My story for the Horror VS Romance contest

July of 1914.
“This is going to be a busy week,” Ophelia exclaimed, it was Monday morning and she was sitting at the dressing table in her room as her maid was fixing her hair.
“Our house keeper Mrs. Hayes said at least a third of the guests are arriving this morning,” Tina, that was the maid’s name, replied with a hairpin in her mouth.
“Ugh, standing out front for half the day sounds awful,” Ophelia said annoyed.
“I know, but its tradition even in America,” Tina smiled.
“I better get down to breakfast before they wonder where I am,” Ophelia said, the two of them parted ways in the hall.
“Good morning,” Ophelia announced to everyone as she walked into the room, she took a plate off the buffet and dug into the eggs.
“Where were you? We are almost done,” Colin’s father, the Duke of Huddleston, asked as Ophelia sat next to Colin, the duke wasn’t very pleasant.
“I know I’m late, sorry,” she replied.
“It’s ok,” Colin said he gave a half dirty look to the duke.
“We have an hour until guests start arriving,” Wilson, Colin’s 12 year old brother, added in.
The Duke scowled; he had the thinking that children should be ‘seen and not heard’ in front of adults, Wilson being a child was lucky to be attending the ball a few days away. The table was quiet.

“Please excuse me, I will retire to my study, I have some business to take care of,” the Duke got up and left and a footman took away the left over dirty dishes.
“Just ignore him,” Colin said to Wilson who was looking a bit sad now. “English ways are changing for everyone.”
“We are going forward in time not backwards,” Ophelia tossed in some of her encouraging words.
“Thank you, sometimes I feel like I’m not part of the family,” Wilson perked up.
They all stood outside in front of the house, family on one side and servants on the other.

The first car arrived.
“My family!” Juliet was Colin’s sister, and a rebel.
She threw her arms around everyone and kissed on the cheek them even some of the maids who were her friends.

“Where is that husband of yours?” her father asked, he disapproved of Juliet’s choose of husband.
“Oh he’s home with the baby.”
“You came by yourself? And…”
“I know, I know the woman stays home with the children while the husband is free to do anything,” Juliet interrupted him rolling her eyes. “Besides, George loves watching the baby while I’m away or speaking for the vote or even when I was in jail for picketing.”
The duke sighed with irritation, Juliet then stood in between her brothers and Wilson hugged her as more guests arrived.
“Aw, here he comes, this is Romeo Montague,” Colin’s mother, the Duchess Lady Huddleston, introduced him to the family.
“Hello,” Romeo said with a half smile, he was tall, swarthy and chiseled. Ophelia and Juliet were stunned by his beauty.

“He’s Italian,” the duchess said, she was just as mesmerized; Colin and Wilson looked at each other rolling their eyes.
“Is it really possible that any man on this earth can look like that?” Juliet whispered.
“Haha,” Ophelia laughed, “he is handsome but not my type,” She looked over her shoulder to look at him.
“What is she doing here?” Ophelia stood shocked as Colin’s friend from last year exited a car and hugged the duchess.
“Catherine It’s good to see you” The duchess said. “Everyone remembers Catherine Dashburg.”
“Ophelia I’m so glad we meet again, we hardly saw each other when you and Colin were in Paris,” Catherine said with a snobbish edge.

“I know wasn’t it a shame,” Ophelia exaggerated her words.
Colin looked at her.
“What was that all about?” he asked as whey started to walk back inside after all to visit had arrived.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You know exactly, you were a bit rude to her.”
“Why should you care so much?” She stopped both of them.
“She’s been a friend of mine since…..forever.”
“Well I think she’s a brat so have fun with your friend.” She walked off; He stood a bit dumb founded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I don’t think Ophelia cares for me at all and I don’t know why,” Catherine said to Colin at the Wednesday night ball.
“Don’t worry about her, she just being silly,” he said.
“Maybe she thinks something is going on between us,” Catherine gazed at Colin.
“No I don’t think so,” Colin laughed; he didn't realize Catherine was sort of flirty with him.
“Remember the time you convinced me that the rope for the chandelier in your parents house didn't need to be there that the lights would float and it almost crashed to the floor before the butler stopped us?” he had changed the subject quickly.
“We were what nine and seven? She played along with the new conversation but she didn't want to.
“We got into lots of trouble then,” he said, they both laughed
“Ugh and there they go again,” Ophelia said to Juliet and Wilson annoyed.

“You don’t even know what they are talking about,” Wilson replied.
“Look at the way she acts around him, she’s obviously flirting.
“Well she did use to have a crush on him but Colin wouldn’t do anything he shouldn’t, he thinks of her as a sister the three of us do,” Juliet reassured her. “Wait, is this about being honorable to each other or is there something else?” She was beginning to catch on to the secret, Ophelia gave her a look.
“Oh, I understand, that’s good you love him.”
“Don’t tell him please; let me do it when the time comes.”
“Don’t worry we won’t, will we Wilson?” Juliet raised her eyebrow at him.
“We promise, I can keep a secret” he said.
“Good evening,” Romeo said after approaching them, “my lady would you care to dance?” He reached his hand out to Ophelia.
The girls looked at one another.
“Perfect timing, two can play at this game,” she turned to Romeo, “I’d be glad to.”
“I hope you know what you are doing,” Juliet wasn't sure about it.
He pulled her too close and looked at her with an expression that screamed ‘too much ego.’ She looked back with discomfort but acted like she enjoyed dancing with him to annoy Colin.

And of course Colin was annoyed, he forgot Catherine existed.

The crowd whispered about the shocking spectacle, it was to juicy not to gossip about.
“Beg pardon, mind if I cut in and dance with my wife?” Colin tapped Romeo on the shoulder with irritation.
“No of course not.”
“Thank you; you’re a knight in shining armor,” Ophelia was relived. “He was getting way to fresh.”
She glared in Catherine’s direction.
“No problem,” Colin giggled. “With a name like his, what do you expect?”
She laughed; as they danced they started to have a moment, their eyes met with an intense gaze, to them they were the only ones in the room or in the universe, time stood still they floated around the dance floor.

“The music has stopped,” Juliet’s words brought the couple to reality.
Colin and Ophelia were amused by it all.
They started toward the parlor on the other side of the house.
“Hello,” Romeo appeared out of nowhere.
“Oh you scared me,” Ophelia jumped. Colin, Juliet and Wilson were already halfway down the hall
“I’m sorry; I’d like to ask if you know anything about a statue in the museum,”
“Sure let’s see.”
“Can you tell me anything about this piece,” he motioned at the statue as they walked in the room.
“Well,” she begin, he looked intensely at her the whole time. “It was carved in the fourteen hundreds and….” As she spoke he grabbed her and pressed his lips to hers and pushed her alongside the wall.

She was in complete shock.
“Get off me!” she demanded pushing him away.

‘Why so shocked? You've been Infatuated with me the moment I arrived.”
“Infatuated?! I am not!” She insisted while hiding behind the statue. “You are drop dead gorgeous but I don’t want you!”
“You don’t huh?” he started walking to her.
“Get away from me,” she said, they were now circling around the statue.

“But what about our intimate dancing, it had to meant something,”
“I was just trying to get Catherine away from my husband, she acts improper at him.”
“Oh what scandal, gossip everyone who’s anyone would love to hear.”
“Stop!”
“Nope.”
“I’m in love with my husband.”
“But I can tell you want to have fun with me.”
“No I don’t, I’m leaving,” she turned around; a little petrified she went out the door.
“Are you alright?” Catherine asked Colin as he walked into the parlor.
“Let’s talk,” he said, they left the room.
“I saw Ophelia and Romeo Montague kissing in the museum.”
“What?”
“She betrayed the trust we had, we recognize our marriage no romantic relationships with anyone outside that marriage and she betrayed it,” he was angry.
“I love you, you know,” Catherine changed the subject to about herself, “we were friends then we got older I fell but you married Ophelia and you told me of that arrangement with her so I knew no chance for us now.”

“I love you too,” he replied, Ophelia happened to be over hearing the last two things they said.

Sobbing she walked away.
“As a sister, I love you as a sister not as a lover,” he continued, “I fell in love with Ophelia but after what I just saw I don’t think I will tell her now,” he started to cry.
Colin pulled himself together and started down the hall to the parlor.
“How dare you!” Ophelia, sobbing, popped out of nowhere, “I heard you two tell you love each other!”
“You only heard half.”
“I had heard enough!” she yelled.

“I should be yelling at you for making out with the Italian in the museum, that’s right I saw you!”
“He forced himself on me and I told him no and walked away, I've had it with this whole thing! I’m done you go ahead and give your mistress the heir of this estate I’m only the money for your father’s problems and I always will be!” Ophelia shoved Colin to the side and ran up the stairs.

Catherine came out of the shadows with a look of sadness.
“I’m an idiot,” Colin said and softly pushed his head to the wall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was Saturday, the guest’s final day, it was sunny and warm, and everybody was having a good time except Colin and Ophelia.
“How can you be so happy after what happened?” Ophelia asked Juliet who was eating a pastry and humming a happy tune.
“I should open a match maker business,” Juliet giggled.
“Huh?”
“I set Romeo and Catherine up, and they hit it off, they are going to be seeing more of each other,” she was pleased with herself.

“How did you do that?”
“I’m good,” Juliet smiled and stuffed her mouth, “And Catherine came to me and told me the whole thing, Colin loves her as a sister that’s what the part of the sentence you missed and just what I've said all along,” she deliberately left out the part about Colin being in love with her. “Colin is over there, now go talk to him please.”
“Thank you so much,” Ophelia hugged her then ran off.
As she ran up she saw the duke and Colin talking about something distressing.
“We will talk about this later,” Ophelia heard the duke say.
“What was that all about?” she asked, Colin looked concerned.
“Was father talking about his mysterious telephone call? I overheard him and he wouldn't tell me anything,” Wilson said annoyed.

They waited for the answer and he gave it
“Germany, has declared war.”

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