A Star Danced
Chapter 1:
Winds of Change
AN: There are a number of music pieces throughout the story. At the opening of a chapter, these pieces are noted, and I strongly encourage you to listen to them to enhance the reading experience.
Frantz Schubert - Ave Maria, or Ellens dritter Gesang, Op 25, no. 6, arranged for piano.
The sound of girls laughing bubbled and rippled across the green grass. It was a particularly warm day for September in Newport, and the young ladies seized upon the opportunity. The ping of the shuttlecock bouncing off their racquets mixed with the girls' laughter as they attempted to out maneuver each other. Mrs. Waldorf watched over the girls from the patio through veiled lashes while Mr. Waldorf busied himself with notes, letters, and telegrams. Too engrossed in their game, none of the girls saw the arrival of a dark gentleman and the sudden departure of Mr. Waldorf. Soon enough it would be time to change for dinner and the fun would be at an end; their loose day dresses traded for bustles and tighter corsets, quite, demure speech rather than the loud laughter and shouting on full display during the badminton match.
Blair Waldorf was the youngest, sixteen-going-on-seventeen, in the stunning coterie staying at Chateau-Sur-Mer this summer. The Waldorf's had been invited to stay while the owners, the Wetmore's, were taking an extended tour of Europe. Having matriculated from Miss Porter's in May, Blair was overjoyed to spend the summer with her dear friends who had completed their education two years prior. Serena, Penelope, and Kati travelled extensively through Europe and had already experienced their first season in New York. Blair, lonely at school without her closest friends, focused her vivacious intellect, expanding on her love of history, art, and literature while improving her accomplishments on the piano. Her beauty was quiet and dark; dark hair and eyes, but cool, white skin, she evoked the ideals of a China doll more than a divine entity.
Serena Van Der Woodsen was the light to Blair's dark. The only one of their group to have golden hair and blue eyes, her figure was so exquisite, Venus herself must have blessed her. As such, Serena was a true romantic, caring little for the rules and motives of the high circles she was born into. Left to follow her desires, she was often found riding her horse along the shore or sketching images of the world around her.
Penelope and Kati were exotic beauties, tan skinned with deep, dark eyes and hair, lithe, graceful figures. Penelope adored the gossip, rules, and games of high society. Kati was more sensible, but a romantic at heart, and always enjoyed dancing at the balls; her love of music was all encompassing. Together, the four girls were always a sight to see, for the deep bonds of friendship only magnified their charm, beauty, and grace.
Blair was quick to complete her toilette before dinner, pulling a brush through her loose curls and trading her grass stained day dress for a deep blue gown that evoked the nearby ocean. She then quietly slipped into the music room, allowing the white and black keys to call to her. Her long fingers stretched out and began tapping out a piano arrangement of Schubert's "Ave Maria" of which she had memorized ages ago.
The dark gentleman walked through the main hall in search of a flower for his buttonhole. His gait was an alluring mix, exuding charm, confidence, and to a knowing eye, a hint of rakishness. Sweeping through the hall in his tails, he spied an arrangement on the far wall. As he tucked a tightly closed rosebud into his lapel, he heard the sweet sounds emanating from the music room. Standing in the shadows, he peered into the room. The warm glow from the gaslight illuminated the lady's immaculate white skin and created shadows of light chestnut to darkest black in the mass of soft curls falling down over her shoulders. She did not sing, for which the piece was often used, but rather, she enticed the piano to do so for her. The chords and melody drifted through the air, curling and spiraling, reaching out to ensnare him; but this gentleman would not be so enraptured. A beautiful girl, playing beautiful music? He thought. Such a thing was hardly a rarity in their circles. He turned away and proceeded to wait for the dinner gong in the library.
At dinner, Blair took her seat to her father's left. She adored her father; he was not afraid to discuss business with her, and they shared a love of history, architecture, and literature. A gentleman took the seat to her father's right and Blair's heart dropped a little. When father has business partners for dinner, they provided competition for his attentions. Glancing up through lowered lashes, she succinctly took in the sight of tonight's challenger. Blair was startled at first, this gentleman was quite younger than expected; father's colleagues were more of his own age set than hers. She then decided his strong, dark features were the kind of beauty she would picture when reading of brooding, tortured, Greek heroes. The chiseled jawline was statuesque in perfection, while the dark eyes were illuminated in the candlelight just enough to show the depths of the wide world they had seen. Though he had yet to speak, it was his mouth she found the most disconcerting. That she was even looking at them made her blush, the small smile he was displaying was charming yet tantalizing and troublesome.
Mr. Waldorf introduced his guest as a Mr. Charles Bass of London. He was to be staying for their last few weeks at Chateau-Sur-Mer, as they were working on a large business plan together. Only years of training and deportment prevented the girls from displaying the excitement they felt at sharing the house with an English gentleman; oh the questions they could ask! Introductions were made, and the first course served, with all due propriety. Serena was the first to pose a question, unknowingly brazen in her curiosity. "Do you miss England, sir?"
"One cannot help but miss home, even if only a little. The energy of London is different than that of New York, while the country side is vastly different from your own."
"What of society?" Serena replied, for is that not what they really wanted to know?
"Ah, yes, well." He paused thoughtfully, "What I find most remarkable is that not a hundred years ago your kin and country men fought so valiantly to be freed from the empire, only in turn, to create a society so desperately striving to form a copy of that which it tore itself from. I hear even the new art museum in New York will be full of nothing but European paintings." He concluded with that smile, en garde. While the others girls blushed hot with shame, Blair's color rose in response to the challenge.
"Revolution is not a matter of societal tastes. Our declaration did not venture to use such strong language because we did not like your manners and your country-dances. We could no longer tolerate your unwillingness to listen, your failed policies, and your King. If it were not for your distracted loathing of France, more of your countrymen would have disliked your King sooner. The current opinion is that he should have spent more time staring at his political correspondence than the stars, no?" She glowed in the candlelight and from the vigor of her rebuttal, "And what of European paintings? It can be no worse than a museum full of stolen marbles and histories hijacked from their homelands."
Harold coughed in shock at Blair's bold reply, Serena whispered under her breath, "Blair!" But Mr. Bass was undeterred, excusing Mr. Waldorf's failed attempt at apologizing, "Harold, you should be proud. To find beauty and a bluestocking in one body is a rare feat in these circles. The hallowed halls of Cambridge would surely welcome you." He raised his glass to her as he drank, one corner of his mouth upturned slightly.
After such a display, all at the table focused on lighter topics of conversation as Blair maintained to say as little as possible. The meal was ended, and the men retired to the library for port, the ladies the music room. As soon as it could be certain they would not be overheard, Penelope turned to Blair," What was that? He is a guest!"
Blair walked towards her preferred chaise, innocently replying with the elegant wave of her hand, "Yes he is. However, insulting my country and kinsmen in front of my friends and family- as a guest? He threw the gauntlet down, so there should have been no surprise that I smashed it against his well chiseled jawline." She finished, with a rueful smile.
"Lord, how can you expect to last the season with a mouth like that?" Kati groaned.
"Well, as long as she doesn't step on Mrs. Astor's ball gown…" Penelope smirked, looking at Serena, who suddenly became very interested in a portrait hanging on the wall.
"How are we supposed to return to New York next season after such a guffaw? We'll be laughed back to the countryside on the first train out of town." Bemoaned Penelope, covering her face with her hands.
"Because you're not having a season in New York this." Piped in Mrs. Waldorf. "You are all to have a London Season this year."