Katherine

by

Mary
(owensmary@hotmail.com)

Niles was busy in the lounge when the mail arrived. He trudged over to the mat, and picked it up. There was the usual collection of junk mail, letters to Mr. Sheffield about his plays, financial offers, and Mrs. Sheffield's credit card reviews. In addition there was a small, white envelope addressed to Niles. Puzzled, he took the rest of the mail to the office, and retreated to his room. Once there, he slit open the envelope with a paper knife, and pulled out the single sheet of paper.

"Oh, my, God," said Niles quietly. He remembered Katherine from old; she'd been employed as a housekeeper at the Sheffield home before Maxwell Sheffield had married Sarah. She'd been so beautiful, and so unavailable. Niles had loved her more than anything else in the world, but had never got round to telling her how he felt. If only he'd known… He'd pictured his life as it could have been - with Katherine by his side, laughing, smiling. Their marriage, their children, their life together. Always. And then she'd married, and moved away from the Sheffield residence just before Maxwell had married Sarah and moved to New York. Niles had taken years to recover, but had finally realized that she just hadn't been the right woman for him. She'd been so quiet, so reserved - everything his parents had hoped for in a prospective daughter-in-law. But he'd realized that it just wasn't meant to be…

Katherine. Well, well. Katherine wanted to call after all this time. Niles crossed to his dresser, and picked up a pen and some writing paper. He began to write his reply, reasoning that he could at least meet the woman to see how he felt.

Two weeks later, a tentative knock on the Sheffield's door stopped Niles in the process of torturing Miss Babcock. He gave her one last look, and half ran, half skipped to the front door.

"Niles?"

"Katherine?"

"You're looking well."

"You're still beautiful."

"Can I come in?"

"Of course - Mr. Sheffield knows you're coming around." At that moment, Miss Babcock walked in.

"Ah - this is the famous housekeeper I presume?" started CC, "Babcock, CC Babcock. I manage Niles' pension plan, and he tortures me in return. I work with Mr. Sheffield, Niles' owner. So that makes me more important then Niles. Right?" She smiled evilly at Niles, who nodded, trying to make a good impression.

"Miss Babcock, my name is Katherine De Squire, and I would appreciate it if you would not try to humiliate the man I wish to marry. My ex-husband left the servant's life many years ago, and I followed him. He became very important in the oil industry, and I am sure the jewelry on my left hand is worth more than your apartment. Now apologize to my dear, sweet, Niles, and get out."

CC looked shocked at this defensive dismissal, mumbled something, and walked from the room. Niles followed her movement with his head, and then turned back to Katherine.

"You've changed. I remember you as a meek servant who wouldn't upset anyone for fear of hurting their feelings. And even I have never managed to get Miss Babcock to leave like that. You've changed quite a lot, my dear Madam De Squire. May I ask why you've kept your married name?"

"It sounds so much better than Katherine Trump, don't you think? And call me Katherine. How would anyone take anyone seriously in the fashion industry with a name like Trump? Anyway, it's already taken and I don't do towers."

"Fashion?" said Niles, weakly.

"Just accessories, jewelry, the odd item of clothing when I can be bothered. I have my own company now Niles. Dear Hugo allowed me to set up ten years ago, so I could have a little hobby. He didn't realize I was starting an empire of my own in preparation for leaving him."

Niles shook his head. He couldn't believe such a kind, harmless woman could have been so manipulative. Something had changed, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"Could I treat you to lunch, Katherine?"

"No, Niles - I'll treat you. If I remember correctly, the Sheffield's are notoriously tight-fisted when it comes to paying their employees a decent wage. Come on."

She slipped her arm around Niles', and they set out for the restaurant under the watchful gaze of CC Babcock.

"Well, how did Rochester's little date go?" snapped CC as Niles walked through the mansion door at eleven p.m., slightly worse for wear.

"Shut up. Hand me the whiskey, will you?"

CC looked at the disheveled male even now collapsing onto the couch, and noiselessly handed him the alcohol.

"It couldn't have been that bad - even my worst dates haven't left me this broken."

"You can still remember your last date? You do surprise me," murmured Niles.

"I vaguely remember something about someone dropping me off at home, then saying he never wanted to see me again."

"That was me, just after you got drunk at the reception of the Sheffield's wedding."

"Oh. I was wondering why I'd woken up dressed."

"Pardon? Oh, forget it, I don't want to know."

"So - tell me how it went," said CC, sitting next to Niles.

"She asked me to marry her. I talked to her, she talked to me, we danced, and the next thing I knew she was asking me to marry her."

"What did you say?"

"I didn't have time to answer. Some idiot waiter overheard, and told the band. The next thing I knew they were playing 'the Anniversary waltz' and we were dancing. Oh, Miss Babcock, my head hurts…"

"You've drunk too much."

"Ow…"

"Well, I guess she thinks you said yes. I guess you'll be getting married and leaving now, Niles. Nice arguing with you." With that she rose, grabbed her coat, and ran out of the mansion.

"Why is it," Niles asked the empty room, "whenever anyone else needs their personal life fixing, I do it, but whenever I have a problem, no-one is interested in what I've got to say?" He slurped the last of the whiskey and toasted the television, "congratulations, Niles old man, you're getting married… oh…"

Katherine visited Niles a lot over the next week. On the Saturday, she ran in flushed with excitement.

"Niles, Niles darling - come and see what I bought for you!" Niles walked solemnly out of the door, and looked in the direction Katherine was pointing.

"What?"

Katherine pointed to the road. Miss Babcock's silver Porsche squatted like a cat ready to pounce on his right; the Sheffield's town car (a black Mercedes Benz) nestled next to the sidewalk on his left. And right in front of him…

Car just didn't describe the vehicle in front of him. The alloy wheels, the red paint job, the black convertible roof, and the Ferrari badge shining on the bonnet. And no ordinary Ferrari - the top of the sports range Ferrari, capable of 0-300 in two seconds and sod the pedestrians. Niles started to salivate, he'd dreamed of touching cars like that, and to think he could drive one… He pulled himself together.

"Behind the car?" he managed.

"No, silly - it is the car. Can I come with you as you test it out?"

"I," said Niles, thinking of what Mr. Sheffield would say if he ran off without telling anybody, "I'll clear it with Mr. Sheffield first."

"Hurry back," she whispered, slinking towards him. Her blonde hair flickered in the breeze, her slender figure so different to the housekeeper form he'd once known. As she kissed him, he thought of the good times they'd had together at the Sheffield's' house - the nights they'd spent together preparing the house for the family's return from holiday, the way they'd worked together, neither knowing how the other one felt. And he thought of the successful businesswoman who wanted to whisk him away from his new of servitude. The woman who wanted to take him away from Maxwell, Fran, the children, Miss Babcock…

"I won't be," he said, drawing back. He turned, re-entered the mansion, and headed for the office.

"Come in." Niles walked through the office door. "Niles - what is it?"

"My fiancée just bought me a car, and she wants to see if I like it. Can I go for a drive?"

"Carry on, far be it from me to stand in the way of true love. After all you did for me and Fran, I would love to see you finally find happiness."

"Enjoy yourself," said a feminine voice from behind Niles. He turned to see CC sitting on the sofa. "Have you set a date?" she asked, staring at some paperwork on her knee she was pretending to read.

"For what?"

"The wedding."

"No, not yet Miss Babcock. I understand Katherine wants to marry fairly soon, and then move to California, so I don't suppose…"

"Excuse me." CC stood, and left the room. Niles turned back to Maxwell Sheffield.

"Is there anything you require?"

"No, no, Niles - you go ahead."

"Thank you sir."

Niles paused outside the office, and shook his head. The events of the last week had swept him along until he'd been forced to accept that he was marrying a rich successful woman whether he liked it or not. He was about to leave, when he heard a faint sobbing. He tracked it to the kitchen, where he saw CC sitting at the table, crying softly. He was about to go and comfort her, when she moaned softly, "Niles… oh, no, not you. Please don't go, Niles…"

Deciding that he would be the last person she wanted to talk to, but realizing she needed some kind of support, he ran to find Mrs. Sheffield. Having told her of CC's tears, he left the mansion.

The car was a dream. It handled like an angel and ripped up the road like a devil. The roads of Manhattan were not suited to high speed driving however, so he'd been forced to take Katherine out of town to test the car. It was a manual drive, adding to the pleasure of tearing around corners, gliding up the freeway, and leaving other cars standing. Niles finally decided to take a break after about three hours, and pulled in at a service station. Katherine got out of the car, and they went for a walk to pass some time together. Niles spotted a rustic café, and they headed inside for a coffee.

"Niles - this is so perfect. This is everything I ever wanted - a career, my own business, and a loving man to be by my side always."

"Yes. Always."

"I have a business meeting in California next week - I'd like to take you with me."

"Next week?"

"Yes - don't tell me you want to stay a butler forever!"

"No but, next week…"

"Come on - come away from all this. We'll be together - what else is important? You'll never need to work again - I can buy you anything. Come away with me."

"Away…"

Niles looked around the room, and then back at his fiancée. He stared ahead blindly as he listened to talk of pre-nuptial agreements, partnerships, tax relief, married women's benefits in the business community… He sipped at his coffee, and frowned.

Maxwell Sheffield heard the car engine slow to a halt, heard a door open and slam, and then heard Niles' voice. It was too faint for him to make out the words. Then the engine roared into life, and the car screeched away. The sound of footsteps approached the door, then Niles walked in. He seemed more at peace than he'd been for the last week.

"Niles - how was the car?" said Maxwell, rising from the couch.

"Fine - everything a man could hope for."

"Then why has your fiancée taken it back?"

"Sorry sir?"

"I thought it was your car - so why has Katherine taken it away from here?"

"I told her to."

"Why? What was wrong with it?"

"I didn't think it would be appropriate for me to keep the car, sir." Niles headed for the stairs.

"Why ever not?" Niles paused.

"I'm not marrying her sir."

"What? But she's perfect - everything a man in your position could wish for and more! She loves you."

"No, she doesn't. She's just lonely, and she wants a man, and she thinks she can get one by giving him everything he wants."

"And this doesn't work with you?"

"No sir."

"Let me get this straight - you fell in love with Katherine when she still worked for my parents, you moped around for ages when she married that French chef, and now, when you finally have the chance to be with her after all these years, you're not interested?"

"That is correct. Well done sir."

"Why not?"

"To be honest with you sir, she's not the woman I fell in love with all those years ago, and I can't bring myself to feel the same way about her now as I did then."

"Oh. Goodnight Niles."

"Goodnight, sir."

The next morning, Niles was in the kitchen mopping the floor when CC flounced in.

"Watch!"

"Oh, alright. Thank you Niles. I hear you told her you weren't interested?"

"That's right, Miss Babcock. I'm hopelessly single, just like you."

"How are you feeling?"

"To be frank Miss Babcock, Miss Grace would probably say I'm in denial, not wanting to face up to the loss of a loved one."

"Katherine?"

"The car."

CC laughed as Niles pouted and attacked the mop bucket with the mop. "So, Rochester, what finally made you say no. Don't give me any stuff about her trying to buy your affection - unlike Mr. Sheffield I live in the real world and know you would have gone for it if only to keep the car."

"My car, my poor car…"

"Niles!"

"She wanted to take me to California next week. I didn't want to leave the Sheffield's. That's all there is to it. I don't mind the idea of living in California, but I have too many things here that I'd miss - Master Brighton, the girls, Mrs. Sheffield, and Mr. Sheffield who is the closest thing I have to a friend…"

"Would you have missed me?" said CC, smiling.

"Only if you paid me to."

"Liar."

"What difference does it make if I'd miss you or not?"

"No difference, Niles," sighed CC, "absolutely no difference at all."

Niles looked at Miss Babcock, who was now leaning against the counter staring at him. If the experience had taught him anything, it was that you never had a second chance - you had to take your opportunities when they presented themselves, and not worry if you were right, or good enough, or whatever. He smiled, and finally admitted to himself the real reason he could never have married Katherine - there was someone else he was in love with.

"Miss Babcock?"

"Yes, Niles?"

"Might I have a word?"

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