Chapter 5: Boarding School or No Boarding School?

Vivien came back three hours later after everyone else had gone to bed. Opening the door rather slowly she made her way inside. Walking through the parlor and up the staircase Vivien hoped she would get to her room before she was spotted. Before she arrived at the top of the stairs the lights came on. Vivien turned to see her parents sitting in the living room. 

Where have you been? Richard asked as he sat in his blue robe that Vivien had given him this past Christmas. 

“Out,” Vivien answered back as she turned from them. This was crazy she was 18 yes, not yet an adult but she was her own self she didn’t belong to anyone. 

“Your father asked where you have been” Catherine asked standing on this matter with her husband.

“I don’t have to answer to you.” Vivien spat back, she didn’t need this right now. She could feel her anger boiling over as she tried to hold it in.

“You don’t talk to your mother that way.” Richard commanded. “I will ask you once more where were you?”


“I was visiting mother if you must know.” Vivien cried as she knew no one was on her side.

“Viv, I had no idea…I’m sorry.” Richard said as he felt a little pain in his chest. 

Looking back for one quick moment Vivien continued her way to her room for a much needed nights rest. Climbing into bed she turned toward her window and looked out at the lovely night sky. Sighing heavily she began asking herself. “Why was she such a bother?” 
Yes, she had many flaws from her temper to speaking out of turn. However, she also had many good favorable qualities, from keeping her mother’s rose garden looking beautiful, reading the classics, having long talks with her father, walking the grounds of Notley and entertaining friends just to name a few. Trying not to pat herself on the back too much, Vivien laughed at this. Her smile soon faded when she thought of the man down stairs that was nothing like her father. Her father didn’t see these things in her anymore. What he saw now was a problem child. Had she always been a problem child? Vivien didn’t think so. From the way her father talked she was just the opposite. Grateful for everything she had ever received through the years. One thing she was grateful for was her father’s love. She at least had that. 

Hearing the little bell of Callie’s collar Vivien turned and saw that Callie was sitting on the edge of her bed. “Callie, it’s time to go to sleep.” Curling up on the edge of the bed the kitten shut her eyes and went to sleep. Shutting her eyes as well Vivien began to get sleep for tomorrow was going to be a very interesting day. 
The next morning the sun shown in her window as the sound of Big Ben could be heard in the far distance. Opening her eyes Vivien yawned and stretched. Putting her red robe on, she went downstairs.

“Your mother and I have something we need to tell you.” Richard said as he looked at his lovely daughter. 

“What is it?” Vivien asked as she got her a cup of tea, and sat across from her parents. 

Looking at each other Catherine spoke. “Your father and I… maybe you should tell her Richard. I’m already on her bad side.” 

“Tell me what?” Vivien asked as she could feel her heart pick up speed. What could her parent’s be talking about? As far as she was concerned things had blown over from last night. 

“Your mother and I were talking and thinking that maybe….maybe it is better that you go away for a while.” Richard began as he could barley look his daughter in the eyes. “There’s a boarding school not too far from here.” 

“No, I won’t go to any boarding school.” Vivien said as the china cup fell from her slender fingers causing it to crash on the marble floor breaking into a million pieces. 

“Vivien, it’s a good proper school. You’ll love it there.” Richard acknowledged “You can come home every weekend.” 

“Please, Daddy; I don’t want to go to any school. I want to stay here. Please.” Vivien begged as she knew this was all Catherine’s doing

“Viv, please, don’t do this.” Richard pleaded with his daughter. 
“I will be a much better daughter. I will help around the house. I will even stop writing to you and telling you of things that are happening here. Please don’t send me,” Vivien begged as she could feel the tears running down her face and onto the counter top. 

“Vivien, there is no use in crying over it. The decision has already been made. You leave in three days.” Richard answered. He didn’t want to do this to his daughter, but if this was what had to be done then so be it. 

“Daddy, please!” Vivien begged. She was now in front of him on her knees, as a five year old would be who was not getting their way. 

Richard could see the sorrow and the hurt in his daughter’s eyes. Looking at Catherine he said. “Maybe we have made the wrong choice. Maybe we should let her stay.” 

Catherine was so angry she didn’t know what to do. Of course Richard would take his lovely daughter’s side. He would never do wrong for his little princess. One way or another she was going to be the most beautiful in all of England if it was the last thing she did. 

Vivien was so happy however, the happiness would not last long. For you see Richard was called back to the war for the third time now. “Try to be good while I’m gone.” He told Vivien as she saw him to the front door yet again. “No more letters saying how bad Catherine is. I want you to get along with her. I don’t know what happened. 
When you were little you used to love to play with Catherine.”

“I don’t know father, times along with people change.” Vivien said. Back when she was a little girl she didn’t see the evilness that prayed within Catherine’s eyes. 

“Now where have I heard that from before?” Richard asked looking at his daughter, Vivien laughed and kissed him goodbye. 

“Please, father come home safe and sound.” Vivien said as she hugged him. “I don’t know if I could bear it if anything happen to you.” 

“Nothing is going to happen to me.” Richard said kissing his daughter goodbye. 

Waving to him as he left, Vivien hoped and preyed he would be safe. Heading to the rose garden Catherine stopped her. “Where do you think you’re going?” she asked in a cruel voice. 

“Out to my mother’s rose garden, the roses need tended to.”

“Thought you would Sneak out there, and have me not notices that you were gone.” Catherine said in a sneer. “Think again girl.” 
Taking hold of Vivien’s small arm she forced her to look at her. 
Still having a tight grip on her stepdaughter’s arm; Catherine smiled cruelly. She began laughing a deep-throated laugh. “You stupid, stupid girl, what is the one thing you love other than your father?” Catherine paused for a minute as she knew she had her stepdaughter’s attention. “We mustn’t forget your hearts true desire, your knight in shining armor to come and take you away from here.” 

This made Vivien’s heart jump. How did she know about that? She had only told one person and that was her father all those years ago. 

“How do you know that?” This made Vivien’s heart pick up faster as she could feel the blood pumping into her veins. 

“Let’s just say I have ways of finding things out,” While she threw Vivien’s arm down. “If I were you I would be getting that out of your heart and head you’re never leaving this house.”

This just shot a cold chill down Vivien’s back; this woman was crazy. She didn’t know what her father saw in her. On the other hand, her father needed to get married quickly. This made Vivien wonder if he married too fast. That could have been the case. While Vivien grew older Catherine began to get envious, cold, and hostile towards her.

“Now that I have your attention can I continue?” Catherine asked. 
“Yes Catherine,” Vivien said, she could feel her voice go as she began to chock on a sob. This woman was cruel and hateful. 

Smiling at her, as if she was the sweetest and dearest, Catherine began. “Have you forgotten about your dear little kitten,” 
Catherine asked as she began walking toward something. 

Raising an eyebrow Vivien looked at her with curiosity. “Of course I haven’t forgotten about Callie, she’s up in my room.” 

“Or is she?” Catherine asked as she pulled out a small silver cage. Within that small cage was the little orange kitten that Richard had given Vivien. 

“Oh!” Vivien cried as she went towards Catherine. “How dare you!” Putting her hands on the cage she could feel the kitten’s terror. 
“Your little kitten will go with anyone won’t she?” Catherine said as she began tapping the cage. 

“It was only because you deliberately put her in that cage.” Vivien yelled as she couldn’t stand this another minute. “Stop it you’re scaring her.” 

“Than do as you are told.” Catherine commanded. “Now get to work I will not say it again.” 

“Can I have Callie back?” Vivien asked looking down at Callie. She wasn’t going to beg because that was something Catherine thrived on. 

“No, you may not. You will learn a lesson one way or another. If this has to be the way then so be it.” Catherine said as she turned to leave. “You may have your father wrapped around your finger, but you most certainly don’t have me wrapped around your finger.” A smile came to her cruel face. “If I have anything to do about it your father won’t be for much longer,” 

Putting a hand to her mouth Vivien watched as her stepmother departed with her kitten. Trying her very best not to cry she tried to hold back the tears. “I won’t cry. I won’t cry.” Vivien told herself. She was going to be her father’s brave soldir, but how could she when she was treated like this when it came time for him to leave. It was no use the tears came rushing.

Sinking to her knees Vivien began to think hope was slipping through her fingers. “The locket I gave you will always carry your mother, and my love in it.” Her father’s voice came to her. Looking up she found her hand resting on the locket. It didn’t matter if Catherine didn’t love her, her own parents did. 

Getting to her feet Vivien wiped the tears from her blue eyes, and got the things necessary for the chores. While cleaning the carpet Vivien could hear the cries of her kitten. However, there was nothing she could do, but listen to the cries. If only her father was there to see all of this. No, she wouldn’t think about that, and she most certainly wouldn’t write to him either. Sucking up all her sadness, Vivien got back to work. If she was lucky she would be done before the sundown, for she still had the rose garden to tend to. 

“Are you still at this?” Catherine asked as she came into the living room four hours later. “I thought you would be done by now.” Holding an ashtray, she put her unwanted cigarette in it. 

“If you had any taste at all you would be able to tell that red wine doesn’t come out of carpet.” Vivien said looking up. “My mother picked out this carpet and now it’s ruined. Do you hear me ruined!” she yelled at her stepmother as she threw the sponge back into the murky water. 

“Go ahead and raise your voice at me, but I will tell you this. I will have none of it do you hear?” Catherine yelled as she threw the ashtray down, causing it to break when it hit the floor. 

Turning her face so the glass couldn’t cut it, Vivien buried her face with her hands. After hearing her stepmother walk out of the room she removed her hands. “Oh, and clean that up. You don’t want me telling your father that you broke an ashtray.” 

Brushing the broken glass off her dress, Vivien began picking up the small broken pieces. She thought her stepmother was bad when she wasn’t drinking, but when she was it was even worse.

Before sundown Vivien was taking care of the roses as she feared her stepmother would catch her. “Mother, I wish you were here.” Vivien said as she held a rose in her hand. “If you were here then none of this would be happening.” A few of her tears watered the roses. After checking and watering the rest, Vivien went inside. 
Going past the kitchen, and around the corner Vivien ran into Catherine. “Where were you?” 

“Watering the roses,” Vivien said as she went around Catherine. Why did she have to be watched every second of everyday for? 
“I thought I told you not to go out there.” Catherine spoke as she turned toward Vivien. 

“I was only out there for a minute.” Vivien answered back as she brushed a piece of hair from her face. 

“You will go to bed with no dinner tonight.” Catherine said in a cold harsh voice. Meanwhile she found her hand going swiftly across Vivien’s face. 

Falling back onto the floor Vivien looked up as she placed her hand on her red, warm cheek. “You can’t do that.” Vivien yelled back as she vowed to get HER way. 

“Oh, I assure you I can.” Catherine said with a laugh. “Maybe from now on you will listen won’t you?” 

Getting to her feet she tried to keep her composure. “Yes, Catherine,” Vivien said as she departed from the room. Heading up the big staircase, and down the hall Vivien departed into her large room. Slamming her door shut Vivien leaned up against it as she laid her head in her hands. “No, matter what I do it’s never enough.” She said into the dark room. The only thing that answered her back was utter complete silence.