest scrap of honest true emotion for Rob. He’s just a means to an end, an object to her. There’s no way she’ll ever get to keep him.
“So you and Rosanna are an item now?” There was something about the coolness of her voice that irritated him like a grain of sand in the eye.
“It’s early days yet-“
He couldn’t say why he was so bothered by the look in her clear hazel eyes at his answer. He felt judged. Weighed in the balance and found wanting. It was not a sensation he enjoyed.
“What do you see in her?”
“Apart from the obvious?” Mavis couldn’t resist remarking.
“I don’t know why you’re both acting so strangely.”
Mavis just gave him a scornful look , but managed to keep her mouth shut, for a change.
“It’s just-“ Flora went pink, averting her eyes. “I shouldn’t say anything.”
“No, you shouldn’t.”
Mavis was not remotely cowed. “Maybe you should, Flora. No need to hold back-”
“It’s just that I thought better of you, Robert.” Flora said softly before she walked away.
“What? What the hell did she mean by that?”
Mavis just raised one eyebrow at him, a mocking smile curving her scarlet painted mouth. “Well , it’s just that we all thought better of you. If you could go for someone like Rosanna, then maybe you’re not the man we took you for.”
She shook her head, her blond fringe falling into her eyes. “I have to say poor Flora took it very hard. She really did think a great deal of you. But you blew it. I hope you’re going to be happy with Rosanna Lucchese. She’s a horrible piece of work but you’ll find that out for yourself-“
The more Rob thought about it, the more irritated he became.
What the hell did she mean by that? What possessed meek Flora Monaghan to criticise his choice of partner however mildly, and why was he even bothered by what she had said?
It’s none of her godamned business. It’s none of anyone’s business. Bloody nosy Glasslakers, always poking their nose into other people’s business!
She’s never even deigned to give me the slightest bit of encouragement. She’s always hanging off Tom Perebryn Mawr’s arm, staring at him admiringly. I thought she adored him. What does ‘she thought a lot of you’ even mean?
Comments are welcome. Let me know what you think!
