Merry Yulemas, queen_fiend!
A somewhat cracky little giftie for the lovely queen_fiend, who asked: Does Madeline ever find out about Spode's Eulalie thing? What does she think? and who is obviously awesome because she got me to kinda sorta write het. :D
Eulalie and the Kitten
"Pinkie, come out of there this instant!" Madeline called, hands on hips, from the doorway of Roderick's dressing room. that silly man Watkins had left the door open again, and of course the kitty (an early Christmas present from Hilda and named for her dear little pink nose) was too curious not to go skipping in where she wasn't allowed.
Pinkie looked at Madeline, seemed to smile mischievously, and gave a little 'mew' before diving in between a couple of suits.
"Pinkie! Daddy will be ever so cross with you!" Madeline exclaimed at the unseen kitten who was now causing a great deal of rustling. Madeline crawled in behind the suits only to find that the silly kitty had torn her way into a box and was now making herself a little bed amongst what looked like a lot of lace and silk. She knew in an instant what it was. "Naughty girl!" Madeline scooped the fluffy little troublemaker out of the box and tapped her on her nose. "It's not polite to snoop in the Christmas presents!"
"Mew," said Pinkie, piteously.
"Oh, poor little puss. You didn't know any better, did you? Mummy hasn't taught you any manners yet." She kissed her little friend on the head and took her back to her basket in the bedroom. "Now you stay there and behave. If you're very good, I won't tell Daddy."
Madeline returned to Roderick's dressing room, careful to shut the door behind her (she'd have to speak to that scatterbrained Watkins) and went to see if she could set the damage right. It wasn't polite to snoop in the Christmas presents, of course, but Madeline couldn't very well put them back in order without looking at them. And the negligée was such fine ivory silk, with the prettiest blue lace (to match her eyes, of course) that she couldn't help but hold it up to herself.
When she saw herself in the mirror, Madeline gasped in horror. It was quite five times too large for her dainty body! Roderick knew her size well enough that it couldn't have been a mistake. Roderick's poor mother had been gone for some years now, not that one ought to be giving such things to one's mother, and he had no aunts or sisters, not that one should be giving such things to aunts and sisters either. As Madeline dug deeper into the box for some clue, she found slips and camisoles and foundations and stockings, all far too large for her, and all of the finest materials, all bearing the label Eulalie Soeur.
What was she to think? Had there been some other woman before her? Was there some other woman now? Her eyes dewed with sorrowful tears as she could only think of answers too terrible to contemplate.
A shadow fell in the doorway. "Madeline! What are you doing?" Roderick bellowed angrily, which only caused her to squeak out a sob.
"What is this, Roderick? Who is she? Eulalie Soeur, is that your--" she couldn't even say it.
"Madeline! My dear little Madeline, it's not what you think!" Roderick said sweetly, dropping down beside her and pulling her into his strong arms.
"Then what is it, Roderick?" she sobbed. "Who are all these for?
"For no one, my darling, I swear it. I should have got rid of them, but-- Oh, I'm so ashamed!"
Ashamed? If they weren't for other women, then... "Do you wear them, Roderick?" Madeline asked, blushing. "Is that what they are?" Picturing him in them made her feel hot and faint, like she'd had too much champagne.
Roderick took her by the shoulders and made her look in his eyes. "Never!" he whispered forcefully. "They're-- Oh, Madeline, I beg you give clemency to my youthful folly, but they-- they are the last stock of my shop." He hung his head.
"Your shop?"
"Look in the bottom of the box."
"I can't, I can't bear it!"
"Here, then." Roderick released her and reached into the box himself.
Madeline sniffled and wiped at her eyes, waving away the handkerchief Roderick offered in one hand and taking the papers he had in the other. It was a deed of sale. "'The establishment Eulalie Soeur and all its fixtures, existing stock excluded, are hereby deeded in sale to Mrs Eleanor Bancroft for the sum of five--' Oh, Roderick!" Her poor heart didn't know what to do, it was pounding so.
"I know, Madeline, I know," Roderick said, so very sorrowful, his face full of deep regret. "But I gave it up, you see! I knew you could never have a husband who--"
"Then there's no one else?" Madeline stammered.
"No, my dear heart, there was never anyone but you."
"Then why are you ashamed, Roderick, darling?"
"It's no trade for a gentleman, a peer, a man with a great destiny to--"
"Silly Roderick, I don't care about that." She tapped a finger to his dear little moustache, which never failed to make him smile.
"Oh, Madeline, you are too good!"
"Although...I might ask one thing," Madeline said with her best fluttering of eyelashes, which Hilda said could make any heart melt.
"Anything."
"I do so like the cream silk with the blue lace. Can it be made to fit me?"
Roderick's soulful eyes sparkled like stars dancing across the heavens. "You would have to be measured, my dear, fitted...."
Madeline pictured her self stood up on a stool wearing nothing but Roderick's tape measure, and now felt as though she'd had far too much champagne. "It would be my pleasure," she breathed.
"And mine." Roderick pulled her close and they fell to the floor.
She must remember to give Pinkie a nice treat for--
Oh!