Carlotta Brown (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fiery_ring) wrote2010-05-05 10:21 pm
fiery_ring) wrote2010-05-05 10:21 pm
(no subject)
Her trunk was already packed ready for school when the car drew into the driveway.
Carlotta peers out the window. It's her father's car. He's not been around much this summer; apart from the weeks in Spain with her aunt, it's been long and boring.
She pads lightly across the landing, and peeps at him over the bannister. He motions for her to come down, and grimaces when she slides down the bannister, though accepts the hug.
"Don't do that to the bannister, it's not ladylike." he says, for the hundredth time, then steps back to have a look at her.
"You're wearing earrings." He notices, with a rather sharp tone. "Take them out at once, you're much too young."
Reluctantly, Carlotta removes the hoops and passes them over. It doesn't matter; it's been a good few weeks since she had them done in Spain and she's confident she can re-pierce them as soon as she gets back upstairs.
"How are you?" she asks her father, looking at his tired expression.
"A very busy man." He smiles just slightly. "Come into my study, we need to talk."
She follows him into his study. He gets to the point right away.
"Carlotta, tell me the truth. Are you planning to go to university?"
Uh oh, direct questioning. Carlotta grimaces.
"No." She admits.
"Are you planning to go into the family business?"
"No." She admits, more quietly. "Marigold wants to, and she'd be brilliant at it."
Her father hesitates, then nods. Carlotta feels some hope in that. Things with Uncle Michael have begun to pick up since her father's failed love attempt.
"Do you want to go to finishing school?"
Taken aback. "Good gracious, no!"
"Don't be vulgar." Her father tries not to smirk, though a twitch of amusement glimmers through. "There are many fine finishing schools. What are your plans?"
"Finish school, and go back into a circus." Carlotta admits. "But I'll stay in touch, I promise."
There is a long pause. She can feel her father's disappointment. But he doesn't seem angry at least.
"It'll break your Grandma's heart." He says at last. "You're such a pretty girl, with a bit of refinement you could do so well in society. You can do better than that stable boy."
"Will runs his own business, and he's from a nice family." Carlotta says, trying to keep her cool. "I'm sorry if it breaks Grandma's heart but I'll still visit. I'm sorry, I've been thinking this through, the whole time, for four years, and I tried to go for your way of life but I can't. It's not me. And I think you've always known that. I'll do my best in my exams, I promise."
Her father is quiet for a moment.
"Can you try and keep an open mind just a little longer?" He asks eventually. "Until after your exams. I need to discuss things with your Grandmother."
The door opens, and her Grandma is standing there, with tears running down her cheeks. Carlotta and her father glance around, both realising immediately that she's heard the whole thing.
Carlotta peers out the window. It's her father's car. He's not been around much this summer; apart from the weeks in Spain with her aunt, it's been long and boring.
She pads lightly across the landing, and peeps at him over the bannister. He motions for her to come down, and grimaces when she slides down the bannister, though accepts the hug.
"Don't do that to the bannister, it's not ladylike." he says, for the hundredth time, then steps back to have a look at her.
"You're wearing earrings." He notices, with a rather sharp tone. "Take them out at once, you're much too young."
Reluctantly, Carlotta removes the hoops and passes them over. It doesn't matter; it's been a good few weeks since she had them done in Spain and she's confident she can re-pierce them as soon as she gets back upstairs.
"How are you?" she asks her father, looking at his tired expression.
"A very busy man." He smiles just slightly. "Come into my study, we need to talk."
She follows him into his study. He gets to the point right away.
"Carlotta, tell me the truth. Are you planning to go to university?"
Uh oh, direct questioning. Carlotta grimaces.
"No." She admits.
"Are you planning to go into the family business?"
"No." She admits, more quietly. "Marigold wants to, and she'd be brilliant at it."
Her father hesitates, then nods. Carlotta feels some hope in that. Things with Uncle Michael have begun to pick up since her father's failed love attempt.
"Do you want to go to finishing school?"
Taken aback. "Good gracious, no!"
"Don't be vulgar." Her father tries not to smirk, though a twitch of amusement glimmers through. "There are many fine finishing schools. What are your plans?"
"Finish school, and go back into a circus." Carlotta admits. "But I'll stay in touch, I promise."
There is a long pause. She can feel her father's disappointment. But he doesn't seem angry at least.
"It'll break your Grandma's heart." He says at last. "You're such a pretty girl, with a bit of refinement you could do so well in society. You can do better than that stable boy."
"Will runs his own business, and he's from a nice family." Carlotta says, trying to keep her cool. "I'm sorry if it breaks Grandma's heart but I'll still visit. I'm sorry, I've been thinking this through, the whole time, for four years, and I tried to go for your way of life but I can't. It's not me. And I think you've always known that. I'll do my best in my exams, I promise."
Her father is quiet for a moment.
"Can you try and keep an open mind just a little longer?" He asks eventually. "Until after your exams. I need to discuss things with your Grandmother."
The door opens, and her Grandma is standing there, with tears running down her cheeks. Carlotta and her father glance around, both realising immediately that she's heard the whole thing.