And then Vincent thought because of the fact Catherine followed his footprints last night, well, this must mean something...yes...he hoped IT did indeed mean something...
And so too, because Vincent did have a sense of her voice last night, just as he had earlier that evening, he imagined Catherine must have felt discounted both times, as she stood at this door calling out for him!
Vincent then, upon feeling quite desperate to assure her, he never would have purposefully allowed her calls to go unheeded, pledged, "I promise you, had I known you were here Catherine..."
And although Catherine should have seen it, she was too shattered and hurt to see the devotion Vincent had for her. And so she halted his painful explanation, by saying, "There is no need to explain Vincent..."
And it was then she thought of Vincent's coveted Wordsworth he had given her, and so she desolately expressed, "Your copy of Wordsworth, you had given it to me when things were...well, different. I can arrange to return it to..."
But before she could finish her sentence, Vincent with heart, adamantly inserted, "It is yours now, I wanted you to have it then, just as I do now..."
I know what you are thinking, Catherine should have realized Vincent was saying nothing had changed for him, but she didn't! She was in a bit of a vortex, and only saw things through one thought, which was that Brigit now owned Vincent's heart.
So Catherine with gratitude, sadly replied, "Then I thank you...I will treasure it."
To which Vincent, who was drawn within the same vortex, responded with downcast eyes, "You are most welcome..."
And so feeling like he at least wanted to explain why he didn't stay to speak to her last night, Vincent began to say, "Catherine..."
Unfortunately, just then Brigit came sauntering up, and then Pascal followed, to see what was going on!
And as Brigit took in the scene, looking upon the two moonstruck lovers before her, she thought to herself, "Here I was...makin' some headway with Vincent, but now since Cry-Baby Catherine has arrived, lookin' like a damsel in distress, the odds are no longer in me favor!"
And so realizing she better nip this in the bud, Brigit bluntly chimed in, "Catherine, we were jist goin' skatin'...ye should come! Ah, but look at ye, not really dressed fer the freezin' weather! I thought New York lassies were always prepared fer anythin'!"
As Catherine took a moment before looking back at Brigit, she said, “There wasn't any time, I promised to relay this urgent message from a mutual friend."
To which Brigit raised her brow, in a "What Ever" sort of fashion, as she then discreetly, sized her up and down, saying, "I see."
And so since Pascal was quite eager to skate, he then noted, "Too bad you can't go Catherine, but we can get going Brigit, Vincent can catch up to us."
Pouting, Brigit replied in the sweetest of voices, as she said, "Would ye mind? We should stay here with Vincent till Catherine leaves."
And as Catherine stood there, feeling so out of place, she said, "Well I am keeping you, I only needed to give you Peter's letter..."
And it was then Catherine thought about her letter! And because Vincent had not mentioned anything about finding it within the book, she felt quite certain that he hadn't found or read it yet!
And so she realized she had a chance to lay the groundwork for a preemptive strike, to null and void the sentiments she had written to him. So, when Vincent DOES read her letter, he will know it is no longer valid.
And so Catherine humbly said, "Before I go, I need to tell you, when you find my letter Vincent...and when you read it...just know because of the way things have turned out...there is no longer any need to reply..."
Because of these prolific words, Vincent questioned Catherine by asking, "Letter? Catherine what letter are you referencing?"
To which Catherine looked into his eyes, and sadly offered, "One day when you find the letter I am talking about...you will understand..."
And as Vincent tried to conceptualize the meaning of what Catherine had said, Brigit interrupted, saying, "Tis freezin'! Oot 'ere! Can we git movin'?"
Upon hearing Brigit's complaint, Catherine then broke with Vincent's gaze, as she said, "Well Goodbye Vincent..."
Upon sensing Catherine had slipped out of his life, Vincent felt as if this was goodbye forever, and so with all hope now gone, he huskily whispered, "Be well Catherine."
And as she looked up at Vincent, and into his beautiful eyes for one last time, Catherine tearfully turned to leave.
Seizing the moment, Brigit quickly stepped up to Vincent's side, and possessively grabbed hold of his arm, as if she were laying claim to him, and said good bye to Catherine too.
And as Vincent stood there, unaware Brigit was even near him, he watched as the woman he loved, walk away.
And as Catherine walked down the bridal path, she took in a deep breath, and thought, she had done what she needed to do. She delivered the telegram for Peter.
Meanwhile, as Vincent continued to keep his eyes upon Catherine, ensuring her safe departure through the park, he in a downhearted, preoccupied manner, explained to Brigit and Pascal, "I should share this correspondence with Father right away."
To which Brigit understandably replied, "Aye of course."
And because Pascal was so caught up in his infatuation with Brigit, he hadn't realized the kind of impact seeing Catherine had on his pal Vincent! But still though, he too answered, "Yeah...probably should..."
And then a thought crossed, Pascal's mind, and suggested, "I would be happy to still take you skating Brigit!"
But swishing around the ice ALONE with this little man, was not what Brigit had in mind! And so she angelically responded, "Aye would ye mind Piscal...another time perhaps."
Dejectedly Pascal replied, "OK, another time, and OH, by the way, my name is Pascal. P-A-S-C-A-L."
Meanwhile, Vincent who could no longer see Catherine, in a dazed, melancholy manner, turned to re-enter his world.
So as Brigit and Pascal followed, the walk was less festive to be sure, and it was at the crux of the tunnels, Vincent asked Pascal to look after Brigit for him.
Happy for this task, Pascal excitedly replied, "Of course I will!"
And then Pascal eagerly suggested to Brigit, "Hey, here's an idea, since skating is on hold, I will take you on a tour of the pipe chamber!"
As Brigit contemplated a tour of the pipe chamber, she thought unless Vincent went, she didn't wanna go! But since she had no choice, she kept her temperament in check, as she politely replied, "Aye, if ye insist!"
With an appreciative nod toward his pal, Vincent thanked Pascal, and then told Brigit, he would check on her later after seeing his Father. So with that said, Vincent, sadly ventured on ahead, to relay Peter's tragic news privately to Jacob.
As Vincent walked onward alone, he came upon Daniel, the head Sentry, who was in charge of the other sentries, runners and such. And because Vincent was concerned Catherine went unnoticed waiting at the culvert entrance tonight, he took a moment to inform Daniel of this breach, along with Catherine going undetected last night as well.
To which a stunned Daniel, apologized, and said, "Gee, well as far as last night, I DID hear a lady, and that's why I told the Runner, who would have been Mack, to find and tell ya there was someone calling for you at the iron gate...I guess I thought he did!"
And because speaking with Catherine last night, could have possibly altered the now tragic course their relationship has taken...Vincent with a resigned grievous tone, replied that he had never received any such message from Mack.
And then Daniel hesitantly admitted, "Ooo boy, sorry about that...and as far as tonight...well I hate to say that the Sentry on Duty was also...gulp....Mack!"
So upon realizing Mack, the new guy wasn't being very vigilant, and because of his incompetency, he had managed to do much damage, Vincent offered, "Since Mack is so new to the tunnel community, perhaps he should not be promoted to a Sentry position quite so quickly Daniel, if at all."
As Daniel agreed, he then assuredly promised Vincent he would talk to Mack, saying, "I'll take care of it Vincent! You can be sure of that!"
And because Daniel took ownership of the security issue, Vincent proceeded on to Jacob's.
Upon entering Jacob's chamber, Jacob looked up at Vincent and asked, "Back so soon, and where's our guest?"
To which Vincent handed his Father the telegram from Peter, and with care, he said, "Brigit is with Pascal, and we have postponed the skating due to the news, Peter's Mother has died today."
As Jacob opened the sealed telegram, reading the news for himself, he bent his head in sorrow, somberly saying, "Ah Peter and his Mother were so close. Such sad news..."
As Jacob read on, he relayed, "His message also says, he has made arrangements for me to fly out tonight, and join him in time for his Mother's funeral. Vincent, I must go to be with him. This means you will be in charge during my absence."
With a resigned commiserating tone, Vincent replied, "Of course..."
As Jacob looked up at Vincent he could see there was something more...something else was wrong, and so he asked, "What is it?"
Raising only his eyes to look at his Father, he answered softly, "The telegram from Peter, was delivered by Catherine..."
To which Jacob asked shockingly, "Catherine?"
Barely audible, Vincent numbly answered, "Yes..."
A stunned Jacob couldn't help but to wonder what effect seeing her again, would have on his son! And so with concern, he asked, "What does this mean in terms of, well how are you dealing? And did she mention anything at all about the note you had left her? And did she explain why she didn't respond to it?"
As Vincent paced, he answered, "Catherine thanked me for Wordsworth, however nothing about my note...and with Pascal and Brigit there...we didn't have the chance to really speak about anything other than Peter's Mother...I tried, but there were interruptions...Father...I was struck by how emotional, and tragically sad she was..."
With a nod, Jacob replied, "Understandable...after all, the news she needed to give us is grievous."
To which Vincent admitted that was true, but then added, "Still, I felt something else...something more..."
And it was then Jacob curtly said, "Well, for now, I will set aside how cruelly Catherine had handled your personal issues, Vincent..."
But then with a softer tone, Jacob continued, "...however I must say, I am grateful to Catherine for getting Peter's message to us. I suppose in hindsight, it was a good thing you had shared so much with Catherine the night you met her, and because of that, she would know how to find you..."
Sitting down now beside his Father, Vincent hesitantly continued, "I never had the opportunity to tell her where we are located, or of how and where to enter our world...Father...I believe she found us on her accord."
With concern, Jacob surmised, "How do you suppose...through Peter then?"
To which Vincent closed his eyes, and shaking his head no, he answered, "There is something I haven't yet shared with you."
With concern, Jacob looked back at his troubled son, and said, "Oh..."
Slowly Vincent began, "Last night, because it was snowing, I ventured down a secluded bridal path, and I came upon Catherine...sitting alone on a park bench and she was weeping. When she saw me, she called out, as if she wished to speak to me, however, just as I was about to approach her, a band of minstrels came by, and then some children, and out of concern for the tunnels security...I left...and when I later decided to go above to check on her...I found her footprints in the snow at the tunnel entrance...she must have traced my own footprints back here..."
To which Jacob understandably said, "I see, so that was how she knew where to deliver Peter's note..."
Vincent nodded, and then because he sat with bended head, Jacob asked, "Vincent? Is there something else?"
With a tremble to his voice, Vincent shared, "Because of the fact Catherine sought me out last night by tracing my steps, well I felt bolstered, and so I did go to Catherine...and Father, when I arrived, she was not alone."
As Jacob lowered his head, he discreetly asked, "So...this is why you returned so upset last night?"
To which Vincent answered, "Yes, seeing her with someone else, threw me into the depths of despair, and last night, I let go of my dream and accepted that it had ended."
And because of something Vincent couldn't define, he continued, "However, seeing her today, troubles me as I have a sense of her emotions, and this connection I have spoken about...is still there...and it is real..."
With a loving firmness, Jacob replied, "Vincent, it is time you must accept the reality, the sadness of what has happened between you and Catherine is called life! And, these things do take time...give yourself time for this connection to fade away..."
Softly Vincent said, "I know Father, and I was prepared to do that, then...tonight's meeting has caught me off guard, and I could tell seeing me, weighed heavily on Catherine as well. Moreover...she was quite uncomfortable with Brigit being present. The whole meeting went terribly..."
Vincent then informatively said, “And there is another issue Father, this time concerning our security...tonight, no one knew Catherine was at the culvert's gate, and when we found her...she was cold from waiting so long, and last night, though Daniel did hear her, he sent word to me, however the message was never delivered..."
And before Vincent could tell Jacob he had already spoken to Daniel, Jacob angrily responded, "These security breaches are unconscionable! I want to speak with Daniel right awa..."
And because he didn't want to see his Father so upset, Vincent butted in to say, "Already have Father...I saw Daniel on my way here to see you...he assures me he will have a word with Mack, since he is the one guilty of both fissures. It stuns me though how this could have happened with our other secure methods that are in place! I mean Catherine was able to deliver this important news, only because Brigit, Pascal and I just happened by and found her there! And I thank heavens we did...she was so very cold...so cold..."
To which Jacob asked, "Who did you say was the Sentry on duty tonight?"
In reply, Vincent with frustration answered, "Mack Father! It had been Mack..."
With a furrowed brow, Jacob asked, "And you say Mack was also the Runner who failed to deliver last night's message?"
With a nod, Vincent expounded, "Yes, both times MACK! And as I say, Daniel of course apologized, saying that because he didn't know about last nights blunder, he put Mack in the advanced Sentry position tonight. But since he now knows of both breaches, Daniel realizes it was too soon to give him such responsibility!"
In total agreement, Jacob too bellowed, "Yes I quite agree! And I must say, I have to question Daniel's judgement, I should think if anyone would be worthy to be a Sentry, it would be Mortimer! There should be a Common Meeting with Daniel about the promotions he gives. However in the meantime, I cannot shake the seriousness of all this! I mean it was quite a serious breach in terms of the security for our community. Not to say Catherine is a threat to us, however, what if it was someone who DID mean us harm!"
And so the more Jacob thought about it, the more he felt this issue needed to be dealt with right away, and so he instructed, "I dare say Vincent, because expediency is a necessity, you will have to preside over the Common Meeting, and may I recommend, have it as soon as possible!"
To which Vincent replied, "Of course."
Hurriedly, Jacob then noted, "The time is nearing...I must ready myself..."
Jacob then stopped, and as he looked at his son, he apologetically said, "I am sorry to leave at a time like this...leave you feeling as you do about Catherine, not to mention leaving the security issues for you to deal with, and I know you were counting on me to help entertain Brigit as well."
In reply, Vincent said, "Your place is with Peter...and Pascal has stepped up to help entertain Brigit. I only wish I could join you in sharing Peter's grief with him. Please tell him I am petitioning for him."
With an apprehensive nod, he then said, "Yes I will indeed Vincent."
Thinking of all he needed to do before his departure, Jacob then requested, "Please send a runner to contact Lou for me, will you Vincent? I shall need a lift to the airport."
And then wanting to leave on a jovial note, Jacob continued as he jested, "Oh, and make sure the runner isn't MACK! If I see him right now I may bean him!"
To which Vincent, who was happy to have a reprieve from the sorrow, with a smile in his eyes, assuredly said, "For Mack's sake then, I shall ask for Mortimer."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, as Pascal stopped to talk to some fellow dwellers, Brigit managed to slip away! And as she stealthily traveled through the tunnels, Brigit surmised, "Hmmm, Now let's see...I believe Vincent’s chamber is...this way!"
As Brigit gingerly entered Vincent's chamber, she could not believe her eyes! She was so totally enchanted with this whole idea of being within Vincent's personal space.
As she sized up his huge bed, where Vincent slept, she then quite boldly laid down upon it!
Playfully, she made a swishing motion with her arms and legs as if she were making a snow angel, thinking "I canny believe the size of this bed!"
Hopping up to nose around his chamber, she next approached his writing table. Seeing his Journals, she touched the leather bound covers of them, and thought to herself, “Hmm, wish I'd more time to dig into them, n read what Vincent has privately written 'bout life!"
And then Brigit twirled, and excitedly thought, "I dinny believe it!!! This is his chamber! The chamber of the man with the exotic features, and this is where he formalized all his fascinatin' thoughts in his writin's to me!"
Going now over to his wardrobe, she opened the doors, and was astonished to see some of the most engaging, Gothic looking designs, not to mention the size of them as well! And Brigit began to envision Vincent's muscle bound body within them! Yes, thought Brigit, "Vincent definitely is...powerfully built!
Because of the correspondence they had shared, Brigit imagined what Vincent might look like, and though she could never have known he looked as different as he does, she somehow knew he would be stunning...and in her eyes he was gorgeous!
In fact, Brigit was so enraptured by his looks, she has been able to think of little else since that night they met! And only the sorrow surrounding the loss of her Father, took precedence.
Yes, Brigit definitely had her fantasies of this stalwart man! And Brigit could not help herself as her thoughts turned amorous, thinking, "Just imagine the stories that'd be generated from a union with such a man! The stories would never end to be sure!"
And now that Catherine seemed to be definitely out of the picture, Brigit thought it should be smooth sailing from here on out!
After she closed the doors to his wardrobe, she looked back over at Vincent's writing table, and she noticed Jacob’s gift to Vincent was there.
As she picked up the book from out of its brown paper, Brigit noticed that something was sticking out of the book. Carefully, she opened the book, and unfolded the envelope that was placed inside. And on the face of the envelope, it said, "To Mr. V. Wells".
"Hmmm" thought Brigit, "Who could this be from? Doesn't look as if Vincent read it yet!"
So as Brigit carefully loosened the sealed flap, and slipped the letter from it's sleeve, she looked to the bottom, and saw it was signed by Catherine!
Feeling excited by this find, Brigit curiously, and intrusively read:
Dearest Vincent, I hope you don't mind my placing this note in your book, but with Peter gone, I had no way of contacting you, and since you haven't reached out to me, I have begun to think meeting you had been a dream. In fact the only proof I have that night wasn't a dream, is the gift of your copy of Wordsworth. Of which I thank you.
So, through our mutual love of these old masters, I am hoping they will perhaps provide a vehicle for me to connect with you once more, but this time instead of Wordsworth, it is because of dear Shakespeare.
Vincent, since I haven't heard from you, I have to wonder if all we spoke about and shared that night, remained with you as it has with me.
But if you have reconsidered our relationship, I can try to understand, but I need to hear it from you...my heart needs to hear it from you.
In full disclosure, I confess to have heard Brigit's newscast where she expressed her interest in returning to you once again.
So I guess what I am asking, is if you have deepened your relationship with Brigit?
Please find a way to respond to this note...but if you don't, I will try to think it is because you could not find the words. All my love, Catherine
So after reading the whole letter, Brigit thought to herself, "So, this is the letter that poor, pitiful, Catherine was referrin' to! And since she told him to forgit 'bout writin' her back, must mean Catherine is either givin' up, or has moved on with the other chap!"
But, Brigit then said to herself, "If I was a bettin' gal, I'd guess she was still in love with him!"
Hmm, so now Brigit stood holding Catherine's letter, and was now, wondering what to do with it! Yes, this letter, that only she, at this time, was privy to, and had possession of!