Chapter 4: Party Time

That night as the moon began to peek out from beneath the many clouds the party had gotten underway. People were coming from all over to help celebrate Richards’s homecoming, even if it was for a short while. Toasts were made while people chatted happily. Vivien greeted the many people with a smile on her face and cheerfulness in her voice. 

People couldn’t help but tell Vivien how lovely she looked in her sleek formfitting black dress. That lay just off the shoulders as the hemline fell to her knees. People thought she couldn’t be lovelier. However there was more than just the dress. A lovely string of pearls hung from her slender neck, while a pair of pearl earrings, were the finishing touches on her jewelry. To complete the look her dark hair was down and had a soft wave to it. Vivien was the most beautiful or should we say the fairest of them all in London. Catherine would just have to take a back seat while she grew older and Vivien grew lovelier. Regardless of how many people told Vivien how radiant she looked there was still great sadness within that beauty. 

“You must be very proud of your father?” James Smith asked as he stood next to Vivien. James knew Richard from way back. They had been great friends for many years ever since her parents had moved into Notley Abby all those many years ago. 

James was a shorter man. He wore a blue tailored suit that matched his light blue eyes, while his grey hair and grey mustaches blended with his apparel. James along with everyone else was very concerned about Vivien and what she was going to do when her father departed for the second time. 

“Yes, I’ve always been proud of him.” Vivien said with a smile as she looked at him from across the room. Taking a drink of her small glass of wine she saw her father and Catherine chatting away to a younger couple. 

“If you ever need anything don’t hesitate to call on Lady Smith or myself.” James told Vivien as he pulled out a cigar.

“Of course, thank you very much.” Vivien said as she still looked at her father and Catherine. “If only I could tell them what was going on. But they wouldn't understand.” Vivien told herself as a sigh escaped her lips.

“Is everything alright dear?” Suzanne asked as she came to her husband’s side. “You look as if something is troubling you.” 

“Oh, no, I’m fine.” Vivien lied as she took the last drink of her wine. Lowering the cup she saw Catherine all over her father. Yes, they were husband and wife, but why did she have to throw herself all over him like that for? Here of all places. Vivien didn’t want her family to be made fools at their own party.

“Will you excuse me?” Vivien told the Smiths as she knew she had to get away. 

“Certainly,” Suzanne said as she smiled. 

Vivien left swiftly from the room and headed upstairs. “How can people not see what I see?” Vivien asked herself as she sat the wine glass on a nearby table. Leaning up against her bedroom door frame she sank to her knees. A pool of tears began to take over Vivien’s dark blue eyes. If only she could tell them. While her body began to shake from all the pain that was conflicted on, she began to wonder if things would ever change. 

While all that was happening Richard saw for himself what had happened. “I will be right back dear.” Richard told Catherine as he touched her shoulder. 

“Alright, but don’t be gone too long. After all this party is for you.” Catherine said as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

Leaving his wife and guest he went to go to talk to Vivien. What could be the matter now? 

While her husband was away a few other couples came up and began talking with her. “You know Catherine, Richard and you have just the prettiest daughter.” Kay said with a smile. “She looks so much like Natalie.” 

Catherine could feel her blood rise within her. “Thank you,” Catherine forced herself to say. She wanted to be the most beautiful in all of London, not Vivien. Thinking Mrs. Alexander was out of ear shot Catherine lost it. “AH!” Catherine began to throw a fit while she stomped her foot and clinched her hands into fist as rage went through her. 

Turning back around Mrs. Alexander, along with many other people, looked at her. “There was a bee.” Catherine answered as she pointed to the window behind her. That was the best Catherine could do right now. However people knew that wasn’t the case. Smiling at her daughter-in-law Mrs. Alexander departed and began talking with some friends. 

Within a few short moments Richard had approached his daughter’s door. He intended to get to the bottom of all of this, whatever it may be. He knocked seconds later. “Viv, let me come in.”

Looking up as she lifted her head from her knees she called back. “No, go away.” Hearing her master’s voice Callie came over with her toy ready for play. “Not now Callie,” Vivien told her kitten as she turned her head and looked out the window. Why was it that she felt like she wasn’t wanted in this house? She could feel her father’s love slipping through her finger tips and maybe out of her life forever. 

Another knock came. “Go away,” Vivien yelled back. She didn’t feel like talking to anyone not now, not ever again. She just wanted to be left alone. After all why should her father care? He had Catherine now, her love was more important than his daughter so it would seem. 

Opening the door a little Vivien looked in that direction. “Vivien, we need to talk.” Richard said as he came over to the window seat. “What has gotten into you, young lady?” 

Vivien wasn’t about to answer her father. Why should she talk to him? After all she had lost being his little girl. What else could she lose besides that? Vivien knew that answer and she didn’t want to think of such a thing. “Vivien,” Richard tried again. Hoping this time he would get an answer. 

“Haven’t you believed anything that I’ve told you?” Vivien blurted out before she could catch herself. She often did this. Blurting things out before she thought about what the consequences were. This was just part of her personality. 

“Vivien, I’ve had so much going on it’s hard to keep things straight at the moment.” Richard answered. “What exactly do you mean?” 

“You didn’t believe anything that I told you when you came home.” Vivien spoke. She knew this to be true. “Catherine is so mean to me. You can’t seem to get past how pretty she is to see that. To make matters worse, you’re away all the time to even take notice.”

This hurt Richard very deeply. Could his daughter be telling the truth? Or could she possibly be dragging it out worse then what it seemed to be? After all she was a little bit of a drama queen. “I can reassure you that she loves you with all her heart. She just has a hard time showing it sometimes.” 

“Threatening to throw Callie into the river is her way of showing that she loves me?” Vivien asked pointing over at her kitten that was playing with a ball of yarn. Hearing her name Callie’s head came up and looked at Vivien. “If that’s showing me that she loves me then I would hate to see her when she dislikes me and let’s not forget how she doesn’t love you all she wants is money and power she’s never loved you father.” 

“Vivien, that’s enough!” Richards’s voice rose as he had heard enough of Vivien’s wild stories. “What I think is that you’re trying to get your way, because you’ve always gotten your way with everything. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that. Maybe I should have told you no a few times. Then maybe we wouldn’t be in this right now.” 

A gasp escaped Vivien’s lips. How could her father say that? “I suppose you think I should have never been born either.” Vivien cried as she got up from her window seat and headed toward the door. 

“That’s not what I said and you know it.” Richard yelled as he turned toward his daughter.

“I’m leaving,” Vivien said as she stormed from her room. “If you didn’t want me here all you had to do was say so.” Heading down the stairs she could hear her father’s voice and feel all eyes on her as she approached the front door. 

“Vivien, come back here.” Richard yelled as he ran down the stairs. Before he could get to his daughter she was out the door. Opening the door he saw her running down the long driveway. “What have I done?” he asked aloud as he put a hand to his forehead. Shutting the door he turned toward his guest who had all eyes on him. 

“She will come back. Just give her some time,” Kay said as she went and to comfort her son. 

“You know dear, it’s not too late to send her to a boarding school.” Catherine said as she proceeded to rest a hand on his shoulder. 

“That may be for the better,” Richard agreed as he could hear a gasp from his mother. “We will discuss it later,”