Round 2 is now closed. Round 3 is open.

Welcome to the Kensington Finishing School. The year is 1795 and Kensington is the place to be for aristocratic young women (or those who can convince others they are) about to take their place in society. However this school (like so many others) is not without its secrets and while the ladies who attend learn the art of decorum, they’re also schooled in something much more useful: deceit.

An IMPORTANT note about story length; please read before you do anything else

At minimum please provide 3 complete sentences per round that are relevant to the task being presented. At maximum please feel free to write as much as you want but note that you don't need to write the same amount for each round. I know life happens, inspiration bubbles and then fizzles, or you just feel blocked but still want to play along it's 1,000,000% okay to not write a novella every round.

An important note about judging: Story writing contests are notoriously difficult to judge and so in addition to two winners for each round (best story and best dressed), there will be participation banners for each participant who stays with the contest for all 5 rounds. All banners will be uploaded after the final round. Additionally, the winners in each round will receive a bonus going into the next round.

To keep scoring transparent, the best story winner will be awarded 10 points for the round. The best dressed winner will be awarded 5 points for the round per outfiit. All other contestants will receive 5 points for their story and 3 points per outfit for their looks.


Basic Rules

One entry per participant with a consistent look and personality throughout the contest (any major alterations e.g. hair color change must be explained in the story in some way e.g. you don't have to detail the process of dying your hair but another character should notice it).

This contest is 5 rounds, every round will last 72 hours

The contest is both edit and non-edit

Please keep my characters as I wrote them. Most of us know Tonk's Lucifer rule, it's a great one, please follow it. If at any point you break this rule I reserve the right to 1) dock 10 points from your final score and 2) retcon your story as necessary to reverse any out of character behavior.

Tonk's Lucifer Rule

Going Out of character.
So I've got a description of my character:
Mr. Lucifer is the ruler of darkness who brings his wrath and envy upon all living creatures, creating chaos on earth.
And now someone writes:
Mr. Lucifer blushed when I I winked at him.
...
No...He did not blush.
So watch out for that.  They have their personalities, just as you have yours.

PLEASE MESSAGE ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

Round 1 requirements

Round one will take place in August of 1795. On the first day of the month all of the young women who are attending the school will be informed in one fashion or another and on the 15th they will all gather together for the first time for the welcome tea which takes place in the gardens. The tea will start out as planned: the weather will be warm and bright, the food will be rich, there’ll be lawn games and a a few young lords will be in attendance along with the other girls. However, in the midst of the merriment and shot will ring out and everyone will be rushed into the manor.

Name

Age (Please make it between 16 and 18 to keep with the time period)

Face Claim
**You don't need to use an actress dressed in 18th century attire for this if you can't find one.**

Personality Traits

Interests ( up to 3 selected from the extras, indicate if it's romantic or friendly)
**If you list someone as an interest please note that your character must interact with them in some way, it can be anything from a shared glance across the room to a full on conversation, but it has to occur, otherwise I don’t have anything to base impressions off of.**

Story Tell me how you came to be at Kensington, and about your time at the welcome tea. Your story should end after the shot rings out and you’re all rushed inside.
**Please note that while the story is set in the late 1700s that you can use modern English to get your point across, just be mindful that this was a period without a lot of modern conveniences e.g. no private bathrooms, no telephones etc.**

Outfits Show me what you were wearing when you first got the news that you were coming to Kensington and your look for the welcome tea.
**Please keep in mind the setting of the story (1795) and the fact that your characters are meant to be aristocratic young women, You can however mix and match with modern pieces from your wardrobe just as long as you mostly look the part.**

When your entry is complete please write R1 complete or something similar in your entry.


Round 1 ends at 7:00pm EST on December 11th

Last edited by Dare (16/12/2019 at 04:30)

Extras

Lady Hester Fullmore

Age 18

Hester is fearless to the point of recklessness, but clever enough that she often avoids getting into trouble despite the chaos she creates. She’s promised to Chauncey Black but neither of them are too keen on the idea of being wed (at least not to each other). She's attending Kensington following a bit of a scandal in France last year (something involving herself and the 19 year old daughter of an Earl caught in a compromising position that's kept very hush hush thanks to her family), however if she fails to make the grade at Kensington it's off to New York to spend some time with a spinster aunt.

Lord Chauncey Black

Age 21

Chauncey is next in line to be Lord at the Black estate and while he's loathe to give up the perks such a position would offer him, he's not really interested in (or ready to) take the reigns. He spends most of his time incognito in town among the lower class and has developed a taste for games of chance. He's just as likely to be in a local pub as he is in the drawing room of one of his peers and as such he has little patience for true snobs or people who take their titles too seriously.

Enid Foster

Age 17

An orphan from Cheapside Enid Foster is at Kensington under false pretenses after blackmailing a local magistrate but no one knows her true lineage since the magistrate forged her birth records. She's introverted, intelligent and looking to marry well before anyone finds out the truth. While she's quite the flirt with the young lords she's reluctant to let any of the young ladies close to her for fear they'll find out her secret but she may be lured into alliances if she thinks they'll benefit her.

Lord Byron Kensington

Age 18

As one of the heirs to Kensington Manor he's frequently on the premises with his favorite places being the larder and the library. He's quick witted with a sweet tooth and a ready smile, but because he's so friendly and forward all of the young women who attend school are warned about him and his charms since he may not be completely sincere.

Bertie Coghill

Age 16

Newly arrived from Maryland, it's Bertie's first time in London and her English grandmother is determined that she attend Kensington. She's homesick, heart broken, and determined to get kicked out of school as quickly as possible in the hopes that it'll send her home, this leads her to become a shadow of sorts for Hester who she's been warned away from associating with by her family for fear that the spirited ways of the older girl will rub off on her.

Thomas Parlow

Age 21

As the apprentice of a blacksmith he's not the sort of gentleman that young ladies come to Kensington to meet, but as a friend of Chauncey's he's always around away. He's prideful, pragmatic, and looking to better himself without forgetting where he came from, this means that sometimes his jokes are crude and his language is rough but he's always quick to self-correct or offer a genuine apology.

Lord Haywood Cawley

Age 19

Adopted at an early age by a wealth British family, Haywood is now the sole heir to a vast fortune. He's always been aware of how different he is from his peers and does his best to make everyone feel welcome. His jokes are well-timed, he dances like a dream, and he'd be the perfect escort to any ball...except he's never bothered to ask anyone. As a friend of Byron he's been invited to spend more time at Kensington as is using the time to try and get to know someone.

Lord Caleb Kensington

Age 18

Fraternal twin of Byron.

Despite being one of the heirs of Kensington he prefers not to be on the grounds if he can help it, however when he is around he's most likely to be found in the stables or in his suite. He's blunt to the point of sometimes being rude, not for lack of manners but because he doesn't enjoy small talk and prefers any conversation he has to be meaningful.

Lord Myles Chatwith

Age 20

The Lord of Chatwith who has already lost one bride under mysterious circumstances (her body was found floating in the lake at their summer home, she was wearing an ancient military uniform) he has been told that he needs to find another. He's well educated, an avid fencer, and free with his money, but he can also be a little too hands on of a flirt.

Last edited by Dare (13/12/2019 at 23:16)

Name Ariaena van der Jaager (formerly known as Ariaena Vinke)

Age 17

Face Claim Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza Poldark

Personality Traits Observer, mostly silent. Good with reading people, mostly because she had to. Careful, sometimes too careful. Affable, once she gets over the shyness. Well-mannered, quick learner. Cheerful by nature. Honourable, god-fearing. Needs to be reassured, loves positive feedback, prone to feeling inadequate. Competent, dislikes leaving things unfinished. Good eye for details, has a good memory. Generous and caring. Secretive, likes her privacy. Deep down she is optimistic and believes in good in everyone.

Interests Chauncy, Thomas, Myles - for now?

Outfits The News & Tea Party


Story

I. The Voyage
Thin pale hand grabs onto the rim of the bucket fiercely, wondering if she could get sicker than this - the answer was always yes. You can always get sicker, she finds out in a moment.

Marrying into a family dealing with cross-ocean shipping family meant nothing to her stomach, apparently and the idea of spending a while on an ocean sailboat seemed like an adventure at first, but the second the ship sailed from the coast of Rotterdam. She thought she would feel better, after a while, but the movement of the ship combined with the extremely bad weather made it into hell for Ariaena. She cannot hold anything down at this point, feeling the tears roll down her cheeks as she managed to sit back, trying to figure out how much longer.

Nora, looking slightly sun-kissed and a little bit too rosy on her cheeks stumbles down into the cabin with a huge grin.

"Land, Ariaena," she chuckled, happily, trying not to cringe when she took the bucket from Ariaena's pale hand.
"No," she leans forward, shaking her head. -"Leave it be," she manages.
"Perhaps..." the girl looked at the bucket and Ariaena's pale face, before running towards the exit, all flustered.
"Stop it, Nora," Ariaena squeezed it through her teeth, wondering if she'll ever be able to admit her truth to anyone - the second she decided to speak out, she throws up again, making the other girl seemingly even more hopeful.
"Feeling sick in the early hours would normal--"

Ariaena looks up and decides to give it up: the second she was about to spill her truth, she spilled her guts. Perhaps it was God's will to keep her sick because of what she did. Perhaps it was the right thing.

"Nora," she tries, sounding weak, sounding profoundly sad and the girl stops, nodding simply.
"Yes, Miss," she says shortly.
"I told you--"
"Ariaena," she nods again, leaving the room.

It felt strange to have her call her miss - they have been peers, friends, shared bed before Ariaena married. But she married, she reminds herself from time to time - she finds it as a feverish dream, a blur inside her mind. She felt as though she would wake up one morning and all things would be well again.

Ariaena exhales, throwing herself back onto the bed, pulling the cover back up.

Once the ship sails into the port, she will be better. She hopes, at least.

* * *
II. The Past
The sun was shining bright, high in the skies once they sailed into the port of Sheerness and the air smelt sweet, perhaps because she was overthrown by the happiness of being off the ship finally.

Baroness Howard de Walden greeted her in person – a relative of her late husband, loved one, she remembered as this tall, dark-haired creature made her way towards her. The smile seemed genuine.

“Ariaene!” she called out as if they have known each other for ages now. Ariaene did a small curtsy, to which the woman laughed with some kind of joy. –“Oh no no,” she shook her head gracefully. –“You should not do that, dear, you are my guest and my sister,” she said with a disarming sound of sincerity in her voice. There’s a quick wave of hands and things are moving – including the two of them and walking towards the carriage.

“Thank you, madam—”
“Johanna,”
“Johanna,” Ariaena said with a faint smile on her lips. –“Thank you for taking me in,”
“Well, sieges are no fun for a lady,” she smiles, making Ariaena chuckle – not because of the joke, but the idea of someone calling her a lady. –“Do you ride?”
“Barely,” she mussed, keeping her head down.
“Very well,” Johanna smiled. –“We’ll teach you how to do that, amongst other things, darling,”
“As you wish,”
“Talking like the mistress of the house should be one of the things as well,” Johanna smiles, with a little less enthusiasm, Ariaena feeling her reaching for her hand. –“I know what you did for my cousin,” she whispers softly, trying to avoid the girl’s eyes. –“I know how kind you’ve been and how unkind the fate was to you despite it,”
“I—”
“Don’t even try to be humble about it,” she continues softly. –“You knew the truth and you still decided to go along with it, thank you for that.”

Ariaena thinks about her words for a moment. Thinks about reality and how it looked different for everyone there. How what seemed to others as her choice was not a choice she had to consider at all, not because of the kindness of her heart she gets credited with.

Has she had a real choice, would she do the same?

* * *
III. News arrived on a Sunday
One year into her arrival the news of home arrived, as for usual, from her mother-in-law: the envelope arrived on the tray Nora brought her as she sat in the bed early in the morning, nestled between a cup of coffee and some toast with raspberry jam. Perhaps, on this morning, she felt more like home than any other.

The siege lasted, but there were signs the capture would happen soon – Marchioness had her friends in high ranks of both Dutch and French armies, Ariaena worried very little of her. If she knew something about the old woman, it was that whoever encountered her should be the one to worry.

The handwriting of Marchioness Anna van der Jaager was one of the prettiest things she ever saw in her life – years of schools, years of experience, a natural talent for the miniature – it all resulted in an exquisite form of art which came with every single letter. Something Ariaena always wished she could do, but never managed to bring herself to ask her mother-in-law or Mies, for that matter.

Words poured onto the paper and there was much more of it this time than it had been before, she goes through the papers, struggling with some of the words along the way: jumping between English and Dutch was not an easy task at all, but she soaks every word on the paper, every single line. The news hits her on the page before the last, she sits up a little bit and feels a tiny smile tingle on her lips.

Johanna entered just in time, with Elizabeth – her oldest daughter – right behind her, both wearing huge smiles as they did.

“She saw it,” the girl chirped happily, sitting onto the huge bed. Only fourteen in age, Elisabeth had more maturity and poise in her pinkie finger than Ariaena would acquire in a year – but her happiness was genuine, always. –“What do you think?”

It was an answer she could not give, not really – what did she think of the idea of attending a finishing school? She banishes the thought – it was not an idea, it was a plan already set in motion, she assumes.

“Do I have to go?” she asked silently, trying to keep the smile on her face as genuine as she could. Johanna’s face drops a little bit, her hand finds Ariaena’s and she tries a reassuring smile. –“You are an heiress of the title now, Ariaena,” she sounds stern, serious. It was a matter which the girl often forgotten – the title was nothing to be messed with for a young woman, for a young woman who came into a fortune from the lower ranks.

“You need to receive a proper education before you go back to Maastricht,” Elizabeth speaks with a smile.
“Bess, would you be so kind and let me and Aria speak for a short moment?” Johanna speaks in Dutch to her daughter and the girl nodded, leaving the room and closing the doors behind.

Johanna sits on the edge of the bed, changing the air in the room with a single glance – the seriousness of the situation was announced with one look.

“I have tried, over this year, to prepare you for this,” she shuns the English for the matters concerning the family, she always did. –“I have grown to love you, I have grown to see the potential in you beyond the kindness you harboured in your heart to find strength to help my family,” she always spoke slowly in matters like this – you could rarely see anger in her face, or hear it in her voice, but if it was there, you would know.

“Johanna—”
“You said yes, Aria,” she cuts her off. –“You are a part of the family now and as such you stand to speak for every one of us, both living and dead,” a small break is given. –“You need to be aware of this, as everyone else is.”

“I have—”
“We all thought Mies would be with us longer,” she stops her again. –“But his body was put to rest with honours, as it should have, even if I am aware you do not believe the things we have done were done in honour, with honour,” Johanna stopped to glance at the girl, both now having some tears bottling up in their eyes.

“My brother was a kind man, a good man, it was not his fault his was not the life this world agreed with, Aria, it was not his fault he could not have been something else,” she chokes up on her words a little bit, taking in a breath to calm herself. –“He cared about you, he really did,” she says with a smile. –“Perhaps not in a manner a young lady would like, but—”
“Johanna,” Ariaena sniffles a little bit, but the woman lifts her hand and smiles.
“Allow me to unburden my heart, darling, please,” she said, exhaling sharply. Ariaena smiled and nodded. –“I am aware you did not have this in mind when my mother took you under her wing, but you are the future of this family now, whether you like it or not and as such, you need to represent us properly.”

Ariaena nodded in silence, deciding it was perhaps good to remain quiet now for any word that might come out of her mouth might sound ungrateful. Sound like she did not want it, sound like she would rather live out her days working instead of existing as a noble widow.

Johanna wiped the tear that ran down her cheek, leaned forward to kiss her forehead and smiled in the end. Ariaena just smiled back.

* * *
IV. En Education
By the time all things were set and ready to arrive to Kensington, Ariaena grew accustomed to the idea. Her expectations varied on the day, especially given the answers seemed to be confusing her even more whenever she asked about the purpose and the knowledge she would be thought in this school.

Sun shone high in the skies on the 15th and the place was ready for a tea party out in the open – the arrival of the ladies and gentlemen was announced and should be kept at a punctual time, making her anxious about arriving there in time.

The place was huge, the garden looked splendid and unlike their own residence in Maastricht, the greenery was outstanding and luscious. She steps off the carriage, turning around a little to see if the things were being carried properly, before continuing towards the path. The dress she wore was according to the latest fashion, as she’s been told by Elizabeth – but all she could think about is the fact she felt she would melt in this sun, patting the little cotton handkerchief onto her forehead, while she struggled with her sun umbrella. The handkerchief drops in the middle of the path and she instinctively stops to reach for it when there’s a male hand already picking it up.

“Allow me, please,” he speaks before she could say a thing, switching the umbrella from one hand to another to take back what is hers – she nods subtly.
“Thank you, my lord,” she says, glancing up at him – the sun shone behind his back, she blinks a couple of times to adjust to the light. He smiled, moving a little bit towards the left.
“A lady should never do it for herself,” he nods. –“I will be so bold to assume you are on your way to the tea party.”
“Am I to be bold to assume you are on the same route?” she asks in a breath, and he nodded once, going to her right and extending his forearm.
“Shall we walk there together, madam, to keep each other company?”
“Thank you,” Ariaena gives a little smile, taking the offered hand easily. His pace was oddly slow for her own taste, but she was grateful for it – the heat was annoying. –“Very kind of you,”
“If I may,” he smiled and turned towards her with a puzzled expression on his face. –“You are not from these parts of the world, are you?”

Ariaena looks puzzled for a moment, parting her lips to reply but his brows knit, and he looks at her as if he is trying to read her mind.

“Your accent just sounds foreign,” he explains shortly. She nods, once, calmly, allowing him for a moment more. –“I’m afraid you will have to speak some more if you would like to grant me a chance to try and guess it,”
“Very well,” she says. –“What would you like to hear me say?”
“Perhaps you could commence with your name, so that my omission of my own would seem less horrid,” he smiles again. –“I do apologize, my lady, but first I was focused on your misfortune and then I laid my eyes upon your face and the words seemed to fail me.”

She chuckles, against her own will – and nods in agreement.

“Ariaena van der Jaager,” she speaks in the end.
“Myles Chatwit,” he gives a subtle nod. –“I wouldn’t have guessed your accent, I have to admit,”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Your English is quite well, I’m afraid,” he says, as the path approached the meeting point. –“You could have anyone fooled,” he smiles kindly and she smiled back, eyes fixed on the setting laid before her. –“And it seems we have arrived,”
“Thank you for your help and company,” she speaks, somewhat surprised by her own words.
“The pleasure was all mine, Lady van der Jaager,” he replied as she left his hand and they parted ways. Ariaena walked towards the table – there were many people there already, many of them chatting cordially in the sun and all she could think of is having something to drink and fast.

“Lemonade?”
“Thank you,” she nodded, taking the crystal glass and trying hard not to take a large gulp of it.
“It is a rather hot day,” someone speaks behind her – there’s a man near her, taking a step in her direction. –“Quite uncommon for a London summer,”
“Oh, is it?” she asked – she did not remember had she gotten to the Britain around the same time – the nervousness was too grand for Ariaena to acknowledge the life around her.
“It is,” he gives her a look – a little bit annoyed or confused – she cannot determine. –“What an odd thing to ask,” he said and she’s unsure of why it was odd or what to say next.

“Perhaps—”
“My friend did not mean to sound brazen, miss,” another one steps into the conversation, with a glass of some hard drink in his hand, seemingly uninterested in the whole event. He looks at the man standing on the other side of her quickly.
“I apologize if I offended you, my lady,” he’s quick to say but she shakes her head lightly.
“You did no such a thing,” Ariaena replied shortly. –“I’m just afraid this is my first summer in London and I have no comparisons to make that would add value to the conversation,”
“What brings you to London then?” the second man asked, turning his attention towards her for a short second and then back to the new arrivals coming.

“Same as everyone, I assume,” she replied softly. –“I don’t believe we’ve met,”
“Apologies, once again,” the first man said, hands on his back and with a little nod. –“Thomas Parlow,” he announced as the other man just made a couple more steps towards the table to rest his glass there, returning in a moment. –“My restless friend is Lord Chauncey Black,” he said with some kind of friendly kindness in his voice.
“Ariaena van der Jaager, nice to—”

The shots fired made her stop in her step and suddenly she was no longer a lady starting the education, but a scared little girl fearing for her life. If you asked her what happened next, Ariaena would be unable to tell you – the only thing she remembers is the sound of her heartbeats pumping loudly in her ears.

Round 1 done.

Last edited by Zaralee (12/12/2019 at 10:46)

Name: Lady Katherine (Kitty) Nicole Sheffield

Age: 17

Face Claim: Gabriella Wilde


Personality: Kitty is by far too free-spirited due to a lack of parental guidance growing up. Her mother died giving birth to her younger brother Roderick when she was age 2 and her father was at first too grief stricken and then too indulgent to curtail her rambunctious behavior. She is curious, progressive and rebellious against 'established' decorum and etiquette of high society. He encouraged her intelligence, often having no qualms about discussing taboo subjects such as politics and estate business right in front of her. She is perfectly content with her life and is more than willing, and capable, to live out the rest of her days managing one of her father's country estates and exploring the outdoors.

Interests: Hester-Friend | Caleb-Romantic | Myles-Romantic antagonist

Story - The Beginning

I huffed irritably gazing out the carriage window watching the forest around us zip by. I was not excited as Maud, my lady’s maid, encouraged seated nearby. I was not delighted or thrilled or happy, not in the least. I was raging mad. This was the most ridiculous thing that could have ever happen. I shifted and tugged anxiously at the obscene corset digging into my torso, still wondering, hours after I left my home, who had given him this horrendous idiotic idea.

Two weeks ago, Lord Nichoas Edward Sheffield, 2nd Marquess of Galsborough, stood towering over me with his face filled with both anger and remorse, if that were even possible. He had thrown his hands high in the air, ‘at a loss’ he claimed on what to do with me.

“There's nothing wrong with me”

I’d returned giving him my most cheeky grin. I thought it was just another of our little taunts. I knew my father loved me and he allowed me to be my own person regardless of the stuffy antiquated ideals of London society. Since my mother’s death, he doted on both his two kids and basically allowed us to do, and have, anything we wanted. Now, fifteen years later, I wanted nothing more than my freedom and my horses.

That’s where I had been coming from when he commanded my presence in his study. I didn’t bother to change my clothes. My father knew I thwarted convention with my tailor-made riding habit. Etiquette be damned, my comfort and safety were far more important. A dark stain edged the knee-patch on the right leg of my breeches I’d gotten when I knelt to dig out a pebble that lodged in my horse’s shoe just minutes before.

“You are dressed like a boy…!” He stated obviously and I just giggled.

“I’m dressed like a sensible young woman who doesn’t want to break her neck on a foolish… and deadly… side-saddle”

“Katherine Nicole!” He hissed and that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Oh God… apparently, he was in a mood today. I flopped down onto one of the leather-bound chairs and slapped my riding gloves against my leg. He never used my full name unless he was really upset. He looked exacerbated.

“I have done you a disservice letting you run around here any way you pleased” he hissed, more to himself than me it seemed. I just continued to tap my gloves lightly, waiting for his temper to run its course. Usually he would complain then huff then shake his head in defeat brushing me away with the shake of his hand. Today, he started pacing and instead, brushed that aforementioned hand through his thick russet colored hair while nibbling on his bottom lip as if he were working himself up to saying something unimaginable.

“I have accepted an invitation to Kensington” He blurted out and watched me with a steely eyed gaze. The blank look on my face must have made an impact.

“Did you hear what I said?”

“Um yes…” I paused “congratulations?” I chimed not having a clue what he expected me to say. I had no idea what he was talking about. I certainly wasn’t going to some ritzy-ditzy ball or any other society function held by London’s finest that he had roped himself into.

An incurious scowl spread across his face and he tossed out “I have accepted an invitation to Kensington Finishing School.”

Moments ticked by as the words sunk in and his intentions. I jumped to my feet suddenly as indignant as he looked. My heart dropped into my toes and my eyes widened in … shock then outrage then fear as he became more and more obstinate that I was being shipped off to some stifling, conforming, uptight, uppity boarding school. He ordered me to start packing because I would be leaving within two weeks.

During that time, I refused, he commanded. I begged, he denied. I threw tantrums, he walked away. His mind was set. He was determined that I would go off and become a ‘proper Lady’ if it was the last thing he did on this God’s given earth. Continuously, up until a few hours ago, I was still resisting the inevitable. Even my tears didn’t sway him.

So off I went, in a hateful corset, to a hateful school, with a bunch of snobby, priggish, straitlaced debutantes. I was anything but looking forward to it.


Upon arrival we were all ushered to the garden for tea. I almost gagged on the mundane obviousness of it all. I didn’t want to be here, but dad was adamant that if I didn’t ‘fix’ myself there would be hell to pay. The very idea that I was broken… as if my whole world would crumble if I did not kowtow and snab some overbearing autocratic hubby made me seethe. It made my back straighten stubbornly and I attempted to drag in a sharp breath. Which in turn made me wince. That damned corset. Why were the rules of decorum so insultingly brutal on girls! I grit my teeth and proceeded to isolate myself from the crowd of giggly, simpering, coquettish nitwits all vying for the attention of the arrogant uptight clods milling around. Tea and biscuit in hand I sat ramrod straight in a chair several yards away from the mingling girls. As if I had any other option with this damn contraption trying to break my ribs apart. Moments later a flurry of silk and gauze swished down into one of the empty chairs at the table I’d taken.

“Well, well, you look as glorious to be here as I feel!” a bright chipper voice offered. I turned to look at the really pretty brown skinned girl with a dimple beaming from her happy grin. “sooorry…” she continued because I must have given my most unsociable frown… “you just look like the least… gossipy… sort around”

There were others I suddenly noticed that seemed as detached as me, but I didn’t argue with her and I even relented a bit.

“Hester Fullmore” she remarked holding out the tips of her fingers.

“Katherine Sheffield.” I obliged, “most people just call me Kitty though” I offer after a brief hesitation. Well, really it was just my family that called me that, but they were the ‘most people’ in my world.

Hester was actually quite friendly as we chatted together. She seemed to be aware of my family and admitted surprise that I was attending that season. But before I knew it, she had my arm hooked in hers, hoisted me from my seat and got me mingling when I initially intended to stew in my solidarity. The sudden jostling of position made me quite dizzy and I tugged, hopefully sedately, at the evil stays binding my chest. She introduced me to her future husband with an aloofness that begged for answers. Then we were on to the stoic, handsome, mature Myles Chatwith, whom she whispered was on the hunt for a new budding bride after the unexpected demise of his first. Chills trailed down my back at his too discerning eyes while his hand lingered just a touch too long when he took mine in greeting.  I was really feeling quite lightheaded by the time we made it over to the very charming, oh so flirty and way too handsome Byron Kensington.  That is when my heart cartwheeled for the first time since arriving…

“Where is your brother?” Hester inquired peaking around.

He shrugged with a dramatic lack of interest, “who knows… probably mucking around in the stables or some other most antisocial thing he could possibly think of no doubt.”

“You have a stable?” I gasped and I suppose my sudden perk of breathless interest caught them both by surprise.

“Of course.” He chuckled lightly looking at me strangely before making a gesture towards the south side of the garden. Just as my eyes lit on the path a tawny haired gent came strolling into view. He did not look pleased about it. “Awe… speak of the devil” Byron murmured under his breath.

Must be the brother, I thought as I studied him from afar. My suspicions were confirmed when Byron pulled him closer, wrapped an arm around his twin’s shoulder and made introductions. I barely got a greeting out before I began fanning myself due to the warm August air which was trying to suffocate me further. I got the distinct impression Caleb found me insipid and vacuous. He seemed… restless to be on his way.

Just then a shot rang out, making all the girls squeal in fright. The jolt of alarm mingled with my lack of oxygen was abruptly just too overwhelming for me to handle. So, without any fanfare, my body crumpled before them all and everything went blissfully dark…

Outfits:

Informed of Invitation                                                    Kensington Tea Party



R1 COMPLETE

Last edited by BambiFoxx (13/12/2019 at 18:39)

Name- Nonie Grace Dedworth
Age- 18

Face Claim- Ashley Madekwe

Personality Traits/ upbringing- Noni was born between a lord and a slave and while her older half-brother had a fairer skin colour, Noni was born with a darker complexion much to her father’s horror even though he loved to play with fire he didn’t intend to get burned. Still, Noni’s mother died when given birth to her, So he took it upon himself to raise her (In absolute secret tough).

Because of this Noni is a quiet and observant female growing up in a society which sees her more as a slave than a human being it was the best to calculate the situation before speaking up. Which she doesn’t do often anyways choosing her home library above human interaction. She loves to read everything from childish adventure books to educational ones. Her older brother always spoils her with new ones after his travels. Her father praises education why at a young age Noni was already getting schooled, Noni, however, isn’t someone that flaunts her intelligence. Never went against her father or brothers wishes, does whatever she’s told. It may be because she’s too gullible or maybe because she’s too meek.

Interests- Byron(RI), Myles(RI), Bertie(FI)

Outfits- News& Tea Party

Story

The small woman was being swallowed by her great-grandfather's chair. Equipped with a book on her lap that her brother had got her three days prior. It was sad, that he had to leave the next day immediately but being a Navy officer like his great-grandfather was always his dream much to there fathers dismay that wished he became a doctor just like him. The woman loved the book it had West Indies drawings. She cringed sometimes at the slave drawings but all in all, she wished she could travel so far freely like her brother but being a woman wasn’t easy especially with her complexion.
And maybe she was a little too scared too stories and reality never matches her brother was a strong man but even he shows fears when he talks about some of his travels.

The woman once again turned a page of the book, when the door of the library was opened.

“Nonie, are you reading again?”  The woman looked up from her book surprised to see her father he was supposed to be in London for a week due to work, her aunt a widow had been watching her. Nonie had never been criticized as much in her life as the past 4 days by the woman. Anything she did wasn’t good enough etiquette, playing piano/ harp, singing, embroidery all in all everything she did was criticized even though Nonie was annoyed with the woman she didn’t voice out, her displease and just took it in and did exactly what her aunt wanted.

She was just sitting and reading in the library for the past half hour to take a breather before facing the woman once again for her piano lessons.

“Yes father, I am,” Nonie stood up and did a courtesy bow before holding out her book for her father to read. The male before her just frowned, “I don’t remember this book,” Her father replied after a short silence. Nonie smiled up at him and explained that Charles had been home 3 days prior. But just left the next day. “I see, once again a short visit,” Her father gave Nonie the book back. Before making his way to his desk and opening some files.

Nonie was used to short talks with her dad before he simply went back to his day. Nonie smiled remembering the old times when he used to play with both her and Charles outside but both had outgrown those times sadly. Nonie grabbed her book a little tighter before sitting on the chair once again and start reading, it wasn’t too long after that the door opened once again showing her aunt.

Nonie frowned she still had some time before her piano lessons.

“I am happy to see you home Arthur,” Her aunt wasn’t even acknowledging her so Nonie went back to her book. “Hello Martha has Nonie been good,” Her aunt made a strange sound, “Sure, sure she has been good but…,” Nonie looked up at the silence and saw her aunts eyes on her. “I don’t think anybody will marry her anytime soon,” Her father who had been deep into his files also looked up not impressed. “We all knew that already Martha that’s why I am planning to leave Nonie everything I own,” Her father replied like that was normal. Nonie frowned what about…”You cannot do that what about Charles,” Her aunt finished her though. Her father looked up bored, “He will simply marry in a family that has name& land, is not like he is poor,” Her father replied dismissively it seemed because he went back to his files. Nonie was still shocked everything will be hers?!

Her aunt hadn’t given up the battle though.  “If I may brother I have a better idea,” Her father looked up once again, “What do you mean?!” Martha had both Denworth’s looking at her expectedly, “I sent an application to Kensington Finishing School it will give people a good idea to who she is and she may also find a marriage candidate,” It was funny that also both Denworth’s heads fell to the same side so father, so daughter. “Your joking right, Nonie will never be accepted,” Arthur replied dismissively once again looking at his files. That should have hurt Nonie but it was a reality, so Nonie attention also went back to her book. Her aunt was funny she may have overlooked Nonie’s skin colour. “Oh nonono brother, you know how a good name I have thanks to my husband, rest his soul, Nonie was accepted, here is the letter,” Once again so father, so daughter both heads flew back up in a second. “What?!” Was the first words that left Nonie’s mouth after her aunt came into the library.
Her aunt smiled, “It seems you have to start packing Nonie,” Nonie looked at her father hopelessly and he raised his shoulder, “We have a plan B, no worries,” was his comment before his head was back into his files. Nonie was still unsure but it wasn’t like she would express them so she went back to her book.

“Nonie! get up we got a piano lesson,” Nonie wanted to growl she certainly did not like this woman it was too bad the woman was her aunt.
XXX XXX XXX

“Look at that mulatto!”, “Oh, she thinks she’s pretty, the colours don’t even suit her dark skin!”, “Did you see how dark she is!”, “Why is that Mulatto wearing such nice clothes!”, “Oh that mulatto has the same skin as her slave, maybe she is a slave herself,” And more mean words were thrown at Nonie’s direction.

Nonie felt sorry for her lady maid Ethel and threw here an apological look, she didn’t expect to get one in return. It seemed like it would be them against the school. No one had approached her yet and Nonie didn’t feel welcomed enough to try and befriend anyone.

The day had started so nice the weather warm and bright. Nonie had been a little optimistic but even then again even Ethel had told her it couldn’t be so bad. They had both been wrong it was worst then they imagined, the whispers just got louder and louder that even at this moment across the room ladies could be heard talking about the mulatto, Nonie disliked those words.

She wanted to enjoy some of the good looking food and try to socialize because that was expected from her yet she couldn’t even enjoy the law game because she was looking down trying to disappear from this location. “Lady Nonie, watch out!” So not paying attention she bumped into someone, the warning from her lady maid a tat bit too late.

“I am so sorry, my lady, I didn’t mean to bump into you,” Nonie spoke up not looking up though when speaking. “It’s okay no harm done,” Nonie did courtesy and made her way around the lady to walk away but the same person stopped her. “Wait a moment,” Nonie stopped, “What’s your name?” This surprised her so much that Nonie looked up meeting dark eyes looking curiously at her. “Nonie Grace Dedworth,” Nonie replied. “Oh I know that name…. I can’t remember…Oh wait that was the name of or ex-doctor,” Nonie looked at the girl next to the girl she bumped into surprised, “Yes, my father is a doctor,” The girl she bumped into smiled, “Your father is a doctor?” Nonie nodded  “That’s cool, by the way, my name is Bertie Coghill,“ Nonie nodded, “And this is Harriet Ada York,” The girl pointed at the girl next to, icy blue eyes observed Nonie quietly before a smile broke loose on her face making her instantly look younger, “Just say Hattie,” The girl replied and Nonie released a breath she didn’t know she was holding, “Hello,” Nonie greeted and looked passed them to see her lady maid raise a thumb at her. Nonie smiled at chatted some more with the ladies before excusing herself her throat felt dry.

Nonie felt great talking to two people was more than she expected would happen today and after this morning that even seemed impossible. Nonie wanted too grab a quick cup of tea before going back to the two ladies. Ethel was behind her silently she had also been talking to some other lady maids. Nonie was happy they were both enjoying their time here. But she wondered if Bertie& Hattie felt the same they were nice but didn’t seem all too happy to be here.

Nonie grabbed a cup of the table before she saw something glitter on the ground so she picked it up. It seemed like it was a badge, officer badge, Nonie frowned and looked to her left and right before she could go around asking who it was from someone grabbed her wrist a little too tightly. Nonie whimpered and looked up into deadly grey eyes yet the charming smile did throw people off, “That’s not yours, lady,” Nonie just nodded and intended to give it to the lord but his grip didn’t falter, “I apologize, lord I just got it from the ground,” Nonie wanted to scream to let her go but the look made her freeze on spot and she trembled slightly. The guy's smile just went wider, “Interesting,” he mumbled softly but Nonie heard him loud and clear, He finally let her wrist go. “Thank you, lady, and please excuse my poor manner,” The charming smile didn’t reach his eyes and once again Nonie trembled and even fell tears starting to form in her eyes, “Of course lord, no harm done,” Nonie replied biting her lip, the daring grey eyes went to her lips immediately and stayed there until Nonie bowed and turned around forgetting all about her tea.

"Are you okay my lady?!" Nonie turned around and nodded at Ethel, who pulled her in a hug after seeing the tears. "I am sorry, I couldn't intervene," Nonie pulled apart and shook her head, "I am glad you didn't Ethel, Let's find the ladies," Nonie hugged her once more before going to search for Bertie and Hattie.

She found the ladies somewhere else with a guy with them at the moment who seemed to have spilt his tea on Hattie, “…that definitely wasn’t my intention! I think that the real tea partea just began, no?” He said with a smile on his face. Hattie didn’t seem angry just amused even Bertie laughed. Nonie didn’t get the joke but it also turned a smile on her face making her forget the guy from earlier. The guy may have heard her chuckle because he turned around and saw her. Nonie couldn’t help but smile brighter before she could merge with the other ladies and guy.

Shots rang and everyone rushed into the manor, once again a guy hand warped around her wrist but this time to where soft and Nonie surprisingly looked at the guy that made her smile today was pulling her into the manor.

Round 1 Complete

Last edited by NinaJones (10/12/2019 at 22:05)

Name: Harriet Ada York

Age: 16

Face Claim: Natalie Dormer


Personality Traits: Harriet is the eldest daughter of Lord William Henry York and Lady Beatrice Alice York. Her parents gave her the best education possible at a young age, more than her 3 sisters, which is why she is the most courteous out of all. Now that she is all grown up, she sometimes feels rather responsible for her sisters' well-being. She enjoys going on picnics in the countryside with her friends to relax and have a nice time in the quiet, but her favourite thing to do is sketch fashion designs on her little notebook. She learned to draw by herself when she was a child, and paying attention to details is essential for her. Perfection is always her main goal. Although she knows that she must obey to the rules imposed upon her by the society, deep within her heart she would have loved to have the opportunity to create her own clothing. Her father is aware of her talent and is respectful of it, but every time he sees her getting too riled up about her creations, he stops being soft and reminds Hattie about her position in society.

Interests: Haywood (Romantic), Byron (Romantic), Bertie (Friend)

Story

I hadn’t even gotten off the carriage yet when I saw my youngest twin sisters, Charlotte and Dorothy, waving at me in front of the gate. For some reason, they looked extremely elated. I got off and they came to hug me.
“What’s the matter? Has anything happened for you to be waiting for me so excitedly?” I asked them.
“Hattie! I heard father overtalking with mother about some letter that has arrived, addressed to you. Then I went to tell Dorothy! Ever since then, we have been waiting for you to arrive from your picnic” Charlotte said.
I was definite that I hadn’t sent any letter so to receive one was a surprise.
“I’ll go talk to father and clear your mystery, ladies” I said, and their mouths instantly formed into a smile. They grabbed me by the arm and started pulling me to father’s study. Once we arrived in front of the door, they ran off to either play with their dolls, or bug Catherine, our other sister. I knocked, and entered.

“Harriet, I was expecting you. I bear good news” Father said.
I decided not to reply; I doubted if it really was good news. My life was already fine, so what was about to change?
“A few weeks ago, I decided to sign you up for Kensington Finishing School in London. Today your acceptance letter has arrived, so let the maids know what you will be and not be taking with you.”
“Father! Are you fine with shipping me off by myself to a new city, and while being at that, the capital? What about Catherine and the twins? Why must you strip me away of my-” I said, but I got cut off.
“This decision is final! You will go, willingly or unwillingly. It is in your best interest. I have offered you to live your life as you wished so far, but now it’s time to start working for your future. This school will teach you what you need to know as a woman, so forget about your sketches. As soon as you return you are to be wedded” Father stated angrily.
All I could feel was betrayal. My father, the one who let me live freely, was forcing me to go to a finishing school far away from York, my home, my life. But the worst part was that I was to be wedded soon after finishing! A while after, my mother entered the room.
“Mother, please! Are you on board with this as well? Have you agreed to separate me from my home as well?” I said to her, with tears in my eyes.
She looked at me with hopelessness in her eyes and muttered, “I’m sorry dear. It’s in your best interest that you do as your father says.”

For once in my life, I was enraged! Enraged at my father, at my mother as well, but especially at this society. How can we have no say at all? This is not the life I want for Catherine, Charlotte or Dorothy.
“Fine! I guess I have no choice but to follow your orders, father. However, promise me that if I go, neither of my sisters will. Not now, not ever” I said. At a moment like this, I had to be careful more than ever in front of my father. Getting on his good side was of utmost importance.
“I’ll agree to that only because you have been a good child, ever since you were young. You will be leaving in two weeks. Will that be enough to say your goodbyes?” Father replied.
“It will be sufficient. If you don’t mind, I’ll be going to my room now” I said, and curtsied.
He did a hand gesture towards the door, as if to say that I may go.

~~~

On the 15th all attendants of the Finishing School were to gather for the welcome tea. The sky was beautiful; the sun was warm and bright. A bit ironic, considering the fact that most attendants seemed to have come by force. I looked around the place to maybe make an acquaintance with someone not so stuck-up, hopefully. There was a lady that looked much more lost than me, so I approached her.

“Are you doing alright? You’re looking like quite a mess. Sorry if that’s too honest, but can I do anything to help?” I said. I didn’t mean to blurt out my thought, but I really didn’t mean it as an insult.
She looked up at me and I could see her face. Her eyes were all red, which surprised me. “There’s nothing you can do. It’s all up to me now. I’m here all by myself.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I’m here all by myself as well. This is my first time in London. You see.. I’m from York, so a city isn’t really my style. Coming here wasn’t my choice and I really miss my family. By the way, my name is Harriet Ada York but feel free to call me Hattie” I smiled at her and held my hand out for her to shake. At my surprise, she shook it.
“Bertie Coghill, from Maryland. Glad to know I’m not the only one so homesick.. Thank you for being the only person who has acknowledged me so far” She said.
I chuckled, and said “I hope we become great friends. Being by yourself is worse when trying to overcome a broken heart, so please, stick by my side. Just like you, I’d much rather be at home than here.” We got to know each other a bit more while having tea and after a while, we decided to get up to stretch our legs.

As we were going around the place, Bertie accidentally bumped into a girl who looked uncomfortable to be here, just like us, and was trying to go along with this situation as best as she could. She introduced herself as Nonie Grace Dedworth. Apparently, her father was an ex-doctor.  Nonie was a peculiar lady; she was so different! She had natural curly hair and her skin was of a beautiful dark colour. Light coloured clothing will look the best on her skin tone for sure. For some reason though, she looked like she lacked confidence. Bertie introduced me to her and I smiled at her while saying, "Just say Hattie". She chatted with us for a while but excused herself later on. I was glad to have met someone else that wasn't stuck-up, but kind.

Soon after, a guy with a marvelous golden skin tone bumped into me accidentally and spilled some of his tea on my dress! Luckily, it wasn’t showing that much.
“Pardon me, that definitely wasn’t my intention! I think that the real tea partea just began, no?” He said with a smile on his face.
I wasn’t even angry that he had spilled tea on my dress, his joke was simply perfect! I couldn’t help but chuckle gently. Besides, I was beguiled by his charming face. "I'm Lady Harriet Ada York, and this is Lady Bertie Coghill. Dare I ask for your name, stranger?" I asked him, with a light smile on my face. "Haywood Cawley. I hope you like tea?" He said ironically. "It's alright I suppose. I don't really enjoy its smell though!" I giggled, while looking at Bertie. She was laughing along as well.

Suddenly, we heard a shot so close  that my heart almost jumped out of my chest! Bertie shouted "We've got to go!" and grabbed me by the arm as we ran towards the manor without stopping once. I felt my heart pounding so heavily that I felt as if I was suffocating because of the corset  but I just couldn't stop running! The shot had terrorized me.

Outfits:

   

Round 1 Done

Last edited by chayanne03 (11/12/2019 at 22:03)

Name: Eleanor Everdene
Age: 17
Face claim: Carey Mulligan

Personality traits: Eleanor is a nature child. Growing up on a country estate she roamed the fields and forests since she was young and has a good hand with animals. She’s bright eyed, full of life and close to laughter, but sometime weighed with melancholy. She is well educated, though her mother acted as her governess since there wasn’t always money to spare. So, when her mother had to take care of the housework, she followed her two older brothers around, which meant she learned to ride and shoot as well as paint and embroider. She’s a lover of poetry and has collections of Goethe, Wordsworth, Donne and Shakespeare.
Interests: Haywood Cawley(RI), Byron Kensington(RI), Thomas Parlow(friendly intrest maybe?)
Outfits:

Story

Eleanor had gone out that morning with a basket to give to the shepherd and his wife, who had given birth to baby just the other day. She found the shepherd not far from their cottage, the sheep grazing soundly upon a small hill. She handed over the basket and they chatted for a while, and the proud father bragged about his baby girl. After a while the shepherd excused himself to go about is duty and Eleanor tipped her head in goodbye and promised to look in, in a week or so, when the new mother was up on her feet again. The shepherd smiled and whistled at his dog, who ran to follow. She stood there watching the scene of man, dog and sheep disappearing over the rise before continuing over the field in opposite direction. Only a half an hour had passed and she wouldn't be missed at home for at least two more. If she headed home now her dear mama would put her to work, the harvest season had begun and every single man, woman and child was to help, in one way or another. But there had been too much bustling about the house the last days and summer would soon be over and she deserved a breath of fresh air.
Eleanor waltz across the fields, the soft breeze tugging at the strands of her hair which had come undone from her braid. She laughed and made cartwheels in the grass, displaying much more that was decent for a lady, but no one was around to see her, and nature had no care for proper etiquette. She sat down under a tree to rest, the sun shining pleasantly through the leafy crown on her face. She was going to sit there for just a minute, just to catch her breath before taking the long route home.
"Nell. Nelly!" Someone was calling her. Drowsy she sat up from the trunk of the tree. She must had fallen asleep. She saw someone on horseback coming trotting over the field.
"Here!" She called back, rising to her feet and brushing out her skirts. She couldn't believe she had fallen asleep. The rider was none other than George, the younger of her older brothers.
“How did you manage to slip away?” Eleanor said, as her brother came trotting up to her. George is her brother of leisure and pleasure. He takes after their father in that matter and is charming enough to get away with it. Luckily enough it’s James, the oldest, that is destined to take over the estate, a work he began to shoulder as soon as he could be called a man, or they might have been ruined by now.
“Nell, there you are. Mother has been looking for you.”
“I was not trying to escape, I promise, I just needed some air. I was heading back this very minute.”
“Until you fell asleep, that is?” George grinned at her and she stick out her tongue at him, very lady-like.
“Well, she has been in a state since the post arrived, so I think it’s about something else than that you are eluding your toil.” George continued.
“Well I better get back then. If only because I’m starving.” Eleanor said with a grin. “Will you give me a ride?”
“I can take you as far as the lane. I’m off to a meeting.”
“So that’s why all gentleman like offered to find your poor sister.”
“Well I’m not likely to let mother or James get their clutches in me once I managed to get away.” He laughed.
“You are a lost cause.” Eleanor took his outstretched hand and with a foot in the stirrup she swung herself up in front of him.
“How about a gallop?” George said and handed her the reins.
“Is the much frisky today?” Eleanor asked in reply as the patted the gelding neck. “I’m not really in a mood to get bucked off into a ditch.”
“You’ll be fine.” George said as he kicked the horse into a canter.

The gallop had not been kind to her braid which was more undone than done as Eleanor stepped into the house.
“Mama?” She called as she hung her hat and shawl by the door.”
“Nell! In the drawing room.” She found her mother in the drawing room, bustling about.
“George said you were looking for me, mama.”
“Well, thank god. There you are, where have you been?” Her mother trailed off as she turned to look at her and after a short second exclaim. “How do you look!”
Eleanor looked questionly at her mother, who usually don’t care too much how Eleanor looks about the house, as long as she cleans up nicely for company.
“Well, your skirt is at least five inches short, your hair looks like you have been rushing through the bushes, headfirst, and you have mud splatter on your blouse.”
“It’s not that bad.” She said as she tried to smooth out her hair, she caught a look of herself in the window and it’s indeed quite bad. “The skirt only short so as I don’t drag it in the grass and mud when I’m out walking, mama, you know that.”
“Well, you have been accepted to Kensington Finishing School, but I believe if they were to see you right now, I am sure they would not accommodate you.”
Eleanor stood frozen as the words sink in. Her mother tense expression softened slightly.
“Oh, Eleanor. We talked about this. Now that James is married and settled here you know the newlyweds need to set house properly. George is off to study law and that you will have a proper finishing education is more than we could had hoped for. Eliza is a sweet girl but I think me and your father is enough for her to put up with, that she will not need you two skulking around here. Especially when they have children of their own.” Elizabeth was James wife, they had gotten married in early spring the same year. She was the best sister in law Eleanor could have hoped for and she got along very well with mother, considering she was going to take over the role of lady of the house.
“We need to get you settled somewhere. So that you can have the liberty to find your own place in the world. Her mother came over and took her hand.
“You mean I have to get married.”
“Yes. But with the right man it is quite liberating.” Eleanor caught her mother’s gaze and found her smiling. “And you will get to experience the season in town.”
Mother had come from a wealthier family than she had married into. Before her marriage to Eleanor’s father she had sent every season in London, attending the most glamourous of balls and taking tea the highest of society. She pitied that Eleanor never had gotten the same experience since their estate could not afford to keep a townhouse. Her mother was utterly oblivious to the fact that Eleanor never had the same desire. She loved the country, with all the nature it offered, and the few visits she had made to London she had found it clustered and harsh. But she loved her mama more than anything and would hate to disappoint her.
“Mama, you said there was only the slightest chance I would get accepted.”
“Yes, but it seems to have been enough. And the tuition is just what we can afford.”
Eleanor smiled half-heartedly.
“When will I need to leave?”
“In a fortnight. But I have no idea how we will be able to assemble a proper wardrobe for you in that time. “
---
The sky was clear, and the fine weather made the city look less drab to Eleanor. At least the gardens where extensive and filled with overflowing flower beds as well as neatly cut lawns. She had arrived last night, later than the plan and had been directly shown to her room where a tray of supper waited for her. After then she had went straight to bed without meeting any of the other girls. With all the young women, supposedly in the same position as her, spread out with tea in their hands, and with quite a fair number of gentlemen to that, Eleanor felt quite inferior. By the look of their dresses and poise many of them came from more wealth than herself. She was all too aware of her mess of a hairdo. She guessed some of the other women had ladies maids to accompany them. At home her own mother helped with her hair for finer company, otherwise a simple braid was usually enough.
    Eleanor took a deep breath and headed for the tea trolley. Some tea would surely help with her feeling less like a fish out of water. A servant poured a cup for her.
“Oh, no milk, thank you. Oh, no sugar either.” She said and smiled.
“That seems like a barbaric way to take you tea.” A young man to her left said. She turned to find him smiling at her. A smile she recognised, so like the one that always radiated from George’s face. The man was playfully handsome, and she could not stop herself from smiling in return.
“So I have been told, innumerable times. Much to my mother’s dismay.” He chuckled a little at her remark.
“Three sugars. And of course milk.” He ordered for himself and the servant began to pour another cup. “Well, that extra sugar would be the dismay of my own dear Mama.”
“Every child must have their flaws, I guess. But since how we take our tea are our only flaws, our mothers are quite well off.” This time she managed to make him laugh and she joined him.
“I could not have said it better myself, Miss?”
“Miss Everdene. Eleanor Everdene.”
“Nice to make your acquaintance, Miss Everdene. I’m Byron Kensington.” He bowed his head and she dipped in a small curtsy. Then they both left in opposite direction, each a cup in hand.
After drinking her tea and introducing herself to some of the girls, Eleanor decided to walk a bit and found bushes of roses, lovely in full bloom. Her fingers itched to pluck one, but she decided against. She came over a lawn were some gents and ladies played croquet. She walked up to the party to watch the game. She ended up a few paces from a tall gentleman. He had a pleasant look about him, although his colouring made him stand out the the present company. He caught her looking made his way over.
“I do not believe we have met, I’m Haywood Cawley.” He said with a tip of his head.
“Eleanor Everdene.” Eleanor curtsied.
“Pleasure to meet you Miss Everdene. Do you wish to join in the game?”
“I have not played since I was little.” She remarked with a smile. “I do not think I would be very good at it.”
“Skill is not necessary to enjoy the game, I think I can at least speak for myself in the matter.” He did not only look pleasant but had very friendly manners as well. By the colour of his mallet and the same ball out on the grass she could tell that he definitely was not unskilful.
“Even so, I think I have to pass. I am more of a cricket player myself.” She cursed herself for thoughtlessness of the perhaps too bold comment. But Mr Cawley only smiled, ever so polite. “I think I better head to the house.” Eleanor excused herself and curtsied once more, leaving Mr Cawley to continue the game.
She had not come far before a sudden shot rang out through the gardens. Shrieks and yells came from the house and around the garden and people came running from all around. All towards the house and Eleanor could do nothing but follow in haste, on shaking legs.

Round 1 complete

Last edited by tricole (11/12/2019 at 18:23)

Name: Lady Amelie Charlotte Spencer

Age: 18

FC: Adelaide Kane

Traits: Amelie has been spoiled in her upbringing as the oldest daughter of Lord Charles Richard Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough, and Lady Elizabeth Jane Spencer. Since her young age, she learned all about social rules and the proper etiquette. Due to this rather strict education, she has learned that sometimes it is better not to say anything, and she always thinks twice before voicing her own thoughts. She possesses a certain charm and isn’t afraid of using it for her own advantage. She is a friendly and social person, knowing how to exchange the proper pleasantries but won’t shy away from faking it rather than causing a scene. Amelie thinks highly of herself and her family and takes pride in wearing expensive dresses and jewellery. She likes spending her time painting, playing instruments or reading and would never decline an invitation to any social event. Amelie is a rather calm person but can be extremely stubborn if there is something she really wants.
Amelie has been engaged to Lord Henry Edward Somerset, but he died due to a sudden illness 5 months prior to the wedding.

Interests: Byron, Caleb and Haywood... at least for the moment

Outfits: News & Tea Party



~~~

The News

Amelie picks up the paintbrush dipping it in the yellow colour before she focuses back on the empty canvas in front of her. She lets out a low sigh, eyebrows knitted together as she tries to think about anything, she could draw but not for the first time in the past weeks her mind is completely blank. Her gaze moves through the room noticing all the unfinished paintings that have been piling up since months. Amelie can’t even tell why she isn’t bothering anymore and puts down the paintbrush with another sigh. Ever since Henry’s death 8 months ago she hasn’t been the same… she tries to hide it on the outside, still attending social events and being – or at least – trying to be her usual charming self but at home Amelie prefers to be alone, often staying in her room and looking for any kind of distraction. She is aware that it isn’t the healthiest way, but she has seen enough pity in the eyes of her close friends and those who think that they know her.
A knock interrupts Amelie’s thought, “Yes?” she calls putting the empty canvas back to the others.
It is Diana, one of her lady’s maids, “Excuse me for the interpretation, Lady Amelie but Lord Charles wishes to speak with you.” She says after curtseying.
Amelie sighs again, not feeling in the mood to deal with her father right now, but she was in no position to decline his request, “Tell him, I will be there in a few minutes, Diana.” Her lady’s maid curtseys again before she steps out of the room. Amelie looks at the closed door for a few seconds wondering what is so important that her father wants to see her. Usually, around this time he is busy with his business matters and she won’t see him before dinner is served. The dark-haired woman takes her time putting away her painting materials... a task which could easily be done by one of the maids, but she has always preferred to do it herself. As she looks around the room, her gaze briefly stops at a painting hidden behind a sheet... her heart aches knowing what it shows and that it will never be finished.

Amelie takes a deep breath before she knocks on the massive wooden door. “Come inside.” She hears her father’s voice from the other side. Like so many times before he is sitting behind his desk, various papers and documents scattered in front of him.
“Father, you wanted to see me.” She says slipping into the seat across from him. It doesn’t matter how old she is or how much she has grown over the years; in his presence, she still feels like a small girl.
“Yes... there is something I need to tell you, Amelie.” Charles starts sounding serious and she feels fear taking a grip of her hurting heart.
“Don’t tell me you...” she interrupts him so unlike herself, but she can’t bear the thought of another engagement. Not when she is still grieving and sees Henry in everything she does and wherever she goes.
“Amelie Charlotte!” her father says sternly raising his voice at her... something he hadn’t done in years. “Don’t forget who you are talking to.” He adds before letting out a resigned sigh, “I will be honest... I did think about arranging another engagement for you, but your mother objected saying it would be too soon. But you can’t go on like this, Amelie. I’m neither stupid nor blind and in the past months you haven’t been yourself.” Charles says resting his hands on the table in front of him.
The dark-haired woman thinks about apologising and telling him that soon she will be acting normal again but it would be a lie... a simple excuse to get out whatever her parents have planned for her.
“I have spoken with a few of my acquaintance and one of them mentioned Kensington Finishing School and have decided it would be best for you to go there.” He picks up one of the documents in front of him, “In fact, your letter of approval arrived today.”
“I’m not sure if I understand, Father,” Amelie tells him. She had been given the best education over the years learning all about social rules and the proper etiquette... granted it was a home school but still she doesn’t see the need in leaving to learn the same things again.
“It is for your best, Amelie. You will meet new people – Ladies at your age – and you will get away from this place.” Charles explains giving her one of his rare smiles, “I know it is a lot to take in but I’m doing this in your interest, Amelie. It hurts me to see you like this...” he reaches over the table grabbing one of her hands, “You will be leaving next week, giving you time to say goodbye to your siblings and friends.
“I understand, Father.” She replies forcing herself to smile. She doesn’t want to leave and attend this school... she had no interest in meeting other Ladies and befriending any of them. But she knows what her father is doing for her and why he is doing it. Someone else would have simply arranged another engagement without caring about her thoughts and feelings. And while Amelie would rather stay and keep living with the memory of Henry, she will take this chance... a chance to properly grief away from home. “May I leave so I can tell my siblings the news?” the dark-haired woman asks looking at her father.
“Of course, and please choose one of your lady’s maid as she will accompany to Kensington.” Charles replies, “I’ll see you at dinner, Amelie.”
She simply nods at him before leaving the room... not that she doesn’t trust her mother to deliver the news to her younger siblings, but she feels they deserve to hear it from her. Being the oldest meant a lot of responsibilities and Amelie knows she will miss them dearly once she leaves next week. It won’t be forever...” she thinks to herself as she heads towards the garden where she is likely to find her siblings.

Welcome Tea

Amelie is glad that she can finally step out of the carriage… the ride seemed to take forever and wasn’t always as pleasant as she was used to. It has been in the early morning when she and Diana left for Kensington Finishing School. Saying goodbye has been a painful reminder of what was going to come over the next months… no contact with her family except for a letter now and then. The building in front of her is impressive and does remind her a bit of home but she knows it isn’t the same.
“Are you alright, Lady Amelie?” Diana speaks up sounding more excited about the whole adventure.
“I’m fine.” She replies despite not feeling like it. Over the past days, she has told herself to stay positive and to make the best out of the whole situation… if she is lucky, she will be home in only a few months. Diana doesn’t look too convinced but keeps her mouth closed. It hasn’t taken Amelie long to decide which Lady’s maid would accompany her to Kensington…. Diana has been living in Blenheim Palace for about 6 years now and it helped that she shared some of Amelie’s interests. Some servants have started to unload their cases and if it weren’t for the Welcome Tea Party starting soon, she would check her room and maybe use a brief moment to refresh herself. But Amelie hates being late and while she isn’t here on her own doesn’t mean that she has to make a bad impression.
The dark-haired woman takes a deep breath as she approaches the garden. There are many people around yet and no one she recognizes immediately which is a bit of a shame because a familiar face would have made her feel better.
“Shall I bring you a cup of tea, Lady Amelie?” Diana asks interrupting her thoughts, but she only shakes with her head.
“Maybe later. I think I will take a short walk across the gardens.” She replies. For a brief moment, she meets the gaze of a rather good-looking young man standing near one of the tables, but she forces herself to look away. “I won’t be gone for long.” She adds with a smile as she turns heading to the flowerbeds she had seen from afar. Usually, social events of this kind are her absolute favourite but at the moment she needs a calm moment for herself. Amelie still can hear the chattering and the noises from the games in the distance – a good sign that she hasn’t gotten lost – when she feels someone watching her. She spins around surprised finding a young man standing not far away from her.
“You are heading the wrong way.” He says sounding rather blunt.
She blinks a few times in surprise, “I’m aware of that…” she keeps her sentence unfinished as she can’t tell who exactly he is. Judging from his clothes he is certainly from a wealthy family.
“Caleb Kensington.” he offers his name and that is an interesting turn of events. She has heard about the Kensington Family from her father, but he spoke no words about any sons.
“Amelie Spencer and like I said I’m aware of that, Lord Kensington but how can I not use the opportunity to admire those wonderful gardens?” she asks giving one of her charming smiles. “Besides the day is too beautiful to waste it by merely drinking tea.”
“Be careful or you might end up getting lost.” He replies looking rather annoyed by her.
“Thanks for the concern.” Amelie tells him, “I shall be seeing you around, Lord Kensington.” She did a little curtsey.
“I’m certain we will, Lady Spencer.” Caleb nods before he spins around leaving her alone. The dark-haired woman lets out a breath… it hasn’t been her intention to chase him away but unfortunately, he had met her at the wrong moment.

By the time Amelie is back at the Welcome Tea, there are still a few people in the middle of the lawn games which certainly seem interesting. Not surprising it is Diana that spots her first walking over with a cup of tea.
“I thought you might want one.” She says with a smile.
“Thank you.” The dark-haired woman returns the smile before she takes a cautious sip… it is exactly how she prefers her tea. “I hope I didn’t miss anything important?”
“Not that I noticed, Lady Amelie.” Diana replies, “I talked with some of the other lady’s maids and it seems like you aren’t the only new attendee to Kensington this year.”
Amelie nods, once again glad that she decided to bring Diana along… her lady’s maid has proven over the years that she could be pretty good at gathering important information when needed. As she takes another sip from her tea, she looks around and surprisingly the young man she spotted earlier is still there. He hasn’t noticed her, so she uses the opportunity to get a better look. He isn’t unfamiliar to Caleb Kensington but unlike him, he looks friendly and quite charming. Amelie notices too late that he is looking over as well and before she has any chance to react, he is heading in her direction smiling brightly.
“I think we haven’t met yet. I’m Byron Kensington.” He introduces him and now that he is close, she could have told they are related without hearing his name.
“Amelie Spencer, pleased to meet you.” The dark-haired woman tells him.
“I hope you are enjoying yourself.” Byron is the friendly one in the family she thinks to herself… and he knows how to work his charm.
“I am. Thanks for asking, Lord Kensington.” Amelie’s lips are curled into a charming smile. “Though it isn’t quite what I was expecting.” She admits.
“Is there anything missing for your comfort, Lady Spencer?” Byron asks taking a small step closer.
“Oh, I didn’t mean that in a bad way.” She is quick to reply shaking her head slightly, “I didn’t think it would be….” She lets her gaze wander towards the lawn games, “Exciting to be honest.” She can’t tell him that she had been imagining to dull hours with other young ladies spend by drinking tea and sharing life stories instead of this… it is refreshing even if she had been pretty surprised by seeing men among the guests.
“Excitement is good.” Byron agrees with another smile, “Have you tried one of the games yet, Lady Spencer?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t be good at those.” Amelie tells him, “I tried a few times with my siblings, but it seems like they have more talent than I do. But don’t let me stop you from playing, Lord Kensington.” She lifts her cup only to realize that it is empty.
“Would you like to get another?” Byron asks.
“I’m the last person to say no to a good cup of tea.” The dark-haired woman laughs, “But what about your game?”
“They will handle without me.” He replies, “Besides I haven’t an opportunity yet to try one of the cakes.” He says as he leads her over to tables. “Excuse me, Lady Spencer. I will be right back.” Byron suddenly says and then he has disappeared somewhere in the crowd. She isn’t much surprised since it isn’t hard to miss that he is quite a charming gentleman.
As she orders herself another tea, she notices that Byron is heading her way accompanied by a young man around her age with slightly darker skin and shoulder-length black hair.
“Haywood, I would like to introduce you to Lady Amelie Spencer.” Byron is all charms and friendliness, “Lady Spencer, this is Lord Haywood Cawley, a good friend of mine.”
“Glad to make your acquaintance, Lady Spencer,” Haywood says with a smile and a small bow.
“Likewise, Lord Cawley.” She curtseys slightly. In the corner of her eyes, she notices a table with the cakes Byron mentioned earlier and she is quick to grab one. “You were right, Lord Kensington, those cakes are delicious.” 
“I would never lie about sweets, Lady Spencer.” He laughs, “And seems like I can’t escape the next round of the game. Save some of the cakes for me, Haywood. Lady Spencer, I hope we meet again.”
Amelie shakes her head briefly before she turns to Haywood, “Not interested in another game, Lord Cawley?”
“Not at the moment… I haven’t missed a game the whole afternoon and it would be a shame to let the tea and food get wasted.” He explains smiling at her, “Have you tried one of the games yet?”
“To be honest, I’m not particularly fond of them.” She tells him, “I prefer watching instead.” She adds lips curled into a small smile. “But maybe I will give it a try later, for now, I’m just enjoying myself. It is a beautiful day and I think it would be a shame to let it go wasted. Don’t you think so, Lord Cawley.” She raises the cup to her lips when a loud shot rings through the air. The cup falls to the ground spilling tea everywhere, but Amelie doesn’t pay attention to it being too shocked. 
“Lady Spencer, we have to get inside.” She barely registers Haywood’s urging voice and it isn’t until Diana rushes to her side that she finally reacts. The dark-haired woman can’t remember the last time she has run so fast. As she steps into the manor, Amelie lets out a breath she has been holding, still not sure what just happened. All she knows is that she is safe…

DONE

Edit: Fixed a few typos

Last edited by schoggettchen (12/12/2019 at 06:58)

Name: Lydia Anna Sutton
Age: 16
FC: rachel hurd-wood

Personality Traits: Agreeable, charismatic, confident, courteous, curious, genuine, critical
interests: Caleb - Romantic; Hester - Friendly

story

I was sitting on an armchair in the living with my mother when the servant came inside with the letters in her hand. She gave them to the my mother, who excitedly received them. She saw from whom each letter was from, but seemed to be more excited when she saw one particular letter. “My dear! You would never believe who this letter is from.” She said. “What is it, mama?” I asked her, curious to see what has gotten her so excited. “It’s from Kensington Finishing school!” She exclaimed. She quickly opened it and read it cheerfully. Her smile meant good news. “You’re officially enlisted”, she told me with a grin. I grinned along with her. It is not that I wanted to go to school, really, but it was more the fact that I wanted to get out of this house, even for just a while. I was bored here and needed some adventure in my life. This is what I hoped Kensington Finishing School was going to bring for me. She suddenly stood up. “Come now. We have to prepare. You have to go and have tea with them in a fortnight.” The day came and I went, all prepped up by my mother. It was a very hot day, too hot in fact, but my mother taught me not to complain. I took a look at everyone there, all trying to look their best. I must say, I did not feel intimidated at all. There was a man, however, that made my face go red as soon as our eyes met. In my eyes he was quite charming. I learned that his name was Caleb and that he was an important person indeed; an heir, even. The food was delicious and I had a pleasant talk with a woman called Hester. In my opinion, everything was going great. But alas! A shot was heard; panic arose. Everyone, wondering what on earth was going on, was rushed into the manor. What have I signed up to?

outfits:   

Round Complete

Name: Rosemary Smith

Age: 16

Face Claim Daphne de Beistegui


Personality Traits: Caring, trustworthy, proud, imaginative, creative, independent, at times too trusting, honest, mostly respectful but can be harsh/abrupt, calm until pushed to the edge (allows anger to build).

Interests Thomas Parlow (RI/FI), Haywood Cawley (RI), Myles Chatwith (RI).

Story: my 16th birthday, that was the day i moved out. whilst girls have a fuss made of 'em, i was packing a sack. of course, it was not by choice. papa did not want me to go, in fact ever since mama died hes needed me, and i certainly did not want to go. but i had to. for my family. and family means everything.

the day had started out like any other birthday. papa had made me special porridge for breakfast (a sprinkle of sugar is what makes it special) and johnny and lottie gave me a sock puppet they had made themselves. the stitching was wonkie and there was only one button for an eye but it is now my best thing in the whole world. and they were ever so proud of themselves.

as soon as i picked up the broom to do a bit of sweeping there was a knock at the door. i opened it and a tall smartly dressed man was standing there, looking serious. before i could ask what he wanted papa sent me and the twins outside, closing the door loudly behind him. cureeosity? curyosity? i wanted to know what was going on so whilst the twins ran around wrecking havoc i sat by the door hoping to hear stuff. they were speaking too quietly but i was pretty sure i heard papa crying.

as soon as the door opened i ran inside, but not before i saw the man take our horse baby. i held papa as he cried on my shoulder. after some time, he told me that the man had come to collect the money papa owed him, which papa did not have. that is why he took baby, as that was the only thing of value we had. what a shoulder clapper! baby was the only way papa could make money, he makes bread and he needs baby to get to the market to make his delivverys? sell the bread. without that money, we'd be sure to go gutfoundered. he looked so sad when the twins came running back in and i knew right then what i had to do.

i took his hands and looked him in the eye and told him everything was going to be okay.

now it is a week later and im packing my sack ready to begin working at kensington finishing school. its simple serving work, making sure the fancy ladies are powdered at all times and what not, but hopefully i will be able to send money to help papa. like i said, i don't want to go and ill miss my family very much, but i dont want anything bad to happen to them, which it would if i did not go.

* * * * *

mrs jones is who i report to and i dont like her very much at all. she has a quick temper and often can be very, very rude. saying that, i dont like most of the people here. they are also very, very rude.

today was the day of the welcome tea for the ladies. i was told to make sure they always had enough tea and to serve food. id have given anything to try one of the teeny tiny sandwhiches with cheese and cucumber and all sorts inside, but mrs jones had already lekchured? lektured? told me not to otherwise i would be dismissed.

i would also have given anything to be in one of their fancy dresses too, but instead i was stuck in my serving outfit. they all looked so pretty - even if the ladies themselves were gilfurts. i felt like they were constantly looking down on me, i dont think one of them said please or thank you. one even whistled me over, the cheek of it!

there were a few gentlemen there too, no one too impressive though. there was a gentlemen [Thomas] who clearly did not belong there - he looked like he was trying to fit in but i could tell he was not of their status. a man with hair almost as long as mine [Haywood] attempted to joke with me but mrs jones forbade me from talking to any of the guests. a very posh man made eye contact with me and looked like he was about to approach, but then a loud bang happened.

people started screaming and running back into the manor. for a moment i froze, not in fear but because i was trying to figure out where the noise had come from, and what it possibly could have been. someone shouted at me to get inside and, as i had become used to obeying order over the past couple of days, i did.

i had not made it too far when i saw a bushell bubby [Katherine] was laying on the ground, clearly passed out due to fright. i attempted to grab her to help her to safety, when the man who did not fit in [Thomas] came to help. together, we carried her inside - although he did most of the work and i just carried the bottom of her dress.

Outfits: Finding out // welcome party


(Sorry if my character isn't allowed, I just thought it would be interesting to add a serving girl to the mix).

Last edited by Fashion-Chic (12/12/2019 at 01:07)

Round 1 is now closed.

Welcome to Round 2!

Round 1 Winners

Congratulations!

Best story: Fashion-Chic (I honestly never expected anyone would join as a servant girl)

Best outfits: Bambifoxx

For each of you, your bonus moving forward is that you get to include one extra outfit for round 2. Please just be sure to label what it’s for.

A note about setting: Kensington is a manor on the outskirts of London so it's more country than city.

Clearly things at Kensington have started off with a literal bang. The gentlemen sort out that it’s the result of a hunt on a nearby estate gone off course but by the time this is sorted out it’s too dark for any of the festivities to resume. Instead you all finally get to meet the elusive Lady Kensington.

Lady Kensington

Considering Byron and Caleb she's probably not what you were expecting, to clarify she's not their biological mother but she is married to their father and is the only mother they've ever known.

Lady Kensington is rarely around the manner but when she is there she's got a quick wit and a fast smile. Much like Caleb she has little time for idle chatter so if you approach her make sure that you have something of note to say or you'll soon find yourself talking to her back as she walks away.

It is at this meeting that she informs you all, that while you’ll have the rest of August to get accustomed to the flow of the manner that in September your lessons will begin.

This round will encompass three months: September, October and November.

In September you’ll be starting your basic classes, learning select literature, handicrafts, French and music.

Your French teacher will be Mr. Absalon Delacorte

Mr.Absalon Delacorte

He's a 21 year old playboy who spends more time flirting than teaching, but he is far more interested in the intellect of a young woman than anything else.

In October you will be taken to a dressmaker in town and each of you will have a look designed for you.

In November there will be a salon held at Kensington on the evening on November 19th. The guest of honor will be an American actor, Tobias Smith.

Tobias Smith

He's 22, pensive but always ready to perform. He'll only be at Kensington November 19th-November 23rd.

So that there is a clear timeline the order for the performances at the salon is: (it's the order you entered the contest in)

Enid Foster (she'll go first and get a bad case of the hiccups in the middle of her song, which she'll try to sing through).

Ariaena van der Jaager (Zaralee)

Katherine (Kitty) Nicole Sheffield (BambiFoxx)

Nonie Grace Dedworth (NinaJones)

Harriet Ada York (Chayanne03)

Eleanor Everdene (Tricole)

Lady Amelie Charlotte Spencer (Schoggettchen)

Lydia Anna Sutton (BearHugs6)

Bertie Coghill (she'll feign "womanly trouble" after a few notes on the piano and head to her room)

Hester Fullmore (she'll recite a bawdy poem that will get progressively louder as it gets lewder).

Please keep this in mind as you write about that evening.

For round 2 please include all of the following:

Name

Story Tell me about your first three months,include things like how you settled into classes (be sure to check the impressions FIRST if you indicated wanting to get to known any of the female extras), what type of dress you had commissioned and what type of talent you displayed at the salon (talents can include singing, playing an instrument, reciting a poem or section from a book or play). Please don't provide any sort of assessment from Lady Kensington on your performance at the salon, this will come in round 3. The impressions for the characters that you indicated being interested in are in the post directly following this one.

Fashion-chic you can write all of this from the perspective of the serving girl watching this.

Outfits This round will require 2 looks: a look for class and the outfit you wore for the salon.

Fashion-chic you can create a standard uniform for your character and a dress uniform or figure out a creative way to present another look.

Interests (up to 3 BUT please include at least a brief interaction with them even if it's only seeing them in a particular place and having a thought about them so I have something to base the impressions off of). Note that you can include one of the new characters that I've introduced but the limit is still 3.

This round will end at 10pm on December 14th.

Last edited by Dare (13/12/2019 at 02:38)

Impressions

Zaralee as Ariaena van der Jaager

Chauncey: He'll frequently be at Kensington under the pretense of visiting Hester. As they are not formally engaged yet, it's still customary for them to meet with a chaperone present. One afternoon in September Chauncey will ask you to fill this role when his aunt cannot. If you choose to do so, he'll spend the afternoon trying to get to know you and Hester will encourage this. If you choose not to do so, he'll also be at Kensington on the night of the salon and while he will be expected to spend his free time with Hester, neither will mind if you intervene.

Thomas: In October Thomas will lead Bertie back to the group after she sneaks off during a trip into the city and has her purse snatched. That would be the best time for you to strike up conversation with him. *You may want to coordinate this with Tricole*

Myles: He'll only be at Kensington the night of the salon and he will attempt to see you before the event. Please remember that *he can also be a little too hands on of a flirt.* *You may want to coordinate this with Fashion-Chic*

BambiFoxx as Katherine (Kitty) Nicole Sheffield

Hester: When your lessons in literature begin in September she'll try to trick your teacher into believing that some badly written poetry Chauncey sent her for a laugh is the work of some master author and she'll ask you to join in with her deception (something Bertie) has already agreed to, you can choose to follow suit or not. In October she'll suggest you get something scandalous made for the salon, something that shows your ankles or even pants, again you can choose to go along with her or not. On the evening of the salon she'll recite a bawdy poem, how you respond will impact your impressions moving forward.

Caleb: He leaves the property early and comes back late, your best chance at getting his attention is by sneaking off to the stables and seeing if he's there. If you go in the morning he'll be mucking the stalls and there's a real risk your clothes will be ruined. If you go in the evening...well that alone would cause scandal. *You may want to coordinate this with BearHugs6.*

Myles: Myles won't be at Kensington at all in September or October, but he will arrive the night of the salon. At some point in the evening, after you perform, he'll try to pull you into a dark corner to compliment you, whether he succeeds is up to you. *You may want to coordinate this with NinaJones*

NinaJones as Nonie Grace Dedworth

Byron: If you go looking for Byron you're likely to find him in the library or the larder. He'll be kind to you, even flirtatious if you approach him. If he approaches you first it will likely be to comment on something you're reading.

Myles:Myles won't be at Kensington at all in September or October, but he will arrive the night of the salon. At some point in the evening, after you perform, he'll try to pull you into a dark corner to compliment you, whether he succeeds is up to you. *You may want to coordinate this with BambiFoxx*

Bertie: She's less of a leader and more of a follower, so when your lessons in literature begin in September and Hester tries to trick your teacher into believing that some badly written poetry Chauncey sent her for a laugh is the work of some master author Bertie will have already agreed to have follow suit. It's up to you if you want to join their ruse. In October when you go dress shopping she's going to sneak away from the group to see if she can find a ship to take her back home. If you go with her you'll both have your purses snatched before Thomas sees you and leads you back to the group, if you choose not to go with her, you'll simply see her led back to the group by Thomas. On the evening of the salon she'll feign "womanly trouble" after playing a few notes on the piano, you can choose to comfort her or not. *You may want to coordinate this with Chayanne03* 

Chayanne03 as Harriet Ada York

Haywood: You charmed him at the party and at Byron's urging he will invite you to a concert where a spinster cousin of his will act as a chaperone. You can choose to accept the invitation or not.

Byron: If you go looking for Byron you're likely to find him in the library or the larder. He'll be kind to you, even flirtatious if you approach him. If he approaches you first it will likely be to comment on something you're reading.

Bertie: She's less of a leader and more of a follower, so when your lessons in literature begin in September and Hester tries to trick your teacher into believing that some badly written poetry Chauncey sent her for a laugh is the work of some master author Bertie will have already agreed to have follow suit. It's up to you if you want to join their ruse. In October when you go dress shopping she's going to sneak away from the group to see if she can find a ship to take her back home. If you go with her you'll both have your purses snatched before Thomas sees you and leads you back to the group, if you choose not to go with her, you'll simply see her led back to the group by Thomas.  On the evening of the salon she'll feign "womanly trouble" after playing a few notes on the piano, you can choose to comfort her or not.  *You may want to coordinate this with NinaJones*

Tricole as Eleanor Everdene

Haywood: He'll be on the estate frequently as he and Byron are friendly. You can generally find them in the library, and Haywood will be friendly.

Byron:If you're looking to impress him, the time to do it will be with a recitation of your favorite poem at the salon. Perform it well and he may look at you in a new light.

Thomas: In October Thomas will lead Bertie back to the group after she sneaks off during a trip into the city and has her purse snatched. That would be the best time for you to strike up conversation with him. *You may want to coordinate this with Zaralee*

Schoggettchen as Lady Amelie Charlotte Spencer

Caleb: If you make your way outside in the early morning and find yourself drawn to the gardens again, Caleb will insist on walking with you so you don't get lost. Be mindful that he'll likely smell of horse dung and won't chat idly but if you find a topic that keeps his interest he will talk to you.

Byron: He'll send extra sweets up to your room one night in late October, a new confection that the cooks are trying out, and will ask if you'd be bold enough to join him in the study to share them.

Haywood: He'll be kind to you if he sees you while at Kensington but you'll need to approach him if you want to talk.

BearHugs6 as Lydia Anna Sutton

Caleb: He leaves the property early and comes back late, your best chance at getting his attention is by sneaking off to the stables and seeing if he's there. If you go in the morning he'll be mucking the stalls and there's a real risk your clothes will be ruined. If you go in the evening...well that alone would cause scandal.*You may want to coordinate this with BambiFoxx*

Hester: When your lessons in literature begin in September she'll try to trick your teacher into believing that some badly written poetry Chauncey sent her for a laugh is the work of some master author and she'll ask you to join in with her deception (something Bertie) has already agreed to, you can choose to follow suit or not. In October she'll suggest you get something scandalous made for the salon, something that shows your ankles or even pants, again you can choose to go along with her or not. On the evening of the salon she'll recite a bawdy poem, how you respond will impact your impressions moving forward.

Fashion-Chic as Rosemary Smith

Thomas: In October Thomas will lead Bertie back to the group after she sneaks off during a trip into the city and has her purse snatched. That wouldn't be the best time for you to strike up conversation with him as he'll be too caught up with the ladies to talk to you then but later that evening Lady Kensington will summon him to the manner to provide him with a reward. If you dare, you can talk to him then. If not he will also be in the manor on the night of the salon and you can seek him out then, but keep in mind that you're going to be working at the event while he will be a guest so while he won't see an issue with you fraternizing others at the event will.

Haywood:  He'll be on the estate frequently as he and Byron are friendly. Any interactions that you have with him would take place in the library. Note that because he's an outsider of sorts that he won't treat you like a serving girl.

Myles: Myles will be at Kensington before the salon. He'll wander into the main parlor as you're setting up and will make suggestive remarks. How you respond is your choice. *You may want to coordinate this with Zaralee*

Last edited by Dare (12/12/2019 at 17:09)

Lady Amelie Charlotte Spencer

Interests: Byron, Caleb & Haywood (All romantic and in no particular order)

Performance: Piano Sonata No. 11 Alla turca – Allegretto (Mozart)

Outfits: Classes & Salon



~~~

September

Amelie can still feel the blood pumping through her veins and the rush of adrenaline, even now as she is safe inside the manor. Diana doesn’t want to leave her side, not that she can blame her. Soon word starts spreading that the shot is the result of a hunt close by, but she honestly can’t tell if that is making her feel better. Amelie knows that this wouldn’t have happened back at home but even to herself that sounds like a cheap excuse to leave this place immediately.
“Lady Amelie look…” Diana suddenly says subtly pointing over to the staircase. A dark-skinned woman is standing dressed in fine clothes. Amelie is surprised to hear that she is Lady Kensington – definitely not what she had been expecting – who uses the moment to apologize again for the sudden ending to the Welcome Tea.
“Unfortunately, it is too dark for the festivities to continue, but you have the rest of the August to get accustomed to the manor.” She explains in a calm voice, “Classes are starting in September. I wish you all a pleasant night.” She adds a smile tugging on her lips and then she is gone. Amelie keeps staring at the space for a few moments before she rises from her seat. She feels tired and had enough excitement for a day.
“Lady Spencer, are you alright?” Haywood’s voices come from behind and as she turns, she notices that he isn’t alone, Byron standing at his side.
“I’m fine, Lord Cawley.” The dark-haired woman forces herself to smile, “I thank you for your help earlier.”
“It was nothing.” He replies shaking his head slightly, “I wish good night.”
“And I wish you the same.” Amelie says, “And you as well, Lord Kensington.” Diana is already waiting at the staircase and the way to her room seems endless. It isn’t home she thinks to herself as she sees the interior and her cases still need to be unpacked but this can wait until tomorrow.
“I will retire for the night.” She tells Diana, “The day has been long enough and there will be plenty of time tomorrow to settle in.”
“As you wish, Lady Amelie.” Her lady’s maid curtseys before she heads towards her room in the servant quarters.  Amelie closes the door, stepping further into the room, “It is only for a few months…” she murmurs to herself.

August passes without another mishap and Amelie is kind of glad that the classes are starting to begin. It is something she is familiar with and there has been enough of exploring and wandering in the past weeks. Even if the manor and the gardens are impressive and she is certain that she still hasn’t seen everything.
“Are you excited for today, Lady Amelie?” Diana asks as she is busy with finishing tying the corset.
“I am though I think it will be strange.” She replies lips pursed together, “All my lessons have been private and now with the other ladies attending… I’m not sure what to think.” The truth is that Amelie despite exchanging a few words with some of them wasn’t exactly fond of them yet.
“I am certain you will be alright.” Diana gives the corset one last sharp tug that leaves Amelie breathless for a brief moment. She knows that she doesn’t need to torture herself this way anymore but she doesn’t like the newest more flowing dresses. “Is there anything else I can help you with, Lady Amelie?”
“Thank you, Diana but I got everything. But why the rush?” the dark-haired woman asks with a playful smile.
“Oh, nothing in particular. A few of the Lady’s maids agreed to go for a short walk… if it is fine for that I join them.” Diana says looking rather nervous.
“Of course not.” Amelie replies in a soft voice, “I will be seeing you for Lunch.”
“Thank you, Lady Amelie.” Diana is quick to curtsey before she leaves the room with a smile on her lips. The dark-haired woman looks after her for a few seconds before shaking her head… sometimes it feels like Diana has the easier life of them.
On her way to the first class she isn’t much surprised to catch a glimpse of Byron as he leaves the library… it isn’t the first time that this happened in the past weeks, but she always keeps her distance.
“Good Morning, Lady Spencer.” He greets her in a cheerful voice. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine, thank you for asking, Lord Kensington.” Amelie returns his greeting, “What about yourself?” As they keep walking, she notices that he is leading her to the class which could cause quite the scandal if it wasn’t for the other people in the hallway.
“I have nothing to complain about.” He replies with a charming smile, “How are you enjoying your stay at Kensington so far?”
It is hard for her to tell if he is genuinely interested or simply asking because it is excepted from him. She knows what it is like to grow up as the child of a wealthy and known family and everything that is excepted from this position. “It is…” Amelie knits her eyebrows together thinking about what would be the best words to use, “I think it is a bit too early to say yet that I’m enjoying it but I’m also not complaining about my stay, so…”
Byron looks at her for a moment before he starts laughing, “That is a very diplomatic answer, Lady Spencer.”
Surprisingly she finds herself smiling at his carefree behaviour. They come to a stop in front of the many doors in the manor, “I believe that is where we part, Lord Kensington. I wish you a pleasant day.”
“The same to you, Lady Spencer.” He replies another charming smile on his lips before he turns walking back in the direction they came from. She stares after him, surprised that he took the wrong way just to exchange a few words with her but tries not to read too much into it.

It doesn’t take Amelie long to fall into a rhythm with classes and her free time moments, but it isn’t as strange as she first thought. Most of the classes are a repetition of things she had learned back at home, but she is quite enjoying the input from the other Ladies and her teachers. And then there is French… Amelie has never been good at it mainly because she doesn’t understand the need to learn it. Her pronunciation is never on point and to her ear, it sounds horrible when she is trying to speak French. Mr Delacorte hasn’t given up on her yet which Amelie finds endearing despite often having the impression that he isn’t that much interested in teaching. It is due to his latest class that she finds herself in the library looking for simple French texts as a practice for reading and speaking. It isn’t an easy task as she keeps finding books that are way too complicated and it would only end up in a disaster if she tried herself at those. The dark-haired woman lets out a frustrated sigh as she puts yet another book back into the shelf… maybe it is better if she asks Mr Delacorte for assistance. She slides into one of the comfortable armchairs closing her eyes for a brief moment.
“Lady Spencer, are you alright?” she startles and nearly screams at the sound of Byron’s voice, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” She opens her eyes and sees him standing close… too close, “I thought you heard me entering the library.”
“No harm was done, Lord Kensington.” Amelie replies after she regains her composure, “I must have been too lost in my thoughts.” As she looks around, she immediately notices that it just them in the library… if anyone would be to enter now and see them. She shakes her head trying not to think about this kind of scenario. “I’m not sure, to be honest.” She adds, “I have been looking for books, but it seems I’m out of luck tonight.”
“Maybe I can help you.” Byron offers and she knows she should decline and tell him that she will be fine because it wouldn’t be proper, but she doesn’t… instead, she gives him a nod. She is too frustrated and annoyed to care at this moment and the library is big enough that people might not even notice them.
“I’m looking for French books.” Amelie explains as she stands up, “Unfortunately not from any particular writer which would make it easier.” She steps back in front of the shelf, “I should be rather simple.” She admits.
“Mhm, it shouldn’t be too hard to find something like this.” Byron sounds optimistic as he walks over to another shelf full of various French books. “Why exactly do you need a French book?”
“My French has never been particularly good but back at home, it didn’t matter much. It is different at Kensington though.” Amelie explains pulling out a book. She flips quickly through the pages, “Finally a book that looks promising.” She carefully places it on a table.
“Oh, does this sound like a complain?” Byron teases lips curled into a grin as he looks at her. “But speaking about that… now that a couple of weeks have passed, maybe you could tell me now if you are enjoying yourself?” he asks placing a second book on the table.
“Different doesn’t have to be bad, Lord Kensington,” Amelie says sounding rather curt. “But yes, I can say I’m starting to enjoy myself. There are still a few things I haven’t gotten used yet, but I haven’t been at Kensington only for a month.” Her eyes scan the titles in front of her hoping to find something familiar but no such luck. She moves to the next shelf trying to ignore that means she is closer to Byron now.
“I’m glad to hear that, Lady Spencer.” He smiles at her, “You mentioned home, may I ask where exactly home is?” he is leaning against the shelf looking at her with a rather curious expression.
“Woodstock… Blenheim Palace to be exact.” Amelie tells him seeing no reason why she shouldn’t, “It is a lovely place and the village is nearby is always worth a visit.” Her lips are curled into a smile as she thinks off her home and how her younger siblings would spend hours running through the gardens screaming in joy. “This manor sometimes reminds me of home.” She admits in a low voice glancing at Byron from the side before she clears her throat. Two books have found its place on the table which better than she managed to find during her search, “Thank you for the help, Lord Kensington.” She takes a step away from him picking up the books.
“Won’t you need more?” he asks sounding surprised taking a step forward as well.
“Oh, trust me that is enough. My French isn’t in the best shape and there is a chance I will have enough to read from over the next weeks.” Amelie replies giving him a small smile, “But if I ever need help again, I know who to turn to. Good Night, Lord Kensington.” She curtseys pressing the books close to her chest.
“Good Night, Lady Spencer,” Byron replies bowing slightly. She glances at him one more time before she walks out of the library and back to her room. 

October

Two months, that is how long Amelie is at Kensington and lately she is missing her family more and more with each day. Writing letters isn’t the same and she hates the long waiting for a response. It is during an early morning at the beginning of October when Amelie finds herself on a walk outside. She has managed to convince Diana not to accompany her though she knew that she was only meaning well. Since the days are getting colder there aren’t many of the flowers left she noticed during her first walk but still she ventures deeper into the gardens. It is a calm morning, just her and a few birds singing now and then. It is a moment Amelie wishes she could treasure forever and maybe she will one day when she can find the motivation to paint again.
“Don’t tell me, I have to warn you again.” She spins around not surprised to see Caleb Kensington behind her. He is one of the few Lords she hardly sees inside the manor rather catching a glimpse of him whenever he is wandering over the grounds.
“I’m not lost, Lord Kensington,” Amelie tells him rather curtly. “I can still see the manor and I know from which direction I came from.” To her surprise, he doesn’t turn around instead he comes closer.
“And what happens if you take a wrong turn?” he asks looking directly into her eyes making her feel rather uncomfortable. He is for sure good-looking but unlike his brother, he lacks the charm or at least it seems this way. “I will come with you.”
“That won’t be necessary, Lord Kensington.” She is quick to reply, “I’m certain I can find my way back.” But her protests in vain as he simply walks past her in the direction she had planned to go. It would be easy for her to turn around and head back to the manor, but she wanted to take a walk and she won’t let Caleb stop her from doing so. Amelie takes a deep breath and keeps her head high as she catches up with him. She uses the moment to get a better look at him… some of his clothes are dirty and he smells of…
“The stables…” she murmurs to herself.
“Did you say anything, Lady Spencer?” he asks looking at her from the side.
“Do you often spend time at the stables?” Amelie questions sounding rather curious. She knows of the stables but hasn’t taken a step inside and she doesn’t plan on changing that any time soon.
“As much as I can. What about yourself? Do you enjoy riding?” Caleb tells her not surprised by her question… probably has realized that he is smelling and looking rather dishevelled.
“I used to once… feels like a lifetime ago, to be honest.” Amelie explains biting her lower lip, “Unfortunately I had a rather bad fall and since then I just couldn’t do it. Well, I did try a few times, but the fear was always present along with the memory of the pain.” She shudders at the thought. Nowadays she doesn’t think too much about the whole incident anymore but there have been times when she couldn’t get it out of her head replaying the scene over and over again. The dark-haired woman guesses it doesn’t help much though that Henry loved horse riding and she had enough of painful memories for the rest of her life.
“It is a matter of trust.” Caleb explains making it sound so simple, “You trust the horse not to throw you off and the horse trusts you not to hurt it or push it too far. Falling off and getting up again is never easy but maybe you will manage again one day. The stables are always open if you should decide to pay a visit to our horses.” He offers and she knows he means well but honestly she can’t see herself taking this step.
“Thank you for the offer, Lord Kensington. I will be thinking about it.” It is a small white lie but a necessary one. She doesn’t want to indulge him into her backstory… they don’t know each other, and she still can’t tell if he is generally quiet or if it is just around her. Talking about horses seem to do the trick to get him open a little bit which was so unlike his brother. Byron could talk forever whenever they met in the library. Amelia knows it is wrong to compare them when she knows so little about Caleb. She shakes her head almost crashing into him as he comes to a sudden halt in front of her. “What is wrong?” she asks peaking over his shoulder expecting maybe a wild animal or other people, but it is just them surrounded by trees and bushes.
“Nothing, Lady Spencer. I was simply contemplating which way to take… unless you want to return already.” He turns looking down at her with his brown eyes.
“And you told me not to get lost?” she teases him playfully lips curled into a grin. She walks past him to see what is so difficult that he couldn’t figure out but stops in her tracks when sees that there aren’t just two paths but rather four of them leading into various directions. “I don’t have any plans for the day… what about you, Lord Kensington.”
“Careful.” He returns the grin, “I could pick a path and lead you in a circle for hours and you wouldn’t even notice.” There is a hint of challenge in his look and she is tempted but she is wearing the wrong shoes or dress for a longer walk.
“You wouldn’t dare…” she tells him just to test out how far she can go. It is like playing with fire… one wrong move and she could burn herself badly.
“Do you really want to find out?” Caleb asks his grin getting wider as he keeps looking at her and she feels a shiver running down her spine. It is almost like a battle and unfortunately, she is the first one who moves her gaze before it is getting too intense.
“Maybe next time…” Amelie tries to settle for a diplomatic answer.
He says nothing as he steps backwards moving to the path on the far right, “It is the shortest back to the manor… we can’t have you catching a cold.”
“I… that is probably for the best, Lord Kensington.” She says as she quickens her pace.
“Caleb. Lord Kensington is my father.” He tells her like it is the most normal thing in the world and she shouldn’t even be thinking about accepting but she also shouldn’t be here taking a walk with him.
“Does each of the paths lead back to the manor, Lord Caleb?” Amelie asks slowly testing the water. It isn’t proper but she couldn’t call him by his first name only… despite not anyone else being with them right now.
“Yes, but some of them take longer and lead through different parts of the gardens… most of them worth a visit during the warmer months.” Caleb explains as they walk by flowerbeds, all of them almost empty. It might not have the same charm as it did back in August, but Amelie is still enjoying the sight.
“So, it is worth coming back…” she says lips curled into a smile as the manor is slowly coming into view on the horizon. It is an open invitation and a daring move, one unluckily herself but they have been out here for a while and haven’t seen another soul. It is wishful thinking that it is always going to be this way and she knows it but sometimes a risk is worth being taken.
“Of course, Lady Spencer. All of the manor and the grounds is worth a visit.” Caleb replies and she knows that he is talking about the stables, apparently his favourite place.
“Amelie is fine as well…” her voice is barely a whisper, but he still manages to hear her judging from the way his lips curl into a smile. They come to a stop near the place where Caleb first found her.
“This is where we part, Lady Amelie.” He says, “I’m sure you should be fine on your own now.” He teases playfully and she chuckles slightly.
“I will and thank you for making sure that I don’t get lost, Lord Caleb.” She smiles at him before heading towards the manor.

Kensington seems to be buzzing with excitement since the trip to the dressmaker has been announced a few days ago. Amelie can’t quite understand it as she doesn’t consider it as special. She is glad though to leave the manor even if it will be only for a few hours. Walking through the gardens isn’t quite the same. Her lips are curled into a smile as she steps out of the carriage taking in the sight in front of her. The town is nothing special, but it is full of people doing their daily chores and she spots a few young children playing. They remind her so much of her siblings and she has to take a deep breath. She keeps her head high as she follows Mrs Kensington and the other ladies not surprised that a few heads are turning in their direction. Amelie lets her gaze wander until she notices one of the other girls all walking by herself. It is Enid if she remembers correctly from the brief introduction back in August. Now that she thinks about it, she can’t recall ever seeing her engage with anyone in Kensington. With the goal set in her mind, she quickens her pace to catch up with her.
“Enid, what do you think?” Amelie asks lips curled into a smile. “It is something different, isn’t it?”
The brown-haired woman looks strangely at her a bit like she couldn’t believe that someone is talking with her, “It is, and I must say it feels good to be away from the Manor.” She finally says after a few moments with awkward silence. “This is a bit embarrassing, but I can’t recall your name.” there is a slight blush on her cheeks
“It is alright given we only spoke once and that feels like an eternity ago. I’m Amelie.” She offers her name with a friendly smile, “And I fully agree with you. The manor is nice, and the gardens are pretty impressive but there is only much to see before it gets a little boring.” She adds, “How are you enjoying the time so far?”
“It isn’t bad, but I think two months are hardly enough for an impression,” Enid replies sounding rather closed off… as if she has no real interest in talking with Amelie or anyone else. “What about yourself?”
“I’m quite enjoying myself to be honest though I have moments I’m not fully used to, but I think I’m getting there.” The dark-haired woman explains flashing Enid a smile as an attempt to lighten up the mood, but she gets nothing in returns. Fortunately, she is saved by the arrival at the dressmaker shop and she is quick to enter. As she waits for her turn, Amelie can’t stop thinking if she said something wrong to Enid, but nothing came to her mind… Enid’s behaviour was still strange. Amelie doesn’t need to wait too long for her turn, explaining her idea of a rather simple dress in a dark blue colour with the only real eye-catcher being a pearl belt she brought from home. Growing up as a Duke’s daughter meant that this isn’t going to be her first performance in front of a small crowd, and she knows that the act should be the centre of attention and not the artist. Beside as her mother once said, “All a dress needs to look good is a beautiful Lady wearing it” and Amelie hasn’t found a reason yet to disagree with her.
On the way back the carriages she sticks to herself not bothering to strike up another conversation with Enid or any of the other girls as it just doesn’t seem worth it. She barely takes notices of the troubles with one of the Ladies disappearing… it is Bertie but seeing as Amelie doesn’t know her very well, it isn’t her concern and she doesn’t want to involve in the whole matter. It is dark by the time there are back at the manor and while she fully enjoyed the little trip she is aching for a delicious dinner followed by a warm bath.

One day in late October Amelie steps into her room surprised to see a small package lying on the table. She isn’t expecting any letters and doesn’t recognize the handwriting at first glance either. She wonders briefly if she should call Diana for assistance but in the end, her curiosity is bigger, and she reads the note.
“Lady Spencer, the cooks have been trying out a new confection and I thought you might enjoy them. If you are willing to share you can find me in the study. Byron Kensington.” Amelie reads, eyes getting bigger with each word. She hasn’t been expecting this and carefully undoes the bow on top of the package. The chocolate smells and looks delicious and she picks one up. She has no words to describe the taste as it slowly melts inside her mouth, but she knows that she wants more. Amelie reaches for a second one when she re-reads the last sentence in Byron’s note. It is late – way too late – and if she were to go and someone sees them together… she doesn’t even want to think about it. But she also can’t ignore the fact that Byron thought of her and was so kind to send her the confection.
I should at least thank him. Amelie thinks to herself as she picks up the package and carefully opens the door. The hallway is empty, and she takes the risk and quickly steps outside. The study is only one floor downstairs and she reaches it in record time. She hesitates for a second before she pushes the door open. Byron is standing in front of the fireplace and as he turns she notices the astonishment on his face before his lips curl into the familiar friendly smile.
“Lady Spencer, you came.” He steps closer, “What do you think?” he asks pointing to the package she is holding in her hand.
“I love them.” She exclaims maybe a tad too loud, “I can’t remember tasting anything like this before and I have to thank you, Lord Kensington. And yes, I’m willing to share.” She opens the box holding it out for him.
“I’m glad to hear that.” He smiles at her as he reaches for a piece of darker chocolate, “I didn’t have the opportunity to try them myself yet, but I was reassured that our cooks work very hard on them.” She watches him as he eats the chocolate wondering if she looked the same when she tried her first one, “I think you can agree with me when I say we need more of them.” He laughs and she joins it. Amelie reaches for another piece of chocolate at the same time as he does. Their fingers brush and she feels her cheeks heating up.
“Sorry, Lord Kensington.” She murmurs pulling her head back, but he shakes his head before handing her the chocolate.
“Please call me, Byron.” He says with a soft smile. “And did you enjoy your trip to the town?” he asks grabbing a piece of chocolate for himself.
“I did… it was a nice change of scenery, Lord Byron.” Amelie tells him smiling as well, “Though I’m enjoying the chocolate more. And since you insist… Amelie.” She adds finally taking a bite of the piece he handed her. It is delicious and the fruity cream inside is the best part she decides.
“I can always request more if you wish to,” Byron replies as he sits down in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace. She hesitates for a moment and thinks about taking her leave. She thanked exactly like she had planned but there is something about his carefree presence that makes her forgot that they shouldn’t be alone. Amelie places the box on the table between them and sits down as well.
“That would be wonderful… it is good that my siblings aren’t with us. The chocolate would be gone quicker than you had any chance to react.” She chuckles while looking at him.
“How many siblings do you have, Lady Amelie?” he asks crossing his hands on his lap.
“Five – three sister and two brothers – all younger than me. You can imagine that there is always laughter and footsteps echoing through our house.” She gets a sentimental look whenever she thinks of her family, but it helps to talk about them… sharing stories and memories. “I can’t think of many quiet moments, but I think it wouldn’t be the same without them.”
“Sounds like you love them a lot…” Byron gives her a soft look and she feels herself blushing again.
“More than anything else in the world… I enjoy every letter they send me, and I even brought a portrait of them with me.” Amelie smiles, “My father thought I was being silly since I’m not gone forever but I couldn’t miss the opportunity as I quite enjoy the painting.”
“I didn’t know you paint…” Byron sounds impressed as he keeps looking at her.
“And how should you? Unless you can read my mind.” The dark-haired woman teases playfully grabbing herself one more piece of chocolate.
“Maybe you could do a painting of me one day.” Byron grins and she has to shake her head at his request… it is one she has heard a few times before… especially before her engagement with Henry.
“I don’t think this will be possible, Lord Byron.” Amelie admits, “I haven’t drawn anything in months… I can’t explain it, but it seems like I lost my motivation.” She doesn’t want to tell about Henry yet or maybe ever… she can’t tell at this point.
“Or maybe you lack the right inspiration.” Byron teases making her laugh. He picks up the box, “There is one piece left…”
“It is all yours, Lord Byron. I had my fair share and you deserve it for thinking about me. Beside it is getting late and I should be heading back to my room.” She gives him another smile as she pushes herself up, “I wish you a good night.”
“There is no need to thank me. I’m glad that you liked them, Lady Amelie.” He gets up as well, “And I wish you the same.”
As she steps out into the hallway she is relieved to see no one but she doesn’t want to linger too long. It is completely quiet as she passes the rooms of the other ladies but given the time it isn’t much of a surprise. Amelie is still smiling as she closes the door behind her unsure what to make of tonight. It was pleasant and yet risky… she knows it shouldn’t happen again but at the same time wouldn’t mind if it did.

November

It is one early cold November morning when Amelie finds herself taking another stroll on the grounds. Lately, classes have been busier and with the Salon approaching soon she has been spending a lot of time with practising as well. She wraps her coat tighter around her as she notices a building in the distance. Feeling curious she walks closer, soon she can spot a few horses standing or running over a fenced in field. The sight brings a smile to her face and she keeps walking until she is standing right in front of the fence.
“What are you doing here?” Amelie has stopped being surprised by Caleb’s talent to find her whenever she is outside the manor. This time he seems to be the surprised one though judging from his expression.
“Enjoying the view?” she asks with a smile, “Or is there any particular reason I shouldn’t?”
“After what you told me about the fall I thought you wouldn’t come here.” He replies and she starts to understand.
“Oh, that… I might have expressed myself not clearly enough. I don’t mind being close to horses… it is hard to ignore them when you have younger siblings who are obsessed with them.” Amelie explains leaning against the fence, “Patting and feeding isn’t the problem but whenever I think about getting back into the saddle that is when I reach my limit.” Caleb joins her sight looking at the field as well, “I didn’t know you had this many horses.” She counted at least 15 outside and judging by the size of the stable there are plenty more.
“I could give you a tour if you wish.” He looks at her from the side, the corner of his lips tugged into a smile.
She thinks about it but ultimately shakes her head, “Maybe next time, at the moment I feel more like taking a stroll.” She pushes herself away from the fence heading towards the path leading away from the stables.
“In this case, I better make sure you don’t end up getting lost. There are many paths away and not all of them lead back to the manor.” Caleb grins as he steps to her side. “This way, Lady Amelie, it is the best path if you want to see the horses.”
“I would like that, Lord Caleb.” She nods and for a few moments they are walking in complete silence, but it isn’t an uncomfortable one. Now and then she finds herself looking at the horses and it amazes her how different they all look.
“This is an Andalusian Mare…” he suddenly says pointing to the tall bay-coloured horse standing in the middle of the field, “We have only gotten her a few months back and I remember how scared she was the beginning and wouldn’t step out of the box.”
“Seems she is enjoying herself now,” Amelie replies with a smile. “As are all other horses…” a few of them are running around while others are contempt by eating.
“We take good care of them and I personally check the stables every day.” Caleb explains, “I keep a few of my horses at Kensington as well but I can’t spot any of them right now.”
“What about this one?” Amelie asks indicating towards the imposing white-grey horse standing not far away from the fence.
“Ah, that is good old Charlie.” Caleb smiles, “He used to work on a farm nearby until he got too old and now he is spending his well-deserved retirement at Kensington.”
“He is so tall.” She gasps as she carefully takes a step closer. Her hand is lingering in the air, “May I?”
“Of course. Charlie loves patting.” He replies and she places her hand against Charlie’s neck slowly petting him, “He is a Shire Horse. I would be surprised if you haven’t seen one before.” It is clear to see that Caleb is rather passionate about horses and knows a lot about them.
“I probably did but I wouldn’t have recognized them,” Amelie explains enjoying the feeling of the fur under her hand. It is slightly rough, and the mane is tickling her skin. “I will make sure to visit you again, Charlie.” She gives him one last pat before joining Caleb again. In the distance, she can make out the silhouette of the stables which is strange since it feels like they just left for their stroll. There are fewer horses in this area of the field, but one immediately catches her eyes. It isn’t as tall or imposing as Andalusian Mare or Charlie but there is something about the brown fur with the white spots. Caleb must have noticed something as he simply turns and walks straight to the horse and Amelie is quick to follow him.
“That is Poppy, a mixed-blood. She has been at Kensington as long as I can remember and gave birth to three foals over the years.” He explains while petting her neck. “She has a very calm and gentle nature… perfect if you ever consider getting back into the saddle.” By now Amelie is standing next to Poppy as well stroking the other side of her neck. Her fur is softer than Charlie’s and she is amazed by the pattern.
“I’m probably repeating myself and it is a generous offer, but I need to think about it, Lord Caleb.” She finally says. She trusts his judgment and given his explanation he knows what he is talking about, but the problem is her fear… the fear of falling again.
“I wasn’t expecting an answer right now, Lady Amelie.” He tells her brown eye sparkling in the light. Poppy gets a few more pats before they are back on the path and before she knows it they are standing in front of the stables again.
“Unless you would like to join me this is where we part. I still need to check on my horses.” Caleb offers, flashing her a smile and it is tempting but she should be heading back.
“Maybe next time. I still need to practice my performance.” She returns his smile. “I wish you a wonderful day, Lord Caleb.”
“And I wish you the same, Lady Amelie.” He replies not questioning her next time… it is like a silent promise that this wasn’t the last time.

having heard his name a lot over the past days. As she steps into the room she isn’t even surprised to see both Byron and Caleb lingering in the back along with Haywood and the other men. They are slowly becoming a fixture it seems and after the pleasant moments, she spent with both brothers she doesn’t mind.
“Good Evening, Lord Caleb.” Amelie is feeling risky but keeps her voice close as she steps to his side.
“Lady Amelie.” He nods in her direction, “And what will you be performing tonight?”
“Oh, you will have to be patient and wait for my turn.” She tells him smiling. She knows that she is one of the last people to perform which she doesn’t mind. She did practice enough in the past days besides she chooses one of her favourite pieces. “But I can’t tell you that I’m not going to sing.”
“And why is that?” Caleb asks sounding rather curious.
“Because I despise it and see no fun in it.” She shrugs. “Unfortunately, my parents choose to ignore this matter until I kept finding an excuse to not attend my classes. It might not have been my best idea, but it worked.”
“You are full of surprises, Lady Amelie.” He replies and she chuckles at his expression. She thinks of something else when Mrs Kensington steps into the middle of the room welcoming everybody but especially Tobias Smith to tonight’s Salon.
Enid is the first to perform and Amelie feels bad for her as the hiccups start and yet she manages to sing until the end. It takes a lot of courage to do that and Amelie knows plenty of ladies who would have given up. She doesn’t pay much attention to the other performances, listening now and then. It doesn’t take long until it is her turn and she smiles as she settles down in front of the piano. The music sheets aren’t exactly necessary as she has played Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 11 so many times before. She takes a deep breath before playing the first note. For a few minutes, her mind is at peace thinking about nothing but the music and how she wants her performance to go. Amelie is still smiling by the time she is done curtseying as the crowd applauds. She is satisfied by her performance only wishing her family could have seen it as well. She tries to push the sadness out of her mind as she approaches Enid who is standing in one of the corners.
“Are you alright?” Amelie asks keeping her voice low. She doesn’t want to disturb the rest of the performances.
“I’m fine,” Enid says but she doesn’t look like it. “It wasn’t my best performance and I managed to get it through until the end.”
“Don’t worry about it, Enid.” Amelie tries to sound reassuring, “It happens to all of us at one point. She should have seen me playing for my grandparents for the first time. I was so nervous that my hands wouldn’t stop shaking the whole time.”
Their conversation gets interrupted by Hester’s loud voice as she is reciting what sounds like a bawdy poem and Amelie feels herself blushing at the words. “Well, this is certainly one way to perform.” She remarks once Hester is done and it seems like nobody really knows how to react. “I think your hiccups are long forgotten by now, Enid.” She smiles at the woman again before she leaves her by.
“Why am I not surprised to find you here, Lord Byron?” Amelie teases as she joins him at the table filled with all kind of sweets.
“You know me so well, Lady Amelie.” He laughs taking a slight step to the side. She grabs herself one of the chocolate pralines surprised to immediately recognize the taste, “I did promise I would request more of them. Congratulations on your performance. I quite enjoyed it.”
“Thank you.” Her cheeks are heating up under his look. Forcing herself to stay calm she grabs another chocolate chuckling slightly when she sees Byron doing the same and she wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t remain the last one…

DONE

Last edited by schoggettchen (16/12/2019 at 21:14)

Ariaena van der Jaager
Interests Chauncy, Thomas, Myles.

Salon Beatrice's monologue from Much Ado About Nothing, Act 4, Scene 1

Outfits: Classes + Recital

Story
V. The Shooting
Once the dust has settled a little, Ariaena felt a little better – the huge living area of the house was now crawling with people: her fellow students sat all around, sipping on freshly brewed tea and biscuits with preserves, trying to settle down completely.

“Ladies.”

The voice snaps us all out of our thoughts, everyone and their maids turn quickly towards the entrance of the room. The woman wasn’t particularly tall, but she stood the highest in the room.

“Firstly, Caleb just informed me the hunting party of the nearby estate simply went off course, causing this atrocious inconvenience, I do apologize for the commotion,” she begins in a calming manner. – “Now, to introduce myself – I am Lady Kensington, your host and the mistress of the house.”

A harmonious greeting followed her words, she gives a tiny smile and a nod, before she continues.

“Welcome to the Kensington Finishing School, it’s delighting to have such a varied selection of young ladies,” Lady Kensington continues. –“Now, to avoid wasting further time, since we already had to cancel the rest of our tea party – pity, such a lovely day – you may rest for the day, and for that matter, the rest of the month of August too,” she finished.

There are some whispers she quickly cuts.

“I want to give you the chance to get familiar not only with the estate but also each other, hence the days you will have without the studies,” she says. – “Lessons will commence on the first day of September, and before then, I urge you to make yourselves comfortable and rest. Once the studies begin, there will not be much time for it.”

With this, she wished everyone all a good evening and left, leaving Ariaena calmer. She looks around the room – the men are still around, but the party seems to be breaking. She notices Thomas leaving the small room connecting the salon and the servant area in rush, her eyes landing on a very pretty girl talking to her maid and Chauncey. There is something oddly familiar about this scene to her, only she cannot connect it at this time, but she stares a moment too soon, catching the eye of the lady sitting there. Ariaena blinks, noticing the girl spoke something to Chauncey, when he turned over his shoulder, catching her glance. She looks away too late.

“Madam,” he approaches her in a moment, Nora moving to the side a little. – “Are you alright?”
“Yes, I am well, now,” she says, clumsily pronouncing the words and quickly considering should she address the fact she stared at the woman he spoke with – Ariaena looks up at him but decides to leave it be. –“Thank you for your concern.”

He nodded, saying his greeting and leaving the room altogether. The commotion soon fizzles down and the main maid of the estate begins with assigning the rooms on the first story. Hers was the last one in the hall, she reaches for the knob to enter when there’s a soft voice heard.

“Now we just ought to become friends, don’t you think?” followed by a soft chuckle. The woman held the knob and flashed a smile at Ariaena. – “My name is Hester,” she turns and extends her hand.
“Ariaena,” the girl takes it, smiling back at her. – “I apologize if earlier—”
“There is nothing to apologize for,” she shuts the apology down quickly and with the kindest of smiles. – “You are not from here, are you?”
“I was born in Maastricht,” she replies, nodding. – “It’s in—”
“Oh, I have heard,” she nods, throwing a quick glance towards the hall, seeing people quickly rushing into their chambers – she turns her attention back to Ariaena and smiles again. –“Sweet dreams.”

* * *
VI. You learn while you live
There are things she is better with and those she struggles doing – despite not liking the sound of her singing voice, she managed to sound well. Her fingers would fall too heavy on the piano at times, there’s very little she can do about that, but literature grew on her quickly.

She remembers learning how to read during those later nights with Mies – he would be kind enough to take time and advise her, to help her learn. There have been some things she would like about him, there have been some moments when she was certain there could be real love between them.

The truth was different.

“You do enjoy Shakespeare, don’t you?”
“Immensely,” Ariaena smiled towards Hester who joined her in the garden, sitting onto the bench with her. – “How are you?”
“I have had better days before,” she replies playfully, making the girl chuckle: in those days of adjustment, Hester owned up to her words, the girl really felt they were becoming friends. They would use those extra morning moments to walk in the gardens, Hester would talk about her days in France and there have been more than a few chuckles about the silly things and rituals they agree should be banished. The rest of the August just quickly passes while having a friend to talk to and then September seemed to be rushing through – it was wonderful for her to talk to someone, more or less openly.

She would slip, Ariaena, from time to time, about her past and make it back on track quickly, remembering she had no past before she was married. Only it was getting more and more difficult to do so: Hester was, to say the least, enchanting. She could make you feel as if you have been her friend your entire life and Ariaena enjoyed the sun she felt shining from her.

“Chauncey is arriving today,” she announces quickly, prompting Ariaena to close her book for a moment. – “Along with my pesky aunt, our designated chaperone,” she rolls her eyes with a puff, turning towards the girl.

It’s a common practice she did not have to go through – and in all honesty, she wishes she should have. Hester looks at Ariaena’s silence instead of any kind of reaction. They were engaged, Hester and Chauncey, or about to be officially engaged – she didn’t really understand the difference of the matter, but she did not have the guts to ask what it meant.

“I believe he’s here,” she nods towards Hester’s maid walking towards them.
“Walk with me, would you?” Hester takes her hand, and Ariaena just smiled and nodded.

Both girls got up and went to join her, chuckling along the way as they stepped into the house and encountering Lady Kensington instead of Hester’s aunt. Chauncey stood there too.

“Ladies,” he smiled at both.
“I’m afraid we have a problem,” Lady Kensington speaks without allowing for any other greetings to be done. Ariaena tries to leave, only it seems quite rude to walk away so. – “Your aunt could not be here, Hester, I was just informing Chauncey we will not be able to let you have your time today.”

Hester’s face does not change too much with the bad news – Ariaena seems more distraught by the news.

“Unless you can produce a chaperone in a moment’s notice—”
“Perhaps Lady Ariaena would be so kind to volunteer to help,” Chauncey said within a second, shifting everyone’s attention for a short moment. Lady Kensington turned towards the girl and instead of saying anything, she just looked at her in expectance of an answer.

She couldn’t think quickly enough but nods instantly – there’s a smile lingering on Hester’s face and she cannot deny her this after catching a glimpse of it.

“I would like to help, yes,” she confirms at once.
“Your circumstance would allow for such a thing, yes,” Lady Kensington says flatly. –“Very well, continue with your day as you have planned.”

She finishes and before anyone else can add a word or two, she is gone.

“How in the world does she do that?” Chauncey asks playfully, looking at Hester before diverting his gaze to Ariaena. – “You truly came to our rescue,”
“Very chivalrous of you,” Hester chuckles shortly, letting out a sigh after it. – “Well, does this feel liberating or what?”
“Very!” Chauncey grins. – “The day seems to be rather nice, we could continue this small party outside, in the gardens?”

Both girls seem to be fond of the idea, following him towards the garden – the topics are light, fun, the conversation flows easily and before Ariaena is aware of what’s happening, she is walking one or two steps behind Hester, with Chauncey right by her side, telling her some amusing tale of trying to avoid two members of the reform group with his friends. Hester, at first seemed quite amused, but rapidly took the lead in their little walk as the conversation progressed – Ariaena, however, really enjoyed the conversation and made sure to keep up with his pace.

“What about you?” he asked, through the laughter. Hester throws a glance over her shoulder, slowing down a little bit. – “You haven’t told us anything about yourself,”
“I agree with Chauncey,” she speaks all of a sudden, plucking some late-blooming flower and tugging it into Ariaena’s hair. – “I would like to know more about you.”
“I’m sorry to say, there’s really nothing to tell,” she swallows hard, trying her best to convince them. – “I’m utterly boring, I’m afraid.”
“I’m quite certain this is not true,” Chauncey said immediately. Hester – for some reason – walks off again, leaning them a few steps behind once more. – “You must tell me more,” he insisted. – “You must have grown up in some palace surrounded by tulips,” to which Ariaena chuckles, not trying to hide her amusement.
“Oh, a palace indeed!” she jokes laughingly, but soon remembers she spoke out of terms. She slips into a calmer smile instead, taking the rose out of her hair. – “Not everything is surrounded by tulips, in the Netherlands,” she nods, avoiding his look – and she can clearly sense it’s there. – “But I was wondering if you two could tell me how you met and got—”
“You will most certainly not be allowed to change the topic!” Hester reminds them both of her presence and obvious awareness of everything that is happening. – “Chauncey is curious about you, Ariaena,” she continued. – “And he is so rarely curious about things, please let him!”
“She is right,” he grins, letting his shoulders down a little bit – for the first time since they began their little walk, she feels like he has relaxed a little bit.

She’s short for words this time – and in honesty, she wonders what she is to say. The truth?

“I am boring,” she tries again, making Hester huff in dismay. – “Oh, Hester!”
“I simply refuse to believe a girl who came all this way to Kensington is boring,” she says, playfully and loudly from in front of them. – “Maybe you’re actually a princess in disguise or you have other dark secret you keep,” she kids but hits a little too close to home for the girl. The small paleness followed by the abundance of colour in her cheeks does not go unnoticed by the man standing next to her – Chauncey looks at her and says nothing.

“Perhaps it’s a tale for another occasion,” he cuts Hester short, with a smile. – “I should leave now, I have already extended my welcome too much,”
“Oh, don’t go,” Hester grinned. – “It’s starting to become interesting,” she teased.
“The stables should be right around the corner,” he said, stood up straight and smiled. – “Thank you, ladies, for a wonderful afternoon, I enjoyed it greatly.”

He left, leaving the girls there in the middle of the garden, with only one of them glancing at him as he left them.
Strangely enough, not the one who is to be wed to him.

* * *
VII. An escape is starting to feel like a good idea
There have been a couple of moments in her life where she had felt as if she had fallen in love with Mies and he had fallen for her – moments she cannot explain, moments that looked like nothing she had encountered in the literature, but there have been moments indeed.

Ariaena felt it was a proper thing to do, to fall for her husband, at first.

By the time she found out she played nothing but a pretend role in his life, Ariaena was sure had fallen in love with Mies – he had not given her the honour of doing the same. The touches, forehead kisses, smiles and soft words were all out of kindness, or some kind of love – only not the kind she had secretly hoped for. Still, she felt she had fallen in love: she would be happy to see him, she would like spending time with him, she would always crave his words and their time together, but now…now she felt like she has been hungry for love, not in love herself.

She reads more, now. Sits under a woollen coat in the winter garden, trying to chat a little bit with Mr Delacorte in French, but mostly read. Hester would join – from time to time – and both girls would sometimes ignore their reads and playfully chat about this or that, and by the end of their chat, she would have been left with a heaviness in her heart, feeling a liar for not telling her entire truth to someone she feels was becoming – or has already become – a friend.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Hester shows out of thin air.
“I’m just excited to be going for a new dress,” it was not the whole truth, however. She was hoping Chauncey will use this opportunity to come visit his fiancée: the whole school will spend time in the town and even if she knew she cannot enjoy his company this much, she still felt good exchanging those short moments with him. It was, in her mind, harmless. She knew, deep down, things could never go further than a fond friendship they might develop more once he marries Hester, nothing else would ever be possible. He was promised to another and even if he enjoyed her as much as she did him, Ariaena was aware she was both a widow and not a high-born woman.

Still, she could live with knowing his friendship and nothing more.
“Dresses are boring,” Hester shrugged, nodding towards the exit. – “Let’s go and sit in the best carriage together,” she grins. – “Chauncey can ride along next to us if he remembers to accidentally pass on our route as he goes,” she adds mischievously.

Apparently, Hester’s live of mischief has gained on reputation, so the girls were joined by Lady Kensington herself, making the ride a dull, silent affair. Chauncey did, as expected, show up and rode up to the carriage, adjusting to their pace and quickly shut his witty quip once he noticed Lady of the house inside the carriage.

Ariaena did – as expected – feel a rush of heat to her cheeks upon locking eyes with the man.

“Master Black,” Lady Kensington speaks before any of the girls could tell anything. – “I imagine this is a lucky coincidence?”
“Serendipitous luck, Lady Kensington,” he smiled. Hester throws him a playful grin, shrugging a little. – “Where is your party heading?”
“Should we test that serendipitous luck of yours, Master Black, and perhaps see if your destination is the same as ours?”
“Hardly doubt that,” Hester whispers to Ariaena, making the girl chuckle silently.
“Hopefully it is,” Chauncey smiles to the girls, bidding them good day and riding off.


The day is less then comfortable, with the numerous fittings running quite long: she feels tired and very, very unmotivated to move at a pace set by Lady Kensington – who happens to receive her willpower from God himself, apparently. Ariaena falls a little bit behind, finding herself in a very comfortable chat with Eleanor Everdane, one of the young ladies she finds outside wandering the gardens as often as she is there: both girls seem to be fallen behind, chatting and laughing at the fact they would normally be able to walk for hours and hours in nature, but moving through the streets of London seems to have drained their energy completely.

“Let go of me,” there’s a familiar voice coming from the back and both girls immediately recognise both Bertie and Thomas, learning from a very feisty exchange of what happened.
Bertie manages to ditch the man behind, joining the girls and somehow making their pace faster so they tie with the group: Thomas, however, stays a little behind, prompting Ariaena to turn her attention to him.

“Someone robbed her?” she asks under her voice.
“She tried to run away,” he says, clearly a little bit annoyed by it – Thomas seemed to be working as a babysitter each time Bertie had a chance to make a run from it and he did not like it. He looked angry. – “If I wanted to be au pair, I would have made the necessary changes,” he mused, making Ariaena chuckle a little.
“All is well that ends well, I would say,” she tries to calm the situation a little.
“I’m only afraid there’ll be a time where I won’t be there to make sure things end well, ma’am,” he spoke in one breath – and she could feel his frustration.
“She does not mean you harm, Mr Parlow,” Ariaena tries, glancing at the girls. She was braver than Ariaena ever was – nights before the wedding, she would lie awake in the bed and ponder over the chance to escape it all. She never had the guts to try. – “She only wants to do what she believes would be the best for her?”
“This world is not kind to young ladies who believe they know everything,” he continued. – “At least while they’re alone in the world.”

She takes a look at his expression, his face – and makes says nothing, as they are about to arrive to their carriages again.

Thomas Parlow returned to claim his horse, following the party at a safe distance, as he usually did.

* * *
VIII. The Salon
She is second in line to do her act for the Salon – nothing of a kind she had ever done, and Ariaena is not really enthusiastic about the event. There’s a rock in her stomach, a frog in her throat and all the other expressions from the English language she did not understand beforehand, she gets now.

She chose the monologue Beatrice did in Much Ado About Nothing, from Act 4, the one she found the most fun to read. Singing was – in her opinion – not an option, even their teacher told her she was too quiet when she sang, and piano was not her favourite thing either. Poetry could have been an option, but Shakespeare felt like a natural choice at the moment.

It did not go badly, but she was not as happy with it as she felt she could have been.

“That was wonderful!” Chauncey showed up when the entire group was socializing in the salon – and some recovering from the performance Hester put on.
“Was she not wonderful?” the girl joins them quickly, sitting down next to Ariaena. – “She could have done the entire play and I would have been there to see it through!”
“Coming from her lips, it truly is a compliment of the highest order,” Chauncey smiles, keeping their conversation to themselves.
“You are both bad liars,” Ariaena chuckled. – “Besides, I was certainly not the pièce de résistance, mais non?”
“Certainment,” Hester chuckled under her voice, trying not to attract more attention to them.
“I would appreciate if you did not mention my name if you are caught, but this could be a good opportunity to maybe sneak off for a moment alone,” she says quietly. Chauncey looked over his shoulder, throwing a quick glance at Hester who gave it a little shrug.
“Speaking for both of us, I believe,” he says shortly – “we are perfectly fine with spending some more time here, chatting,”
“Agreed!” Hester agrees happily. The chatter in the room gets louder, her attention is almost plastered onto Chauncey and there’s a short second she believes she saw a familiar face in the back.

Moments later, she realises she did.

“Ariaena—” Nora shows up, with an envelope in her hand.
“You gave me a fright, girl!” Hester chuckles loudly, amusing both Ariaena and Chauncey.
“Yes, Nora?” Aria looks to her maid – her friend – quickly thrown back to reality.
“Finally, it arrived,” the girl is quite happy and gives her the envelope. – “A letter from Marchioness van der Jaager,”
“Oh, that is so sweet!” Hester exclaimed. – “But when you write her back, please don’t tell your mother about this horrid friend of yours, she will certainly want you to stop being my friend!” she jokes, making Chauncey laugh.
“Oh, no, ma’am, Marchioness is not Aria’s mother,” Nora steps in with a small chuckle, before Aria can make anything of the situation, before she can stop her. – “She’s her mother-in-law.”

The laughter went down a little.

“Thank you, Nora,” Aria speaks softly, waiting for the girl to vanish before she turned to the party.
“Mother-in-law?” Hester’s confused, a colour Aria never saw on her – and she cannot even divert her eyes to Chauncey and face him. – “Aria, are you married?”
“Widowed, I’m afraid,” she says with a faint smile on her lips. – “I have been married at the age of fifteen,” she speaks softly. – “My husband died during the siege.”

There’s a hand on her hand in that moment and she believes she should cry, maybe make sure Hester’s comfort has a decent reason, but she cannot do that. She would like to tell her the rest of the story too, only she is aware she cannot.

Instead, she takes Hester’s hand and gives her a warm smile.

“Nothing more to it,” she continues. – “I promise, everything is well.”

* * *
Round done (sorry for the rushed bits!)
Edited in the separators + fixed some typos.

Last edited by Zaralee (15/12/2019 at 14:27)

Name- Nonie Grace Dedworth

Interests- Byron(RI), Myles(RI), Bertie(FI) Also using Hester (FI), no impression needed.

Performance- blow, blow thou winter wind on harp (in French)

Outfits- Class& Salon

Story

Nonie blinked her eyes yesterday felt like a dream, the day that started peacefully, the awful words, the male that had grabbed her too hard and seemed to enjoy it, the friends she had made, the shoots that rang a male hand pulling her inside, but the biggest surprise, the beautiful dark woman. Nonie blinked once more and yawned, Yes the woman’s skin had been pure chocolate even darker than her handmaid. She had walked with such grace no one dared to ridicule her, Nonie wishes she had such confidence in herself or was at least someway proud of herself. When Lady Kensington had walked inside to ensure the ladies that there was just a mistake made by the neighbour's people were relieved but also shocked to see the Lady of the house. She also hated to get interrupted because when some ladies wanted to talk over her too say not such nice words she just gave them a look that made them quiet down as soon as they started. Nonie was just happy that everyone was saved. The gentleman holding her had let her go sometime when the woman had started walking and walked to stand beside the woman. Nonie later learned that he was her son, Byron. He was such a gentleman same could not be said of the former but who had he been?!

Nonie yawned once again she could start the tour of the place already, classes should start over some weeks to come and more ladies will properly start the tour of the place also. Nonie stood up she could start already.
XXX XXX XXX

Nonie was too excited to go to classes it seemed, she had slipped up in the hallway because she was slightly rushing and some ladies gave her looks and then snickered but didn’t say anything more.
“Be careful, Nonie,” Nonie looked up and saw Bertie and a girl the same skin as her and she frowned, this lady also walked with an air that screamed confidence yet her smile said she was nice, Nonie smiled back to her. “Hi I am Lady Hester Fullmore,” Nonie smiled, “Nonie Grace Dedworth,” Hester opened her arms widely, “Welcome to Kensington Manor,” It actually made Nonie laugh. “Ah such a cute laugh,” Bertie spoke up and hooked their arms together Hester the other side. “We love your French you pronounce is beautiful,” Nonie smiled and nodded. “But we were thinking it would be great to prank the literature teacher, will you join,” Nonie's eyes went wide before she shook her head, “No, I better not,” Hester frowned, Bertie, raised her shoulder, ”Hattie also decline that’s why Hester is so upset,” Hester signed, “We have too many goodies to shoes, come on Bertie,” Nonie watched them walked away and saw Bertie look around to watch her. Nonie wondered if she really wanted to do this or if she had other motives. Nonie raised her shoulder and walked to literature hoping the prank won’t be all too bad for their teacher.

Nonie couldn’t believe she was reading in such a big library she tough her fathers was big but this was bigger. She was flipping another page, she was a fast reader after all. “Ho, ho, why the rush my lady and your reading a fine art Shakespeare,” Nonie looked up and saw a boyish smile, “Lord Kensington, hello,” She replied shyly. “And what may your name be,” Nonie looked up in his eyes and she swear she forgot to breath, “Breath, we don’t want you to become blue, I actually enjoy caramel better,”  That made Nonie actually laugh, “And if you don’ give me a name I am going to have to call you caramel with my sweet tooth and all,” Nonie smiled, “It’s Nonie…Nonie Grace Dedworth,” Byron smiled, “ Nonie, how sweet, call me Byron, Mr Kensington is my father,” He nodded at the end like confirming what he just said. “Nonie smiled, “Okay Byron,” “And this is just between us,” Nonie looked at the male sceptical, “Don’t look at me like that, and I mean it you should read slower,” Nonie felt bold all of a sudden, “Will you read it for me than I am a pretty fast reader,” Nonie’s eyes went big at the end what did she just said. Byron looked amused and took the book from her, “I am delightful you asked,” He sat next to her and read her but Nonie was sure he was changing some words to sound funnier. But Nonie didn’t mind his present that afternoon at all.
XXX XXX XXX

October came too soon and while Hester had been upset with Hattie and Nonie the four girls had become a strong group or where they five. The last girl maybe Kitty but the woman likes her horses more and Nonie could appreciate someone with passion. But when she isn’t she hangs around the group or more so Hester the leader you could say of the five. Nonie personally became closer to Hattie this past month the girls had more in common than she expected her icy blue ice even grew on Nonie. Nonie had been excited for this day, dress shopping, it had been said two days earlier. Also, the reason why a performance yet for that Nonie was a little afraid, Hattie had been telling her she would do great, Nonie wondered if she will.

Nonie was ape gaped at the shop everything was so pretty and she could see the light in Hattie’s eyes go brighter. Both the girls looked at each other and smiled before going inside and look at the collection. Seeing it all from hats to fabrics. Nonie wondered why Hattie took such extra time looking at the fabrics she would ask her later. Then her eyes caught the dress she wanted to fit on, The dressmaker complimented her skin in the dress and even Hattie was all praises. Nonie had to take it with her the hat full of feather and flowers could be a good bonus, after that Nonie frowned. Where was Bertie?! She could she Kitty and Hester in a discussion but Bertie. “Bertie!” Nonie yelled while getting to the door of the shop. Where was she?! Before she could go outside though someone yelled her name.

“Nonie, is something wrong? I heard you calling Bertie’s name” Hattie asked me. “She’s gone, I can’t find her anywhere!” I responded looking outside the window. Hattie opened the door without another sound and ran out I followed. We both saw her running crossing the street I was ready to follow her when Hattie stopped me. “Wait! Are you sure we should follow her? What if she’s up to no good, like what had happened in a literature class?” Hattie asked and I looked at her and back where Bertie had disappeared to even if she was to no good it was better to follow her, I was going to speak up when Hattie seemed to already know exactly what was about to say. “Alright, let’s go after her,” Hattie said with a small smile. We crossed the street and headed the same direction that Bertie had gone to. She was still nowhere to be seen. “It’s better if we return to the group, or else we’ll get lost ourselves. Besides, it’s not best for us to wander around unaccompanied.” I had to agree with Hattie we were going nowhere.

So we returned to the group.

As we reunited with them, we saw Bertie returning with a guy. We immediately went to her I gave her a hug. “Bertie! Where have you been? Are you alright? We were so worried about you!” Hattie said and I nodded along with Hattie’s words. But we both saw that she didn’t seem so glad to be back. But I was selfish and happy she returned in one piece.
XXX XXX XXX

My performance, it was my turn, I swallowed, 3 girls had gone before me and I know only Kitty. She had done amazingly, her dress looked to big on her though. Nonie released a breath she didn’t know she was holding and when she wanted to walk on stagehands once again were warped around her too tightly. She looked up too scared in grey eyes. “Kitty, did an amazing job don’t you think so?” Nonie nodded, The man bowed down to her ear level, “I want to hear words, my lady,” Nonie swallowed, “Yes, Kitty was great, my lord,” The male smiled, “Such a good listener,” The male stood back to his full height, “if you do great I will give you a reward,” Nonie nodded once again trembling but when she saw his eyes she spoke up immediately, “Yes, my lord,” the male smiled, “Do your best,” he responded and Nonie smiled and rushed on stage behind her harp. She played the first notes and her eyes looked with his. What was his name, she wondered. Her words she had learned them all in English yet, she was singing them all in French now was she trying to impress this male?!

Souffle, souffle vent d'hiver;
Tu n'es pas si cruelQue l'ingratitude de l'homme.
Ta dent n'est pas si pénétrante,
Car tu es invisibleQuoique ton souffle soit rude
Hé! ho! chante; hé! ho! dans le houx vert;
La plupart des amis sont des hypocrites et la plupart des amants des fous
Allons ho! hé! le houx!
Cette vie est joviale.
Gèle, gèle, ciel rigoureux,
Ta morsure est moins cruelle
Que celle d'un bienfait oublié.
Quoique tu enchaînes les eaux,
Ton aiguillon n'est pas si acéré
Que celui de l'oubli d'un ami.

All the time her eyes was captivated by his and with each words instead of feeling like she was the wind in the winter she felt hot like the desert sun. Yet her eyes couldn’t break free of his.

“When I said impress me I didn’t expect such a show Lady Nonie,” Nonie’s eyes went bigger and she looked at him. He wasn’t touching her wrist to painfully, oh no, he upgraded his hand was tight around her arm. “Do you know my name lord,” The male looked amused. “Yes don’t you know mine,” Nonie wanted to shake her head but instead she spoke up, “I never got around to ask that lord,”  The guy smile got bigger, “My name is Lord Chatwith, but you my Lilly can call me lord Myles,” He bowed down ones again and whispered, “If I can I want you to even call me god,” Nonie shuddered again, “What was wrong with this male?” Nonie bites her lip and saw Lord Myles eyes follow the movement once again, “Do you like pain, my lady?!” Nonie’s eyes went big and she shuddered finally feeling the tight grip on her arms she wanted to getaway. “There you are, Nonie,” Nonie turned around and wanted to kiss Hattie, “Come on, did you even see my performance?” Nonie felt guilty, “I am sorry, Lord Chat with, was taking up my time,” Hattie looked at the male and his hand and smiled, “Oh my lord, I would like to see the rest of the show with my friend, please excuse us,” before Chatwich could say anything else Hattie was pulling Nonie to a chair. But before that Nonie had to turn and look at Chatwich, who had a small smile on his face and he mouthed something Nonie couldn’t catch but it ended with Lilly.

After watching 3 more performances, it was Bertie’s turn. Hattie and me had noticed that ever since the incident of October, she had become different we were both worried about her. I know Hattie tried to talk to her on multiple occasions what was the matter, but she simply managed to always avoid the question and Hattie seemed frustrated by this but to be honest I was too.

Bertie sat down at the piano and began to play. After playing a few notes, she stopped. She looked confused, then started pressing the piano keys randomly. What was going on?! I wondered. Tears started streaming down her face so she got up and ran to her room. Bertie looked at me and I nodded. We followed her. We went up the stairs and knocked on her door upon arriving. She opened it, we entered, and then sat on the bed together.

“What happened Bertie?” I asked worriedly. “The notes… I couldn’t remember them. Disastrous!” Bertie exclaimed while smiling. “Are you… feeling better now?” Hattie asked her with a hint of confusion, and Bertie nodded. “Bertie… what’s been happening to you? We’re so worried.” Hattie spoke up. Bertie got up, walked towards the window and turned to face us. Hattie and I looked at each other with confusion. Neither one of us was expecting her to answer the way she did.

“I want to leave, and I will, one way or another. In October I ran away in order to find a ship that would take me home. I failed though. As I was searching for one, some guy named Thomas led me back to the group since he had seen me leaving.”  Hattie stared at her in disbelief, as did I. “And today… well, it was an act. I wanted them to believe that I forgot the notes.”

Hattie and I looked at each other, we were both speechless and did not know how to react to her response. After a while, Hattie got up and walked towards her, I sat down on the bed still conflicted was it that bad here?! “Do you even consider us as friends? Me and Nonie. Because we do consider you as a friend, but all you’ve been doing these past two months is ignoring us!” Hattie said to her, with her brows furrowed, I looked down at my lap. “Are you not happy here?” I asked and couldn’t mask the hint of sadness in my voice.

“You are the only friends I have here.” Bertie said and continued: “And I’m not. I’d much rather be home than waste a part of my life here.” Nonie looked up still frowning. It was a relief to hear that she also considers us as friends, then I stated: “Whoever was forced to come is not happy, but we’re trying to go along with it as much as possible. It’s impossible not to be homesick… Have you tried giving this school a chance?” Hattie asked and Nonie wondered also.

Bertie looked down and said: “I haven’t, and I will not. This is my final decision. Can you help me get kicked out?”

“I’m sorry Bertie, I need time to think about this. Excuse me” Hattie said and exited the room. I looked at Bertie, “I don’t understand, I want to but you are being selfish. Nonie shook her head, “No I shouldn’t say it like that I am being selfish too, but I want you to stay here, so I won’t be helping you but I won’t stand in your way either but did you stop and think why your family sent you here?! Nonie finished and stood up also leaving the room.

Round 2 Complete

Last edited by NinaJones (15/12/2019 at 13:20)

NAME ❤️ Lᴀᴅʏ Kᴀᴛʜᴇʀɪɴᴇ ﹙Kɪᴛᴛʏ﹚ Nɪᴄᴏʟᴇ Sʜᴇғғɪᴇʟᴅ ❤️

STORY

I gagged and heaved violently, and tears welled up in my eyes. My lungs felt as if they may explode from the obnoxious fumes choking me. I lifted a hand and attempted to shove the foul scent away and the fog in my head began to clear. Wearily I opened my eyes and saw several faces hovering over me with a mixture of concern and relief when I shifted and tried to sit upright. Smelling salts. I coughed harshly trying to clear the awful smell from my airway.

“What happ…” I winced, lifting a hand to press at my temple. Someone was applying a cold compress… Maud bless her soul.

“You had an episode…” I think that was Hester, but I was not sure. I felt dizzy and nauseous. I fainted… seriously? I never fainted. I twist to the side and realize that someone had somehow loosened and adjusted my gown to relieve pressure on my torso. Blushing I looked up again and was relieved to see that all the faces surrounding me were females. I shivered anxiously.

“How… um how did I get in here?”

“Mister Parlow carried you in” someone murmured nearby then there were a chorus of soft snickers that followed the comment. I blushed again and felt rather foolish. Finally edging forward on the settee, my feet crossed daintily at the ankles I straightened my back and tried hard not to nibble on my bottom lip. I didn’t even have a clue who Mister Parlow was or where he was for that matter.

“Everyone saw me …. “ I paused and groaned softly… “collapse?” I look up as Hester rushed over to pat me gently on the shoulder

“Don’t you go fretting about that you hear Kitty… things like this happen” She muttered situating herself on the settee beside me. “And really, no I think most people were probably a little high strung over the shots that had rung out and quite certainly were shamefully focused on getting themselves away from the fray.” She added trying to give me a modicum of relief.  But even if that were true, it was most assured there would not be a single soul who had not witnessed a gentleman lumbering around with my person like a dead weight within in his arms. The other faces floating around me looked more concerned than amused thankfully. But the catty looks of one or two girls outside my direct vicinity could not be mistaken.

“Your lady Maud has been here the whole time fretting and fawning over you like a good little bird” she remarked giving me a friendly smile.

Just then sharp footfalls erupted from the hall entrance and “Mrs. Kensington” was announced.  All the girls around us seemed to stand up straighter and quiet down their chattering immediately. Before I had an opportunity to adjust myself a stern looking dark skin woman in a blond colored wig and elegant dress strolled closer to where Hester and I sat. Immediately Hester rose and curtsied leaving me alone. I started to rise but the woman simply stalled me shaking her head…

“No, it is quite alright dear, you gather your wits about you, I do not want you hurting yourself further” Her look was direct and assessing but her tone was gentle. “How are you feeling?” she probed levelly but mildly

I blushed a bit, both at her kindness and how foolish I felt, honestly, I replied “A bit embarrassed Lady Kensington”

She offered a slight smile before immediately turning back to address the rest of the girls. Introducing herself and offering regrets for the unfortunate circumstances that led to us being ushered into the great hall of the manor. She explained that the young men had gone to investigate the shots finally uncovering an overzealous hunting party from a neighboring estate. As the day was now dwindling away, she encouraged us to mingle among ourselves indoors before retiring. We were also informed our classes would be beginning in a fortnight which should give us enough time to acclimate ourselves to our new surroundings and housemates. Then she left us to our own good graces with a swish of her round gown’s spectacular train.

Hester took the opportunity to introduce me to a young American named Bertie who was also hovering nearby. We exchanged greetings but I was completely uneasy with my gown in disarray. Making apologies and excusing myself, Maud led me to the suite I would be using while on the grounds to repair myself. Within the hour I reappeared to a room bustling with friendly chatter. Some gentlemen had returned and were mingling as well. Seeing that I had only had introductions to a limited number of people thus far I gravitated back towards Hester and the few ladies she was currently surrounded by. I felt incredibly awkward attempting to fit in and be conventional, but I did manage to bond with the small group over the small cakes and beverages that had been transported into the great hall from the garden. After that experience I took to avoiding corsets as much as possible and instead started seeking out the newest fashion crazy the Empire silhouette dress that had already taken France by storm and was beginning to be the newest thing among London’s haut ton.

Days ticked by at such a snail’s pace and with each new morn I longed more for home. It was true that a lot of the ladies took the opportunity presented to sleep in late and spend the time leisurely getting to know each other and the impressive manor. By the time breakfasts would end the halls would be filled with animated voices and happy laughter from the exploring respectable young women. But I felt suffocated. Again. I hated feeling like this, trapped. I tried to find something ‘practical’ and ‘dutiful’ to occupy my time. I toyed with the heap of needlework Maud somehow arranged for me and made a mess of it. I had no inspiration for drawing or painting. I chatted with several of my new classmates during the accepted social hours. Hester, at least, was always a barrel of energy and always up to some sort of mischief. She, for one, seemed to defy orthodox rules of etiquette. It was like were were of a kind, so similar in some ways. And I truly liked her. It seemed I was not the only one that seemed enamored of her personality. Bertie, also, took quite the liking to her and was looking up to her in what one could only describe as admiration. I couldn’t help but find it delightful and adorable. Bertie seemed like she could use a little excitement and fun in her life. In addition, usually one might find Nonie, the quiet dark beauty and sweet charming Harriet, or Hattie as she liked to be called, demurely engaging with Bertie as well. I could easily see how becoming friends with them would be no hardship on my part. There were a few other students, some titled… a Dukes daughter, another Marquess’ heir, more maybe, that were in attendance whom I had yet to be introduced to. And while my Father, being who he is, guaranteed I was given reverence and honor in title alone, his immense landholdings and wealth ensured that few would seek to snub me. Even with my peculiar, unorthodox, and sometimes disparaging ways. But I knew I was nothing like those polished genteel ladies, I was not like any other lady of my class that I had ever met. Being accomplished simply for the sake of being thrown into the marriage mart did not hold appeal to me. All the pomp and circumstance, balls and routs, soirees, supper parties, were all endlessly repetitive and boring. Riding and hunting were far more entertaining, tending to the estate with my father and brother was more fulfilling. But some of these ladies seemed like prime catches. I was even a little bit perplexed over why some needed to attend a finishing school in the first place.  The air around them almost crackled with their self-awareness and poise. I had little doubt that they would excel at any challenges the school laid out for us.

I, on the other hand, was restless. Maud, bless her, was ever present with a treat or a book or…attempting some awkward wit to distract me. She understood all too well what my life had been prior to arriving here and seemed to recognize my melancholy. The manor felt claustrophobic.

One early afternoon, days later, shortly after breakfast had been removed from the dining room, Maud ushered me to my room. Some of the young women were set to share rooms with another, but thankfully my father paid the additional stipend for a tiny bit of privacy. Maud of course retired in the servants quarts, but I never once had to wonder where she was. Throughout each and every day she was always fluttering about. Currently she was expeditiously tying a bow atop my head that matched the primrose of my walking dress while touting the merits of the lovely puce sateen gown she laid out for dinner. I listened absently, tapping my fingers anxiously on the top of my thighs, eager to be away.

“Finally!” I burst from the chair when she announced her completion. Maud clucked her tongue softly and shook her head.

“Your… exuberance is likely not to be the thing here at Kensington My Lady” she admonished me, to which I wrinkled my nose earning me yet another look of mock condemnation. Maud was more than just a Lady’s maid, she was the closest thing I had ever had to a female friend. She was always respectable, courteous and mannerly in public, but when we were alone, she became my confidant and the sister I never had. She knew all my quirks, my hopes, dreams and every fear.

“Are you off to meet the Lady Fullmore and Miss. Coghill then?”

“I planned to visit with them now that you are finished fussing over my looks, yes…” My heart raced slightly but I simply turned away so that she might not notice the truth in my face.  “… I expect that a visit to the conservatory or gardens is in order.”

“That sounds extremely pleasant dear, they seem like such sweet lovely girls” she remarked while she got busy cleaning the baubles and ribbons from the vanity table. Maud would most certainly be stuck in the room for at least another hour putting it to rights. I nibble on my bottom lip as I slipped out, hearing her hum softly to herself as she worked.

I knew I should feel bad about giving Maud false expectations, she was certain to think that I planned on having Hester or Bertie or both as an escort wherever I might end up. I had just gotten frowned upon for being relieved at the end of my toilette, I knew for a fact that Maud would never agree to a jaunt down to the stables. I had been itching to visit. For some reason, I got the sneaky suspicion that the Kensington stables just might be more than a simple hunter box and storage for carriage horses. I missed home terribly so I had my fingers crossed that I would find something to relate to in this strange new world I was expected to fit into. With an air of confidence, I strolled through the manor, past several ladies and servants, none of whom seemed to sense the gnawing anticipation gushing through me. Level-headed and sure, if I looked like I was where I was supposed to be no one would question it… right?

Luckily for me, I seemed to have avoided detection by anyone with some say in such matters. No one tried to stop me or question me and by the time I made it to the garden there was absolutely no one about. With a sigh of relief, I turned to the path that Lord Kensington, well the raven-haired one, pointed on the day of the introduction tea. The path was smooth and well-tended even though it meandered through a park before giving way to another wider path until the courtyard and the long grey stone building came into view.

Being the middle of the day, most of the grooms would already be off doing whatever tasks they had been assigned for the day since grooming and cleaning of the interior was typically completed earlier in the day. There was an open pasture that was just barely visibly beyond the building as one walked up to the courtyard, and a couple horses grazed, pranced, and frolicked with each other. They appeared to be foal, too young to be hard at work or ready to work as it were.  I passed a coach-house and what looked like storage houses to go directly into the stables.

Shafts of light blanketed the cobblestones as I entered the building and the earthy smell of compost and hot horse flesh enveloped me. Immediately my heart gave a little flutter. The soft ambient of whinnies and neighs filled the space giving me such a profound sense of relief that I almost danced around in joy. It had been so long since I had spent time with my horses at home. There was an open door leading to the tack room, all neatly secured to walls or shelving that had been built up along the east wall near the entrance. I briefly ran a hand over a roughened leather saddle draped over a nearby work bench that looked to be in a stage of repair before taking another deep engulfing breath. Then I moved to the alleyway between the row of stalls and I could see heads peaking out over a few doors. Actually giggling, I made my way down to greet those who had garnered curiosity over the unexpected midday visit. There were Hackney horses for the carriages and beautiful bay and gray Irish Hunters looking incredibly fit and agile. There was a wonderful heavily plump chestnut broodmare in a large stall to my right who, if her soft sighs were to be believed, was relishing the soft pets and massaging I offered. Several stalls were empty, but straw was strewn in each giving the impression that all would be filled before the end of the day. It didn’t matter, I was appreciative of the delightful creatures I had the pleasure to meet my first visit to the stables.

The trip completely lightened my mood, allowing me to endure just about everything else about my current situation. I made it a point to slip away at least once every other day to visit the four-legged enchanters during visiting hours when most everyone else was occupied on one social pursuit or another. No one seemed to notice my absence and Maud assumed the dust debris on my petticoats was from walking with ‘my friends’. She even became pleasantly surprised at how well I began to adjust and drop my resistance to attending finishing school.

Oddly enough it wasn’t until my fourth visit to the stables when a groom happened upon me. He peaked his head in as the horses began nickering loudly. It was obvious they were growing accustom to my visits because heads would pop out and snorting would start. It always made me giggle no matter what, and I had taken to slipping one shiny red apple into my pocket for the heavy bellied chestnut to munch on while I visited. The Groom gave a start seeing me standing there brushing my gloved hand down the blaze of the pretty mare and cleared his throat darting his eyes around I suppose looking for my escort. It was likely that the grooms here had never had a lady visit the stables for any other reason than to secure a mount for whatever she may be doing, riding or hunting. It was certainly a fact that ladies did not go wandering about a countryside estate without an escorted. He looked reluctant and uncertain. But by this point I knew that the horses held the key to my peace of mind, and I wasn’t likely to give that up.

Drawing myself up proudly I turned and addressed him directly, he was only a groom and likely had no idea what to expect or do with the likes of me.

“Good day, I was just admiring the collection here, Hackney’s and Irish Hunters. Strong, dependable, sturdy stock.” He tugged his cap from his head and began wringing it between his fists while standing there. The silence stretched and he began twisting his head left and right then even upward as if he were hoping for some sort of divine intervention. The Mare decided that she had given more than enough patience for us ‘humans’ to do whatever it was that we do before she nuzzled at my shoulder for further attention.

“Looks like it won’t be long before Kensington will have another hunter… or hackney in it’s stables?” I inquire on a soft chuckle at her insistence before lifting my hand to pet her head once more.

“Thoroughbred mis… My Lady” The groom corrected me and my eyes immediately rounded to look at him.

“Wow, a thoroughbred? I just assumed it was one of the hunters… I didn’t know Kensington wanted to start a racer” Actually I didn’t know anything about Kensington’s stables, only what I had witnessed with my own eyes so far.

“we um… pardon My Lady, the thoroughbreds would be out being exercised this time of day usually My Lady… we have… there are three total, well so far… until the little one comes” He paused and shifted a little. It seemed he was only slightly more comfortable discussing his charges, but just barely. “they have a lot of energy”

“There are already other thoroughbreds here?” I repeated after his comment, completely shocked. He nods and I can see an obvious pride about him now. I could certainly understand that. I nod my head imagining that they would have to be worked regularly and diligently to keep their speed and stamina in check for racing. I gave the pretty mare one final pet and leaned closer hugging it tenderly around the neck before turning away. And with one thought in mind I gave the poor groom some much needed relief by moving past him and heading back to the Manor. I would just have to figure out a way to get here at a time I knew the thoroughbreds would be stalled.



I was still secretly contemplating my next adventure to the stables when classes started a few days later. As expected, our deeds and behavior had an impact on our families, and we were there to ensure that we became exemplary examples of refined womanhood. Our studies would focus on the subjects that were worthy of a lady of distinction and grace. Our accomplishments, both cultural and domestic, would set us apart from merely ‘notable’ woman. We must be Marriageable and marketable.

The lecture about our responsibility to our families and our future husbands lasted almost the entire first afternoon before we were informed of our basic classes, literature, handicrafts, French and music, two of which left me unconcerned while the others made me wince. I spent quite a lot of time at home reading since I rarely entertained or visited anyone. Other than my excursions on the estate, reading was about all that was left to do. So, literature and French were somewhat uncomplicated for me. However, if it was anything other than actually singing with my voice, I would not make the grade in music. I was dastardly with the pianoforte and only marginally acceptable with the lute. And since I rarely attended any parties and we hardly entertained at home, I was completely clueless about most of the newer, acceptable dances. Luckily our music tutor was somewhat lenient on me in the first few days because I truly had a naturally lovely and melodious voice. Drawing and painting required a creativity that I just seemed to lack and don’t even get me started on my lack of skills with needlework. Regardless, I did make mindful efforts to participate and practice a bit more once my lack of skill was exposed.
One morning, just before literature class Hester approached with a giggly Bertie trotting along behind her.

“Want to have some fun?” She posed and I quirked an eyebrow wondering what sort of trouble she was about to get us… yes… us… into.

“I have these…” and she shoved a handful of letters into my hands. Glancing over them I grimaced a bit at the appalling attempts at prose. My thoughts must have been all over my face.

“frightful I know!” she grins merrily, leaning in to pronounce, “Chauncey wrote them” to which Bertie giggles a bit louder only to have Hester shush her with her own giggle.

“I am going to recite one in class and assure Mister Delacorte a master wrote them to see if he can guess which one” My eyes rounded in shock wondering how much trouble something like that could get her… us… into. Because I clearly sensed the minute I saw her mischievous face that I would be on board. Sure, I was making more of an effort to be a better student, but something needed to break up the monotony we were enduring day after day, class after class.

“Bonjour classe, comment va tout le monde aujourd’hui?”

“Bonjour” everyone responded in unison. His question was rhetoric we all understood since all of us would likely not feel the same way as the other at the exact same moment.

Maybe midway through our lesson, Mister Delacorte began to go into a discussion, in all French, about significant literature and prose from French culture that would be beneficial for all young aspiring ladies to read up on.  Apparently, Hester decided that was her opening.

“Excusez-moi s'il vous plaît …” He paused and nodded his head in an agreeable way “puis-je avoir la permission de parler en anglaise?”

Again, Mister Delacorte consented. Hester began asking him about poetry and fringing frustration that she could not remember the name of the author that penned a poem that was stuck in her head. She asked if he could help her identify the writer. Of course he agreed once more and she began reciting Chauncey dreadful lines.

The whole class looked perplexed except for the few that were in on Hester’s wicked prank.

Mister Delacorte actually seemed to consider the words with a slight frown to his face.

“hmm.. it does sound a bit familiar… “ he mused aloud. I literally had to tilt my head down for a moment and bite into my cheek to keep from laughing.

“It certainly seems to have pigeon-holed my brain this morning, I simply am fretful that I may not stop worrying over this. Maybe hearing a bit more will help you place it? It is just eating away at me that I can’t remember who this master is…” Oh my she was really chaffing him as she recited another verse.

“Perhaps it is an English poet not a French one…” Bertie offered helpfully as Mister Delacorte rubbed his chin apparently still in deep thought. He began shaking his head.

“Are you sure you are reciting it accurately Lady Fullmore?”

“Do you think I am touched in the head Mister Delacorte? I am certain I could not make up such words all on my very own” He became abashed at her query. Clearly suggesting a lady of nobility may be daft was not something he wished to add to his long list of accolades and accomplishments.

“Perhaps it is Samuel Richardson” Someone suggested

“Maybe Thomas gray … it could certainly be him right?”

“No…” I offered chiming in with the others “I am certain it must be Edward Young, isn’t it from Night Thoughts?”

Mister Delacorte looked utterly lost, rejecting each offered name that came spilling from our deceptive mouths.

“Hmm, perhaps you do not know English poets very well Sir, perchance you may do a search through your tomes tonight and let us know tomorrow who it likely may be?” Hester again. It certainly sounded as if she were giving Mister Delacorte an assignment. I bit into my cheek again, praying that it didn’t swell as I struggled to hold back my amusement.

We were horrible to him that day. I never found out if he figured out the trickery or if he simply refused to bring it back up again because he was embarrassed that he couldn’t identify the Master poet.

Classes progressed, in my case treacherously slow, all through September. I also continued to visit the stables as much as my schedule permitted, but almost always my timing to meet any of the thoroughbreds was off.



Around the beginning of October, we were all informed that the following month something special would be taking place at the school and we would be heading to a milliner in town for a custom designed gown within the next few days. Everyone seemed extremely excited over both the prospect of a surprise and shopping. None of us had been shopping since arriving at Kensington and some felt it would be a great reprieve after studying so ardently for the past month. I was not completely captivated with the idea of trekking all the way to London with the sole purpose of being fitted for a gown. I was certain that I had several ‘never been worn before dresses’ sitting up in my room at that particular moment. It made no difference. The day was set and plans arranged. We would travel after breakfast one morning in the middle of the month and spend the day stuffed in a crowded shop.

I decided I would do something to illicit my own sort of anticipation for the upcoming week, I would finally get a look at the Kensington thoroughbreds by any means necessary. Since I knew that they were gone away from the stables throughout the day I would have to make a trip either before breakfast or after dinner. Some how the idea of tiptoeing around a strange stable at night seemed more daunting than visiting in the morning.

Over the next couple of days, I collected items I would need for my little adventure. I even got two items from Hester, a long, hooded cloak and a dark woolen unremarkable gown. She was obviously curious when she led me to her rooms to obtain the items one evening after dinner.

“Who is he Kitty!?” She prompted almost immediately in a hushed tone once we entered her suite.

“Who is who?” I asked, obviously completely confused. I even looked around as if there might be someone in the room with us that I should know.

“Whomever you are going to meet dressed in… “she held up the clothes and shook them at me. I just giggled softly shaking my head at her antic “…these horrid things”

“There is no one, no juicy sizzling shameful scandal to report I am afraid” I offer with a disappointed grin. Hester just huffed at me. The truth was, I hadn’t even had any opportunity to think about gentlemen.  I had seen Lord Kensington, Byron that is, around the grounds, and one of the ladies pointed out Mister Parlow who had carried me into the manor that first day, whom I thanked awkwardly but mostly avoided, as well as Hester’s beau Chauncey, Lord Black. I had no strenuous interactions with any of them.

“Oh come on! Someone else needs to join the scandal club other than me!” She chastised and I simply laughed. The topic of her scandal was barely whispered about anymore, but there were those very few spiteful and rancorous ladies that never let something unfortunate go. Hester was a sweet, generous and energetic lady, who’s ‘heinous’ company I would prefer any day over some of the more ‘virtuous’ shrews that would slander her. She chatted a little about Chauncey as she escorted me and my newly borrowed garments to my room. She mentioned that marrying him was not really either of their idea. I got the distinct feeling she would wish it on someone else, anyone else. But once we arrived to my door she promised me there was some fun to be had somewhere and bade me goodnight.

That night I could hardly sleep because I was giddy with excitement. It really was all rather foolish to be so worked up over seeing some horses, but I was and there was no denying it. I tossed and turned until I simply couldn’t stand it any longer and shoved the covers off. And even though I had been living in the Manor for almost two months now, my surroundings still felt extremely unfamiliar and it took a few minutes for me to reach the curtains. When I did manage to get them pulled back the sky overhead was still clouded in darkness, it could have been midnight for all I knew. I frowned but I set about pulling on my array of mixed, loose fitting drab garments without any assistance. My shift and petticoats were very modest and unadorned. As was the cerulean blue wool dress I struggled into that ended up hanging over the tops my feet. I quickly pinned my long locks haphazardly atop my head and slid a scarf around my neck and over the roughly tucked hair. Lastly, I slipped a dark woolen cape around me and pulled the hood down low over my face. Staring at myself in the mirror I felt almost certain no one would suspect me of being one of the ladies being educated here. And I only needed to be undetected for a short period. Long enough to get a good look at the Kensington thoroughbreds.

Excitement coursed through me. After completing my assemble I noticed that the sky had a tiny sliver a light breaking through. It must be about 5 or 6 in the morning by then. It had to be enough.

There was a bundle of leafy greens that I carefully tucked away from dinner the night before being stashed now in my armoire where Maud wouldn’t think to look so late at night. I grabbed those plus the tallow candle and some flints from the nightstand.

Gathering my wits and courage I slipped quietly from my room and hovered there for a few minutes just to be sure the darkened corridor was empty. There weren’t even any maids scurrying about. Over the past two days I had walked the path of my escape over and over trying to map out any difficulties I might encounter. Now it was time to get on with it. Expelling a soft sigh of relief, I tucked my scarf over my chin and mouth and made my way down the carpeted hallway and long staircase. Once on the main floor I darted to a nearby parlor with large glass doors that I knew led out to the gardens. This was definitely the trickiest part of my route, since I had no idea if the staff locked up the doors during the night hours. When the door gave way, I had to choke back my triumphant squeak. Everything was going according to plan thus far.

I had not been certain I would need it, but there was a lantern I stashed in one of the bushes directly near the patio door which I now used. Nature was the only sounds I heard along the path, birds singing, crickets chirping, a rustle of leaves as the cold brisk October air whipped around me. I shivered slightly but was thankful of the layers of warm clothes keeping the harshest chills away. Moments later I was struggling to secure the stable doors against the determined early morning winds.

Almost instantly I heard a soft nicker from the stalls, and I looked down the alleyway to see a familiar face peering back towards me. I grinned as her head bobbed and preened as if she was commanding that I hurry and look at her. I clucked softly as I quickly set the greenery on the work bench near the door and torn bits in slivers before making my way down the aisle.

Towards the front of the alley I came across the first of the three thoroughbreds. The filly couldn’t have been more than a year or two old, as was the second one I came across, that one a colt. It was a good start, one of each, for the stable to begin building up its racing stock. I had no idea why I was so excited about someone else’s racers, but nothing could hold back the pure joy I felt seeing those beautiful bays for the first time. They both were rich mahogany bay tones, one had stockings up the hind quarters the other had three pair of boots and each looked about 15 hands high, yet I was certain they still were growing. They each munched happily on a couple slips of veggie that I passed them.

“Hello my beauty…” I purred to the enormous chestnut that was in the next stall… somewhat patiently awaiting a treat she guessed I had. Immediately I pressed a couple slices to her muzzle then giggled softly at her perked ears and soft nudged of her head against my shoulder in such a familiar manner. “Awe… I missed you too beauty” I murmur giving the giant beast a soft warm hug about the neck letting her nuzzle across the top of my shoulder.

“Her name is Crook” A voice called out behind me and I jerked back making the horses eyes widen in surprise. But she seemed to recover far quicker than I, tossing her head once again with her nostrils flared wide open. In fact, several other horses started to snort or blow in nearby stalls, they were all getting rather excited. I had to admit, my adrenalin was racing a mile a minute myself.

Shakily I turned about and saw a shadow of a man standing with a pitchfork gripped in one fist at the end of the alleyway closest to the exit. The lantern light flickered just past his shoulder and I could barely make out his face but what I could see was very suspicious and heavily shadowed. What on earth had he said, this was not how my morning was due to run its course…

“I… the mare you mean?” I squeaked out frowning as I looked at the beautiful mount shaking my head wistfully “That can’t be right…”

“And why is that?” He cocked his head curiously, still standing in an imposing way blocking the only exit

“It’s such a fiendish name” I murmur suddenly unable to stop myself I reach out again and brush my gloved hand along the bright white narrow blaze marking from her forehead to muzzle. “And she is such a sweetheart” I add as the mare responded with a sigh and pressed against the palm of my small hand.

That seemed to make him chuckle softly, or at least I thought maybe it was a chuckle. It could have just as easily been some sort of gruff groan of irritation.

“Yes, she is quite good at stealing hearts” he mutters and again I couldn’t tell if it was annoyance or amusement that laced his tone. I, on the other hand, found the comment perfectly fit and giggled softly.

“Awe… indeed. Quite the Crook then” Grinning widely now I give a few more swipes across her head then scratch behind her ears. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as he moved further into the alleyway closer to where I stood.

“you like horses then?”

“Like air to be breathed” I respond. Probably too poetic but it seemed to fit. My feelings were definitely more than just a passing fancy. “I… I am sorry, I thought I would sneak in here and be gone before anyone else came around”

“You are not supposed to be here Lady Sheffield” I peeped up from under the dark hood at the fact he spoke my name and instantly my breath caught. Why hadn’t I noticed how devastatingly handsome he was before. It was the other Lord Kensington… Caleb, the russet haired one. He was tall, intimidatingly so. He nearly dwarfed me and I was not short by any standards. I hadn’t been much aware of anything it seemed when we first met. My face bloomed red remembering how that introduction had gone and over the fact that he knew exactly who I was despite my careful concealment. I nodded slowly but then turned my gaze back to the mare. It was easier to focus on her when my heart was beating a mile a minute.

“Well… perhaps that is true…” I began but stubbornly lifted the edge of my chin defiantly “but I am and well... I will not be leaving until I see the third of the thoroughbreds” then I leveled my gaze on him.

Was he confused? He looked confused. Or… or maybe that was annoyance again? Curiosity? Who could tell when he refused to speak and just stared so intently, as if I had sprouted a new head. Just then, as if on some sort of cue, a demanding bugling neigh hissed a few paces behind my back.

Like a magnet my eyes switched to the imposing sight of a 16.4 hand high stunning black horse. Both ears cocked forward and I could see its tail slightly lifted and twitching. There was a remarkable lily white star darted around his right eye and every other inch of him was jet black. The very sight of such a majestic animal left me breathless. He must have heard my gasp quite clearly because his next comment was certainly a taunt.

“Are your sure your sensibilities can handle the sight of such a powerful creature?” That was definitely a condescending tone. Of course he thought I was some weak willed damsel in distress. After having him witness that entirely ridiculous episode what did I expect? I twisted away and moved to the stall where the blacks head towered over the door. At my nearness, the big brute seemed to look down its nose at my diminutive 176 centimeters. Meaning… it was a monstrous size.

“A stallion… is he yours?” I whisper in awe once I was close enough to determine so. The soft chuckle in response behind me made my back straighten. Now he was laughing at me.

“Yes, he’s mine… You have never seen a stallion before?” He spoke to me as if I was some child. I knew he was only one year older than I.

“Of course” I snap turning to frown at him but when I looked back to the stallion I softened right back up, my father had never bothered to take an interest in starting a stud despite my insistence that it would be a good investment… As if girls knew anything about good investments right?...“Just… never one as splendid as this” and I cooed and lifted my hand about to brush my hand along the shiny immaculate jet black coat, just as my fingers grazed his flesh Caleb called out

“Noo wai…” then stopped unexpectedly just watching. I turned to look at him confused as I felt the corded neck flutter against my softly stroking fingers. He in turn looked confused again, then just basically surprised. With a warm smile for the stallion I lifted and offered a couple of the green slivers which he took happy as I cooed and purred at him affectionately.

“He seems to like you”

“Of course he does” I giggle softly and brush fingers along his long sloping shoulders and deep chest. The big black seemed to delight in the touch offering a soft sigh “he’s a good boy, aren’t you?” I conjured in a pleasant smooth tone and got a tiny nod from the regal beast, which delighted me into another soft giggle.

“He usually … doesn’t take to strangers”

“Is that right big guy?” I purr stretching up to lay my face against the giant muzzle and receiving a soft nicker in response. A grin was firmly placed on my face when I looked back to Caleb

“What’s his name?”

He didn’t say anything for a long moment, just watching the scene while he rest against the pitchfork he had plunged into he mound of hay at his feet.

“That’s Anemoi’s Wrath”

“And that makes you… Zeus?” I couldn’t help it, the temptation had been too good to pass up. I wondered if he could see the twinkle in my eye under the dark hood. The audacity he had to name his mount after the group of horses that carried the God’s chariot in Greek mythologies and tragedies.

“Perhaps” he teased back… “It seems that my trusty steed has forsaken his wrath with but a kind word and a bribe of fresh greens from an unprecedented maiden”

I laugh softly shaking my head, “no, I just suppose he recognizes a kindred spirit” There I go again waxing poetic. How utterly inept I was with social graces. Something witty and clever would have been better. But when I looked to Caleb he didn’t seem to have the same look of annoyance I remember upon our first introduction.  He looked completely different now. A look that sent a tingle down my spine. And then all of a sudden, the impropriety of the situation hit me full force. Standing alone chatting with a young gentleman in the shadowed stable was completely unseemly. Anemoi’s Wrath must have sensed my sudden anxiety because he jostled and stepped back as if I had uttered a harsh tone.

The light of dawn was just now starting to sprinkle through the stone windows throughout the corridor and I could see dirt, mud and muck caked around the edge of my gowns hem. The stalls had yet to be cleaned, apparently Caleb participated in that work. Apparently I was keeping him from his task. I could even hear grooms starting to gather just past the doors. I had definitely stayed too long.

“I should get back” I murmur tucking my scarf a bit firmer over my face.

“I will see you back…”

“No…” I stammer feeling extremely unnerved at this point. “that is… I mean… thank you Lord Kensington but… “but what? The gentlemanly thing would be for him to escort me back but that ran the risk of my excursion being found out and worse, ending with me being alone with no escort when I happened upon him. “I have been visiting the stables for nearly two months I am quite comfortable finding my way back to the Manor… alone”

Apparently, his sense of duty overrode my delayed sense of decorum.

He shook his head and set the tool aside swishing his hand out before him in an unambiguous gesture. My heart raced as I stepped past him and out into the softly hewed morning light. I lowered my head avoiding the stares from some of the grooms that had paused watching us exit the building. I nibbled on my lower lip as we walked silently along the path heading in the direction of the Manor for several minutes.

“Please Lord Kensington…”

“Caleb” he injected. I blushed as a chill swept from collarbone to toes

“I… I couldn’t” I whisper looking straight ahead. At that he chuckled.

“Oh, now you are concerned about propriety” He seemed positively full of mirth now. I frowned.

“I just think… well that… it wouldn’t do either of us a world of good for anyone to catch us together… alone… this time of morning”

He paused just at the bend before the path opened up into the garden. The Manor was just a short distance away barely out of view. I dared to look up at him and saw that he was giving my comment adequate thought, yet he still seemed stubbornly sure of what he needed to do.

“It’s just a little further Lord Ken… Caleb” I murmur and correct at the look on his face. “I promise I will not get lost”

“Or faint?” He taunted. I scoffed and pressed my lips together, but a grin tugged at the corners of my lips.

“Yes… I promise that too”

“Awe there you are Kitty dear, thank you for being so kind to join me for my morning walk” I nearly jumped out of my shoes as Hester strolled up loudly and clasped my arm within her own. The gleam in her eye darted between Caleb and myself and I felt a dark heat flushing from my neck to forehead.

Finally, he relented and nodded but he didn’t move back down the path straightaway. Instead, Hester idly tugged the scarf and hood away from my head, plugged a couple plumes from her own hair into mine then turned about acting as if we had been together the whole time. When we rounded the corner on the path, I could see that several girls were already milling about in the breakfast parlor and servants were everywhere. If I had come around there hellbent on making it to my room I would most assuredly have been witnessed, alone. I realized hesitantly that she was covering for me and expelled a gasp of relief I gripped her arm tightly in a silent thank you.

“Oh... don't thank me yet" she hissed in a conspiring tone... "...you are going to tell me every detail the minute we get alone!” but smiled pleasantly as if nothing untoward had taken place in the least.

"How did you know where to find me?" I choked out softly.

She gave me a wicked grin "why... I had my maid watching you of course, I knew you were up to something with that hideous cloak. So when you slipped out this morning she came straight away to inform me."

I blushed fluidly but to any prying eyes it would look as if the brisk air had reddened my cheeks and we were just chatting idly about possibly nothing during an early morning walk. That was the day I learned that Hester was exceptionally good at covering tracks and keeping secrets.

Shortly after I finally made it back to my room. I found Maud hovering with a frantic look. One glance at me and my filthy gown gave her little doubt as to my whereabouts when she arrived to dress me for breakfast. I could tell she knew exactly where I had been. But I refused to discuss it with her. It was bad enough I had spilled the beans to Mara about my early morning jaunt. I simply shed the dirty garments and let Maud, with her disapproving glances, set to my toilette routine.



Around the middle of the month it was time for us to visit the milliner. All the girls were excited and even I had to admit that suddenly the idea of a new gown seemed appealing. In fact, ever since my visit to the stables I had taken a renewed interest in Maud’s care when dressing and adorning me for each activity. I even let her apply a little pink to my lips and a soft rouge across my pale cheeks most days.

“You look lovely” Hester chimed as we sat together in the carriage.

“As do you” I respond genuinely loving the bright puce gown she wore and the long feathered plume to match.

“I was thinking…” Oh goodness I thought, usually when Hester starts off in that particular vain something wicked this way comes. It didn’t take her long to express her most recent scandalous idea. She mentioned the idea to only a few of us, the ones I assumed she was closest too and I had no idea what the other girls thought but I initially was a decidedly firm no. The idea of intentionally having the milliner construct a purposefully scandalous gown was insane. Lady Kensington would have our heads without a doubt. But as we trotted closer to our destination a few of the girls started fantasizing about things they could do to be bold and daring. One even suggested pants! 

All of us strolled the dress shop while we awaited our turn to discuss the custom look we envisioned and were measured. When it became my turn, I spoke at length to the designer about current fashions, especially in France. With the war trudging along, the French aristocrats had taken to simplifying their garb. Lady’s in England were moving towards a similar fashion sense but there was just a bit more daring in the French versions of the look. And so it was that after the tantalizing wicked conversation in the carriage and my sudden obsession with my looks I ordered a very delicate French inspired almost transparent white muslin high wasted dress with a low decollete and gold embroidery details that laced through the entire length of the gown. In contrast to the newest fashion trend of elbow-length sleeves I ordered my gown’s to be longer ending at wrist-length. The complimentary robe would be designed and embroidered in a like manner. I informed the seamstress that there was to be no confusion on my insisting a French gown, not an English one.



Weeks passed and around the beginning of November we were informed that an American Actor, Tobias Smith, would be visiting on the 19th and that each of us would be expected to perform. Most ladies seemed thrilled about the prospect and opportunity to impress someone so renowned. I didn’t feel as uproariously happy as them.

Nonetheless, I didn’t have to ponder my choice of performance piece like some others. I knew immediately that I would be singing. That seemed like the perfectly logical thing to do since anything else would be horribly embarrassing. When I reported this to our Music tutor the unfortunate response was that I would either need to sing without any instrumental accompaniment or provide my own. I inquired if we would be able to pair together with another student for performance but apparently that was not going to be allowed to happen.

So I practiced… and practiced… and practiced some more on that ridiculous lute, hoping beyond hope that I would not embarrass myself or Lady Kensington. For some reason it was unquestionably important to me that I impressed her with my growth. In the meantime, to relive my strained nerves I continued to visit the stables, but only during the daylight hours. I had learned that Caleb spent a lot of time there with the grooms and horses but mostly only in the early morning or evening times. I had no idea what he did with the rest of his time. Not that it should have mattered, but I couldn’t lie, I was curious. And that is what steered me away. I had been unconditionally relaxed when we chatted surrounded by the horses. I felt my stomach quiver and coil now just thinking of it. I was not certain that if I dared sneak down there again while he was there that I would have the merit or sense to get out before it was too late and I ended up getting caught. I had been lucky last time. I tried to push thoughts of him out of my mind but always, no matter what he would creep into my thoughts, followed shortly thereafter the horses.



The night of the Salon most of the ladies were full of jitters. Of course there were a few that claimed complete calm and poise. Lucky them, if only I could be the same. I was most definitely one of the nervous nellies. In the past weeks I fretted and waned about the merits of doing an original piece on the lute. Hopefully, after so many trials I had the number memorized, I really did not want to make a fool of myself.

But that was hardly on my mind right then. No… at that moment I stood in my room gawking at the brazen gown that had been delivered. It hugged my bosom snugly before draping down my form and if it hadn’t been for the material it would actually have been quite a delicate, sweet, charming gown. But… the material certainly impacted the presentation I made. The thin muslin shadowed my undergarments tauntingly. I could literally see the outline of my form beneath. I almost giggled at the immoral delight I felt standing there in the audacious gown. If I were sane, I would add another layer of undergarments and forget about this daring streak racing through me. But I had never been proper, not really. There was a wild streak in me, and it had always been there… it likely always would be. It was that impolite part of me that had accepted Hester’s challenge and had me standing here scantly dressed in the thinnest of fabrics. Most likely I would get scolded, maybe punished and I waited for Maud’s disapproving glare. Not that I cared. I loved the ornate pale beautiful creation. But as I looked at her reflection behind me in the mirror that was not what I saw.

“You look beautiful My Lady” She whispered apparently in awe of the exquisite lavish gown. I nibbled at my lower lip and wondered shamefully if he would see me in this gown. And if so… what might he think? It is quite possible that he may be offended and scandalized.

The fact that his impression was the first one that I was eager to ascertain was not lost on me. As much as I pretended that it wouldn’t matter, that I loved it regardless of what anyone else might think… that wasn’t exactly the truth. I wanted him to like it too.

Candlelight cast shadows throughout the salon as we all began filing in, one after another dressed in exquisite gowns complimenting the excitement of the evening. Mister Smith was a pleasant conversationalist during dinner, being sure to make inquiries and direct conversation to each of the ladies in attendance. Other gentlemen were present as well, including Caleb. I wasn’t mistaken over some of the looks that glanced over me when I enter the room. I could tell a few of the cattier girls were not pleased with the custom gown that I requested but overall most of the greetings I received were pleasant and fascinated. Hester was particularly cheeky over my look. I also noticed him looking, watching. I refused to blush as I caught his direct gaze across the dinner table, but I didn’t allow my eyes to linger too long on him. That would be too much.

When the gentlemen stayed behind for port us ladies situated ourselves in the salon for the evening entertainment. It wasn’t too long before the gentlemen joined us and we got right to our performances. Enid could not finish and I felt terrible for her mishap that caused her to rush from the room. Arianena was next and I was drawn in by the soft pitch of her voice as she recited from memory Beatrice’s monologue. It was really quite fetching.

Then it was my turn. Rising from the beautiful settee I was perched on I made my way before the crowd of onlookers. I could see the soft light and shadows glinting dazzlingly over the gold of my dress and wondered nervously if anyone else noticed. Finally, I smiled softly lifting the lute across one forearm and felt a rush in those first few moments of complete silence. There was something magical about it and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I slowly began to strum softly across the lute’s strings. Emotions sprang from my voice from the very first word. With style and grace my voice ebbed and flowed over the notes, emphasizing the longing and pain and uncertainty and hope and finally heartbreak that radiated from my self-made prose. By the end of the ballad the room was in silence again every eye on me and for the first time that evening I blushed slightly. After a short curtsy to the crowd a burst of applause filled the room. I grinned hesitantly before stepping away to allow Nonie the 'spotlight' so to speak.

My nerves were all a jitter again, relieved but still anxious wondering what people thought… well not really ‘people’. My thoughts led me to search the room, darting discreetly in an effort to see if he was still lingering for the presentations. I was the most interested in what he might have thought. And Lady Kensington of course. But that woman was like a ice statue. She gave nothing away during any of the performances. I took a step back edging the shadows and considered fanning myself as Nonie played beautifully from the large harp at the front of the room.

I took the opportunity to select a glass of punch from a nearby table and stood apart from most of the crowd attempting to calm my nerves and cool off. Odd that I would feel so heated while so sparsely dressed. Most of the lighting was focused towards the front where ladies showed off their talents to the room at large so it was pretty shadowed where I sipped my drink.

“That was absolutely breathtaking Lady Sheffield” I gasped at the unexpected deep voice from a man that had strolled up beside me. With one hand pressed against my bosom, punch sloshed over the rim in my other as I spun and found Lord Chatwith hovering with a dark grin spread across his face. Embarrassed I stepped back awkwardly spilling a little more before I could gather myself and offer a soft smile.

“I, thank you Lord Chatwith. I am pleased to hear someone found it entertaining.” I murmur in a soft tone not wanting to disturb anyone trying to focus on other performers. By now Hattie was on her rendition of ‘The Liberty’.

“I am sure that you must have many accomplishments that a gentleman like myself would find entertaining” his voice was husky, a low caress. There was something confidential or intimate in his tone that I was just too unseasoned and naïve to define. The way his eyes lingered and stroked over me gave me chills. But not in the way it felt when I noticed the golden freckles of Caleb’s brown eyes the day we spoke.

"Would you like me to replenish that for you?" He offered indicating my now empty glass, the contents of which were mostly all over my glove by now.

"I, no thank you Lord Chatwith" I did however turn and place the empty glass upon a nearby table.

“Perhaps you will allow me the opportunity to partake in more of your accomplishments someday.” I cleared my throat softly and felt hesitant. I knew very little about courting, perhaps this is the way of things but all I knew is that there seemed to be implications and nuances in his words that I felt out of my depth to contend with. His interest unnerved me and made me feel awkward, so I gave him a quaint smile, remarked something acceptable, I hoped… something proper… and excused myself to attend to the remaining performances.

“Certainly, I look forward to speaking again soon Lady Sheffield” I smiled in response nodding before I turned away.

I wasn’t exactly sure how long my smile lingered, Likely only long enough or me to turn away from him but when I came around my eyes suddenly caught sight of Caleb across the room. And his eyes were on me. The feeling that streaked through me at his gaze. It was like a blaze of fire singing at the edges of something spectacular. Like the thundering of a horse’s ribcage at the end of a mad capped race across an open field. I felt anything but awkward… as I tried to turn my attention back to the remaining performances

SALON-Original Ballad titled Out of Reach sung to the tune of Lilli burlero by Thomas, 1st Marquess Wharton

Be a lady, follow the rules,  listen when spoken to
Be a lady, virtuous and true, that’s what to do
Plaster on a smile, put in with the frock
Year after year she grew tired of following the flock
Her dad was imposing, and his riches were great
But this grandiose world she could not relate
The prep school preparing her to be
Whatever her parent’s vision could see

A wife, a mother, clay to be mold
Anything ensuring she did what was told
She had dreams she held inside
A world so different that shouldn’t collide
Proper, poise don’t raise your voice
When was it ever the good girl’s choice?
She listened with ears that were crying
Crying and wishing she could stop trying

To fit in and act as they do
In her soul she yearned for something true
Break the chains all by herself
Won’t let freedom be put on the shelf
Tears forsaken, go away for good
Running blindly in truth, rip away the hood
If only true freedom was easily clasped
Instead of always being just out of her grasp

OUTFITS
Classes                                                      Salon

Other - Early Morning visit to the stables



INTERESTS Caleb-RI | Hester-FI | Myles-RI

Round 2 complete

Last edited by BambiFoxx (15/12/2019 at 09:53)

                                                              Harriet Ada York

Outfits

                                Class                                                                Salon

       

Interests Haywood (RI), Byron (RI), Bertie (FI)

Performance - Part of 'The Liberty' by Sarah Fyge Egerton

Shall I be one, of those obsequious Fools,
That square there lives, by Customs scanty Rules;
Condemn'd for ever, to the puny Curse,
Of Precepts taught, at Boarding-school, or Nurse,
That all the business of my Life must be,
Foolish, dull Trifling, Formality.

Confin'd to a strict Magick complaisance,
And round a Circle, of nice visits Dance,
Nor for my Life beyond the Chalk advance:
The Devil Censure, stands to guard the same,
One step awry, he tears my ventrous Fame.

So when my Friends, in a facetious Vein,
With Mirth and Wit, a while can entertain;
Tho' ne'er so pleasant, yet I must not stay,
If a commanding Clock, bids me away:
But with a sudden start, as in a Fright,
I must be gone indeed, 'tis after Eight.

Sure these restraints, with such regret we bear,
That dreaded Censure, can't be more severe,
Which has no Terror, if we did not fear;
But let the Bug-bear, timerous Infants fright,
I'll not be scar'd, from Innocent delight:
Whatever is not vicious, I dare do,
I'll never to the Idol Custom bow,
Unless it suits with my own Humour too.

Story

September

August passed by in the blink of an eye and our lessons began immediately. I became better friends with Bertie & Nonie. Fortunately for us, we almost had every lesson together so it was quite easy to settle in. I enjoyed every literature lesson since I am fond of books. French was a beautiful language and it was quite easy to understand. As for music, it was quite hard at the beginning for me to play an instrument but slowly, I learned to play the flute.

However, one day during our literature lessons Hester Fullmore tried to trick our teacher, to which Bertie agreed. Both me & Nonie were disappointed to see Bertie agreeing to such a mischievous action. I decided not to join the ruse along with Bertie; my future was at stake and although I felt terrible for her, she didn’t seem like she regretted it at all. I decided not to tell her anything; she already seemed confused and I didn't want to risk our friendship.

Once, when we had no lessons, I decided to spend some time by myself in the area that I liked the most which was the small garden; I barely saw anyone there so it was peaceful enough to do what I enjoyed. The only sound you could hear were the birds chirping, along with the lovely view of flowers blooming. Although father had told me to quit my sketches, I decided to continue drawing them anyway. I found a bench next to the pond and decided to sit there. I took out my pencil and started drawing whatever came up in my mind. A few minutes after, a voice interrupted the millions of thoughts running through my mind.

“Lady Harriet, was it?” I looked up and it was Haywood Cawley, the dashing guy who had spilled tea on my dress just before the shot was heard. I smiled at him, put my notebook and pencil down and got up, with a light smile on my face.

“Yes, it was. We meet again, Lord Haywood Cawley.”

“I hope I’m not interrupting you. You seemed very focused on whatever you were doing” He said, with a friendly smile on his face. Then I saw his eyes go down to my notebook and he looked surprised for a split second. He grabbed it and saw what I was working on.

“You have a truly remarkable talent, no wonder you looked so focused. Do you mind if I go through the pages? I’m eager to see what’s in them.”

“It’s quite alright, I don’t mind. The ones in the very beginning were the first ones, which is why they look a bit off compared to the other ones.”

Once he had finished flicking through the pages, he looked at me and said “They are amazing.”

“Thank you. If only my father had the same opinion as you do...”

“Oh right! I meant to ask you something. By any chance, would you like to accompany me to a concert? A spinster cousin of mine can act as our chaperone, if you’d be willing to come. It will be on the 10th of October.”

I was taken aback by his question since never in a million years had I expected an invitation! After I regained my composure, I answered “I accept your invitation, and definitely will be looking forward to the concert. Unfortunately though, I must get going now. I’m to meet Bertie & Nonie. Till we meet again.” I smiled at him, as did he, and left.

October

In this month, we went dress shopping in town for an outfit to wear at the Salon. While being there, I felt as if I had arrived at heaven itself. Seeing all the fabrics, hats, buttons, and wickerwork mannequins made me fall in love with the shop even more! If only I could do the same and bring my sketches to life... how I wished! The dressmaker was very professional; he commissioned a beautiful pink dress with a hint of gold for me, along with a white hat that fit well with it. On the other hand, Nonie decided to go with a white gown which looked spectacular with her skin tone. Once we were done with our dresses, it was Bertie’s turn. I heard Nonie calling out her name, but she was nowhere to be seen.

“Nonie, is something wrong? I heard you calling Bertie’s name” I asked her.

“She’s gone, I can’t find her anywhere!” Nonie’s response took me by surprise. My instinct told me to search outside in the street, so I opened the door and saw Bertie running while crossing the street. Nonie came by my side and was about to follow her but I stopped her:

“Wait! Are you sure we should follow her? What if she’s up to no good, like what had happened in literature class?” I asked Nonie what to do and she looked extremely worried about Bertie.

“Alright, let’s go after her.”

We crossed the street and headed the same direction that Bertie had gone to. She was still nowhere to be seen.

“It’s better if we return to the group, or else we’ll get lost ourselves. Besides, it’s not best for us to wander around unaccompanied.” She agreed, and we returned to the group.

As we reunited with them, we saw Bertie returning with a guy. We immediately went to her and I said “Bertie! Where have you been? Are you alright? We were so worried about you!” Though, for some reason, she didn’t seem glad to be back.

On the 10th of October I went with Haywood to an orchestra concert held at the Vauxhall Gardens. It was one of the best performances I had ever seen! The music sounded magical and it was wonderful seeing the co-ordination between the virtuosi and how the instruments blended together in harmony. After the show had ended, we decided to go for a walk around the garden, with Haywood’s cousin following behind us swiftly.

“Did you enjoy the show?” Haywood asked me.

“Although I’m much more of a fan of literature than music, it was enjoyable. Thank you for inviting me to the concert.”

“I’m glad to hear that. You come from York, correct?” I nodded in response to his question.

“This is actually my first time out of York. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of coming here, but now I have gotten used to it. There is some familiarity between Kensington and York, especially in the gardens. They are my favourite places.” I said, with a smile on my face. I felt a bit nostalgic since usually I would stay at our garden with my sisters but now, we were miles apart.

We continued talking for a while and as soon as the sun started to go down, we took the carriage back to the School. Once we arrived, Haywood got off and then held out his hand for me to grab onto while I get off.

“Thank you for the lovely day, I appreciate your kind gesture. I really enjoyed it” I said to him.

“It was my pleasure, though I must go now. Good evening, Lady Harriet” He did a small curtsy to me and I curtsied to him as well.

As he turned around to leave, I couldn’t help but smile at how dashing and respectful he was. 

November

We were told that on the 19th of November there would be a salon held at Kensington. Each lady had to prepare beforehand for her performance. I went to the library to pick out a book with poems with a specific theme in mind. I wanted the poem to be about women living in a free society and being considered as equal as men, rather than being tied down by the rules of society. After looking into almost 30 poem books, I finally found the perfect one! Poems on Several Occasions by Sarah Fyge Egerton was it. Although it had many poems which stood out, I decided to go with ‘The Liberty’.

“Sarah Fyge Egerton, one of the boldest female poets” A sudden voice distracted me from reading and when I lowered the book, I saw a guy sitting on the chair in front of me with short brown hair. He continued by saying “The Female Advocate? Her most popular work.”

I stared cluelessly at him, then said “It’s my first time reading one of her books, actually. Her poems are just what I wanted. Bold, daring, a little rebellious... The exact vision I had in mind.”

“It was her theme after all. I’m Byron Kensington.” He smiled charmingly.

I had heard a whole lot about him being a true charmer, and that every girl should be careful of him. It was also true that he was indeed handsome.

“Lady Harriet Ada York. Also, thank you for the information. I’ll make sure to make good use of it.” I smiled and left for my lesson, since it was about to begin.

The day of the Salon arrived, and the tension in the atmosphere was very much evident. The guest of honor was an American actor, Tobias Smith. Being an actor, everyone obviously wanted to impress him.

I had prepared a lot for my performance to be perfect but a part of me was afraid of how the crowd would react to my choice of poem. Maybe going with a rebellious one wasn’t such a good idea after all, but it would all be worth it. Making my voice heard was the most important thing during the performance, regardless of whatever is mentioned in Fyge’s poem.

“Break a leg, ladies” I said to Bertie & Nonie. We were all very excited to perform.

Enid Foster was the first to perform; in the middle of her song she started hiccupping but still tried to finish it. Next up was Ariaena van der Jaager, then Katherine Nicole Sheffield, and then Nonie. Her performance was on a harp and it was simply impeccable. I was glad that she had succeeded, and that all her hard work had paid off.

Next it was my turn! I felt my heart stop upon hearing my name being called. I stood at the middle, opened my book and found the poem.

“I have decided to recite part of a poem titled The Liberty, by Sarah Fyge Egerton” I said, trying to contain my nerves.

While reading the poem I couldn’t help but feel how much the content could be applied to the reality I currently am in.  At Boarding school, confined, restraints that we regrettably bear… Rather than showing the roughness of the poem, I tried to focus more on the words so that they leave an impact upon the people.

“I’ll never to the Idol Custom bow, unless it suits with my own Humour too.” Before closing the book, I took a good look at the audience, closed it, curtsied, and returned to my seat.

After watching 3 more performances, it was Bertie’s turn. Me and Nonie had noticed that ever since the incident of October, she had become more secretive, worried and stressed. We were both worried for her and in fact had tried to ask her on multiple occasions what was the matter, but she simply managed to always avoid the question. Maybe she still hadn’t settled in?

Bertie sat down at the piano and began to play. After playing a few notes, she stopped. She looked confused, then started pressing the piano keys randomly. Tears started streaming down her face so she got up and ran to her room. I looked at Nonie and nodded, which meant to follow her. We went up the stairs and knocked on her door upon arriving. She opened it, we entered, and then sat on the bed together.

“What happened Bertie?” Nonie asked.

“The notes… I couldn’t remember them. Disastrous!” Bertie exclaimed, while smiling.

“Are you… feeling better now?” I asked her with a hint of confusion, and she nodded.

“Bertie… what’s been happening to you? We’re so worried.” I really wished to know what had been happening to her, so I asked her.

She got up, walked towards the window and turned to face us. Me and Nonie looked at each other with confusion. Neither one of us was expecting her to answer the way she did.

“I want to leave, and I will, one way or another. In October I ran away in order to find a ship that would take me home. I failed though. As I was searching for one, some guy named Thomas led me back to the group since he had seen me leaving.” I stared at her in disbelief, as did Nonie. “And today… well, it was an act. I wanted them to believe that I forgot the notes.”

Me and Nonie looked at each other; we were both speechless and did not know how to react to her response.

After a while, I got up and walked towards her. For some reason I felt betrayed, but I also understand that she wasn’t happy here at Kensington.

“Do you even consider us as friends? Me and Nonie. Because we do consider you as a friend, but all you’ve been doing these past two months is ignoring us!” I said to her, with my brows furrowed.

“Are you not happy here?” Nonie asked, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

“You are the only friends I have here.” She looked at me, and continued: “And I’m not. I’d much rather be home than waste a part of my life here.”

It was a relief to hear that she also considers us as friends, then I stated: “Whoever was forced to come is not happy, but we’re trying to go along with it as much as possible. It’s impossible not to be homesick… Have you tried giving this school a chance?”

Bertie looked down and said: “I haven’t, and I will not. This is my final decision. Can you help me get kicked out?”

I completely understood what she was going through but I still was unsure in regards to what she asked of me and Nonie. Should I accept or refuse? That was the only question in my head. To get kicked out was what she wanted after all, but I still felt as if it was the wrong choice for her. Then I couldn’t take it anymore, so I did the only thing I could think of.

“I’m sorry Bertie, I need time to think about this. Excuse me” I exited the room and returned to the salon, with tons of thoughts pounding in my head.

Round 2 Complete

Last edited by chayanne03 (14/12/2019 at 19:55)

Eleanor Everdene
Interests: Byron Kensington, Haywood Cawley, Absalon Delacorte (all romantic interests, for now, in no particular order)
Performance:

Permanence in Change by J.W. Goethe

Can these blossoms' early blessing
Last not even one brief hour?
Warm west wind already shakes them
Down in bounteous bloomy shower.
Shall the green I lately thanked for
Shade give pleasure to my eyes?
Soon the wuthering storms will strew it,
Withered pale by autumn skies.

Want to pluck the fruit that hangs there?
Get your share, and do not wait.
These are ripening already
Those are soon to germinate.
Just like that, your pleasant valley
Alters with each rush of rain.
Ah, and in the selfsame river
You swim once, but not again.

Even you! What seemed before you
Set in constant stone to rise,
Castle walls and towers you look at
Now with ever-changing eyes.
Worn away the lip whose every
Pain found healing in a kiss,
Legs that leapt to meet the wildgoat's
Challenge on the precipice,

Gone the hand outstretched and open,
With its generous good intent,
And its shapely, subtle structure...
All things now are different.
All that holds itself together
In that spot and bears your name
Hurries like a wave born hither
Back to elements whence it came.

Let the end and the beginning
Into one point unify.
Swifter even than these fleeting
Objects, let yourself speed by.
Thank the Muse whose favor promised
This imperishable find:
Your heart's Content joined forever
To the Form within your mind.

Outfits:


Story:

September

The time at Kensington might have begun with utter, but short, chaos, but to Eleanor’s relief it continued with less drama. August passed in a whirl, the weather was nice and since lessons were to start in September Eleanor spent much time out in the gardens or in the library reading. In the back of the garden, under the trees and unseen from the path she had found a nice bench she often frequented, often with the company of a book or perhaps some sketching. She did get along just fine with the other girls but had not gotten very close with anyone. At home she had never had any close female friends, just acquaintances, and found that this extensive female company put her on her toes, although she tried her best to relax and make friends. After enjoying the two weeks of leisure, something which would have been the opposite if she had stayed home during the harvest, reality, of somewhat, re-emerged and with the beginning of September so did their classes. Initially, Eleanor struggled with lessons more than she had anticipated, yes, she was well read but her French was a bit wobbly at best and playing the piano with the other girls made her wish to sink through the ground, her fingers just would not keep up. Watching them preform in class made her feel like a lowly country girl along side these well-educated young ladies, she began questioning what she was really doing here. However, she would not let her low spirits shut her down, after all she was of the hardworking, determined sort. Vigorous studying did help, and after a couple of weeks she had at least improved a great deal.

Eleanor was heading down the stairs from her room one day. She had complained of a small headache after tea with her fellow students and gone to rest. The headache had been a lie, but she much needed the rest in peace and quiet. The morning lessons had been tiering, Hester had pulled a stunt in literature class(something Eleanor had been seated far enough off from to be a part of) and then music class she had concentrated so hard, and stilled missed more notes than not(well, it might not have been that bad but it sure had felt like it). And upon that the full moon had shone bright through her window the last couple of nights and she had therefore slept badly. After a couple of hours laying down, and then when watching the rain soaked getting even wetter through the window, she felt refreshed and cheerful enough to seek out some company once more. She took a tight turn about a corner towards the drawing room usually favoured in the evening. Too late she realised some one was heading in speed the other way and the scene as only inches was left before disastrous collision. A hand took a steady grip on her arm and they turned about in a spin, books thumping to the floor, but both of them standing upright. The both of them being herself and no other than her French teacher, Mr. Delacorte.
“My goodness, you took me surprise.”  Eleanor exclaimed, once again on steady feet.
“Are you alright, Miss Everdene?” He asked and she nodded with a smile, still at bit shaken from the sudden adrenaline rush. He had let go of her arm as soon as they both had come to a halt.
“Yes, I’m fine” she managed, then looking at the books strewn out on the floor “I am not sure how it went for your reading, though.”
“Ah, yes.” He bent down to retrieve the books and Eleanor stepped out of the way as one of them was partly covered by her hem. The titles were all French and not one she recognised.
“Always the ant, Mr Delacorte?” She asked. He gave her a query look and gathered up the last books.
“Well you see, as the way of a very diligent student I reacquainted myself with La Fontaine's Fables, La cigale et la fourmi. At my somewhat lack of refinement in the language, I thought La Fontaine’s delicate prose a good place start from.” She said, hoping her pronunciation was not wavering.
He gave a small nod in agreement.
“So, do you never sing Mr Delacorte?” She said with a smile, referencing the tale.
“Ah, well yes. In this instance, however, the work does not keep one from savouring the song.” He said with a chuckle. “Sadly, this moment is not one of them, I do have to rush as duty calls.”
“Please excuse me, Miss Eleanor.” He continued with a smile and went on his way.
And left her puzzling over his words.

October

It was on one of the first days of October that one of the servants came up to Eleanor during breakfast, saying there had come a package for her. Keeping her curiosity in check she asked him to please leave it for her in her room. During the remaining of breakfast she was less tentative to the conversation, wondering who ever would she something more than a letter for her, but still herself to sit though until all were finished before excusing herself. In her room she found the package accompanied by a letter from her mother. In opening the package, she found it filled with reminders of home. Pressed flowers from the garden, a small bottle of last year’s apple brandy, her mother’s short bread, which Eleanor was particularly fond of, a pair of gloves with lace trimming, thicker woollen stockings for the cold weather and some more pocket money. After sifting through the package, she paid attention to the letter. Her mother wrote of home, and it brought to her eyes. Oh, how she missed them. The harvest had been better than they had hoped for, which echoed previous letters she had from her brother James. She also brought word of Elizabeth's, her brother's wife's, pregnancy. It was still early but hopefully a baby would be delivered in the spring. Eleanor could tell her mama could not wait to be a grandmama by her lettering. She read the letter twice before letting her attention get back to the package, she put away the items of clothing and unpacked the rest unto her desk. Perhaps she could find a way to the pressed flowers in a frame for the bedside table.
Breaking of a piece of the short bread, the bare taste filled her homesickness, tightening her heart, and it urged her to write. First to her mother and then to Elizabeth to congratulate her. Once she had collected her stationary and grabbed the letter as well, she headed towards the library, the fire there was often better stoked then the separate rooms, and the chill weather had begun to creep though the walls during some days.
The library seemed quiet and a first glance empty but as she went further in, she found Haywood Cawley sitting in one of the armchairs by the fire, reading. He looked up as she had approached.
“Miss Everdene” he said as he stood to acknowledge her presence.
“No,” she said as he came to his feet “there is no need for that.” She continued apologetically and then smiled.
“I did not wish to disturb your reading, Mr Cawley.”
“No not at all, I think the library is large enough to accommodate us both.”
“I believe so.” She answered and then asked, “Enjoying your book?”
He looked down at the book in hand before giving her a courteous smile.
“I do. Very much. Are you here to study?” He asked with a nod to her bundle.
“No, not today. I have some letters to write.”
“Joyous I hope?”
“Very, to my mother and my sister in-law.” She smiled. He was polite to the point, but his questions were friendly, and he asked them with what Eleanor read as genuine interest. “I will let you get back to your reading.”
Eleanor sat down at the closest writing desk and Haywood resumed his reading. They shared the space in silence, for a while, before more people found their way into the library.

The trip to the dressmakers in town was merry. Eleanor was overwhelmed by the rows and rows of fabrics, thread, ribbon and buttons. Definitely a grander range than the one offered at the local dressmaker at home. The designs of dresses offered where numerous and shop assistants were all a great help for choosing a colours and design which would suit her. And before she new it she had a dress ordered, grander than any other dress she owned. It was to be of a deep red silk with a full skirt and a fitted bodice, tight three-quarter sleeves which ended in a droop, trimmed with lace. She thought it would be the perfect gown to wear to the Salon, which had been announced they were to have in November. The gossip told of a long way guest where to stay with them during them a few days in November, arriving the day of the Salon. She hoped it would be finished in time for it. After the fitting were over and at the she had finished her order, the majority of the girls were still at theirs. The shop was getting warm and the air a bit stuffed so Eleanor decided to step out on the street, just outside the shop, hoping that even the London air could be a bit refreshing. A while she stood there, watching carriages, one gaudier than the other, pass by a well as simpler cabs and people on foot. She felt out of place, just standing there but going back inside did not seem like a better alternative just yet. A small group of gentlemen pass on the other side of the street, talking lively. Eleanor just thought she recognised one of them.
“George!” She called out, without giving it a second thought. As the man halted and looked around, she passed the street in haste (luckily without getting run over). George spotted her as she made her way over and his face lit up.
“Nell!” He said with a smile before she threw herself around his neck. He hugged and lifted her before releasing her. Eleanor had in the moment given ant thought what the surrounding may think of their public display of affection, her brother was here, standing in front of her and she had missed him so.
“What are you doing here?” He said with a laugh. “Have you run away from that school of your?”
“Of course not, silly! We are here on a visit to the dressmaker.” She could not stop herself from beaming. “Well, don’t look handsome. I barely recognised you. So, you haven’t been kicked out of aunt and uncle’s yet?” Their uncle had, with some doubt agreed, to patron George in his law-studies, as he himself had close connections to the profession, no children of his own and money enough to spare. But uncle was a stern man, and Eleanor had doubted that George and uncle would get along under the same roof.
“No! Auntie adores me, and uncle and I have …hm… come to an agreement.” Eleanor raised her eyebrows.
“I thought you getting kicked out were the reason you had not answered my letters, all three of them!”
“Well I have been busy.” He looked over his should at the men who had walked with him, the had stopped a few paces ahead. “Nelly, I must get going.” She looked doubting at him.
“If didn’t I would had forced you to introduce me to all those fine ladies you keep as company these days.”
“Well, no big chance of that. Everywhere you go where there are ladies you are a fire hazard. A disaster waiting to happen.” He smirked at her remarks.
“Well, it seems you have to get back as well, by the angry look of that chaperon on her way over.” She turned her head about, and sure enough he was right.
“Promise you’ll write?” She asked and squeezed his hand, but he only smiled in response, never the one to keep his promises anyway. Then she hurried back across the street to receive a stern reprimand for her tackles action.

As they headed back from the dressmakers everyone was more subdued than when they had headed out that morning. It had been a long and tiering day. Eleanor came to walk by Ariaena van der Jaager. At first, they only exchanged tired pleasantries and inquiries but is soon turned into cheerful chatter.  Eleanor had not spoken much to Ariaena before. She was a quiet girl and a bit shy but talking to her Eleanor found her quite lovely and they shared more than one laugh. Eleanor hooked her arm with Ariaena as they walked, in a confidant manner. As they became more immersed in the conversation their paced slowed, and soon they were more than a little behind the rest of the group.
“Let go off me!” The familiar voice broke through their conversation and the both girls turned. A red-haired man Eleanor had seen about the manor headed towards them with Bertie in toe. The girl looked quite dishevelled.
“What on earth has happened?” Eleanor asked, but it was soon made clear by their feisty exchange. Bertie managed to break free from the mans grasp and fall into Eleanor and Ariaena’s supporting arms. Eleanor let’s Bertie lean on her as they walk to try to catch up with the group, Ariaena says behind to talk to the man, who she seems to know a little, but Eleanor deems it safe to leave her behind, and in the moment more important to walk Bertie back to the group. The poor girl seemed to be shaking with both anger and fright. She might have not gone by herself, but getting her purse snatched, how deadful!

November

November had come with chill winds to Kensington. The cold weather had coated the gardens in frost and ice and even to the sun could not press though the grey overhang, the vegetation still glistened. The chill couldn’t keep Eleanor indoors. She dressed warmed with an extra layer of petticoats, jacket and shawl as well as mittens and hat for her walk that morning. The gardens were empty as she stepped out and though an unpleasant breeze tore though all layers of clothing, a brisk pace kept her from freezing. Breathing in the cold air, it almost hurt her throat, but in a pleasant way of exercise. The ground was icy head underneath her soles and the grass crunched pleasantly as she crossed over the lawn. When her cheeks were red and nose quite numb, she decided to head back in, to warm up before the day’s lessons. As she headed back to the house, she saw Mr. Cawley head down another path away from the house. He must had seen her to as he tipped his hat, and she gave him a nod in return.
    Well inside she decided to pass by the kitchen to ask them to send up a pot of the to her room, she needed something to warm her frozen fingers and throat. As she did, she found Byron Kensington exiting from the larder.
“Good morning Miss Eleanor.” He said cheerfully.
“Good morning Mr Kensington.” She answered and hoped her nose was not too shining red.
“A pleasant walk?” He asked, and she guessed it was really that red then. At least her already red cheeks hid the blush creeping up them.
“Very refreshing.”
“Did you happen to see Haywood on you way here?”
“As a matter of fact, I did, I saw him in the garden as I was heading inside.”
“Thank you, it is me whom he is waiting for. And I believe I’m rather late.” He bowed his head, excusing himself, and passed her. But before Eleanor could continue on, he spoke again. Looking over her shoulder she found that the had turned in the doorway.
“What will you be reading at the Salon?”
“How do you know I will be reading something?” Of course, she would, but she had not told anyone that yet. He shrugged.
“I have seen you often enough in the library and, I’m sorry to say, I’ve heard you play.” He grinned and she grimaced.
“I should be more careful, not to let you find any more fault in me then.” She teased.  “I have a fondness for Goethe’s writing. However, I have not settled on which poem yet.”
“I’ll be looking forward to hear it.” Was the last thing he said before he went.    

The day of the Salon was suddenly upon them and Eleanor could not believe where the time had gone. The day were quieter than usual, everyone preparing until the last minute, both their acts and their looks. Luckily the gown ordered in town, arrived but days before and it fit like a hand in glove Before the day itself, Eleanor had not felt too nervous. After all she had read at gatherings before, and she had found a poem she could resonance with well. However, on the evening of the Salon it had hit her, swirling around in her stomach threatening to turn all upside down. After all, when she had read before, it had always been to family and close friends, who always were encouraging, not judging like it seemed this crowed might be. That she was to perform near the end and got to watch all her fellow ladies perform one after the other. Each performance splendid, except maybe Enid’s song, who’s poorly timed hick ups ruined the beauty of it. As it finally was her turn she walked up to the centre of attention, taking deep breaths to calm her nerves. She had the poem written down on a piece of parchment in her hands, just in case she would blank and her memory would fail her. When she had claimed the spot, she drew one last breath and the began reciting Permanence in Change. She hoped her words rang out clear, because as she began reading the words poured over her. She had known it before, of course, but as she there and then read the words of changing ways, the realisation hit her, by coming here to Kensington, everything had change and it could never return to the way it was. She had left her childhood home, and when she returned, it would not be as the child anymore. It would be as the young woman, or it all went as hoped, someone’s wife. But did that mean she had to leave who she’d been behind, could she do that? Did she want to? No, but she knew somewhat that she would never get to be as carefree again, as she once had been. Reading, it brought tears to her eyes, and she hoped no one was them, at least she managed to keep the quivering of her heart from her voice. And all of a sudden, she had read out the last lines and she was done. Clasping her hands, she curtsied to the applause. Her eyes instinctively sought out Byron in the crowd. He gave her a winsome smile. She curtsied once more, feeling the blush heat her cheeks, and went back to her seat in a hurry. She had thought flirting with him would be harmless, after all she knew men with such a charm. She had seen plenty of times how her brother had made women swoon over him, and almost loose their wits. She thought herself immune, but that blush told another tale. And Eleanor needed to keep her wits about her, she needed to get a grip of herself. After all, she had seen Byron cast that charming smile at half of the ladies present in the very room, at least. The overwhelming feelings that had flooded Eleanor kept her introvert the rest of the evening, only Hester’s loud and inappropriate performance brought her out of her own head, and it made her blush due to different reasons.

Round 2 complete

Last edited by tricole (14/12/2019 at 21:36)

Rosemary Smith
Same interests
september

turns out all that fuss was a simple misunderstanding, a hunt gone wrong. it was still scary mind, i had come here to help my family and could have quite easily been killed. still, at least i did not faint like that fussock lady katherine. you know, i felt sorry for her at first, it must have been quite embarrassing. but when she came round again she did not even akknoledje? accnoledge? notice me. i had helped carry her inside - and she was not even that light mind - and got no reaction. no thank you, no smile, nothing. cheek of it! these gilflurts are all the same, they think they are so much better than everyone else just because they have money. i even stayed to make sure she was well tended to. fetched her water and everything.

lady kensington entered awhile later and knowing my presence was no longer needed i curtsied and left. now the welcome tea had been abandoned i had a lot of tidying up to do.

if anything good came from the experience, it was that thomas parlow introduced himself. this was the gentlemen who helped me to carry lady katherine back to the manor. we did not talk for long since i had work to do, but i can tell he too does not fit in there. his voice sounded like mine (obviously not girly) but the words he used, i understood. and his eyes, i got lost in them.

i did run into him again actually. miss bertie had her purse snatched by some kencracker and mr parlow kindly helped her out. i just so happened to be dusting the corridor outside lady kensington's quarters whilst mr parlow was meeting with her. when he left, i decided to approach him. i do not know what came over me, speaking out of place. maybe i have been spending too much time around the ladies in the school.

"sir." he did not seem to hear me. "sir." i said louder, stepping towards him. i blushed as he turned around, suddenly realising how stupid i was being. "i am sorry to interrupt you, sir, but i just wanted to congratulate you for your bravery. it was very, well, brave what you did sir"
to my surprise, he smiled at me. "thank you. same could be said for what you did."
"im sorry, sir?"
"helping lady katherine at the welcome tea. most people ran at the sound of the gun, but you rushed to make sure she was okay. now that is bravery."
my cheeks reddened even more at his words. i had never, ever been called brave before in my life. well, apart from when i used to play princess and knights with lottie, but i do not think that really counts.
"thank you sir, that is very kind of you sir. im sorry to have kept you sir." i turned around and picked up the duster i had dropped as i had hobbledygeed towards him. i thought i heard him say something, but an angry ms jones marching towards me distracted me.

after a quick telling off about being outside my area sent me on my way, not without a smile though as i thought back to mr parlows kind words.

oktober

"i have not seen you in here before" i placed the book on the shelf in front of me and turned around to see lord cawley standing in front of me. "sorry sir, i did not mean to be in your way" i said quietly, stepping to the side.
"oh no, i did not mean it like that" he said with a smile, "and less of the sir, it makes me seem old". that was a strange thing to say as he certainly is not old, his skin looks soft and his eyes young.
"sorry sir. i mean not sir. i mean..." i trailed off, unsure as to what i should call him now. as staff i had only been told to address him as lord cawley.
"haywood, please. and you are?"
"rosemary, but most people call me rose."
"what a pretty name" he said, his smile widening. "so why are you in here?"
"one of the other girls has recently had a baby and so is unable to work, ms jones told me i should take on some of her tasks."
"and of course, you cannot say no to her. you would be the secret ingredient in her next famous pie"
"exactly" i said, laughing a little.
nobody talked for a moment, and then lord cawley - haywood - asked me if i liked to read.
"i do not know how to read, i can barely write. my papa could not afford to send me to school, and he does not know how to either so i never learnt"
he looked shock for a second, but then composed himself. "i cannot imagine a world without stories"
"oh, i still grew up with stories. my papa had the most amazing imagination and would make up stories every night before bed. my favourite was always this one about an angry dragon who kept burning the villages down. everyone tried to calm him down with fancy things like a jewelry and a fancy hat which i never understood why they even thought a dragon would want those things but anyway in the end all it took was an apple. it taught us to appreciate the smaller things in life." i paused, realising how out-of-turn i had just spoken, despite haywoods relaxed manner. "oh im sorry, i did not mean to ramble"
"no it is okay, it sounds like a good story."

we talked for a little while more before i excused myself to carry out the rest of my work. but every time i went back into the library, haywood was always there ready for conversation, with an apple in his hand

* * * * *

near to the end of oktober the ladies were taken to the dressmaker in the nearby town to have dresses made for a saloon in november. even though i did not know what a saloon was, or that i knew i would not need a dress for it, i went with them anyway. i told ms jones it was to help carry bags and attend to the ladies if needed, but really i wanted to get out of the manor. whilst i am happy i have sunday afternoons free to myself, the manor is so far away from anything else that i just sit in my room. obviously i do not have access to the horses to ride anywhere. i just needed to get away.

the trip itself was very dull. i was impressed my the amount of fabric they had, i had never seen anything like it in my life. but of course i was not allowed to touch anything in case i got it dirty. so instead i remained on a bench watching jealously as these pretty young ladies got to dry on even prettier dresses. i could not help but look at my own hands, shocked at how worn they have become. they were starting to look like an elderly lady's hands.

when i got back to my room that night i was surprised to find a brown package on my bed. i thought it was from papa but when i opened it i found the most gorgeous fabric. it was so soft, like nothing i had even owned before. i knew it could not be from my father - the little money i had sent back to him certainly would not have been able to pay for this - but there was no note saying who it was from.

smiling, i started thinking about making my own dress. i could so well enough, i would just need access to needle, thread and scissors.

november

it was the night of the saloon, one i particularly did not care for. but whether i liked it or not i had to prepare the dinner table.

as i was setting out the knives and forks, lord chatwith entered the room and approached me. he stood by my side, watching me for a few moments. "can i help you, sir?"
"no, my dear rosemary. all is well."
i carried on setting the places, slightly uncomfortable by his eagle watch. this went on for what felt like hours, but i know was a maximum of 10 minutes.
"you know" he whispered, stepping closer. "i dont know why they make you wear those clothes" i did not think there was anything wrong with my dress. it was the same as the one i wore to the welcome tea, and sure it was not as nice as what the other ladies were wearing but it was better than my usual uniform.
he then leaned in closer, whispering in my ear, "i bet you have a beautiful body under there. i have to admit, id love to find out. maybe i will sometime" he placed his hand around my waist and kissed me, and i froze. a few seconds later he stepped away from me, an eery look in his eye. i was stunned, even as he left the room i did not know what to think. i was scared. no, terrified by his comment. for he was a lord and i am a simple serving girl, he had a low more power and status over me.

i was in a daze for the rest of the evening, even going as far as to drop a glass of wine on the floor, causing everyone in the room to stare at me and giggle. mr parlow tried to grab my arm at one point but i walked away, not wanting to talk to anyone for the rest of the event.

and that night, i cried myself to sleep.

i want papa.

Outfits: standard uniform // outfit to the dressmaker


[Sorry this is so short, I have an exam on Monday I should be revising for Also, thanks for the win in the last round! ALSO sorry if the writing style is annoying or hard to read, just trying to get into character]

Last edited by Fashion-Chic (15/12/2019 at 00:59)

Round 2 is closed.

Welcome to Round 3!

Round 2 winners

Congratulations!

Best story: Zaralee

Best outfits: NinaJones

For each of you your bonus moving forward is 5 extra points for you and 3 extra points for the contestant of your choosing (PM me your choices)

This round will encompass the end of November, December, January and February.

In November the morning after the Salon (November 20th ) you’ll each have a private meeting with Lady Kensington; the results of this meeting will determine how you spend the rest of the month (please see this in your impressions). Fashion-Chic you can choose if your character wants to eavesdrop on some or all of these meetings and how that can impact her actions.

In December the manor will be a flurry of activity in preparation for Christmas and classes will be suspended as a result; while many of the teachers will leave, Mr. Delacorte will remain on the premises. There will be trips into the city on the 2nd and 10th of the month which students can choose to attend in order to purchase gifts for each other. On Christmas eve (December 24th) the manor will host a formal ball and on Christmas day (December 25th) there will be an exchange of presents and games in the morning and a formal dinner in the evening. For the rest of the month you will be largely left to your own devices but there will be another ball on New Years Eve (December 31st) and Lady Kensington has decided that it will be a Masquerade ball.

In January classes will resume promptly on January 2rd. You will still be required to take French, music and literature but dance will also be added as well and as such the gentlemen will be at the house more frequently. On the 13th of January a snow storm will begin and everyone, including the gentlemen will be trapped in the manor for 5 days (until January 19th). Lady Kensington will insist that classes go on as usual during the storm, but that doesn’t fully go according to plan (see impressions). The rest of the month will be largely uneventful.

In February the manor will be thrown upside down repeatedly with the arrival of two uninvited guests and Valentines Day. The first guest will be Bertie’s grandmother Dowager Countess Cordelia Pembroke (she’ll arrive indecently late on the evening of the 3rd and leave on the afternoon of the 6th ) You’ll all be expected to be on your best behavior while she’s there, if you choose to ignore this there will be consequences in the following round. The next guest will be Duke Edward Matson, a distant cousin of the Kensington’s who shows up disheveled and without an escort on the 12th.  On Valentine’s day you will each receive a small note/gift from someone (see impressions). How you spend the rest of the month will depend on how Valentine’s day goes.

Dowager Countess Cordelia Pembroke

She arrives under unfortunate circumstances (see impressions) and will be snippy and catty to everyone as a result.

Duke Edward Matson

He arrives unannounced, and a bit unwelcome but decorum means that he must be allowed to stay. He's largely condescending but can be charming as well when he chooses to be.

For round 3 please include all of the following:

Name

Story Tell me about your meeting with Lady Kensington, the events of December (you can pick what you want to focus on both should definitely include all of the festivities, the events of January (you can choose to just focus on the storm) and the events of February (this will largely be dependent on the impressions).

The impressions for the characters that you indicated being interested in are in the post directly following this one.

Fashion-chic you can write all of this from the perspective of the serving girl watching this.

Outfits This round will require 3 looks

Your formal ball look (Christmas eve)

Your masquerade ball look (New Years Eve)

Your Valentine’s day look

Fashion-chic you can create a standard uniform for your character and a dress uniform or figure out a creative way to present another look.

Interests (up to 3 BUT please include at least a brief interaction with them even if it's only seeing them in a particular place and having a thought about them so I have something to base the impressions off of). Note that you can include one of the new characters that I've introduced but the limit is still 3.

This round will end at 11pm EST on December 18th.

Last edited by Dare (17/12/2019 at 13:25)

Impressions

Zaralee as Ariaena van der Jaager

Lady Kensington: At your meeting following the salon she’ll ask about your sadness, she knows that it’s more than just the fact that you’re a widow. You can choose to share your story or not.

Chauncey and Hester He's enjoying getting to know you and is intrigued to learn more.

November For the remainder of November he will not be on the estate.

December As a matter of form he must spend time with Hester but they’ve come to the unspoken agreement that this is really time for you to spend with him. For Christmas he will gift her a book that she will give to you under the pretense that she already has a copy, but when you open it you will discover a note for you.

January During the first night of the storm, Hester will suggest that you switch rooms because hers is warmer; if you choose to do so, Chauncey will visit late one night and what happens between the two of you is up to you. If you choose not to switch rooms with her, the pair will still contrive reasons for you and Chauncey to spend time together. Note also that Hester will arrange for late night co-ed slumber parties in a parlor in a shut off wing of the house for the remainder of the storm. It’s up to you if you choose to attend these parties or not

February For Valentine’s day he’ll write you a love poem (it will have to be given to Hester) you can decide if you want to respond in kind and if you want to “chaperone” what’s supposed to be an evening out for them at his family home. If you decide to go, Hester will disappear halfway through the date leaving you and Chauncey alone in his parlor.

Thomas He’s unsure what to make of you, if you want to get to know him better you will need to speak to him.

November For the remainder of November he will not be on the estate.

December He’ll be on the estate for the Christmas eve ball, and will clearly be uncomfortable during the festivities, choosing to spend more time speaking to the help than the guests.

January He’ll be stuck on the estate during the storm. He will keep mostly to himself and will not attend the late night parties that Hester has arranged, choosing to instead spend his time in his room.

For February he’ll be summoned to the estate after the Dowager Countess arrives, where he is questioned about Bertie. He’ll be seem briefly on February 14th but if you want to speak to him then you’ll have to be quick and catch him on the way out.

BambiFoxx as Katherine (Kitty) Nicole Sheffield

Lady Kensington: She’s proud of your bravado at the salon as well as your cheek and will share as much, she will however tell you that you need to tread more carefully in the future as you won’t always have the walls of the manor or of your father’s home to protect you.

Hester The two of you are becoming fast friends and Hester is pleased to have a true confidante.

November She’ll ask you to tell her what you’ve been doing in the early mornings; if you tell her she’ll find a way to contrive to help you; specifically she’ll send your maid out every morning with a fresh skirt and boots.

December For Christmas she’ll gift you a book of lewd poems that she had Chauncey acquire for her.

January During the storm she’ll arrange for late night co-ed slumber parties in a parlor in a shut off wing of the house for the remainder of the storm. It’s up to you if you choose to attend these parties or not.

February She’ll warn you away from Myles following his Valentine’s day gift, and encourage you to find your happiness elsewhere.

Caleb He’s intrigued by you, more so after your salon performance.

November During the last days of November if you continue to visit the stables in the mornings you will find that in addition to your maid having fresh clothes that she can also direct you to a small unused cottage a few steps from the stables where you can change. If you choose to use this cottage as a changing place, one morning you’ll walk in on Caleb changing. He’ll joke about you two being even now following the salon, you can choose to chat with him or not.

December On the morning of Christmas eve a brand new saddle will be delivered to your room; a gift from Caleb. He’ll invite you to use your new gift with an early morning Christmas day ride. You can choose to join him or not. If you choose to join him, he'll prepare a small breakfast picnic and arrange for your maid to cover for you. If you choose not to join him he'll stay around the manor in the library, you can seek him out there if you like. He'll begrudgingly attend the Christmas Eve ball and will duck out early. If you choose to follow him you'll both end up at the cottage where he'll taunt you about seeking scandal by being alone with him. How you respond to him is up to you. The same will be true on the evening of the New Years Eve ball.

January During the storm he’ll choose not to attend Hester’s late night parties, choosing instead to  spend his time in his room. Be mindful that his quarters are on the opposite side of the manor and if you stay past sunrise you’ll be stuck there all day as the servants clean and will miss classes as a result as you can’t risk being seen leaving his room.

February When his cousin arrives he’ll be tasked with essentially babysitting the Duke by his mother, this will make him more bristly than usual. If you choose to engage him while the Duke is there, the Duke will attempt to flirt with you. The day after Valentine's day he'll send his valet to you with a message requesting your presence. If you go with the valet, you'll be escorted to the cottage and find that Caleb has lunch for you both. The Duke will be there passed out on a chaise lounge. He won't explicitly say it's an acknowledgement of Valentine's day but it will be implied.

Myles:Similar to Caleb he’s intrigued with you, more so after your salon performance, but he’ll display it in much different ways.

November He won’t be on the estate in November.

December He’ll be at the manor for the Christmas Eve Ball and The New Years Eve Ball. At the Christmas Eve Ball he’ll give you a small box containing a jewel encrusted brooch as a a Christmas gift. How you respond to this gift is up to you. At the New Years Eve Ball he’ll suggest you go out alone on one of the balconies. How you respond is up to you.

January He won’t be on the estate in January.

February For Valentine’s day he’ll gift you with a scandalous French negligee with a note asking you to model it for him privately, a very risque invitation which would require for you to go to his manor the following day. You can choose to accept or decline.

NinaJones as Nonie Grace Dedworth

As a note Hester thinks that you’re a nice enough girl but dull and while she won’t be cruel to you she won’t continue to be welcoming as such she won’t engage you in conversation at all (she’ll keep her response short if you engage her) nor will she invite you to any of her slumber parties in January.

Lady Kensington: She’s pleased with your performance and with how well you’re settling into Kensington. On a personal note, she’ll warn you away from Myles as he has a habit of making mistresses of young women of color.

Byron He enjoyed the time he was able to spend reading to you in the library and would like to get to know you better.

November Whenever you two are in the library together he’ll find reasons to talk to you, his conversation will be both friendly and flirtatious.

December On Christmas morning he’ll gift you (via his valet, a short stock fellow by the name of Irving Pennyworth) a first edition, leather bound book of poetry. How you respond to this gift is up to you. At the New Years Eve Ball he’ll be socializing with all of the ladies and will be sure to ask you for a dance. **You may want to coordinate the Christmas morning part with Chayanne03**

January During the storm he’ll attend a few of the last night slumber parties being held by Hester which you aren’t invited to. When he realizes this on the final night of the parties he’ll invite you to spend some time with him alone in the library if you’d be so bold. You can choose to accept or decline.

February When his cousin arrives he’ll be spending much of his time trying to avoid the Duke who’s being looked after by his brother. For this reason he won’t be on the estate much, and any time you see him he’ll only have enough time to say a few words in passing.

Myles He is quite taken with you and will be forward as a result.

November He won’t be on the estate in November.

December He’ll be at the manor for the Christmas Eve Ball and The New Years Eve Ball. At the Christmas Eve Ball he’ll give you a hair comb with a jeweled lily as a a Christmas gift. How you respond to this gift is up to you. On the day of the New Years Eve Ball he’ll arrive early and ask you to join him in the parlor, there will be a serving girl there so it wouldn’t be entirely improper to do so. If you choose to meet him he’ll make you a scandalous offer in French, if you choose not to meet him he will be polite but cold the rest of the evening if you choose to attend the ball. **You may want to coordinate this with BambiFoxx**

January He won’t be on the estate in January.

February For Valentine’s day he’ll send you a lavish gift of French chocolates, and the box will contain a pair of diamond earrings which will be delivered to you by Fashion-Chic’s character. He would like you to thank him by attending a ball at his estate the following month. You can choose to accept or decline his invitation.

Bertie After your conversation the night of the Salon, she doesn’t believe that you and Hattie are true friends to her and she will snub you as a result.

November She’ll ignore you any time that you try to talk to her, and if you persist she’ll lash out cruelly.

December She’ll continue her behavior from November and seeing what Myles gifted you for Christmas she’ll start a rumor that you did something very unladylike to have won his attention. If you confront her about this rumor she’ll play the victim and try to slander your name further. If you choose not to confront her however she’ll soon grow bored. She does not attend the New Years Eve Ball choosing to sulk in her room instead. She’ll insist that if you’re truly her friend you won’t attend either. You can choose to stay with her or attend the ball but not both.

January If you chose not to go to the New Years Eve Ball she’ll be kind to you in January, even offering to speak to Hester once she makes it clear that you’re not welcome at her slumber parties. If however you chose to go to the Ball instead of staying with her she’ll be incredibly cruel to you at any chance she gets. During the last week of January she runs away. **You may want to coordinate this with Chayanne03**

February Bertie will be gone until the 6th of February. However, her grandmother the Dowager Countess will get there after midnight on the evening of the 3rd while she’s still missing and you’ll be summoned in the early hours of the morning to tell her and Lady Kensington anything you may know about where Bertie could have gone. When Bertie does come back on the morning of the 6th she’ll be disheveled and a bit hungover in the custody of the local constable. Her grandmother will want to remove her from the school at that point, but Lady Kensington will insist that she stay. You can choose to speak on her behalf or against her. Whether Bertie is removed from the school or allowed to stay will hinge in part on you and will be revealed in the next round **You may want to coordinate this with Chayanne03**

Chayanne03 as Harriet Ada York

Lady Kensington: She applauds your choice of poem and the way that you carry yourself as a young lady. She encourages you to keep up the good work.

Haywood Following the concert it’s clear to him that you’re the type of young woman he should be interested in; you’re polite and refined and would likely make a fine wife. Despite this however he doesn’t feel a real spark.

November He won’t be on the estate for the rest of November

December He’ll ask you to a lunch at his estate on the 2nd so you can meet his parents (the first day that you and the other ladies are allowed to go into town shopping). If you choose to attend the lunch will go well, but you’ll be able to tell that he’s being more polite than flirtatious. If you choose not to attend he’ll simply stay at Kensington with Byron. In December at Byron’s urging he’ll gift you a small music box that plays a lullaby from his home country in India at the Christmas Eve Ball. How you respond to the gift is up to you. At the  New Years Eve Ball he’ll be in attendance but he will rarely be in the main ballroom choosing instead to spend his time in the library feigning a headache **You may want to coordinate the New Years Eve portion with Fashion-chic and Tricole**

January He’ll be at the estate only during the snowstorm. Your interactions with him however will need to be minimal as you’ll have classes and you’re not invited to Hester’s late night slumber parties which he’ll attend with Byron.

February He’ll only be at the estate very briefly on the morning on Valentine’s Day. He will gift you a box of Belgian chocolates and a small note that is kind but not necessarily romantic.

Byron He had a pleasant time speaking with you in the library but his loyalties are torn between trying to pursue you and his friendship with Haywood.

November He’ll be in his usual haunts (the library and the larder) and if you see him in either of those places and strike up conversation he’ll be friendly.

December On Christmas morning he’ll gift you personally a book by Sarah Fyge Egerton and ask you to join him in the library so you can read them aloud together. You can choose to accept his invitation or decline it. At the New Years Eve Ball he’ll be socializing with all of the ladies and will be sure to ask you for a dance. **You may want to coordinate the Christmas morning part with NinaJones.**

January During the storm he’ll attend a few of the last night slumber parties being held by Hester which you aren’t invited to. You can choose to skip a class and  spend some time with him in the library.

February When his cousin arrives he’ll be spending much of his time trying to avoid the Duke who’s being looked after by his brother. For this reason he won’t be on the estate much, and any time you see him he’ll only have enough time to say a few words in passing.

Bertie After your conversation the night of the Salon, she doesn’t believe that you and Nonie are true friends to her and she will snub you as a result.

November She’ll ignore you any time that you try to talk to her.

December She’ll continue her behavior from November and tell Hester that you’ve said hateful things about her, causing Hester to be icy towards you as well She does not attend the New Years Eve Ball choosing to sulk in her room instead. She’ll insist that if you’re truly her friend you won’t attend either. You can choose to stay with her or attend the ball but not both.

January If you chose not to go to the New Years Eve Ball she’ll be kind to you in January, even offering to speak to Hester once she makes it clear that you’re not welcome at her slumber parties. If however you chose to go to the Ball instead of staying with her she’ll be incredibly cruel to you at any chance she gets. During the last week of January she runs away. **You may want to coordinate this with NinaJones**

February Bertie will be gone until the 6th of February. However, her grandmother the Dowager Countess will get there after midnight on the evening of the 3rd while she’s still missing and you’ll be summoned in the early hours of the morning to tell her and Lady Kensington anything you may know about where Bertie could have gone. When Bertie does come back on the morning of the 6th she’ll be disheveled and a bit hungover in the custody of the local constable. Her grandmother will want to remove her from the school at that point, but Lady Kensington will insist that she stay. You can choose to speak on her behalf or against her. Whether Bertie is removed from the school or allowed to stay will hinge in part on you and will be revealed in the next round **You may want to coordinate this with NinaJones**

Tricole as Eleanor Everdene

Lady Kensington: She’s pleased with your performance at the Salon and with the way you’ve carried yourself for the most part. She is however concerned about your exchange in town with a young man and warns you that all a lady has is her reputation.

Byron He’s unsure what to make of you, if you want to get to know him better you will need to speak to him.

November He’ll seek you out immediately following the Salon as everyone is heading to bed and congratulate you on your performance. You can choose to converse with him at length if you’d like.

December At the Christmas Eve ball he’ll be absent much of the night. If you seek him out in his usual haunts (the library and the larder) he won’t be there. At the New Years Eve Ball he’ll be socializing with all of the ladies and will be sure to ask you for a dance.

January During the storm he’ll attend a few of the last night slumber parties being held by Hester which you aren’t invited to. If you want to see him it’ll need to be between classes.

February When his cousin arrives he’ll be spending much of his time trying to avoid the Duke who’s being looked after by his brother. For this reason he won’t be on the estate much, and any time you see him he’ll only have enough time to say a few words in passing. On Valentine’s day however he will seek you out to gift you a neatly folded square of parchment, containing a poem about a lovely country girl that he composed for you. You can think about how you want to respond to this, but you won’t have a chance until March (the next round).

Haywood He’s unsure what to make of you but thinks you may have an interesting story.

November He won’t be on the estate for the rest of November.

December He’ll be on the estate for the Christmas Eve ball and the New Years Eve Ball. At the first ball he’ll be polite and will be open to chatting if you approach him. At the second ball he’ll be in attendance but he will rarely be in the main ballroom choosing instead to spend his time in the library feigning a headache **You may want to coordinate the New Years Eve portion with Fashion-chic and Chayanne03**

January He’ll be at the estate only during the snowstorm. Your interactions with him however will need to be minimal as you’ll have classes and you’re not invited to Hester’s late night slumber parties which he’ll attend with Byron.

February He’ll only be at the estate very briefly on the morning on Valentine’s Day. If you wish to speak to him, it’ll have to be as he arrives or as he leaves.

Mr. Delacorte He’ll take your brief out of class interaction as an invitation to flirt with you.

November He’ll ask you to stay after class on the final day of the month to go over your translations. While there he’ll be flirtatious. You can choose how you respond to this flirtation.

December If you respond favorably to his flirtations in November he’ll ask you to join him for a secret rendezvous on the 10th of the month at a coffee shop in the city where the ladies are shopping. If you choose to go, he’ll flirt. If you decline he will be courteous. If you don’t respond favorably to his flirtations in November he’ll try a different tactic in December trying to appeal to your intellect with a gift of a book in French for Christmas. How you respond is up to you.

January He’ll be at estate during the snowstorm, and if you venture out of your bedroom on one of those nights you’ll find him playing piano in one of the music rooms. You can choose to engage with him there.

February He’ll be called away on the first day of the month for a family emergency and will not return for the rest of the month. As he’s leaving he’ll seek you out and try for a kiss. You can choose to kiss him or not.

Schoggettchen as Lady Amelie Charlotte Spencer

Lady Kensington: Based on your background you delivered exactly as expected on your performance and she is pleased with that. However, what she is less pleased about is the fact that you've spent unchaperoned time with both of her sons, something she'll be blunt in expressing. There will be no formal consequences for this as she's speaking to you more as a mother than as the head of the school regarding Caleb and Byron.

Byron He genuinely likes spending time with you, however he also knows that you've been spending time with his brother and as such he's going to up the ante when it comes to dealing with you.

November The morning following the Salon he'll send a note to your room asking you to meet him after your morning classes in the kitchen. If you go, you'll be treated to an awkward but fun cooking lesson with the cooks fussing over you as you make chocolates. If you choose not to go he'll send some of the delicious results to your room. How you respond is up to you.

December At the Christmas Eve ball he’ll be absent much of the night.If you seek him out in his usual haunts (the library and the larder) he won’t be there. However, when you go back to your room you'll catch him in the act of setting up your Christmas gift: a new art set complete with a beautiful easel, various paints, pastels and pencils, papers, and a sketch book. As you walk in he'll be finishing a lovely pencil sketch of you as a final addition to the gift. How you respond is up to you. At the New Years Eve Ball he’ll be socializing with all of the ladies and will be sure to ask you for a dance.

January During the storm he’ll attend a few of the last night slumber parties being held by Hester which you aren’t invited to. If you want to see him it’ll need to be between classes.

February When his cousin arrives he’ll be spending much of his time trying to avoid the Duke who’s being looked after by his brother. For this reason he won’t be on the estate much, and any time you see him he’ll only have enough time to say a few words in passing. On Valentine’s day however he will seek you out to gift you a jeweled brooch in the shape of a music note. You can think about how you want to respond to this, but you won’t have a chance until March (the next round).

Caleb He thinks that you're a perfectly nice young woman, albeit a bit stubborn, however he has his eyes set on someone else.

November He will stop escorting you himself if he sees you on the grounds alone, however he will ensure that one of the maids from Kensington is with you if necessary. If you try to engage him in conversation he'll be polite but brief.

December He'll begrudgingly attend the Christmas Eve ball and will duck out early. If you choose to follow him you'll end up on a portion of the estate you haven't seen before and may seem him with another young lady. The same will be true on the evening of the New Years Eve ball. **You may want to coordinate this with BambiFoxx**

January During the storm he’ll choose not to attend Hester’s late night parties, choosing instead to  spend his time in his room. If you try to visit him there he will have his valet turn you away. **You may want to coordinate this with BambiFoxx*

February When his cousin arrives he’ll be tasked with essentially babysitting the Duke by his mother, this will make him more bristly than usual. If you choose to engage him while the Duke is there, the Duke will attempt to vouch for your pedigree and why you and Caleb should be together.

Enid She'll be happy for your attention but leery about it as well considering her background.

November She'll seek you out following the Salon impressed with your performance and ask if you wouldn't mind helping her with her music lessons.

December If you choose to go shopping she'll be subtle but it will be apparent that she's following your lead and her mannerisms. If you call her on this she'll flat out deny it and a bit of her Cheapside roots will come out. If however you ignore it she'll warm up to you slightly. On the morning of Christmas she'll gift you with a set of new hair ribbons. How you respond is up to you.

January She's going to be both annoyed and relieved by not being invited to Hester's slumber parties and will suggest that the two of you do something together (you can make up what this is). How you respond is up to you.

February The arrival of the Constable with Bertie in tow will have her shaken on the 6th, and she'll flee the grounds until the end of the month. If you don't ask her about it, she'll simply stay closer to you then usual.

Fashion-Chic as Rosemary Smith

Thomas He likes that you’re made of stronger stuff than most of the ladies and wants to get to know you better.

November For the remainder of November he will not be on the estate.

December He’ll be on the estate for the Christmas eve ball, and will clearly be uncomfortable during the festivities, he’ll find reasons to engage you in conversation at any chance that he gets, you can choose to talk with him but if you’re not careful it will lead to consequences.

January He’ll be stuck on the estate during the storm. He will keep mostly to himself and will not attend the late night parties that Hester has arranged, choosing to instead spend his time in his room. As a member of the staff you’ll have access to his rooms and therefore to him during the day if you want to talk to him.

For February he’ll be summoned to the estate after the Dowager Countess arrives, where he is questioned about Bertie. On February 14th he’ll stop by briefly to offer you a small box of sweets. How you respond to this gift is up to you.

Haywood Following your conversations in the library he wants to get to know you, but knows that as a matter of decorum he should get to know one of the ladies attending the school.

November He won’t be on the estate for the rest of November

December You won’t see him much in December but on December 23rd he’ll slip into the manor and gift you with a primary school lesson book and an offer to teach you to read. How you respond to the gift is up to you. At the  New Years Eve Ball he’ll be in attendance but he will rarely be in the main ballroom choosing instead to spend his time in the library feigning a headache. You’ll be given the task of tending to his needs. If you want to learn how to read he’ll offer to tutor you himself in the New Year and will spend much of the night talking to you. If you don’t want to accept his offer to learn to read he’ll press you to find out why, you can choose how you respond to him **You may want to coordinate the New Years Eve portion with Chayann03, Schoggettchen and Tricole**

January He’ll be at the estate only during the snowstorm. Your interactions with him however will need to be minimal as you’ll have extra work to do because of the extra guests and you’re not invited to Hester’s late night slumber parties which he’ll attend with Byron.

February He’ll only be at the estate very briefly on the morning on Valentine’s Day. He will gift you a box of Belgian chocolates just like the ones he gives to Chayanne03's character and if you have taken him up on his offer to teach you to read he will also gift you another children's book. If you haven't taken him up on his offer to teach you to read he will instead spend a few moments trying to tempt you with a story that he won't tell you the end of.

Myles As a servant he sees you as an easy target for his flirtations.

November He won’t be on the estate in November.

December He’ll be at the manor for the Christmas Eve Ball and The New Years Eve Ball. At the Christmas Eve Ball he’ll corner you before the festivities and ask why you didn’t use the fabric he sent you to make yourself a dress for the Salon, and he’ll make another crude remark about seeing you out of uniform. He’ll then offer you a present of a small purse full of coins in exchange for a kiss. How you respond is up to you.  At the New Years Eve ball he won’t have the opportunity to speak to you as you’ll be assigned to attending to Hayward.

January He won’t be on the estate in January.

February For Valentine’s day he’ll seek you out to deliver the gift to NinaJones’s character and will whisper to you that if you’re kind to him he will send similar gifts to you. How you respond is up to you.

[/b][/b]

Last edited by Dare (17/12/2019 at 13:26)

Ariaena van der Jaager
Interests Chauncey, Hester, Thomas.
Outfits

Story

IX. Dust usually settles, doesn’t it?

Lady Kensington decided, soon after, it was enough of the social visit for one evening: things fell into place for Ariaena and she used the second notice to slip away from the parlour and into her room where she decides to read the letter in peace.

It has been quite a while since Marchioness Anna wrote to her – she had no expectations their correspondence would become a joyful habit for the lady, but she expected more than one letter every two months – and while Johanna wrote on weekly bases, the letters coming from home were the ones that resonated the most for her. There’s a certain comfort in reading the words written in your own language and nothing hidden between you and the person who took the time to write those letters for you.

Marchioness speaks of how the city has fallen to the French government – she speaks of the French as the usurpers, but you can tell she had close friends in their ranks: the tone is far too relaxed for someone who is in the hands of the enemy – once again, it’s lovely to imagine her navigating through the world and owning up to it. She asks about Ariaena instead, she asks about her progress of her studies, she asks about the books she has read, she goes as far as to draw the comparison between them. Marchioness Anne was widowed young as well, left with three small children and without a soul in the world, as she likes to say herself after a glass of good wine and in a good company – widowed young, with a beauty known beyond the town walls and when she took over the household and the business, she killed her own chances of another marriage.

At this point, she would nonchalantly, but with a hint of pride in her voice tell whoever was listening, she did not want another marriage. If asked – and over the course of many dozens of dinners, she was asked quite a lot – why? Because she already had the love of her life and another could not exist for her in this world.

Anne was – through eyes of a newlywed fifteen-year-old Ariaena – a very tragic heroine of a romance novel in which she would take over. Now, alone in the bed, she felt like it was a very cruel twist of fate: neither of them was a heroine of a love story.

The letter is in good humour, the questions focus on the girl, the education, the upcoming holidays – the friendships. Ariaena breaks a tiny smile, her mind going straight to Hester. Perhaps unlikely, but a friendship happened in her mind: how could someone as interesting, entertaining and educated ever take interest in someone as plain as she was? Still, Hester was a friend and falling asleep with this comforting thought in her mind kept her warm enough.

Nora pulls the curtains quickly and with a very big grin on her face, chirping about something that happened last night, while turning the bed as Ariaena got dressed: she chuckles listening to Nora talk, before there’s a knock on her door. Both girls stand in their steps, before Hester steps into the room.
“Good morning,” she says, glancing at Nora who quickly got out of the room, exiting in time to see Hester sit onto the bed. – “You really seized the moment to run out on us, last night,” she tries a cute smile.
“I was—”
“I would urge you not to make a silly excuse, but instead simply talk to me, would you?”

She looks at the girl sitting in front of her, before there’s another knock on the door.

“Does everyone need a word with you this morning?”

Lady Kensington’s maid confirms the theory and Ariaena has been summoned to talk to the Lady of the house herself, regarding the Salon performance last night. She appears in time, entering the library Lady Kensington usually used to work, read and conduct household-related conversations. There’s a tiny smile lingering on her face as she walks in, does a small curtsy and sits into the chair opposite to Lady Kensington.

“Thank you, Ariaena, for joining me on such short notice,” she begins, gesturing towards the tea – the maid standing in the corner pours them both a cup before leaving the room and leaving them alone again. – “Hopefully you’ve had a pleasant evening last night?”
“I enjoyed the Salon immensely, madam,” she smiled, sipping on the tea lightly. – “I hope we rose up to your expectations,”

Lady Kensington gives a tiny nod and a very mysterious little smirk.

“Yours was worth the time, surely, but it is not the reason I asked you to join me here,” she continued. Ariaena’s heart beats loudly, she feels her hands shake a tiny bit, settling the cup on her lap. Lady Kensington glances down at the small tremor, before looking straight to her again. – “There is no need to feel nervous, I assure you,”
“Forgive me,” she exhales deeply, trying to calm herself a little bit.
“Nothing to forgive,” she continued, making her pace slow and steady again. – “You must know something about me, Ariaena, and while we are sharing this moment of speaking in privacy, I would like to share this with you.”

Aria wants to say something, but stops herself, allowing the woman to speak at her own terms, allowing the pause to clear the air and herself to breathe in properly.

“Ever since I started running this establishment, the reputation of the Kensington Finishing School has gone up, if I may say so without the false modesty social etiquette expects from us,” then, a smile runs through the words and she sips on her tea before she goes on. – “And as such, I take immense pride in getting to know each and every one of the young ladies that go through my home – I try to get to know them, their strengths and good sides, what makes them happy and what can make them,” she continued, hands around the chalice. – “I encourage them, from time to time, to share their thoughts with me, and at this moment I would like to encourage you to do the same.”

Ariaena looks at the woman sitting in front of her and finds no words to say to her.

“I might not know a lot about you, but I can tell you are not happy – I believe it has nothing to do with this place, but your presence here could be one of the factors of this sadness I can sense you harbor,” she says seriously. – “And I would like to encourage you to talk to me about it, I would like for you to feel this is a place of security.”
“Oh,” she mused – and she could not find it in her to say another sentence right away. Ariaena breaths in, deeply, setting the chalice to the desk between them. – “I do, already, Madam, find the Kensington estate a place where I feel secure, I promise you that.”

There’s a smirk coming from the other side of the table.

“But not safe enough to share what clouds your mind,” she chuckled lightly. – “You married young, from what I recall, and you’ve lost your husband early into the marriage,” everything is starting to sound like lightly threaded line between a question and a statement and Ariaena cannot decide if she should say something or remain silent. – “I also feel this is not all there is to your story, Ariaena. Tell me if I am wrong?”
“You are not,” she says instantly, feeling that huge lump in her throat show up again. – “But, can any story be said in a sentence?”
“Very rarely so, indeed,” Lady Kensington replied with a subtle nod of
“Mine is no different from the others, Madam,” she continues. – “And should you choose to believe me when I say I would like nothing more than to be able to tell you about it, you would know I cannot do that.”

There’s nothing more she could tell – but there is so much more she would like to word out, finally. She can feel the tears bottling down in her eyes and she breaks a smile instead.

“Nothing you say will leave this room, Ariaena,” she reassured her. – “Harbouring deep sadness is not a wise thing for a young woman,”
“I agree,” she nodded, taking a sip of the tea from the table.
“You are far too young to bury yourself in widowhood,” Lady Kensington’s words reach the painful spot for the girl. She looks at her, calmly. – “Certainly, your parents wish for you to marry again, give them grandchildren,”

“My parents are no longer living,” she slips into the official version instantly – and there’s the quickness of this moment which resonates with Lady Kensington easily. Her face shifts a little and Ariaena exhales sharply. – “May I now speak openly, my lady?”
“You always could have, not a word of this would reach your mother-in-law nor the Baroness—”
“Both have been nothing but good to me, my lady,” Ariaena reassures her – and truthfully – she does not remember a single instance either of them seemed cruel towards her. Their intentions never seemed to be bad towards her, she is bound to tell this to Lady Kensington – if not for her own calmness, but to uphold the reputation both Anne and Johanna hold.

She recalls being young in age, 10 at the time, when she arrived at the house with her aunt. The house seems enormous compared to the small room she had lived in before she arrived – the entrance alone could hold what she considered her entire home, up to that moment, in one room – and she remembers standing there in disbelief, in her black little dress with so much splendour surrounding her she could not take it all in. She remembers the house smelt of flowers and powder. She remembers how a small girl of her age sat next to stairs and smiled at her before vanishing into the darkness of the servants’ room. She remembers not being courageous enough to touch the soft-looking wallpapers or the curtains hanging by door.

“The child is now without one living parent, no one will make a fuss,” she remembers her aunt saying and herself looking at the only woman she remembers to be present in her life lately. She saw the saddened look on the face of the Marchioness when their eyes locked. – “You can do what you want with the child.”

She remembers how the words sounded quite serious, quite frightful. She remembers the Marchioness did not look either of those things.

“You wrote to me she has knowledge of French?” she asked Ariaena’s aunt and the girl smiled, looking up towards the woman as she walked in small circles around the flower pattern in the floor.
“Her mother spoke some French to her since she was born. Her father was born there.”

The rest of the conversation she did not hear – not because she was far, or the conversation was silent, but because he stepped into the room. Mies approached her with a smile on his face and two orange slices in her hand. She took one, he took the other. It was the first time she had an orange. It was the last time she saw her aunt.


Luckily, there is no pity in Lady Kensington’s look, at all, not when she was finished with her story, not the second she was leaving the library. She would have felt horrible if there had been some. But there it was, her situation out in the open, for some part. Still, Ariaena had no heart, no bravery to tell this kind woman the shallows her marriage really reached, she cannot make herself to speak in an ill way about him, she could not find it in her heart in the end. She hated him, on an occasion or two where she would lie alone in the bed at night, crying her eyes out and wondering had she not been enough. And in time she could not find it in her heart to hate him anymore, years have shown her he was far more unhappy than she was.

So, instead of being miserable each on their own accord, Mies and Ariaena found some comfort one in another in those later days. For him, she would be a friend and would show him she did not hold his mother’s decisions against him.

Sadly, for her, each one of those moments of love was a tiny bit of hope she gained, which would hurt her a little less by the end.

The night Mies died was the last time she poured her tears over him alone in her bed.

X. Hark! The herald-angels sing, glory to the new-born king!

Snow could make anything look better – she believes it was one of the most gorgeous things she has ever set her eyes on – even London looked a thousand times nicer under the thick coat of white. Wreaths hung on the doors, the carollers walked the streets and luckily for Ariaena, Hester would not take no for an answer.

“I would love to get you something,”
“Oh, but do not bother, honestly,” she says it and means none of it – Ariaena is certain – and the chuckle Hester gives in the end confirms her doubts.
“A book perhaps,” she stands in her place near a window of a bookstore, getting close enough to read the titles.
“Believe me, nothing I would like to read can be sold on the main street,” she gives a tiny wink. – “But I would not allow for you to wander around dishonourable corners of the city,” she gives Aria a little nudge.
“I would not mind exploring those morally questionable nooks to find a present for you,” Ariaena smiled, lowering her voice to prevent the unwanted attention.
“Oh, darling, there is nothing questionable about the moral of the places one should explore to find me a present – there simply are no morals to question,” she gave it a little laugh, along with Aria. – “I am serious, I would not forgive myself if you went looking for my gift and got hurt,”
“I would still like to gift you something,”
“I suggest you commission a painter for me,” she smirks. – “Perhaps the type Spanish painters did for the private collections,” Hester whispers, making the girl gasp and let out a little laugh. – “Oh, I have corrupted you, Aria, you would not have known the meaning of this only some months ago,”
“You could never do such a thing,” she smiled and she meant it: Hester showed her there was laughter beyond the usual convention, there were fun things to do without the approval of whoever you needed to ask for approval and that life is to be enjoyed. – “I shall find something, I promise,” she chuckled.

“Would you do me a favour, Aria?”
“Of course, if I can help it,”
“I have an errand to run nearby and I would not like to go there alone,”
“You shall not go alone then,” she chuckled, letting Hester lead the way: she walked the street confidently – she had no idea if she knew exactly where she was heading, but she always found her way in the end. They arrive to an alley, long and quite narrow, with only a handful windows on each side and the bricks of the buildings darkened with smoke and char – the snow does not cover so much of it to make it look better, but she is there with Hester and feels no fear about it.

They both check no one has seen them enter the alley, walking towards the other end, when there’s a familiar voice startling them both from the corner of the building.

“You really should not be walking around—” he stops once he notices Hester is not alone. – “Alone.”

Her heart drops a little, colour flushes her cheeks and Hester’s lips stretch into a very mischievous grin. Chauncey smiled and gave it a little nod.

“Consider me warned,” Hester chuckled. – “What a sweet moment this makes, if we only the stench wasn’t this horrid,” she looks around and Chauncey uses the opportunity to lead them a little further, towards the other street. – “Have you gotten what I asked of you?”
“Have I failed you before?”
“Excellent point, my lord Black,” she teases, not paying attention to Ariaena – who was no in various shades of red and Chauncey who stared at her a little bit longer than he ought to. – “Thomas told me Lady Kensington sat down for a cup of tea, you two should have enough time to get back without getting noticed,” he smiled, reassuringly.
“Perhaps you could make sure we arrived safely,” Hester gives a little smirk. – “Maybe talk a little bit, too.”

She takes off first, without a warning and the two follow soon after.
“I would like to apologize, Lord Black, for being dishonest about myself,”
“You left things untold,” he says instead. – “I’m not inclined to take it as dishonesty, perhaps an untold story about you,” Chauncey continued. – “One I would very much like to know about,”
“Perhaps this knowledge would change how you paint me in your mind,” Ariaena speaks softly – but the topic frightens her – how much of truth would he be able to hear without realizing that only a few years ago she was not many of things she is now?
“Perhaps it would only paint a more colourful image,” he suggested. – “You have been married before, this much I am certain now,” Chauncey began. – “And I can assure you the way I paint you in my mind has not changed for the worse.”

It surprised her, it made her entire body relax in a short second and knowing this woke up a feeling in her which she did not feel for quite some time. She felt hopeful.

XI. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

The Christmas Eve begun with music, as it should, by the orders of Lady Kensington – the entire house celebrated, bursting with good mood – the estate was filled with laughter and joy – the coldness coming from the outside seemed to bother no one.

Ariaena spent the morning reading the Christmas letters that have arrived from Johanna and Anne – perhaps a couple of days earlier, but Lady Kensington kept them until the Christmas Eve to give to the girls, as the best possible way to enter into the new year. There’s a short greeting and some wishes in the letter which arrived from Anne, along with some really kind words of consolation – she gives herself some time with each word before she moves onto Johanna’s.
There’s the letter in which she sends so many lovely wishes along with a suggestion they are to meet after the holidays – that she should come for a visit, if she wanted to do so – and in this brief moment, she really became homesick, despite not knowing very well if home was here or someplace else.

Perhaps she was where she needed to be – the second she walked down the stairs and into the parlour, she laid her eyes on Chauncey and realised the fluttering feeling in her gut might have been more serious than she thought it should be. But he smiles back, getting Hester to turn around and smile at once. She gets up, making her way towards the girl and hugs her at once. The gifts they exchanged seem to get them into a great deal of giggling, getting all the attention as well: Aria enjoy her new ribbons and Hester seems to really like the small pin Aria got for her.

“I have another thing,” she says quietly. – “I have the same one already, but I urge you to keep this one, I’m quite certain you would find it delightful to say the least,”
“Sonnets?” Aria’s brows furrow a little, turning the book around. – “Thank you, I will read it all at once, I am sure,”
“Well, I hope you would, soon enough,” she chuckled with a knowing look and before Aria could ask a thing, the music sounded a time for a dance.

By the time her attention is focused on the festivities and she manages to get her mind off of a familiar smile, she finds herself standing on the side during the dance. It’s dark outside, the fire is cracking nicely, and she thinks herself to be a lucky girl indeed.

“I hope you will reassure me I did not miss a chance to bother you for a dance,”
“It would be no bother,” she smiled as she turned towards Chauncey. – “On the contrary,” she walks towards the centre, as the new dance is about to start.

Normally, she would focus on the moves, the steps, the trim of her dress not touching the ground too much and then she touched his hand. She looks up, feeling a flush going into her face. She looks for words and finds none whatsoever.

“What is on your mind?”
“Nothing of a great importance,” she speaks when they step closer again. – “I am overjoyed with the evening,” she smiled.
“I don’t think you mind me being open,” he says, almost whispering to her ear the moment when the dance brings them close, flashing a subtle smile once they are apart again. – “But this dance has one part of my affections that none other can share,”
“This sounds like something a poem would say,”
“Perhaps it was said in one,” he smiled at her.

The dance ended, yet she wished it never would.

Later in the evening when she stumbled into her chambers, alone and ready to go to bed, she wraps her fingers around the book of sonnets Hester gave her, carefully unwrapping the paper and ribbons around it, setting them aside in a very caring manner, turning the book around once it’s unwrapped completely.

A tiny note falls out, straight into her lap and she takes it closer to her face to read the small handwriting.

Perhaps Euterpe has not touched me with inspiration yet, for the poems I have written would not find their place amongst those in this book. And writing letters was never the most agreeable amusement for me, but then writing this note to you has been the most entertaining and agreeable of all writings I have ever done.

XII. Would you like me if you truly knew me?

It took Hester little to no time to arrange the first gathering in the closed parlour in the right wing of the house – it took her less time than it took Ariaena to learn Chauncey’s note by heart. Once the storm had them all trapped at the estate, Hester was quick to make the time spent in the estate more pleasurable.

The gatherings in the parlour were not what she would have done if it were not for Chauncey there, but the thought of wasting a single moment of a possible socialising with him on sleep seemed like a bad decision to make – and the strange thing was she knew it was wrong and yet it felt very right.

The late-night knock makes her shiver a little and then there is a soft chuckle. Hester was rarely asleep during the nights of the storm, always running around in her mischief.

“You are awake,” she speaks softly, getting onto the bed. – “Get your robe,”
“Where am I going?”
“To my room,” she speaks softly. – “You seem to have caught a little cold, I would hate for you to be sick now, with so much amusement happening,”
“I—”
“And I do not wish to hear it,” she smiled, reaching for her hand and after a couple of soft smiles, some kind words and two minds of two silly girls coming to terms of the plan, she goes along and enters the room, getting into the bed at once. Hester stops in her place before going back to Aria’s room. – “Aria,”
“Yes?”
“I wish to ask you something,” she begins. – “But you must promise me not to be cross with me asking, or think of an ulterior motive,”
“I hope I have never given you an impression I am of this kind of behaviour,” she says, lightly, as the girl found her way towards her.
“Chauncey and I have no intention of going forward with the marriage,” she speaks softly. – “I think him everything that is amiable and worthy,” Hester speaks.
“Indeed,”
“But I do not love him in such a way,” she goes on. – “And I have noticed the way he looks at you, and of course, the way you look at him,” she speaks. – “Do you love him?”
“I do not deny that I think very highly of him,” Aria says finally, recovering from the surprise this question has given her. – “That I esteem him greatly,”
“Oh Aria,” Hester rolls her eyes, exhaling deeply. – “Very well, I am to leave you in your great esteem,” she chuckles. – “Sweet dreams, darling.”

She looks around the room, making a tiny lap only to curiously stop by a small shelf Hester’s books, trying to make out some of the titles written in French – she knew the girl spent some time in France and she wonders if she would have like to go back, maybe to spend some time together there and show Paris to Ariaena – everyone spoke so highly about the city and she would have loved to see it for herself.

There’s a soft ruffling heard on the outside, so she walks towards the window, but sees nothing but fog and glimpses of shiny snow on the ground – by the time she realises there is a small crack left on the window door to keep it open, someone jumps into the room swiftly and there they are. She holds her breath in, petrified in her place as he stood up. A sigh of relief escapes him, and he breaks a smile instead of saying anything.

Ariaena smiles too, unsure of what appropriate word are for the situation.

“Ariaena,” he speaks softly, and the smile widened on his lips and it did so in hers too. – “Tell a word and I will be gone,”
“No,” she blurts out faster than she would have liked to do. It scares her, it scares her horribly to do so this quickly – she is beyond words and beyond happiness at the same time. He was there and they were alone. – “I would like for you to stay,”

Chauncey takes a step forward, but she doesn’t budge not even when he’s close to her, reaching for her hand, taking it into his and bringing it to his lips gently. She reached out, touching his face, feeling the soft skin. Expectedly, he reaches closer, cupping her face and leaning in for one soft, short kiss. Her eyes close immediately and she rests both her palms on his chest, feeling the warmth taking over her entire body slowly.

“Chauncey,” she whispers the second his hands find her waist, naturally falling into the place just above the small of her back. He kisses her once again, more passionately this time around, pulling her into his body. She doesn’t resist – she doesn’t want to do so – and he embraces her the next moment.
“I’m sorry,” he is still smiling. – “I cannot help myself, I would like to hold you in my arms from this moment on, like this, and kiss you.”

The reality of the moment feels like it should be setting in, but she cannot find that string of reality she needs, she couldn’t to save her life. Her fingers trace the rim of his shit towards his neck – and how could she never notice how tall he is? – and it feels like a moment in a dream, a beautiful dream where her mind is cloudy, and she cannot stop smiling.

“You’re cold,” he trails over her shoulders, pulling his coat off his shoulders and covering her up.
“Keep me closer then,” she smiles, touching his face, and he lets out a small chuckle.
“Is my face of such interest to you?” he reaches for her hand, pulling it towards his lips for another peck.
“Yes,” she says gently. – “I love your face.”

He leans in to kiss her once again, softly and slowly, hands in her hair and pushing it back from her neck, planting kisses along her jawline.

“I need to tell you something,” she said, feeling his lips touch her neck.
“If this has to do with your marriage—”
“It’s not what you think,” she says, exhaling a little and takes a small step backwards. – “My marriage,” she stumbles over words, over herself. –“I mean, my husband,” and another sigh because she is not sure how she should utter the words without speaking ill of him and telling his secrets. There’s a short moment of sadness washing over her and thinking about Mies, and she can feel the tears bottling up and she shakes her head, as he touched her face softly.
“Aria,” the first time he called her that.

She could not take it anymore.

“I have never done this,” she speaks softly, quietly, almost whispering as if saying it out loud would actually make a horrible consequence. Her eyes lower, partly because of his hands on her waist, partly because she is trying to keep her tears bottled – she can feel him closer, she can tell he wanted to have her.

He smiles through the kiss, very softly – opening his eyes and cupping her face again.

“Welcomed a man who was not your husband in your chambers?” Chauncey asked lightheartedly, playfully making a joke after. – “Good thing this room belongs to Hester, then”

“I have never been this far with a man before,” she tries again, between two kisses, pushing herself harder into the next one, wondering if he understood what she was saying. His eyes open, his lips part a little and she regrets it all instantly, pushing closer into him and trying to kiss him again.

He looks at her and she steps back, trying to figure out the way to finish what she just started, but ends up walking right towards the bed, sitting there and trying not to cry.

He sits next to her, his hand reaching for her hip, resting there as he smiled kindly, and she touched his hand, squeezing it harder.

“Aria, what are you saying?”
“I have not been with a man,” she pushes the voice out barley. – “Any man, Chauncey.”

“You have been married,” he sounds confused, she reaches for his other hand, before he touches her neck, smiling a little bit. – “For some months, if I remember correctly, have I been mistaken about it?”

“I have been married, but I have never—“ she cannot make herself finish the sentence and say the words out loud. – “Mies could never find me...pleasing,” she tried. – “I was not what he would have wanted to marry, to hold nor whom he wanted in the chambers,” she tries to make it sound plausible and understandable, she tries making it sound like is not her fault.

There’s a confusion written all over his face and she knows very little of what she is to do now: the amount of fear she felt by just trying to read his face was immense.

“My husband loved his family, and he loved me, but not in a way a woman wants to be loved,” she continues silently, feeling herself shiver. –“His was not the taste the God intended,” she speaks softly this time, with a small smile on her lips – the fondness she felt of Mies had grown over time, and as she finds ways to forgive him, she tried finding ways to forgive herself too.

Chauncey understood what she had just told him in a moment of thinking, touching her hand lightly.

“He has not touched you, ever?”
“Never—”

There's a faint thud coming from the other side of the door, making them both stuck in their place until the second there’s a sound heard in front of the room – someone was outside – Chauncey steps back towards the window, skilfully climbing up – she follows, and there’s a short kiss on her lips before he vanishes out of the window and she is left alone in the room, extinguishing the candlelight in a single blow, curling under the blankets, prepared to pretend to be asleep should it come to this.

She doesn’t notice the cold of the winter tonight, falling asleep under the heavy blankets and one lighter heart.

XIII. Running a little wild

Perhaps it’s not the feeling of love itself, but she likes to make the connection between the two – there’s an anticipation of the nightfall – whatever happened during the day, throughout the entire day of classes and dance and social moments, she would be eager to welcome darkness and night: it meant the Kensington manor would go to bed soon and she would be able to see Chauncey.

Hester – expectedly – ran a little wild. Ariaena – unexpectedly – found a delightful pleasure in doing the same.
She is flustered by the thought of wearing her cape while slipping into the darkness of the closed-off wing of the house, she is delighted by the idea of Chauncey getting there before her and waiting at the door. She simultaneously feared and longed the time they would have another chance to be alone – the pleasure of now feels far stronger than the idea of thinking about the future in all of its possibilities or lack of them: she ignores the reality so frequently one has switched places with the other.

His finger trail over her wrist, holding her hand for a short moment of laughter they all share in the salon, indulging in some wine Hester managed to sneak into the house. Ariaena is flustered, her cheeks burning and the second they escape the main salon into the corridors for a stolen moment or two, she can’t wait to feel his lips, hands, shoulders – but more than most, the way he smiles in those moments before their lips touch.

She’s found above time in those days – there is nothing before or after time she spends with him and there are no future worries, she considers, only the thrilling wait for the next meeting they might have. Reality was of no interest to her.

The reality did set in soon – after the storm, after everyone fell back into their regular lives, she could not help but to feel the sadness again – perhaps not all the time, especially around Hester, but when the night arrived and she was left with her thoughts, the uncomfortable heaviness would set in and she could only think about what has happened and what might happen.

In the nights when she is alone, she has these short moments of fright – and reasonably so: she knows how things are – the man she fell in love with is a man who will be married before

Come February, the letter arrives. A poem, written in a familiar handwriting, an invite to the Black manor – and she forgets all the moments by the time she is there, with Hester, who seems to serve as an official reason she belongs there. As the evening furthers, the girl vanishes during the evening: the moment they are left alone, the atmosphere lightens a little bit – he speaks about the place where he grew up at and how he used to spend time, she does the same. By the time the dinner is done, and they move to the salon, they are completely alone: her hands find his in no time. His lips find hers as well and before she can get herself under control, she learns what it means to have a man.

He is gentle, kind, he makes sure she is not as uncomfortable as she might have been has she been married to someone who might have had no love for her whatsoever. Chauncey is careful, he touches her gently and he kisses her after it’s done. Head on his chest, she wonders how would she be able to move on from this now – in her mind, there was a line to be stepped over after which there might not be going back – and in her mind, listening to him speak about marriage, naked on his naked body – this was the line. She crossed it and now – was it too late now?

SUPER SHORT, but done!

Last edited by Zaralee (25/12/2019 at 00:32)

Name- Nonie Grace Dedworth

Interests- Byron(RI), Myles(RI), Bertie(FI) Also using Hester (FI), no impression needed.

Outfits- Formal ball, Masquerade ball, Valentine’s day look

Story

“I am so proud of you, woman, stand tall!” Nonie looked up surprised at the woman who had walked around her and pushed her back holding her neck straight. “You get etiquette, yet you still walk like you should be ashamed,” Lady Kensington shakes her head. “Raised by a father that though you just that and a brother that saw nothing wrong with it,” The lady shook her head, “Sometimes man is so belittled or stupid for a better word,” Lady smiled at Nonie, “Congratz Caramel, I choose you to be my student, I will make a proud woman of you,” Lady got a far awake look, “Thank you, my Lady Kensington,” Nonie spoke up for the first time while getting into the room the Lady had been talking and Nonie though it was better to keep quiet and listen, “You know you remember me of my mother she was so sweet, soft-spoken, took everything…” Nonie was looking straight into Lady Kensington’s eyes, “And then she snapped killed 2 male before killing herself,” Nonie looked wide eyes, “Lady Nonie, people can’t keep taking, I am going to teach you how to express yourself politely or otherwise, every Monday I expect here for your extra classes, you may leave,” Nonie did a courtesy and was about to leave when Lady Kensington called her back, “One more thing, Lord Myles is bad news, he will eat you for breakfast and when you expect a ring you find out he had his fill, stay away from him Lady Nonie,”  Nonie nodded fiercely and bowed once more before leaving the room.

While walking to her room she saw Hester, Nonie went to the lady for a greeting “Hi Hester, how are you?” Hester turned around with a smile but the smile soon vanished “Hi,” Nonie frowned, “Everything alright?” Hester raised a brow, “Sure,” Nonie expected more but Hester just walked away. Nonie frowned what was that all about?!

Nonie was still confused about the whole exchange with Hester when she saw Bertie talking with some girls that liked to start not so nice rumours. “Hi Bertie,” Nonie said to the girl who just turned around to gave her a death glare. Nonie shuddered she expected this look from Hattie’s eyes and even Hattie never looked at her like this. “Come on, Ladies, I don’t want to be affected by this mulatto,” Nonie looked at Bertie shocked the girls next to Bertie snickered. Nonie wanted to speak up but her throat felt restricted.  Just when she dared to speak up, she saw that the ladies had already left nowhere to be seen. Nonie’s legs went limp and she fell tears started to well up in her eyes, “Nonie?!” Nonie looked up and saw Hattie, “Hey, what’s the matter?!” Nonie pointed at the end of the corridor, “I may have done something wrong, Hester, basically shushed me away and Bertie just called me, mulatto, in the presence of Lady Isolda and Holly,” Nonie replied and tried to kept her tears in, she was not going to cry, no way. “Hey, hey Nonie, don’t cry alright, I am sure she didn’t mean it like that, I will try to talk to her okay,” Nonie nodded and forced out a smile. Hattie seemed relieved and helped her stand back up, “Let’s talk about something else,  something fun,” Hattie seemed to think about it, “Like how Lady Kensington, just told me how great my performance was,” Nonie smiled brightly, Hattie also seemed like she couldn’t contain her smile. “And what about you Nonie,” Hattie asked her eyes go bigger making Nonie chuckle and nod remembered what Lady Kensington told her, “She told me she loved it and would make me her student,” Hattie screamed and hugged Nonie, “That’s extremely good, Nonie,” Nonie nodded and smiled at her friend, “Thank you, Hattie,” Hattie smiled and warped her arm in hers, “Come let’s celebrate with cookies and tea, I will talk to Bertie later today,” Nonie smiled and saw some new drawings in Hattie’s hand, “You also have to tell me, why you haven’t become a seamstress, yet,” Nonie pointed out, looking at the drawings, Hattie gave a small smile, “I don’t think I have the talent,” Nonie snorted “Can you please design my dress for Christmas, because I do believe in you,” Nonie replied and didn’t expect the tight hug that she received from Hattie, “Thank you, so much Nonie that means so much to me,” Nonie smiled in her heart she knew that Hattie also meant a lot to her. She returned the hug. “Now let’s get the cookies you promised,” Nonie spoke up when they released each other making Hattie smile, “Let’s go,”

It was days later at the same large cough while reading a book she enjoyed someone disturbed her peace, “You are truly beautiful Lady Nonie,” Nonie looked up surprised to see a smiling Byron. “Hello Lord Byron,” He smiled at her and sat down, “You make someone want to sin with that peaceful smile of yours,” Nonie blushed and looked down, “It’s that a good thing Lord,” She mumbled. Lord Byron raised her head softly, “Yes it is, I Want you to smile more often,” He mumbled also making  Nonie smile up at him, “Now that I have seen your pretty eyes, what are you reading Lady Nonie,” Lady Nonie looked at one of her favourite books and couldn’t help that waterfall of praises left her mouth when she was talking about the book. She wondered if she bored Lord Byron but he seemed to captivate watching her, “Do I bore you lord?!” Nonie couldn’t help but ask after a while, Lord Byron laughed, “No, you do not I just saw a whole other side of you was intriguing,” Nonie blushed and mumbled a thank you, “Don’t go shy on me again, Lady Nonie, would you be so kind to read me apart from the book,” Nonie's eyes light up when she looked up at him again, “Will it be okay if it’s a favourite paragraph of mine,” Lord Byron was still all smile, “Whatever my sweet Nonie wants,” Nonie looked up at him surprised but didn’t respond just started on her paragraph. Both were getting closer to each other at the midst and didn’t seem to have caught that, It was Nonie that felt soft breathing next to her cheek the first which surprised her out of the position. She bumped into his shoulder, “I am so sorry, what am I doing, “ Nonie wanted to dig a hole but she still hoped she didn’t hurt Byron’s shoulder she tough it softly, “You didn’t hurt me Lady Nonie, breath,” Lord Byron replied while touching her hand holding hers in his, “Let’s get you to class shall we,”  Nonie nodded looking up at him. Can I ask you something? Nonie nodded once again, “Can you smile for me,” Lord Byron asked. Nonie looks at him surprised and yet a surprise smile did break on her face, “Just as I tough a true beauty,” Nonie heard Lord Byron mumble, she wondered if it was to tease her.
XXX XXX XXX

Lady Nonie was sitting on a sofa and looking around in amazement at all the maids who were working at decorating for Christmas and Nonie was looking her eyes out at how pretty everything was starting to look. She wished she could help but people were already looking at her funny. For some reason, Bertie had been spreading rumours about her and Hattie left and right. But Hattie made her promise to leave the woman be if she had issues it was hers, not theirs. Nonie smiled she never had a friend before but it felt great to have such a good one. Nonie smiled at a maid who was looking at her before her attention was taking back to the letter on her lap. Her father had sent her a letter last week and Nonie had been overjoyed, she had read it 3 times before sending her reply.

Hi, my sweet daughter,
You have been at Kensington Manor for some months now and I have to admit I miss you.
I hope you are doing well, if not let me know will come and get you immediately. We got a plan B.

Your aunt is driving me insane, doesn’t she have her own home?!
If she asks me on one of her tea-parties again I will send her home.

Other than that home is peaceful.

Your brother has also sent me a letter he is doing well
and sends his regards.

Come home soon, so we can have our debates.

Your father.

Nonie smiled her father was the best. She hoped he would send another letter soon. Even after Bertie betrayal, Nonie felt that she was doing great, she wasn’t ready to leave yet. “Hey beautiful,” Nonie looked up from the letter in surprise, “Lord Byron?!” The guy before hr smiled, “That’s me, expected someone else?!” Nonie smiled and shook her head. “I was just reading a letter,” Lord Byron held out his hand, Nonie looked at it confusingly, “Walk with me,” Nonie smiled and nodded. Her maid Ethel followed quietly with a smile on her face, the two are getting closer and closer together after there last library visit together, Nonie seems to get more open towards him and Byron seems to like it. Ethel hummed slowly while following them.

“I should have taken you sooner the flowers aren’t here anymore,” Byron spoke up almost with a pout, Nonie giggled, “Is okay Byron, I love the white and cold, I was born in the winter, it always make people seek warmth,” Nonie replied and smiled up at him, Byron smiled back, “I see it’s Byron now,” Nonie’ eyes got big, “No, No I am so sorry Lord Byron,” Byron just laughed and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ears, “I am okay with just Byron, Nonie, don’t worry so much,” Nonie was about to protest but he just looked away, “I love the reason why you love winter, it isn’t my favourite season yet you may have changed that view,” Nonie looked at him surprised and he smiled. “So when am I going to hear that lullaby voice of yours reading for me again?” Nonie looked at him surprised, “You liked me reading for you?” Byron smiled, “I do and I want you to finish the chapter for me, would you please my lady,” Nonie smiled, “I would love to do that Byron,” Byron smile got bigger, Nonie had to say she loved that smile of his.

Some days later 10th of December, Nonie was rushing how could she have overslept. She hoped Hattie wasn’t mad they had both been excited to go do the gift shopping’s yet, Ethel said she looked so tired and let her sleep a little longer and now Nonie was rushing. When she saw Hattie waterfall of words came out, “I am so sorry, we aren’t late are we, Ethel wanted me to sleep a little longer, I wished I just got up, we aren’t late are we, I am so sorry,” Nonie went on while Hattie tried to keep her laughter in, “Nonie! Ethel already let me now that we will leave a little later and no you’re not late just in time, please breath,” Hattie burst out laughing at Nonie’s confused face, “Owww,” was all Nonie said before she also burst out laughing. The two women made their way to the carriage that would take them to the city inside they had so much fun even the lady maids couldn’t contain their laughter at seeing their amusement.

“I can’t believe your younger sister did that,” Nonie told Hattie laughing, “She did, my mother had a blue tongue for 3 days,” Hattie replied also laughing. “Uhm…” everyone looked at the driver. “Ladies we have arrived,” He told them before holding open the door for them to exit the carriage. “Thank you,” Hattie and Nonie said before looking at each other and giggle once again. They made their way to a different salon, Nonie bought a gift for Byron and even wanted to buy something for Bertie but in the end, she just couldn’t. The girls ended right back at the seamstress shop and Hattie excused herself and disappeared inside. Nonie laughed but also started to search for a perfect gift for Hattie. She found a paper that Hattie could use for her design, a pencil with a feather at the end but it wasn’t enough Nonie wanted to find something special. “Nonie!” Nonie looked at where the voice came from and followed. “Yes Hattie,” Hattie was holding out beautiful fabric colours that she would never wear, prints that were better suited for the rich. “Which one do you love?!” Hattie asked her and Nonie mouth fell open she was shocked, “Why?!” Hattie looked at her friend weirdly, “For your dress silly,” Hattie replied with a smile. “I don’t think they will suit me, Hattie,” Nonie said softly. Hattie shook her head, “I didn’t ask you for that Nonie, I asked which one you loved,” Nonie looked at both fabric once again and wanted to shake her head, Hattie seemed to finally understand and smiled at her, “Nonie, what I will design for you will show everyone that your not beneath them, heck I think you're better than most people, I see how you care and I promise you, this dress will make you feel as if you’re the only one in the room that matters,” Nonie’s eyes went big and she got a small smile. “So which one?” Hattie asked all smile holding the fabrics up once more. Nonie pointed at a pink fabric and another white fabric with pink roses, “I like how you think,” Was all Hattie said before she disappeared once again. Nonie chuckled and went on her adventure for the perfect gift and then her eyes fell on it. A magazine, it seemed with drawings on how to make dresses. Nonie went to get it right away but someone stopped her, “That’s mine Miss,” Nonie turned around to see the owner, “Owh,” was all she said feeling disappointed. “This is my old sketches, what would you like to do with them?!” Nonie looked at the owner in surprise she didn’t expect that the drawing seemed done by a professional, “My friend would like to be a seamstress and I think this would help her enormously,” Nonie replied honestly and the woman’s eyes softened, “You mean the girl you came in the shop with?!” Nonie nodded and smiled. The woman looked at the magazine in her hand and at where Hattie is supposed to be and smiled, “This is a great gift then,” Nonie smiled when the woman held out the magazine for her, “I can also throw 3 classes for free with it if she would be interested,” Nonie’s mouth fell open, “Really?” The owner smiled, “Really,” Nonie hugged the owner “thank you so much, ma’am, I will let her now, this will mean so much for her,” The owner nodded, “I will have time in February if you would let her now,” Nonie nodded and went to make her purchase. Feeling great she had the best gift for Hattie, she will have to ask Lady Kensington for approval though. Her eyes fell on a hairclip the same colour as Bertie’s eyes and before Nonie could rethink it she had bought it. “I am done,” Hattie came out an aisle, one hour later, Nonie looked at her amused before standing up to help her with the fabric. She gave the owner her designs, the owner looked surprised and smiled at Nonie “I may even do more lessons longer,” Did surprised Nonie who smiled bigger. Hattie looked confused before paying and left together with Nonie. “What was that all about,” Nonie smiled secretively, “You have to wait to find out,” Hattie looked surprised then smiled, “Alright looking forward to it.”

Nonie was so excited she never has been to a ball before this will be her very first and Hattie had designed the dress for her which was extra excited for Nonie. She had been awake extra early just looking around in her room. She was missing the classes at the moment. Ethel had been throwing her looks that meant she was being annoyed. Nonie wondered how she was always earlier awake than her it must be a gift. Nonie sighed and so did Ethel, which made Nonie burst out in giggles Ethel followed suit.

“So I heard you kept Ethel awake,” Nonie saw Hattie with her lady maid who had a dress in her arms, “I did not,” Nonie responded but her eyes where fixated on the dress it looked so pretty. “Come, we will help you in it the ball will start soon,” Hattie said already seeing that Nonie couldn’t keep her eyes away from the dress. Nonie nodded and let her into her room. Couple minute later she wanted to scream, “Pull the cord a little tighter want the sleeves to puff more,” Hattie commented while looking at the front of the dress, “Yes, just like that,” Hattie nodded and Nonie wondered if she would be able to breathe. She walked to the front worked some time with the bows and magically Nonie could breath, “Thank you, though I would die,” Nonie wheezed out, Hattie laughed. “Alright, now your hair,” Ethel replied and sat her down, ”I got a hat that goes with the dress,” Hattie spoke up and revealed the hat. Nonie gasped in surprised, “Such a nice hat,” Ethel spoke exactly what Nonie though so she only nodded, Hattie smiled proudly.

“Your hair has grown once again my lady,” Ethel said while combing the last piece of her hair and putting the hat on her head. “Now let’s see how you look,” Hattie said and Nonie stood up making the girls gasped, “How beautiful,” Ethel said, “Truly pretty, Nonie,” Hattie also replied and the lady maid of hers smiled and held up her thumbs. Nonie smiled and walked to the mirror also gasping, She did look beautiful. Tears sprang in her eyes and she turned around and hugged Hattie tightly “Thank you, so much.” Nonie mumbled in Hattie’s ears.

Lady Nonie and lady Hattie walked into the ball with their arms into each other’s, gasps were immediately heard. they couldn’t believe their eyes the mulatto was dressed like royalty and she looked lovely. The whispered than started, Nonie didn’t pay them much mind, somewhere praises for both Hattie and hers dress other where jealousy sputters and somewhere down ride mean for no reason. Nonie refused to pay them any minds but thanked all the ladies that came to compliment her and Hattie. Nonie was enjoying the ball more than she expected she even smiling more and didn’t dare look at the ground, it would take the royalty feeling away.

She didn’t expect a tight grip to grip her but she did know who exactly it was, “You look beautiful tonight my Lilly,” Lilly mustered a fake smile even though she wanted to cower under that glance, “Lord Chatwich, such a pleasure to see you,” The male smile but it didn’t reach his eyes, “Didn’t I tell you to call me Lord Myles,” Nonie nodded, “Of course Lord, I apologize,” Nonie pushed out not believing he would be satisfied which just a nod, “Good, I told you I would gift you a reward, here it is,” Lord Chatwich. Nonie gasped when she saw the hair comb with a lily in it, “It’s pretty, thank you, lord Myles,” Nonie said looking up and the male and smiled for the first time. It made Myles gasp and release her. “What was…” but he got interrupted by Lady Kensington, “Myles! here you are can I have a talk with you,” She didn’t wait for his answered and just walked away. Myles kept looking at Nonie who gave him a questioning look “I would like to have dinner with you tomorrow,” Myles said and also didn’t wait for a reply before he turned away disappearing to where Lady Kensington had too. Nonie looked down at her gift and smiled, maybe the male wasn’t that bad. Nonie didn’t see Bertie eyes solely on her with a sickening smile.

Nonie woke up the next morning relaxed she had slept well, “Good morning, Lady” Nonie smiled at Ethel. “What do you got there?” Nonie asked pointing at the gift in her hand, “Just fought a stubborn valet of Lord Byron Kensington, I will have you know I love a stock male but he has no charm,” Nonie looked at her surprised and choose not to note the darkening of her cheeks. But she was truly surprised he had sent her a gift she had also bought him one but that was beside the point, she tore into the package and gasped at the book it was so lovely she had wanted this book for so long. “Oh he has good taste,” Ethel spoke up making Nonie laugh and nod, she hoped he would like his poem book also even though it wasn’t the first edition the book she gave him was popular. “I have an appointment with Lady Hattie later today to give her, her gift, do you think she will love it?” Nonie asked her, Ethel smile, “She will be delighted and I can’t believe you got Lady Kensington to say yes to the lessons,” Nonie smiled, “Only if it’s in the weekends and it doesn’t make her lessons suffer, I can even chaperon for her,” Nonie smiled and felt herself warm-up, the woman had started to trust her. Which made Nonie truly happy, she never had a female role model.

In the afternoon Nonie made her way to Hattie’s room, some ladies were greeting her happily. Nonie was surprised but also happy it was something else than the curse words or fingers pointing at her. She knocked on the door and it flew open, “You do not know how much orders, I got today because how beautiful you looked yesterday Nonie,” Nonie smiled at Hattie happily and held up the presents for Hattie, “My 1st gift came early than I also have this for you,” Hattie looked at Nonie amused but ushered her inside, “Come on in then,” Nonie laughed and made her way to a table. She already gave Ethel her gift which was a new dress, she now was handling Hattie lady maid a dress. The maid looked surprised, “Thank you, Lady,” Nonie just waved it away with a genuine smile on her face, before turning to an smiling Hattie, “That was nice of you,” Nonie smiled and put her gift on her lap, “For you,” Hattie looked surprised, “This is too much,” Nonie simply huffed, and waited for Hattie to open her gifts. “You know I am not a crier but this is amazing,” Hattie said with tears truly forming in her eyes. “What but I didn’t even tell you the biggest surprise yet,” Nonie said matter-of-factly. But Hattie shook her head ”I want to cry together this is for you,” Nonie looked at the gifts and gasped when she saw the design for the dress this is so beautiful,” Hattie smiled, “I am going to have them make it for you,” she ushered Nonie to open her second gift and yes Nonie also felt the tears well up. “Awe, this is so beautiful, thank you,” Nonie hugged Hattie while she smiled. “Before Nonie forgets lady Hattie, my lady made an appointment in February for you to learn under the seamstress in the city,” Ethel spoke up and Hattie gasped and pull Nonie away from her, “You did not,” Nonie nodded, “Yes, I did even asked permission, I am allowed to chaperon for you,” Nonie saw the scream coming before she heard it, “Nonie!!! You’re the best I always wanted this, I can make your dress myself, Nonie!!” Nonie had to close her ears because of the scream she was engulfed into a tight hug. “You are just too amazing, you believe in my dreams as much as I do,” Hattie said matter-of-factly which made Nonie smiled.

Sometime later they left Hattie’s room people were pointing at Nonie without a shame, look at that slut. “I can believe what she did to receive that present,” both Hattie and Nonie frowned, they didn’t understand what was going on. “Look at her she has no shame,” Some girls were giving her disapproval looks, “Of course a mulatto like her could only get such an expensive gift if she open-end her legs,” Nonie gasped. “Look she’s in tears, Bertie was right she’s a slut,” Girls around Nonie started to laugh loudly. Nonie didn’t understand what did Bertie tell this girls, yesterday they were all admiring her and now they look at her like she just stepped out of a garbage can, it hurt, tears were streaming over her cheeks “Come on, Nonie, we are going to search for Bertie,” Nonie nodded numbly and looked at the ground. Hattie was on a war pad, she hoped it didn’t sound like she expected, because if it did Bertie was the worst kind of human being. Nonie was quiet the only sound coming from her where snorts. She didn’t expect to be treated like this after yesterday.

They found Bertie surrounded by some more ladies that were waiting for some more juicy gossip. “Yes, I am telling you, the mulatto slept with Lord Chatwich why would he give…” Hattie didn’t let her finish, “That’s more than enough for you!” Hattie's eyes were spewing fire, “How dare you as a friend, as a human being, no one should spew such lies,” Nonie looked up at Hattie and the girls blue eyes never seemed so hot from rage. Bertie just laughed, “Hattie, don’t be so dramatic but after all, no one taught you to act like a lady, I mean… being born out of wedlock and all,” no one saw it coming but Hattie hands where on her cheek before Bertie could blink, “Stop being a pathetic little girl last time I was okay with it because I thought you would stop, I thought we were friends,” everyone gasped even Nonie, “Yet you hurt someone I care about too much with your lies,” while saying that Hattie grabbed Nonie’s hand. “I can’t understand why we where ever friends with a person like you, Just go home already if that’s what you want!” Hattie spat out and all the girls looked at Bertie with a mixture of pity or disgust. “Come on, Nonie,” Nonie followed Hattie quietly. They walked to her room, “Thank you, no one ever stood up for me,” Hattie raised a shoulder, “That’s what sister is for,” Nonie smiled and hugged Hattie while mumbling thanks you in her ear over and over again.

Nonie felt better that night, she wanted to decline the offer of dinner with Lord Myles yet after looking at the gift she had to have dinner with him, Ethel had frowned and told her multiple times that it wasn’t a good idea yet Nonie had to thank him the present had been beautiful. So even when Ethel was puffing and warning her, Nonie still made her help her with her dress.

“My Lilly, come sit down,” Nonie smiled at him, he was holding her chair for her to sit, “Hello, Lord Myles” Nonie greeted him politely, “It’s such a lovely night don’t you think,” Nonie smiled, “Yes it is Lord Myles,” Myles also smiled, “I am happy you finally are calling me Lord Myles,” Nonie nodded, “It is your name isn’t it Lord,” Myles frowned, Nonie wondered why if she had told Byron that sentence he would have smiled Myles didn’t seem to like it one bit, “Yes it is indeed,” He replied and called a maid for there food, they ate in quiet and Nonie felt pressure but kept quiet. Myles kept watching her with hawk eyes but didn’t say a word. At dessert, he finally spoke up which Nonie was so happy about she didn’t hear what he had said, “Feed me my desert, Lilly,” Nonie blinked, “Excuse me?” Myles signed annoyed, “Feed me, my desert,” Nonie looked around her and swallowed, “Lord Myles, I think that’s highly unappropriated,” Myles glared at her, “Don’t care to do it,” He replied more threatening, Nonie swallowed but grabbed the desert and fed Myles who complimented her, “Good job, My Lilly, you’re a good girl, you may leave now,” It came to no surprise that Nonie was out of her seat in 2 seconds, “We should do this more often,” She heard Myles said but her brain was already screaming a hell no! she didn’t even reply to him when she left the room.

Some days after that horrible dinner Nonie walked into the library and smiled at the male she saw.
She walked behind him quietly, her hand went over his eyes, “Who am I?” she whispered in his ears. Why she was beginning to become this bold she didn’t know but she thinks the lessons of Lady Kensington where helping she was starting to see herself as more than just a mulatto. She was beautiful, she was important, people did care about her. It made Nonie smile she didn’t even feel Byron turn around, “Ah, should have guessed is the pretty lady Nonie,” Nonie laughed and sat next to him. “You're reading the book I gave you,” Nonie said surprised. “Of course, I love it,” Byron replied with a smile, Nonie also smiled. They sat in a peaceful quiet staring at each other until Nonie broke it, “Want me to read you apart,” Nonie asked quietly,” Tough you would never ask,” was his response. His hand through hers making Nonie shiver in a good way, She opened the book on a poem and started to read at him out loud, he quietly listened putting his head on her shoulder. Nonie got used to it after the first time it didn’t scare her anymore as much.

Ethel was quietly observing them she should break them up but it always ended up like this her brows frowned and she decided that if no one saw she will just act she didn’t either. She grabbed a book and quietly started to read happy that Nonie’s father was a male that expected everyone to read under his household.

Weeks went by and it was the day of the New year’s ball, Bertie had sent her Lady maid she wanted to talk to Hattie and her. Nonie wondered if the girl intended to apologize. She made her way to Bertie’s room and knocked Hattie opened, “Have you been long here?” Nonie asked worried she was late, Hattie shook her head “Maybe 3 minutes she wanted to wait on us both,” Nonie nodded on that and walked in, “Finally you two took your time did you know how bored I was,” Nonie frowned and looked at Hattie who had the same look on her face, “I don’t intend to go to the ball tonight I wish for you two to stay with me,” Nonie looked at her with disdain after those words how dare this girl, “Did you only call us her so that you can complain about how bored you are and if we can skip the ball?” Nonie asked just to be certain. Bertie looked annoyed, “Yes, I do not like to repeat myself,” Hattie huffed next to her and Nonie was done with this girl, “I am sorry your highness but my schedule doesn’t permit me to entertain you tonight,” Hattie laughed next to Nonie, “Excuse me,” Bertie spurted out confused to see this Nonie. “I don’t like to repeat myself,” Nonie dished back to her and grabbed Hattie’s hand before leaving the room. “I didn’t think you had it in you,” Hattie said amused, Nonie smiled, “I read book 24/7, of course, I got it in me, just didn’t think it would ever come out,” Nonie mumbled shyly making Hattie laugh, “Oh no, don’t you dare go back to that,” Hattie said amused and Nonie felt her cheeks heating up she hadn’t expected to be so daring but Bertie had it coming. Nonie felt a big smile form on her face.

Mask balls, How beautiful. Nonie was looking everywhere in the decorated room. She couldn’t believe her eye the different masks she saw where all so beautiful. Hattie was pulling her through the sea of pretty dressed people. But then a serving girl stopped them, “Lord Chatwich, would love to meet you, Lady Nonie,” Nonie was surprised but followed the girl, she stayed close to them which Nonie was happy about, ”Lord Myles, to my understanding you wished to speak with me,” Myles at the woman before him with amusement, “I see my lady your speech has changed,” Nonie swallowed, “Yes indeed, sir,” Myles smile got bigger, “How amusing a woman trying to sound royalty,” Nonie frowned, “You know I would love for you to do something for me, viens réchauffer mon lit ce soir,” Nonie gasped and walked few steps away from him, “I would not do that Lord Myles,” She couldn’t believe he had asked her to warm his bed. She didn’t wait for any respond and walked away. Even though she tried to enjoy the rest of the night his eyes were constantly following her which made her shiver.

“I still haven’t danced with you my lovely lady,” Nonie looked to her left in surprise Byron looked handsome in his suit and mask, she let her hand fall in his, “You look lovely yourself my lord,” Nonie replied and was happy with the extra dance classes they got in September, Byron was an amazing dancer. “How can you move like this,” Nonie wondered out loud. “I will take that as a compliment when the song ended Nonie excused herself and promised to give him another dance when she returned.

Nonie was about to return when a hand grabbed her tidily. “Who do you think you are?!” Nonie shuddered, “Lord Chatwich, let me go, please,” The lord huffed, “You dare to dance with another man when I am the one that wants you,” Nonie whimpered and Myles just grabbed her tidier. “My proposal wasn’t something I expected you the decline, Nonie,” Myles spit her name out like it was garbage, “I should teach you a lesson!” That made Nonie scarred and she started to struggle. Myles grabbed her masked and pulled it away from her face, “Your pathetic, waste of space and you dared to refuse me, me!” while saying all this he slapped Nonie across the face. Nonie fell to the ground while holding her cheek, “Lord?” Noni asked meekly. “No one wants you here,” Myles hissed out and grabbed her leg when Nonie tried to move away. “I will teach you,” It was when Myles pulled on her corset that the material ripped when Nonie started to scream Myles hand silent her immediately. Nonie struggled but the palm of Lord Chatwich hand was already painfully kneading her flesh. Tears were flowing down Nonie’s eyes, “Awww, I wished I could hear your pleasurable voice screaming my name, yet you had to ruin that,” Myles hissed the last part and Nonie shook her head only for Myles to kneed her breast harder. “Stop acting like you don’t love it you slut,” Myles hissed. “But I don’t,” Flashed into Nonie’s mind. Nonie started to cry harder when she felt Myles's hand go under her dress. “No.. please no,” Nonie though. The shimmering hands, of course, didn’t hear her, please. Lord Chatwich pulled her panties to the side, “No worries I will make sure you enjoy it. Nonie wanted to trash around but Lord Myles was just too heavy. “Please, someone help me!!!” Nonie though and wished she could scream but the hand over her mouth was to tight. When she felt a finger break into her womanhood, Nonie wanted to throw up, at the second finger she wanted to blank out, the third finger was just too painful, Nonie just wanted to die already. No one was going to help her, Nonie felt tears roll over her cheeks was this it for her?! She heard a zipper and shivered.

“Nonie are you here?!, You promised me another dance remember?!" When a surprised Myles heard someone speak his grip finally loosened and Nonie fled. Nonie had never been so happy to see someone, she rushed to Byron and hide behind him while holding his suit jacket tightly. Byron looked surprised, "Nonie is everything okay, what happened?!" Nonie just shook her head and tried to pull him away from the room. Byron never had seen a woman look so scared. He moved Nonie away from there.

He wanted to make sure she was okay, “Nonie?” heart-breaking wails were his response, “I want to go home!” Byron held her tightly, “Nonie,” But Nonie didn’t hear her name escape Byron in a warmly caring voice. She was to busy crying while repeatedly saying, “I want to go home!”

Her tears finally dried up but she felt empty inside. “Come I will bring you to your room,” Byron stood up and pulled Nonie with him. He kept looking at her torn top before putting his suit over it, “Normally I do love a woman half-dressed but in this case, I wished you had all your clothes on,” Byron tried as a joke, Nonie kept quiet, however. “Good night, Nonie,” Byron said when they stood in front of her door he tried to touch her hand. But Nonie shrinks back gave him a watery smile before closing her room door. She leaned into it and slowly fell to the ground, what had she done to deserve what just happened?!
XXX XXX XXX

The weeks that followed Nonie felt nothing. She went with the motion didn’t even care that people whispered one other lie. Such as she stole something or that she brutally slapped Bertie. She did, however, see Bertie gloating under attention and praises. But Nonie didn’t care. Even after her baths multiple times, she could still feel him on her. Nonie just felt numb even classes with lady Kensington hadn’t help. She had tried to tell the lady but Nonie had the feeling the woman would blame her for what happened. Nonie still couldn’t apprehend what happened, she didn’t understand. She walked to Hattie’s room the woman said she wanted for her to cheer up. Ethel had also been quiet and more than worried her Lady had been quieter and withdrawn than normally. Ethel started to sing a lullaby softly.

After one knock Hattie opened the door, “Come on in,” Nonie walked to an empty chair and sat down looking in front of her Hattie sat in front of her and looked at Nonie worried. “Nonie, are you okay?!” Nonie looked at the woman that went with her through thick and thin. Maybe Hattie will be the one to help her because for herself she didn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Lord Myles…I mean Lord Chatwich tried to rape me,” Nonie said softly in hiccups at the end even tears were streaming down her face. There was a collective gasp through the room before Nonie felt arms wrap around her like a warm blanket. “Nonie that wasn’t your fault,” Hattie hugged her tightly, “Lad,  I am so sorry that happened to you,” Ethel also said warms around Nonie. “No woman should go through that,” Hattie’s Lady maid replied Nonie was happy that even she had hugged her, “I will be here for you Nonie always,” Nonie nodded and felt a weight left from her chest. “He is not going to get away with this can we poison him,” Ethel said seriously making Nonie gasp. “We should,” Hattie replied seriously. Nonie shook her head, ”No, we will not we will be hanged,” Nonie told them matter-of-factly. Hattie’s lady in maid huffed, “Then we should at least help him to ruin,” Nonie smiled when she heard all the revenge plots it felt good to have people behind her and maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to poison him. For the first time in weeks, Nonie had a smile on her face.

Nonie was giddily looking at the letter in her hand, She had been ignoring him the last weeks and when the storm had hit the manor. Nonie had the perfect chance to only show her face in class. But Byron had invited her to the library. Nonie couldn’t believe she was doing this but she wanted to spend some time with Byron. “Hi beautiful happy you could make it,” Nonie smiled and looked at his handsome face illuminated by the light. Nonie smiled at him, “How have you been doing?” Nonie sat next to him and hummed “Much better,” Nonie replied with a smile, he softly intertwined there fingers and Nonie felt peaceful instead of fearful, why she didn’t pull away but studied her hands in his. “My mother has been worried about you,” Nonie signed. “Can you tell me what happened that night?” Nonie shook her head. “Okay but please believe we are here for you, my mother even told her lady maid, (She is stronger than I expected she would be.) yes those where her exact words,” Nonie laughed softly at that. “And do you think you will ever tell me what happened?” Byron asked and came close to her face. Nonie though about Hattie, Ethel and Hattie’s lady maid they are there for here, “Are you going to be there for me?” Nonie asked backed not pulling away from there closeness, Byron smiled “As long as you need me,” Nonie gave him one of her warmest smiles, “Than yes, I will tell you someday,” She whispered between them, “Good,” Was all Byron said before pulling back. Nonie felt needy for some reason but also pulled away from him. “Would you like me to read you something?!” Bryon shook his head, “oh,” Nonie said disappointed. “I will read you something tonight.” Byron classified while showing a book. Nonie leaned into him slowly and smiled when she saw the book, she lay her head on his shoulder when he starts to read for her. She felt at peace once again, his voice could be so joyful but now it was suiting. “Thank you,” Nonie whispered after a while, “For what?!” Byron asked confused, “For showing me how to feel,” Nonie whispered before leaning into him once more. Byron made her feel more alive than anyone could even before what that man did to her.

If I thought Bertie was making enemies out of Hattie and me I was wrong yes we were her main target from trying to trip Hattie to ripping her sketches which I think was horrible of her she went way too far. I still choose to ignore her though because Hattie tough that would be for the best. But I never thought she would be so crazy to run away and her so-called friends seem relieved to finally be rid of her as I said, she wasn’t annoying only Hattie and I. But I was still shocked when Ethel woke me up and told me about what happened. We rushed to Hattie’s room and Molly opened the door. I finally learned her name she had become a friend it’s the least I could do, “Hi Molly, is Hattie awake? I got to tell her something,” I rushed out but Molly shook her head while stepping aside to let us in.

I rushed to Hattie’s side and started to shake her, she finally opened her eyes. She looked surprised to see us three at her bed, she looked a little drowsily to. I looked out of the window to see it was pretty early but the news couldn’t wait. Hattie sat up, and asked “What’s the matter? It’s still so early…” with a croaky voice. “Bertie’s gone. They think she ran away,” I replied to her question, I was still confused about how she could be so stupid. “What? Are you serious?” Hattie asked me, and I simply nodded. “She’s honestly trying too hard to get kicked out, isn’t she?” Hattie said, seemingly finally awake. “I guess, I wondered where she has gone to,” I spoke up thinking of possible places.

“Lady Harriet and Lady Nonie, isn’t it better now that she has gone? She will stop making your lives miserable,” Molly spoke up and I turned my head to the window I still feel slightly worried.
XXX XXX XXX

Early February I was called into the office of Lady Kensington, where I met Dowager Countess Cordelia Pembroke, She was too strict I was so afraid to make a mistake. But I did keep honest, I had no idea where Bertie could be, yes we used to be friends but we weren’t will acquaintance with each other anymore. I also had no clue who may now where she is. No, I was sure Lady Hattie didn’t know either but they could always ask of course. I was relieved when they finally told me I could leave the room. That was a little too intense for me.

Day Later, It was finally time for the first lesson of Hattie at the seamstress. I was chuckling at the excitement of Hattie she just couldn’t seem to sit still or stop talking, she was too excited.

“Nonie!!! We’re here, I can’t believe it.” Hattie hurriedly got off the carriage and pulled me along with her. Ethel and Molly followed behind us. Once we arrived in front of the shop, Hattie paused for a moment and I looked at her confused before she gave me a tight hug. “Let’s go in,” I told her with a smile and Hattie nodded excitedly. As soon as we entered, the seamstress welcomed us and turned the sign of the shop over to closed. She brought out 4 stools for us to sit on and while she was teaching Hattie I was glad I  brought a book to read. The seamstress was called Elizabeth, brought out 3 mannequins and 3 fabrics and asked Hattie for suggestions. That’s all I got before the world of me got my full attention and timed passed before I knew it, it was time to go back.

Once we got on the carriage, Hattie and I started talking. “I loved the lesson! Thanks so much, Nonie” Hattie said while hugging Me once again. “I know you did; you didn’t blink even once whenever she showed you her designs!” I said, as I  laughed, Hattie laughed along. “Oh, right! By the way, did you meet Bertie’s grandmother? She seems extremely strict” Hattie asked me. “I did! Doesn’t seem like she’s a relative of Bertie at all, judging by her personality,” I replied to her and Hattie nodded in agreement. I thought for a split second before voicing my concern.  “Do you think Bertie is safe?” I asked her. “I have no clue. Maybe once she is found she will finally get to go home. It is what she wants, after all.” I nodded at Hattie.

“Can I speak with Ethel for a moment, Nonie?!” is the first thing Harriet asked me when we arrived at the manor, I looked at her confused but then smiled, “Of course,” I replied.

Nonie was sitting in the library on her thinking of Byron, she was missing him. She had only seen him one-time last week and he had only greeted her while passing her. She did see him glaring at a male so Nonie knew he wasn’t ignoring her he just disliked someone. Nonie still felt a little defeated she wished she could talk to him, “Can you stop signing, I am sure he is missing you too,” Ethel spoke up standing next to her with a book in hand, Nonie nodded with a small smile. She opened her book and started to read.

I just relaxing enjoying me tea when someone knocks on my door, I opened it to be met with Hattie’s waterfall of words, “Nonie! Have you-“ She paused to take a deep breath, and continued “heard? Bertie has returned.” She finished and I was surprised  “Seriously?” and Hattie nodded I felt relieved flowing through my body, and then there was another knock on the door. We both looked at each other before I went to open the door. “Lady Nonie Grace Dedworth, Lady Kensington would like to have a word with you.” It was, once again, Lady Kensington’s maid. I looked at Hattie hoping she would accompany me Bertie’s grandmother was just too scary. “Oh! Lady Harriet, pardon me. I didn’t see you there. If you could come down with Lady Nonie too, that’d be great.” I was confused though when the maid suggested it.  I signed turned to Hattie and motion for her to come along, “Let’s go.”

We walked into Lady Kensington’s study since the doors were open already; there was Bertie, looking like she had just been through a trauma, and her grandmother standing behind her with a rather angry expression. “Dowager Pembroke, I truly think that staying at Kensington would be best for Bertie,” said Lady Kensington. “Even after causing such an atrocious crime? Not!” said the Dowager, I shuddered and tried to hide behind Hattie. “Lady Kensington?” Hattie said, in order to, make our presence noted, I wanted to tell her that it was best to just leave.

She turned to face us and I had no choice but to follow Hattie lead and curtsied. Bertie also looked up at us; her eyes were all puffy and red. “Lady Nonie and Lady Harriet, we would like your opinion about this matter. Is it true that you were friends with Bertie?” We both nodded.

"Bertie was once my friend sweet, nice, protective but with each week I have seen her become someone that puts her feelings before anyone just because she wants to get home, how far must she go before we give her just what she wants, Betty isn't going to give up and even though she has been so hateful, I don't wish to see her hurt or death," Nonie looked at the girl that had been glaring at her before her eyes filled with tears, "Here for you, I hope with the decision to bring you back home you will become the Bertie, I knew," Nonie handed her the Christmas gift she bought her. “I have the same opinion as Nonie. Bertie used to be very kind, but now it seems like she has completely changed. Lately, especially, she was being very cruel to us and although we know it’s because she wants to go home, it was a bit much. However, if going home means she’ll go back to her old manners…” Hattie stopped and looked at her, then said “then she should go. Just like Nonie here, I got you a gift”. Hattie walked towards her and put the small brown box on her lap. “Thank you, Ladies. You may go now,” said Lady Kensington. We curtsied, looked once more at Bertie and left the room.

“Do you think she’ll go home?” I asked Hattie. “Honestly? I don’t know.” Hattie replied firmly.

Nonie was enjoying her Valentine morning, she had a great bath and Ethel even took extra care with her hair, which was delightful. After she was dressed she went to the balcony. It was still pretty cold but Ethel had thrown a blanket over her. She was in a peaceful state when a maid came to here sparing gift in her hands. “Hello, Lady Nonie, May I gift you present from Lord Chatwich,” Nonie’s blood ran cold, “No!” Nonie yelled scaring the maid, “I am sorry, can you please return this gifts to him,” Nonie tried to muster a polite apology but she was shaking all over. “Was the male taunting her or had he no remorse,” Nonie taught to herself she didn’t know. What she did know is she was on the verge of throwing up and she hadn’t even seen him. Nonie stood straight up.
“Lady Nonie?” Ethel asked her when Nonie stormed inside the room. Nonie didn’t acknowledge anyone she had a purpose, it was time to tell Lady Kensington what happened. Nonie was strong but not if she ever saw that man again. A shiver ran over her body it was time to tell.

Round 3 Complete

Last edited by NinaJones (18/12/2019 at 20:15)

                                                     
Harriet Ada York

Outfits  Formal Ball, Masquerade Ball, Valentine's Day
      


Interests Haywood (RI), Byron(RI), Bertie (FI)

Story

November

On the morning after the Salon, there was a polite knock on my door. I got up and opened the door gently, only to find a maid whom I had never met before.

“Good morning. Is something the matter?”

“Good morning, Lady Harriet. Your presence is being requested downstairs, by Lady Kensington herself.”

“I’ll be down shortly. Thank you for letting me know.” I smiled at her, before she curtsied and left.

I fixed my hair and went down to Lady Kensington’s study. I knocked twice and she asked me to come in.

“Lady Kensington.” I curtsied, and continued: “You’ve been expecting me, correct?” Although I tried to sturdy my voice, I was still nervous on the inside.

“Indeed I have, Harriet. Do take a seat.” She made a gesture towards the settee and I sat down, as did she on the settee opposite me. I waited for her to break the silence.

“Your performance at the Salon…actually, your choice was very intriguing must I say. Very bold of you to pick such a poem. Seemed like it also fitted perfectly with your character as a young lady.”

I felt content that she had enjoyed my performance! I was relieved that it went well, despite the words used in Fyge’s poem.

“Thank you so much, Lady Kensington. I am very glad that you thought so.”

“Do keep up the good work. Now that everything has been said, you are free to go. I thank you for your performance.” She said to me, with a steady voice. Although it sounded strict, she was indeed a very honest person.

“And I for your time. Good day, Lady Kensington.” I got up, curtsied, and left the room.

After being so glad to have chosen The Liberty, I remember in what Byron Kensington had told me; “ The Female Advocate? Her most popular work”, so I ran as fast as I could to the library in hopes of finding the book. In that moment I probably did not seem courteous at all, but I was too excited to find it and see what amazing works Sarah Fyge Egerton had written as well. I burst the library open, like a mad lady, and went in search for the book.

I went through every book in the library but to no avail, since the book was absolutely nowhere to be found. Only then I noticed that I had spent about three whole hours looking for ‘The Female Advocate’. In fact, the library had emptied.

“For God’s sake! Where is the book? I have wasted all my energy already…” I muttered under my breath, until I saw him. I walked up to him gently and smiled, then said: “Hello, Lord Byron. Would you be kind enough to assist me in something?”

“Lady Harriet, what a surprise. How did your performance at the Salon go?” He cheekily smiled and waited for my reply.

“Very well, thanks for asking. Though now that I have familiarised myself with Fyge Egerton’s writing, I’d like to take your advice into consideration and move on to her most significant book.”

He nodded and proceeded; “Then, where is it that you require my assistance?”

“I can not seem to find it anywhere, and I have looked into every single book here. Is there not a copy of it?” I said, with a tone of desperation in my voice.

“Possibly.” Judging from his facial expression, it was safe to say that he was believable.

I hung my head in defeat and said: “What a pity, I was very looking forward to reading it. Thank you for your assistance though.”

“My pleasure. Have a Good Day.” said Byron to me, before I curtsied and left the room.

As I was going out in the garden, I saw Nonie by herself in the corridor, looking quite upset. I was instantly worried as I saw her face so I immediately went to her.

“Nonie?!” She looked up at me, with tears welled in her eyes. “Hey, what’s the matter?!”. Such a sight of poor Nonie broke my heart.

She pointed towards the other end of the corridor and said, while trying to hold back her tears, “I may have done something wrong, Hester, basically shushed me away and Bertie just called me, mulatto, in the presence of Lady Isolda and Holly,”. I was taken aback by her reply, I could not believe that Bertie had stooped so low; the next time I see her, I’ll be sure to confront her, no matter what it costs me.

“Hey, hey Nonie, Nonie, don’t cry alright, I am sure she didn’t mean it like that, I will try to talk to her okay?” Nonie nodded and slightly smiled. I was relieved to see her a bit better, so I helped her stand up.

“Let’s talk about something else, something fun…” I started thinking of something I could use as a distraction to talk about, and my performance was the first thing to come to mind. “Like how Lady Kensington just told me how great my performance was.” Nonie smiled and I couldn’t help but smile as well! I was proud of myself, after all.

“And what about you Nonie?!” I asked, without suppressing my curiosity.

Nonie chuckled, and then said “She told me she loved it and would make me her student”.
I screamed with joy and squeezed the life out of poor Nonie with a hug. I tried to control my joy and said “That’s extremely good, Nonie”. I was truly very happy for her; she was an amazing person who deserves the best.

She smiled, nodded and thanked me. I warped my arm in hers and said “Come, let’s celebrate with cookies and tea! I will talk to Bertie later today.” I said to her, with a grin on my face.

Nonie looked at the drawings in my other hand and said, before pointing at them, “You also have to tell me, why you haven’t become a seamstress, yet.
What she said took me by surprise a bit, so I gave her a small smile and answered “I don’t think I have the talent.” If only I was that experienced, oh how I longed!

Nonie snorted and asked me a question that I would regret if I refuse to: “Can you please design my dress for Christmas, because I do believe in you?”

How could I refuse her request, especially after being such a great friend to me? I wrapped her in a tight hug and said “Thank you so much, Nonie that means so much to me!” She hugged me back and I almost started crying of joy.

“Now let’s get the cookies you promised” said Nonie. I smiled at her and we went to celebrate!

~~~

After me and Nonie parted ways later on the same day, I saw Bertie in the corridor leading to the bedrooms. Just as Nonie had mentioned, Bertie was with Lady Isolda and Lady Holly. I promised Nonie that I’d talk to Bertie, and there was no better time than the present.

As I started walking towards Bertie, I saw her looking at me while muttering something to the other ladies. Once I was right in front of them, Bertie held her head high and asked me with a steady voice, “So, is it true, lady Harriet?”.

I raised a brow as I was confused to what she was asking about, so I waited for her to speak.

“That you were born out of wedlock?” Bertie smirked whilst the other ladies started to look at me in an abhorrent manner.

My body froze; she had left me absolutely speechless. The fact that Bertie herself was asking me this question was quite a blow. Now I exactly understood why I had found Nonie the way she was. Deep down in my heart I was definite that it was a lie, but I still could not believe Bertie. I walked backwards, trying to hold my tears back, and started walking towards the other direction. However, I decided to stop, and a certain memory came to my mind.

“Harriet! Ladies never break their promises. If you promised to face the world, then do so.” My mother had said, with a proud smile on her face.

I indeed had said to Nonie that I would speak with Bertie, thus I will. I will not let Bertie ruin my family’s clean reputation!

I put on a brave face, and went to face Bertie.

“Lady Bertie, why must you be lying when I have tried to do you nothing but good, along with Lady Nonie? Is there a reason behind this atrocious rumor you have been spreading? Have you no shame as a lady, at all?!” Although I have my patience, I can not stand people who disrespect others.

“Are you sure that you’re not an illegitimate child, Hattie?” Bertie said, never taking off the smirk on her face.

“I am most certain. However, it pains me to see you doing these things, spreading these lies about me and Nonie. Every ounce of respect I still had for you… 'tis all gone.” I looked at her with anger in my eyes and continued walking to my room.

Hopefully this time, my effort was not in vain.

December

Finally December arrived, the month I had been awaiting the most! Since I was a child, Christmas had always been my favorite holiday. We would always put up decorations at our estate to celebrate this wonderful time of the year.

Since classes were suspended since the 1st, I decided to go to the library in hopes of finding a book that would refresh my memory on sewing. Although I used to help mother sew clothes, it has been a while since I last sewed. Nonie had asked me to design her a dress for the Christmas ball, and I wanted it to be flawless.

Just as I was about to enter, I saw Haywood leaving the library.

“Good morning, Lord Haywood. It has been a while, hasn’t it?” I said, with a smile on my face.

“Lady Harriet! You’re radiant this morning.” How could I not be, when I finally had the opportunity to actually bring one of my designs to life?

“I am indeed. Finally I will be able to see somebody wearing an actual dress designed by yours truly.” I couldn’t help but show the excitement!

“Though you had given me the impression that you had given up, I congratulate you. I wonder, you have not started sewing yet and you’re already this happy. ” He said to me, gently smiling.

“Thank you! You stand correct, Lord Haywood. Though, when a lady is sewing, she never is what she seams.” Hopefully, Haywood seemed to understand my joke since he laughed gently.

“Unfortunately I can’t remember any sewing jokes, I may be running out of materials..?” He asked ironically, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Since I hadn’t seen him for a month, I had forgotten how great his jokes were! I felt so glad to have another person appreciate my hobby enough to think of jokes in regards to it.

Just then, I realised that I had caught him leaving, which meant he had to go to some place.

“Oh, pardon me! I forgot for a moment that you were on your way to some where. I will go back to my duties now” I said to him.

“That’s quite alright, do not worry. On another matter, would you be interested in having lunch with my parents at my estate tomorrow? Since you enjoy gardens, I will make sure to show you ours. It will leave you utterly mesmerised by its beauty” Haywood said, to which I responded:

“Surely. I look forward to meeting Lady Cawley and Lord Cawley, and I also appreciate your offer in seeing the greenery that the Cawleys have. Thank you” I smiled, curtsied and went into the library.

I found a book which taught the basics of how to sew, but it was sufficient since I only needed a reminder. Then I took out my notebook and started flipping page after page until I found the perfect one! Now all that is left is the fabric, which I will buy on the 10th.
Though, I wondered, should I design one for myself as well?

~~~

“Mother, Father, this is Lady Harriet from York.” As Haywood introduced me to his parents, I could not help but look with amazement at the beautiful estate. It was much bigger than ours but for some reason, it felt empty to me. I was used to my sisters running around while playing the blind man’s buff.

I broke out of my thoughts and curtsied to Lady Cawley and Lord Cawley. “Thank you for your kind invitation” I said with a small smile.

We went into the dining room and during lunch, I heard multiple stories about Haywood’s childhood and to some I couldn’t help but laugh. Since he was adopted at a very young age, he grew up speaking English with the British accent, and adapted to the British manners as well. It was very obvious that his parents love him very much, as does he. Seeing them all united as a family brought a wave of sadness over me; I hadn’t seen my family since August and I missed them greatly, especially my little sisters.

“Lady Harriet?” I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t even noticed Haywood speaking to me.

“Pardon me! Seeing you together… it takes me back to our estate. I really didn’t mean to zone out. My sincerest apologies.”

Haywood chuckled, and said “It’s fine. Would you like to see the garden, as I offered?”

My eyes lit up and I nodded. The both of us got up.

“Excuse us, mother, father.” He did a small curtsy as did I.

Upon going outside in the garden, I felt as if I were in a dream. There was a long pond in the middle with flowers on both sides as long as the pond. It was also full of leaves and lily pods. It led to a maze that seemed incredibly enormous, which I didn’t dare enter. There were also some rock statues.

“So, does it live up to your expectation?” Haywood asked.

“Honestly? I was expecting less. I am completely and utterly at a loss of words. This garden is simply…” I said, slowly forming a smile on my face.

“It is beyond mesmerising.” He finished my sentence, and I nodded in agreement.

After giving me a small tour of the garden, we returned to Kensington. I was glad that the lunch had gone well, as well as meeting the Cawleys, hopefully.

~~~

On the 10th, me and Nonie planned to go shopping for gifts in town. There was a knock on my door as I was still in my room, getting ready for our outing. I opened the door and I found Ethel, Nonie’s maid.

“Good morning Lady Harriet” she said politely.

“Good morning Ethel. Is something the matter?” I asked, with a worried expression on my face.

“Would it be alright to postpone the outing by an hour? Lady Nonie was quite tired, so I let her sleep longer.”

“It’s alright. Thank you for letting me know. Have a good day” I told her with a smile. She curtsied and left.

An hour passed by quickly; I waited for Nonie and once she saw me, she started rambling about how sorry she was that she had overslept.

I tried my best not to laugh, so then I told her “Nonie! Ethel already let me know that we would leave a little later and no, you’re not late, just in time actually. Please breath!”.

She put on a confused face and I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at her facial expression! Soon after, she said “Owww” and started laughing as well!

We made our way to the carriage that would take us to the city and during the ride we enjoyed ourselves extremely. Even our maids laughed along with us, which brought me much joy.

“Charlotte, the cheeky twin, decided to mix the blue flower seeds that she found in the field with mother’s food, and she did not even notice!” I said to Nonie, while telling her about one of my sister’s mischievous stories.

“I can’t believe your younger sister did that,” Nonie told me while laughing.

“She did! My Mother had a blue tongue for three days” I replied, laughing as well.

An “Uhm…” by the driver diverted our attention towards him, and then he told us that we arrived. He held the door open for us to exit the carriage.

We both thanked him, looked at each other and started giggling. Then, me and Nonie parted ways to different salon. I decided to buy a golden heart locket with ‘NGD’ engraved on it for Nonie as a gift, which I truly hoped she would like. Then I proceeded to buy a pocked watch for Haywood, and a book for Byron, since they had been both very friendly to me and I wanted to thank them. A part of me also wanted to buy a gift for Bertie, so I did, although I was unsure to how she would respond. I decided to get her a bracelet.

Me and Nonie met up at the seamstress shop but I needed to fetch some fabric for Nonie’s and mine dresses, so I excused myself. Once I found the fabrics I picked a light blue one, a pink one, a light purple one and another white one with pink roses.

“Nonie!” I shouted, in order for her to come pick out her favorite.

“Yes Hattie” She said, once she arrived.

“Which one do you love?!” I asked her bluntly, while holding them out.

Nonie stared blankly with her mouth open; she seemed shocked for some reason. “Why?!” she asked.

“For your dress silly” I answered her, with a smile.

“I don’t think they will suit me, Hattie”

I shook my head, and said “I didn’t ask you for that Nonie. I asked which one you loved”.

I noticed that she looking back and forth at the fabrics; I was sure that she had a favorite but didn’t think she would look good in them. I smiled at her and said, with a confident tone, “Nonie, what I will design for you will show everyone that you’re not beneath them. Heck, I think you’re better than most people, I see how you care and I promise you, this dress will make you feel as if you’re the only one in the room that matters!”

Her eyes instantly went big and let out a small smile.

“So, which one?” I asked, while smiling and holding the fabrics up once again.

She pointed at the pink one and the white with roses. “I like how you think” I said, before heading off again to the fabric section. I decided to get the light blue on for myself and some pink ribbons to go with Nonie’s dress. I couldn’t wait to see the dress I had imagined on Nonie! She’ll look marvelous, I’m sure.

Once I gathered everything I needed, I returned to Nonie and she helped me carry the fabric. For some reason, I was asked to show the owner of the shop my designs, which I did, not knowing why. I paid for the things and we left the shop.

“What was that all about?” I asked Nonie.

“You have to wait to find out” Nonie answered.

I was surprised by her reply, but then I smiled excitedly and said “Alright, looking forward to it.”

~~~

On the 24th, I first put on my light blue dress that I had designed especially for myself, then I went to Nonie’s room with my maid, Molly, as to give her the dress for the Christmas ball. As soon as I saw Nonie, I said “So I heard you kept Ethel awake” to which she responded “I did not”. I instantly noticed that her eyes were fixated on the dress, which was in Molly’s hands.  “Come, we will help you in it, the ball will start soon.” I said, to which she nodded and let us in her room.

As soon as she put it on, we started adjusting it to Nonie’s measurements. I looked at the front of the dress and said “Pull the cord a little tighter, want the sleeves to puff more”. As the sleeves seemed puffed enough, I nodded and said, “Yes, just like that”. I could see Nonie gasping for air so I loosened the bows a little bit, enough for her to breathe.
“Thank you, thought I would die” Nonie wheezed out, to which I could not help but laugh.

As Ethel was going to start fixing her hair, I took the hat from Molly’s hands and said “I got a hat that goes with the dress”, which I then revealed. Nonie gasped, Ethel said that it looked nice and I could not help but smile proudly. She then combed her hair, put the hat on and I was dying to see how she looked, so I let my excitement free itself; “Now let’s see how you look!”

As Nonie stood up, Ethel complimented her and I told her that she looked truly pretty. The dress had fitted her perfectly and she looked extremely beautiful. Tonight, whoever had said anything against her would regret it for sure. After walking to the mirror, Nonie turned around and hugged me tightly, while mumbling “Thank you, so much” in my ears.
Me and Lady Nonie made our way into the ball with our arms linked. Once we entered, we heard people gasping at our sight. I was so proud that finally I helped Nonie feel confident! We were also praised for our dresses and some were also mean for no absolute reason. Nonie said that it was because they were jealous, though I did not mind them at all. Both me and Nonie thanked all the ladies that complimented us.

During the ball, me and Nonie separated for a few. While I was by myself, I decided to go out to the balcony for some fresh air. Suddenly, Lord Haywood came up to me with a small box in his hands.

“Lady Harriet, you look wonderful. Was it created by yourself, I wonder?” He said, with a smile on his face.

“Thank you, and you are right there. I also designed Lady Nonie Dedworth’s dress, thought I must admit, it came out much better than mine.” I said kindly, and pointing at Nonie’s dress.

“For what it’s worth, I think you have done a great job at designing both dresses. Also, I have this for you,” he brought out a small brown box and handed it to me.
I was surprised and then I remembered that I had also bought him a small gift. Molly went to fetch me the gift and I handed it to him. “I am eager to see what’s inside your gift, though this one is for you. I hope it suits your taste”

He opened the gift and smiled at the pocket watch, so I hoped he liked it. I decided to open his gift as well; it revealed a dark black music box with a golden lining. I looked at Haywood and he told me to wind it up. As I turned the key, a lovely lullaby started to play. I got lost in the moment and closed my eyes, I started remembering some of my childhood memories which I cherished very much.

The lullaby unfortunately ended after a few seconds, but I was smiling, regardless of the tear that had fell on my face.

“What did you think?” Haywood asked.

“It’s perfect.” I wiped the tear off my face with my cloth, and continued, “It is not an English one though, since I know all of them by heart. It’s the most beautiful lullaby I have ever heard.”

He let out a grin and said “It’s one from my home country, India. As I saw it, I instantly thought of it as a perfect gift. Do you like it?”

I nodded and answered “It really is perfect. Thank you so much”, then smiling.
~~~
The next day I got up and went to the library in order to find a book that would help me sew better the next dress that I had in mind for Nonie. Lord Byron was there, so I went up to him in order to give him the gift I had bought.

“Hello, Lord Byron.” I curtsied, and took out the book with brown wrapping. “This is for you, which I hope you enjoy.”

“Lady Harriet, you took the words right out of my mouth” He smiled cheekily and also took out a gift with wrapping. He held it out for me and I took it, so I handed him his gift.
I immediately opened it, only to find ‘The Female Advocate’ by Sarah Fyge Egerton. I stared at the book in surprise and looked up at him, with a huge smile on my face.

“If you have time, would you like to read a few chapters together?” He asked me, to which I nodded. Finally I could read more of Egerton’s work, although it would be hard to focus on it with Byron by my side.

We spent about an hour in the library; I could tell that Lord Byron really liked books judging by his facial expressions while reading the chapters. He looked as if he knew the chapters without needing to look at the book, which was quite impressive!

While returning to my room, there were many ladies that came up to me in order to ask me whether I could design a dress for them, all thanks to Nonie!

Speaking of which, Lady Nonie came to my room which was perfect since I needed to give her the gift I had bought. As I heard her knock, I quickly opened the door and told her “You do not know how much orders I got today, because of how beautiful you looked yesterday Nonie”.

I let her in and she held up a gift at Molly. Nonie gave her a dress and then I remembered the shawl I had bought for Ethel, so I handed it to her as well.

“That was nice of you” I said to Nonie, while sitting down. She suddenly put a gift on my lap and said “For you”. I was surprised to see some thing flat covered in wrapping; what could it be?

“This is too much” I told her, but she simply huffed while I started opening it. It was a magazine full of sketches that all looked simply stunning! One could tell that they were done by a professional. It was so amazing that I could feel tears forming in my eyes and I said “You know I am not a crier, but this is amazing”.

“What but I didn’t even tell you the biggest surprise yet” Nonie said.

I shook my head and handed her the necklace and the design I was planning on giving her.
She gasped once she was the design and said that it was so beautiful!

“I am going to have them make it for you” I ushered.

Nonie then opened the second gift and thanked me. We hugged with smiles on our faces.

“Before Nonie forgets, lady Hattie, my lady made an appointment in February for you to learn under the seamstress in the city” Ethel spoke up and I could not help myself but gasp, as I pulled away from Nonie.

“You did not” I told her, to which she nodded and followed “Yes, I did even ask permission, I am allowed to chaperon for you”.

I had permission? Nonie as my chaperone? Lesson from seamstress in the city? It was a dream come true!

I screamed “Nonie!!! You’re the best, I always wanted this, I can make your dress myself, Nonie!!” as I drowned her into a very tight hug. “You are just too amazing, you believe in my dreams as much as I do” I said, full of content and joy for being so lucky to have met such an amazing Lady.

Sometime later we left my room, only to encounter many people pointing at Nonie shamelessly.

“I can believe what she did to receive that present”

The both of us frowned since we had no idea in what was going on.

“Look at her, she has no shame”

There were also other things I heard, but every single of them was simply absurd, made up to bring Nonie in tears. She started crying and I told her “Come on, Nonie, we are going to search for Bertie”. It was obvious who the person behind all of this was, and this time she had crossed the line.

Bertie was surrounded by ladies who also looked like they enjoy fake rumours. She was spewing more nonsense to which I simply couldn’t stand any longer, so I let my rage take over.

“That’s more than enough for you! How dare you as a friend, as a human being… no one should spew such lies.”

Bertie started laughing and answered “Hattie, don’t be so dramatic. After all, no one taught you to act like a lady, I mean… being born out of wedlock and all”.

That was it! I slapped her as hard as I could because I was beyond enraged.

“Stop being a pathetic little girl! Last time I was okay with it because I thought you would stop, I thought we were friends” I paused to catch my breath, and I heard everybody gasp. Then I continued, “Yet you hurt someone I care about too much with your lies!”.

I grabbed Nonie’s hand and looked back at Bertie again, shouting “I can’t understand why we were ever friends with a person like you. Just go home already if that’s what you want!”

“Come on, Nonie” I told her, and we went to her room.

“Thank you, no one ever stood up for me”

“That’s what a sister is for” Nonie smiled and hugged me while mumbling thank you in my ear repeatedly.

Although I had not been courteous at all with Bertie, I did not care at all what I had done since she had it coming since long.

~~~

The New Year’s Eve Ball arrived very quickly. For an unknown reason, Bertie’s lady maid knocked on my door to inform me that she had wished to speak to me and Nonie. I went to her room but it was empty, then I heard a knock and it was Nonie.

“Have you been long here?”

“Maybe 3 minutes, she wanted to wait on us both”

“Finally, you two took your time. Did you know how bored I was” Bertie said, shamelessly.

Me and Nonie both frowned.

“I don’t intend to go to the ball tonight. I wish for you two to stay with me” Heck no, I thought.

I was about to speak but instead, to my surprise, it was Nonie who spoke up: “Did you only call us here so that you can complain about how bored you are and if we can skip the ball?”

Bertie answered, with an annoyed look, “Yes, I do not like to repeat myself”.

I couldn’t help but huff at her stupid answer.

“I am sorry your highness but my schedule doesn’t permit me to entertain you tonight” said Nonie, to which I laughed.

“Excuse me, I don’t like to repeat myself” said Bertie, with confusion all over her face.

Nonie grabbed my hand we left the room.

“I didn’t think you had it in you” I told Nonie, with a grin on my face.

“I read books 24/7, of course, I got it in me, just didn’t think it would ever come out” mumbled Nonie, to which I laughed.

“Oh no, don’t you dare go back to that.” I said amused, and Nonie started to blush.

For the ball, I decided to put on another ballgown that I also had designed specifically for myself, accompanied by a matching mask. However, I was feeling quite unwell that night and I only planned to stay for a bit. As I was pulling Nonie through the people, a serving girl stopped us to let us know that Lord Chatwich wanted to meet Nonie. We parted ways and Lord Byron came up to me.

“Lady Harriet… looking wonderful. Would you perhaps be interested in a dance?” He asked politely.

“As are you, Lord Byron. I also plan to take you up on that offer.” I smiled and put my hand in his.

As we started dancing, he asked me “Have you continued reading the book I gave you?” and I responded “Heaven made Woman to supply the want, and to make perfect what before was scant. I quite agreed with those lines”.

I chuckled gently and he answered “Fascinating, though I am not so surprised. You are indeed bold like she was.”

The music ended and I curtsied, “Thank you for the dance Lord Byron, though now I will be retiring to my room as I am feeling quite unwell. Have a good time”.

I looked for Nonie but she was nowhere to be seen, so I let Ethel know that I had retired from the Ball. I also wished to speak to Haywood but I hadn’t seen him around, how strange I thought.

As I went to my room, I changed into much comfortable clothing and set on my bed, listening to the music box that Haywood had gifted me. Since a new year was about to start, I decided to write to my family, most specifically; my little sisters.

Dear Catherine,

I hope you are all well. I miss all of you greatly and wanted to know how you spent your Christmas. Although I do have friends here, there’s no place like home. Are mother and father treating you girls well? If anything comes up, let me know, alright Catty? Also, give Charlie and Dotty a huge embrace from me.

Miss you dearly,
Hattie

I sealed the letter and gave it to Molly, who would send it for me. Then I sat on my bed, looked at the dresses I had designed and a wave of concern washed over me; will father be supportive of this, once I return?

January

In January, I grew concerned of Nonie since she always seemed tired and more quiet than usual. I hoped that she would confide in me, if there was something wrong. Though I was afraid for her; there were rumours going on about Lord Chatwith, and none of them were pretty.

There was a knock on my door and I opened it; it was Nonie so I told her to come in. She sat down and I said in front of her.

“Nonie, are you okay?!” I asked her, worried about her well-being.

“Lord Myles… I mean Lord Chatwith tried to rape me…” Nonie said while crying.

I gasped, since I could not believe what I had heard! What a disgusting man, I thought, to not be ashamed at doing such things to ladies. Now that I knew, I was even more worried for her.

I immediately got up to wrap her in a tight hug, and said “Nonie, that wasn’t your fault.”

Ethel also put her warm arms around poor Nonie, as did Molly, after telling her that no woman should go through that.

“I will be here for you Nonie. Always.” I said to her, with hopes of making her feel better.
Ethel suggested to poison him and I agreed; he did deserve it after all.

“No, we will not be hanged” Nonie said.

“Then we should at least him help into ruin” said Molly, which was a pretty good idea.

“What if we lure him out in the dark and stab him on a rainy night?” I suggested.

“Or we could push him down the stairs!” suggested Molly.

I laughed a bit and said “No, that’d be way too bloody to deal with.”

We continued suggesting revenge plots and I swear I saw a smile on Nonie’s mouth. At least now she was sure that she isn’t alone, which brought my heart more at ease.

~~~

Our classes resumed on the 2nd, and now we also had dance lessons which were a great deal of entertainment! Fortunately, Nonie was doing much better with our help, but Bertie was still being mean towards us, which meant that she continued pressing my buttons.

Once as I was heading to our next lesson with Nonie, she was in the way and put her foot out on purpose in order to trip one of us. Being a bit clumsy myself, I was the one that took the fall.

“Hattie! Are you okay?” asked Nonie, while helping me get up.

“Yes, I’m fine, though my things have scattered all over.” I said, getting up and fixing my dress.

I bowed once again to pick up my things but I hadn’t noticed before that one of my recent sketches had fell out of my notebook! As I went to pick it up, Bertie put her foot on it.

“For God’s sake…” I muttered under my breath. I sighed and got up, to look Bertie in the eye and said “Would you mind putting your foot elsewhere, please?”.

She smirked, bent to pick up the paper and looked at it. “Right, you draw sketches… well, one less will not make such a difference, correct?” She started tearing the paper in shreds and threw them down the stairs. Then she laughed menacingly and continued walking towards class.

I felt my blood boiling in my veins and even Nonie was angry since she was practically giving Bertie a death glare. I turned towards Nonie and said “It’s alright, don’t let her get you riled up. Seeing us angry is her satisfaction.”

Nonie seemed to understand, but then asked “But your sketch… she destroyed it. Are you fine with that?”

I looked down in disappointment and said “Let’s not let Bertie stop us from going to our lesson” while letting out a small smile. She nodded in agreement and we continued walking.

~~~

On the 13th a snow storm hit London and we were all stuck there, with no way to leave the manor, including the gentlemen. However Lady Kensington insisted that classes go on as usual, regardless of the situation we found ourselves in.

Bertie was still being cruel as much as possible to me and Nonie, but we tried to avoid having other outbursts, since we had gotten tired of the stupid rumours she kept making up about us.

Since I had finished reading Egerton’s book, I decided to go to the library on the 15th instead of attending literature class. As per usual, there was Lord Byron reading a book.

“I find the number of times I’ve seen you reading quite interesting. Do you never get tired of this room?” I asked, approaching him slowly.

“No, not at all. I enjoy reading new stories, be it a true one or an invented one. How are you here though?” He looked at me and asked politely.

“I need another book that’ll make me feel like I can actually change the world. Do you have any recommendations?” I raised a brow and smiled.

“Hmmm…” he said, while proceeding towards the bookshelves. I saw his eyes travel over the books as if he were looking for a particular one, and then he took one out. “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, by Mary Wollstonecraft. You’ll definitely love it” he said, as he handed me the book.

My eyes lit up just by simply looking at its cover and I smiled at him. I thanked him, curtsied and left.

As I was heading to my room, I ran into Haywood. I hadn't seen him since the Christmas Ball and I had missed his presence (and jokes). I decided to talk to him since I had enough time, because I had decided to skip literature class and my next one was in 30 minutes.

"Lord Haywood, it's been a while. How have you been doing?" I said kindly.

"Quite well, expect for the fact that I'll be stuck here until the snow storm passes. Yourself?" He said, followed by a smile.

"I've had better days. Though, I meant to ask you some thing."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Lord Myles Chatwith... what do you know about him?"

He looked surprised by my question, and then answered, "His bride's body was found floating at their summer home's lake. It was a mystery indeed. Could I ask why about this sudden interest?".

He definitely killed his bride. "Just heard rumours is all. I've never spoken to him since he didn't peak my interest, yet even hearing his name sends a shiver down my spine."
~~~

I opened my eyes and found Nonie along with Molly and Ethel next to my bed. I thought it was a dream but then Nonie started waving her hand over my face.

I sat up, and asked “What’s the matter? It’s still so early…” with a croaky voice.

“Bertie’s gone. They think she ran away” Nonie answered, with a confused look on her face.

“What? Are you serious?” I asked her, and she nodded.

“She’s honestly trying too hard to get kicked out, isn’t she?” I said, finally fully-awake.

“I guess, though I wondered where she has gone to.”

“Lady Harriet and Lady Nonie, isn’t it better now that she has gone? She will stop making your lives miserable.”

Although Molly did have a point, a part of me still felt worried for her.

February

On the 4th, we were told that Bertie’s grandmother, Dowager Countess Cordelia Pembroke, had come to Kensington in order to retrieve Bertie who was still lost.
There was a knock on my door at a very early hour in the morning, and it was Lady Kensington’s maid.

“Lady Harriet Ada York?” She asked calmly.

I nodded my head.

“Your presence is being requested by Lady Kensington and her guest. Could you accompany me immediately please? The matter is quite urgent.”

What she meant was that I didn’t have enough time to change, so I had to go down in my nightwear. I quickly put on my morning gown and followed her downstairs.

I knocked on the door and was asked to go in.

“Harriet, thank you for coming down so quickly. This is Dowager Countess Cordelia Pembroke, also the grandmother of Bertie Coghill, one of your classmates.”

I curtsied before them, and stood up.

“Pardon me for asking, but has Bertie been found?” I asked politely.

The Dowager looked at Lady Kensington, then she looked at me and said “Not yet. Would you perhaps have an idea of where my niece could possibly have gone?”

I looked down, a bit disappointed, then replied “I do not, though we were not on the best terms lately. Pardon me for not being of help”.

“That’s alright Harriet, you may return to your room now.”

I curtsied and left.

~~~

On the 5th I went in the city, along with Nonie, for a lesson with seamstress. It was evident that I was very excited to arrive since I could not stop talking during the whole carriage ride!

“Nonie!!! We’re here, I can’t believe it.” I hurriedly got off the carriage and pulled Nonie with me, with Ethel and Molly following behind us.

Once we arrived in front of the shop, I paused for a moment to appreciate the very kind gesture Nonie had done for me and I gave her a tight hug.

“Let’s go in” she said, and I nodded excitedly.

As soon as we entered, the seamstress welcomed us and turned the sign of the shop over to closed. She brought out 4 stools for us to sit on and while she taught me, Nonie brought a book to read. The seamstress, Elizabeth, brought out 3 mannequins and 3 fabrics and asked me for suggestions. Time passed by quickly and I instantly felt more solid when it comes to designing clothing.

Once we got on the carriage, me and Nonie started talking.

“I loved the lesson! Thanks so much Nonie” I said, while hugging her another time.

“I know you did; you didn’t blink even once whenever she showed you her designs!” she said, as she laughed. I couldn’t help but laugh along with her.

“Oh, right! By the way, did you meet Bertie’s grandmother? She seems extremely strict” I asked Nonie.

“I definitely did! Doesn’t seem like she’s a relative of Bertie at all, judging by her personality”

I nodded in agreement.

Nonie seemed in a pensive mood for a split second, then asked me “Do you think Bertie is safe?”.

“I have no clue. Maybe once she is found she will finally get to go home. It is what she wants, after all.”

Once we arrived at the manor, I asked Nonie whether I could speak with Ethel in private for a moment, and she accepted.

“What is wrong, Lady Harriet?”

“Ethel, promise me you will not let Nonie go near Lord Chatwith ever again. Please.”

“Of course, although she is doing her best to avoid him.”

“If he ever approaches her, grab her and run. Immediately come find me. Never leave her side.”

“I don’t plan to, Lady Harriet. May I ask why, though?”

I sighed, and decided to tell her what Lord Haywood had said to me.

“His previous bride… was found dead. Where, you ask? In the lake of their summer home.”

Ethel’s eyes went wide and I could tell that she was thinking the same thing as I.

~~~

The next day I woke up; there were loud noises coming out of my room, as if people were running in the corridor. I got up, opened the door, and found many of the ladies gossiping.

“Bertie showed up a bit dishevelled, I’ve heard.”

“..hungover. Accompanied by the local constable of…”

Those 2 phrases were enough for me to know what had happened. I changed my clothes as fast as I could and ran to Nonie’s room. I knocked twice and she told me to enter.

“Nonie! Have you-“ I paused to take a deep breath, and continued “heard? Bertie has returned.”

“Seriously?” I nodded, and there was a knock on the door.

We both looked at each other, and Nonie went to open.

“Lady Nonie Grace Dedworth, Lady Kensington would like to have a word with you.” It was, once again, Lady Kensington’s maid.

Nonie looked at me, as did the maid.

“Oh! Lady Harriet, pardon me. I didn’t see you there. If you could come down with Lady Nonie too, that’d be great.”

Nonie, looking confused, gathered herself, looked at me, and said “Let’s go.”

We walked into Lady Kensington’s study since the doors were open already; there was Bertie, looking like she had just been through a trauma, and her grandmother standing behind her with a rather angry expression.

“Dowager Pembroke, I truly think that staying at Kensington would be best for Bertie.” said Lady Kensington.

“Even after causing such an atrocious crime? Definitely not!” said the Dowager, looking rather terrifying must I say.

“Lady Kensington?” I said, in order to make our presence noted.

She turned to face us and we curtsied. Bertie also looked up at us; her eyes were all puffy and red.

“Lady Nonie and Lady Harriet, we would like your opinion about this matter. Is it true that you were friends with Bertie?”

We both nodded.

Nonie described how Bertie was in the beginning, when we met her, and how she changed over the months. She decided that it would be better for her to go home, before handing her the Christmas gift she had bought.

“I have the same opinion as Nonie. Bertie used to be very kind, but now it seems like she has completely changed. Lately especially, she was being very cruel to us and although we know it’s because she wants to go home, it was a bit much. However, if going home means she’ll go back to her old manners…” I stopped and looked at her, then said “then she should go. Just like Nonie here, I got you a gift”.

I walked towards her and put the small brown box on her lap.

“Thank you, Ladies. You may go now.” said Lady Kensington.

We curtsied, looked once more at Bertie and left the room.

“Do you think she’ll go home?” asked Nonie.

“Honestly? I don’t know.” I said firmly.

~~~

Soon enough, it was Valentine’s day. Since we didn’t have any lessons, I started my day out in the garden reading the letter that I finally had received by my family, after almost two months.

Dear Hattie

Sorry for the late reply, things have been quite troubling here in York. Father was very unwell but after bringing three doctors, he managed to get better. Mother was worried sick and ever since then, your responsibilities fell on me. I had to take care of the twins since they kept running away from the maids, and causing mischief wherever they go. Will you be coming home soon? I can’t keep up with them any longer. How did you do it Hattie? I absolutely need guidance.

Yours truly

Catherine

I burst out laughing once I read that she needed guidance! She’s always been a quiet child and those two make her lose her mind. No wonder she couldn’t keep up, I thought.
I felt someone sit by my side, and it was Lord Haywood, with a box in his hands.

“You seem amused and content. Let me guess, a letter from home?” He asked with a smile.

I nodded and grinned. “My twin sisters always up to no good, and my other sister, calm as a millpond, is to look after them. Apparently, she needs my guidance.”

“That is quite understandable, considering you have been gone for a long time now. Do you think about them a lot?” he asked.

“I do. Actually, the lullaby from the music box makes me feel as if they are with me. The lullaby takes my mind back to York” I said, then smiling.

“Really? Although it’s of a different culture?”

I nodded and said, “If it were an English one, it would be no fun since I know all of them. I’ve sung them too many times for Catty, Dotty and Charlie.

“I really miss out on having siblings, don’t I?” he said ironically.

“Well, they do have their best, but also their worst. Sometimes they give me a huge headache though!” I started laughing and soon after, so did he.

“I can imagine. Though I must get going now, I’ve brought you this.” He handed me a box of Belgian chocolates with a small note stuck to it.

“Thank you, Lord Haywood.” I got up and curtsied. Then I smiled at him.

“Good bye, Lady Harriet.”

As he was leaving, he turned back to wave at me and I waved back, never taking off the hugely formed smile on my face.

Round 3 Complete

Last edited by chayanne03 (18/12/2019 at 20:10)

Eleanor Everdene
Interests:Byron Kensington(RI), Absalon Delacorte(RI)
Outfits: Formal Ball     //    Masquerade Ball     //      Valentine's day

November

The evening of the Salon had come a close. For Eleanor a small glass of port had settled her a little after her performance, and the flood of emotions it had cast over her. She stayed behind at bit and let the worst throng of people exit before she rose to leave. The truth was that she didn’t want to get into the way of Hester, or her ladies in waiting. Eleanor had not taken to like the woman, and decided to keep out of her way, rather than getting on her bad side. Since Eleanor had the feeling that Hester had the power to complicate her life more than she’d like.
“Miss Eleanor” Eleanor turned around to find Lord Kensington, Byron, standing a few paces behind her. Her heart leapt, before she cursed it into check. She smiled.
“Lord Kensington”
“I must congratulate you on your reading, you have a lovely voice for it. Quite strong and clear.”
“Thank you. Though I believe the verse rather overpowered me, I’m afraid.” She said and heat rose to her cheeks. “The other girls did such splendid performances.”
“If I may say so, the passion with which you delivered with your words, ah, I was quite taken.” He flashed that charming smile and she had to look away. “Isn’t it the beauty of poetry, the way it moves us. The way it can connect with our cores.”
“I could not have said it better myself.” She chuckled, mostly at the way she tried to rein in her galloping emotions in this very moment.
“Would you care to sit with me?” Byron asked. Eleanor looked about to find that they were alone, as the others had headed to their beds. She nodded and took one of the seats he had gestured at. He poured himself a port, he offered her as well, but she refused, before taking his seat.
“In the years since my mother started to take in young ladies I have heard, a more than a few of Shakespeare’s sonnets and as many Juliets at these gatherings. It’s refreshing to hear something new, even modern.”
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” She read out. He grinned and continued in the same manner:
“Thou art more lovely and more temperate.”
“Well, Shakespeare has his time and place,” she stated “though he is called upon more often than not. Other poets have so much to say about love as well.”
“Hear, hear” He lifts his glass at her. “I have not read much poetry of Goethe, only prose.”
“The Sorrows of Young Werther, I suppose?” They talked about the book for a while, mostly skimming on the surface of the novels themes and characters. Eleanor came to talk about how she fell in love in poetry through William Blake’s Songs of Innocence, of how she had stolen the book from her mama and when refusing to let it go, had climbed the highest tree in the yard, refusing to come down before she’d finished it. Byron laughed and she joined him as she told of how her mother had been furious with her, or rather scared she would fall and break her neck as Eleanor much later found out. Her mother had sent her brother James up the tree to retrieve her, and instead he managed to fall to the ground as one of the branches broke under his heavier weight. Eleanor got to stay in the tree until she was done, much to her merriment. James though was sore, and grumpy, for weeks afterwards. Byron then asked if she had read Blake’s latest Songs of Experience. Her eyes light up as he says she should be able to find it in the library.
Too soon, however, Eleanor can no longer divert her yawns and Byron notice.
“I’m sorry I have kept you up.”
“No, it has just been a long day.” She rose to her feet. “It was a pleasure to talk to you.”
“Pleasure’s all mine.” He said and gave one of those smiles.
“Good night, Lord Kensington.”
“Good night, Miss Eleanor.”

After the Salon had passed and gone, and the famous Tobias Smith had taken his farewell of Kensington the days went back to normal and the lessons took up most of Eleanor’s days and energy. She studied French more than any other of the subjects, not wanting to stumble and blunder in Mr Delacorte’s class.
It was the last day of November and French had been the last class of the day. Eleanor gathered up her books to follow the rest of the ladies when Mr Delacorte called her.
“Miss Eleanor, a moment of you time?” She watched the last pass through the door and the door swung shut.
“Yes?” She said and headed over to him.
“I wanted to ask you about these translations you did.”
“Oh, no.” It felt like a stone plummeted in her stomach. “What wrong have I managed now?”
“Not so fast, there’s no direct fault, you are advancing quite fast, I dare say. I was just curious how you thought about these.” He pointed out some few places in the text, and it became apparent that he was being kind, because the places he pointed out are clearly faults. She started apologizing.
“I blame the book I was reading. It had my candle burning into the early hours.”
“Ah,” Eleanor saw a spark of intrigue in his eye. “May I ask what reading keeps a lady up most of the night.”
“You may” She smirked. “Phèdre et Hippolyte, you mentioned it in passing during one of your lessons. I thought I’d seek it out for myself.”
“In French, I hope?” She nodded in response. His lips curling into a flirtatious smile. “Did you find it fascinating?”
“It did keep me up most of the night,” she laughed, “isn’t that answer enough for you?”
He asked her then of the play, questions that urge her to dig deeper in her analyse than she have thus far. In turn she asked him about the mythology, not being well enough versed in Greek mythology to understand the underlining conflicts in the play. Her apparent interest urging him on as he speak of Phèdre’s ancestry and the blood curse she bears.
“I never before blamed my mother for my lack of education.” She said after he finished, quite taken by the Greek mythology. “I never imagined what good French or mythology would do a simple gentleman’s daughter. I never considered the excitement of knowledge, the pleasure of it.” He just watched her, instead of replying. Meeting his gaze Eleanor wondered what he thought of.
“Perhaps I should not blame my mother.” She continued. “Perhaps I should blame the fact that I am a woman.”
“But a woman blessed with the position, and if I may say the intellect, to pursue that as one of many pleasures.” He paused, overlaying something before continuing. “Perhaps Mary Wollstonecraft’s views on women’s education would intrigue you. If know Lady Kensington, you will be able to find A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, it in the library. If you do, promise to tell me your thoughts.”
Eleanor thanked him and promised that she would, it definitely sounded intriguing. They did chat some more, then Mr Delacorte asked if she would join the other ladies on the trip planned into town.
“Yes I will.” She answered. “Many of the ladies are looking forward to do some shopping.”
“And you?” 
“I have what I need but the mere excitement of town is always something to look forward to.” The truth rather being that she did not have much money left to spend.
“Would you like to meet me in the city. There’s this coffee shop where we could meet, you would just have to slip away.” His words sobered her in an instant. Not that she didn’t want to meet him. The mere thought meeting him in secret in town, tingled pleasantly, but Lady Kensington’s stern face was all she could think of. During the meeting with Lady Kensington, weeks before, she had spoken some words of praise and encouragement, but for Eleanor it was overshadowed by the reprimand she had received due to the exchange with her brother in town. Eleanor had been able to tell Lady Kensington of the nature of the exchange but they both new her explanation would not reverse possibly done damage to her reputation. Lady Kensington’s last words to her rang through her mind as Eleanor stood before Mr Delacorte: “All that a lady has is her reputation.”
“I… I can’t.” She stammered in reply. “I can’t risk anyone to find out.”
“You would only have to sneak away.” He tried to tempt. “No one would need to know.”
“Mr Delacorte.” Her voice turned stern as she locked eyes him. “I can not meet with you in town. I have a reputation to think of and need to get back into Lady Kensington’s good graces, going about meeting you in town would not do it.”
The twinkle in his eyes disappeared by her words, and Eleanor realised she then missed it.
“Of course.” He smiled, this time the perfect gentleman and her teacher.
“Thank you for the book you suggested, I will look forward to reading it.” She curtsied and he bowed his head, then she headed toward the door, heart pounding.

(I'm sorry for the extencive literary name dropping going on, I got a bit carried away.)

December

December came and passed much quicker than Eleanor could believe. Classes carried on, if Eleanor had been nervous to return to French class after declining Mr Delacorte’s invitation, she should not have feared. Mr Delacorte resumed the role of proper teacher and made no more advances and seemed to hold no resentment. The trip into town came and passed as well, many of the ladies buying Christmas gifts for their families. The gifts Eleanor sent home this year would be things she had knitted or embroidered by her own hand. A few days after the trip into town, Eleanor came down with a cold and fewer. Forcing her to keep to her room, sipping honied tea and trying to keep down some broth. By the time of the Christmas Eve Ball she had been up and about for a few days, but she was still a little weak.
However, Eleanor would do anything not to miss the ball. The balls she had attended at home had never been of this grandeur and had, more often than not, been simple country balls, where not only the gentry were invited. The ballroom at Kensington was lavishly, and the snowy gardens through the windows made for a lovely backdrop. It all was quite breath taking. She chatted some with the other ladies and exchanged some words with Lord Cawley but didn’t find Byron or Mr Delacorte. Before much of the evening had passed Eleanor felt flushed and decided to retire to her room. At her desk she found something which had not been there when she left. A book with a ribbon tied about it, accompanied by a card, which read: “A little something I thought you might take pleasure in. I hope to still be the confidence to your thoughts. – A. Delacorte.”
She untied the ribbon and the leather-bound cover read Julie, ou La nouvelle Héloïse. She smiled and pressed the book to her chest.

By the time new years eve came Eleanor was back to her full strength. The days leading up has had most of the ladies giddy with excitement. Eleanor was, of course, happy for another try at enjoying the ball the fullest this time, not a cold keeping her from the dancing, but she couldn’t understand what might be so special about a masquerade, when it’s still clear as day who every one is. She made sure to ask Byron when she later met him during the night. He laughed at her, but she was determined not to feel foolish. She had heard of the allure a masked ball presented, it was such thing which was gossiped about by the girls back home, with sighs, hoping to attend one day. Byron described the mask as a possibility, a chance to someone other than yourself.  Eleanor grimaced at this and it must have shown, even with her mask, because Byron laughed once more.
“It’s there someone you would wish to be, if so, just for tonight?” He asked her. She gave it a thought before answering.
“I hardly know who I might be myself. Much less anyone else.”
“Well that sounds like too advanced thoughts for a night like this.” He offered her his arm. “Would you care to dance instead?” And she did.
He was an excellent partner and graceful dancer. She herself did not dance to badly, she was light on her feet but could not manage to possess the grace he had. As the dance finished, she thanked him as he sought after his next dance. Eleanor enjoyed the rest of the evening which lasted until the count down of the new year and then well into the morning.

January

A snowstorm had been raging about Kensington the last couple of days and there seemed not to be an end to it. Not a single soul could enter or leave and even trying to walk about the garden was a risk to your life. Not getting to take her daily walks Eleanor had grown restless. Studying, reading and embroidering took up most of her days and her legs ich with lack of movement. It was the third night of the snowstorm and Eleanor could not find it in her to sleep. Not only because the hard winds rattled the glassed windows but because her skin was crawling, keeping her wide awake. Putting the book, she’d been reading trying to get sleepy, she draped a shawl over her shoulders and brought her flame with her to venture out in the manor. The howling wind could be heard as she went down the stairs and it continued to howl as she passed from room to room, but for the place seemed quiet. Or was it? Was it a piano she heard somewhere? Eleanor stopped to listen, for sure someone was playing the piano. The tune pulled her towards the sound, growing ever so stronger as she came closer the one of the music rooms. The door was left ajar and she found Mr Delacorte playing there. She pushed the door open to get a better view, but the hinges made no sound, and he seemed not to notice. She leaned against the doorway and listen. The tune was slow and emitting tranquillity, as it tried to tame the rampant wind. It was clear he knew his way around the keys, intimately. As his fingers came to a stop and the last notes rang out, a small sigh escaped her. He must have heard because he turned about on the stool and he smiled when he saw her.
“Such serenity.” She said with a small smile. “I did not know you could play.”
“I play a little.” He grinned.
“A little? I never took you for a modest man.” She teased and his laugh rang out in reply.
“Thank you for the book.” She then entered the room, walking slowly, looking about.
“Well?” She felt his eyes follow her about the room.
“I haven’t finished it yet, I’m sorry to say.” She ended up at the other side of the piano, facing him with an apologizingly smile. Then she continued in a lighter tone. “I can’t get my head to concentrate in this weather. As if I’m constantly waiting for it to break though the walls and gobble us up with it’s snow.” He kept gazing at her, and it made shivers run down her spine. She waited for him to say something, anything.
“Won’t you play with me?” His words take her by surprise, and it was her time to laugh.
“I though I was infamous for my playing.” He went to retrieve another chair.
“It can’t be that bad.” He grinned.
“I’ll play with you, but only to prove how awful I am.” They sat down, side by side, his shoulder almost brushing hers. He asked her of which tune she practice in class at the moment and she said its name.
“If you start, I’ll join in.” He said and she did as he asked. Her fingers slowly moved over the keys, carefully trying not to slip. As he started playing, he matched her carful pace, though then pushing her to go just a little faster. She managed to slip, once and then twice, but she continues as he does. She became more and more aware of their closeness, sleeves brushing against sleeves, and then his fingers brushed over hers as he took an accord between her own playing hands. Her mistakes came more and more until the whole piece fall part and she can’t hold back the laughter. As she stopped laughing, he leaned into her, her shoulder bearing the weight of his. They talked a little before Eleanor asked him to play another piece for her and he obliged she closed her eyes and listened. When the tune ended, she felt fingers running over the back of her hand. She opened her eyes to meet his gaze. At this point her own heartbeat in her ears drowned out the howling of the wind. She turned her hand over, so she could hold his hand in her own.
“Thank you for the music.” She said as she stood up. “Good night Mr Delacorte.”
“Please call me Absalon.” He said, a playful smile on his lips.
“Good night, Absalon.” She said and let his and go.
“Good night Eleanor.”

February

After the snowstorm settled the days went on as they used to, lessons took up more of the days and Eleanor was studying more than ever. Even her piano lessons seemed more to her interest after her encounter with Mr Delacorte on the night of the snowstorm. Outside class Eleanor had not had much time to speak with him. Eleanor tried to convince himself that playing with him in the music room was much different than to go off to meet him in town, however, neither actions were to be deemed proper. If there had only been playing that night, but there had been something in the air and Eleanor wondered if she had maybe led him on too far. She liked him, that seemed clear to her, he complemented her intellect and seemed to view her as something more than a delicate object to be adorned and adored. A love affair between a student and her teacher, however, seemed like the stuff of what novels were made off. The way he looked at her though, made her skin tingle. However, the smile Byron cast her had butterflies swirling in her stomach.
It was the first day of February when Mr Delacorte sought her out. As the weather had calmed down some paths in garden had been cleared of snow and Eleanor had resumed her daily walks. She had been up to change as her hem had gotten soaked through in the snow and as she came down the stairs, she found Absalon haunting about. He stopped as she saw her.
“There you are!” He exclaimed, quite breathless.
“Mr Delacorte” she said, wondering what the matter was, if anything might have happened. She stopped a few paces from him.
“I thought you did agree to call me Absalon.” He grinned at her, so nothing that important must have happened she figured.
“Well, I will not do so in public.” She looked about if someone might have heard them but there seemed not to be anyone about. “What are you up to?”
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an unoccupied room, where there would be harder for someone to walk in on them.
“I’m going away for a while.” He told her, standing all to close for decorum’s sake.
“When are you going?”
“Today, very soon.”
“Today?!” She exclaimed, but not raising her voice to much in case someone passed by. “When will you be back?”
“It’s not likely that I’ll be back before March.”
“March.” She let it sink in, he would be gone for at least a month. He caught her gaze and came even closer, having them standing only inches apart.
“Would you give me a kiss to remember you by?” He said, she saw his gaze wander down to her lips.  She stared at him for a moment, he was close enough that she could feel his breath on her skin. She had been kissed twice before, or rather she had kissed twice before because she very much been a driving participant. She had been but a girl on the cusp of becoming a woman, and the boys, barley men. It had been merely target-practice, however, no love or desire had been apart of it, at least on her part. This was something different.
“Think of me, while you are away, and you will have your kiss when you come back.” She grinned at him, before darting out of his grasp and out through the door.

Valentine’s was a calm affair for Eleanor. She had heard that some of the other ladies had received gifts, but Eleanor hardly thought she would get any. After all, Absalon was away and she had not had any time to chat any more with Byron after the New Years Ball, barley a small “Hello, how are you” in passing.
It was afternoon when she was perusing through the library after some new book to read. Though she passed shelve after shelve, she could not find anything that stood out to her. Perhaps she was better off to head to her room and re-read some of her favourites, which she had brought with her from home. Heading out of the library she met Byron in the doorway.
“Miss Eleanor” Said with a smile.
“Lord Byron,” she curtsied and smiled “how good to see you. Times too long between when we run into each other.”
“You’re quite right! Unfortunately, this is also a time where I have some place else to be. However, I am happy I found you. I hoped to give you this before the day was over.” He held out a folded parchment, which she took.
“Thank you.” She said with a quizzical look.
“I have to be off.” He beamed one of his charming smiles. “Good day, Miss Eleanor.”
“Good day.” She answered, but he was already out the door.
Eleanor unfolded the parchment and began to read. By the first lines she could tell it was a handwritten poem. Not wanting to read it in public she headed to her room and closed the door behind her before continuing reading. The verse was pretty, about a country girl of the forests and fields. She blushed as she realised the lovely country girl was her. Her whole face was burning, she could not make it out. Did he just see her as some rural commodity, something as opposite to the exotic or maybe exotic in a different way? Should she take slight? Or had he written with sincere affection, but did she then agree with his picture of her, was all she was the country girl? She had thought she changed somewhat during these months at Kensington, hoping she had become something more. She would read the poem plenty of times that after noon and the days to come, looking for something deeper. Not quite knowing what to make of it.

Round 3 complete.

Last edited by tricole (19/12/2019 at 22:34)