𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 -𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚘𝚍𝚘𝚛𝚎 '𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎' 𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎

Chapter 10

       All the young men in their tuxedos wait for the young women to descend down the grand staircase.
      The young ladies walk down the stairs like fancy Easter Eggs, Meg the most beautiful of all.  She's a triumph.
       I stand near the back. We all walk down and Meg takes action.
       Meg is done up nearly beyond recognition. She's powdered and corseted and drinking and flirting. In fact, she's kind of great at it.
      I copy after her and hold my head up high. I figure that Aunt March would be proud of me. A man asks me to dance.
      "I would love too." I say, giving him my hand.
      "What's your name?" He asks me as he twirls me away and back to him.
       "I'm Marilyn. You can call me Mary." I tell him.
        He grasps my waist lightly and dips me.
       I laugh,"Quite the show off, huh?"
       "Only to impress you." He says a obviously cheesy line.
        "And what's you name?" I ask him.
        "James Vanderbilt." He replies with a charming smile.
       I've heard of his family. Cornelius Vanderbilt. He's a very wealthy man, but he's fairly old. Must be his grandfather.
        Someone clears their throat,"May I cut in?"
        James turns to the other man and rolls his eyes," Go away, John."
        "I presume you both know each other." I tell them. 
       John wraps his arm around James,"More than know each other. We are family. Can't you see the resemblance?"
        James shoves his brothers arm off,"Mary, this is my brother, John."
        James sticks out his hand. I go in for a handshake. James wasn't expecting that.
        "I like her. She's a feisty nob, eh?" He says and elbows his brother.
         "That's true." His brother laughs.
          "I'm not a nob!" I say with a laugh.
          "Then you're just feisty." John says.
           I roll my eyes, "I'm going to go get a drink."
          I start to walk away before someone grabs my wrist,"Come find us later?"
        I look at James and nod. He lets go of my wrist and starts talking to his brother.
        I turn and go to the drinks. I see Meg over there. I hesitate.
        I start to walk away. Then I shake my head and turn around. I'm gonna have my head held high.
          I go and pour my drink while Meg stands on the side of the table.
         Annie comes over to us before I can leave,"Everyone is in love with you, Mary and Daisy! You have to keep my dress."
        "I can't keep your dress!" She exclaims with a giggle.
         I turn and put my drink on the table. I start to turn back around and leave but stop.
        Laurie is standing in front of Meg.
      "Have fun, little Daisy." Annie grabs my wrist and we retreat to her friends, giggling again.
         Once she lets go, I go back to Meg.
       "-I didn't know you were going to come!" Meg says.
         I blend in with all the other people so I can hear their conversation.
        "It was supposed to be a surprise." Dore replies.
        "And what a lovely surprise it is." Meg sighs.
       'Why are they calling you "Daisy"?' Asks Teddy.
       "It's their pet name for me." Meg says truthfully.
        "Meg is a perfectly good name." Teddy says, defensively.
         "It's just like playing a part, to be Daisy for a little while." Meg tries to explain.
        "What would Jo say? Better yet, What would Mary say? Where is she even?" Teddy scolds.
      Meg says nothing but looks down at the ground.
      "You wouldn't actually marry one of these men, would you?" He questions.
       Meg shrugs,"I might."
        Laurie looks at her drink,"You'll have a terrible headache tomorrow."
       "It's a good thing that it's still tonight, then." Meg says. "Do you like the way I look?"
         Laurie glances over her,"No I don't."
          Meg glances down,"Why not?"
        "I don't like feathers and fuss." He tells her. I look down at my outfit.
         I'm ready to go yell at him but Meg beat me to it,"You...you are the rudest boy I ever saw!"
      Meg, in her anger and hurt, inelegantly hands him her champagne and accepts a dance with the boy standing nearest.
       I quickly follow after her, hoping Laurie doesn't see me.
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     Meg feels faint from the corset and the champagne, and leans her head against a cool windowpane, hot and ashamed.
      I go over to her,"Meg.... are you okay?"
      She turns around and looks at me. Her eyes watering. I quickly give her a hug.
      "I'm so sorry. I didn't-" I start.
       "No. I'm sorry. I overreacted. You were just trying to do something nice." She apologizes.
       "I love you. Never leave me alone again in this madhouse. I beg you!" I say unwrapping my arm from around her a looking at her.
        She laughs, " As long as you do the same for me."
       "Obviously." I tell her.
        "You'll never guess who I ran into!" She tells me.
       Laurie comes and sits beside her. I see him but she doesn't.
       "Laurie?" I guess.
        "Yes! How did you know?" She asks.
       I look behind her and point to Laurie who's sitting on the other side. She looks over at him and huffs.
     "Please forgive me and come dance." He apologizes without saying sorry.
       Meg who's still hurt about his comment,"I'm afraid it would be too disagreeable for you."
       It's funny because they don't know that I know about their conversation.
      "I don't like your dress, " he says but smiles."but I think you are just... splendid."
     Meg smiles, and Laurie smiles at her.
      "I know it's silly, but please don't tell Jo." She tells him.
       I feel invisible,"tell Jo what?"
        "I'll tell you later," she turns back to him."Let me have my fun tonight. I'll be desperately good for the rest of my life."
       They both smile as I get up. I go over to the refreshments again. I look over at the dance floor.
      The two of them are now dancing, looking young and sincere and terrific. They whirl and spin and laugh and the music plays on.
        I smile as someone stands beside me. I look over at James who is looking in the direction I was looking in.
        "They make a lovely couple. Don't you think?" James comments looking at Teddy and Meg.
         I give them a side glance and sigh with a frown. I quickly look up and cover my sadness.
         I laugh,"Meg is too old for Laurie."
         "Oh. You know them?" He asks and turns to me.
         I nod,"Meg's my sister. Laurie is my best friend."
         "Well then, why isn't he dancing with you?" James asks.
         I look down and shrug. He takes my hand and pulls me to the dance floor.
        "What're you doing?" I ask him.
         "Showing him what he's missing out on." He replies.
       I giggle, "Teddy and I are just friends. I'm going to Europe. No time for relationships."
       "That's too bad." He says with a smirk.
        He twirls away from him. Then in one swift move, I'm pressed against his chest.
       "You know, I might be going to Europe too." He replies.
        "Oh really?" I muse.
          "Yes, really." He confirms then dips me. I laugh as he pulls me back up.
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Allen Leech as James Vanderbilt

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as John Vanderbilt