*btw, Samantha's last name is Edwards now (not Parkington) because her Uncle adopted her so she changed her last named. I'm not sure if the Edwards had anymore children after Samantha and the O'Malley's but whatever, this is fiction. (please R&R). P.S. The beginning may be a bit bland but I just wanted to establish introductions to most of the characters. P.P.S. I do not own Samantha, Nellie, and all the characters in the original American Girl Books or those from the Movie*
~Debutantes, Christian Holsten, and a Surprise~
"He is not only unknown, but he is impossible." -Emily Post on The "Escort"
"Samantha!" called Gertrude, the Edwards' housemaid, "Your grandmother and the Admiral are here!" Samantha Parkington, a lovely young lady of 16 was to be presented to society along with her best friend and adopted sister, Nellie, and her grandparents, specifically her grandmother, have come to oversee the preparations the girls are undertaking.
"Grandmary, Admiral, how good it is to see you both!" said Samantha and generously hugged her grandparents, "I do hope your trip was pleasant."
"Of course my dear," replied Grandmary, "we would want nothing more than to come see our dear grandaughter being presented to society." Samantha and Nellie were going to be presented at the Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR) Debutante Ball and so Grandmary had come to help with the preparations for the next two weeks with her husband, Admiral Beemer.
"My dear Grandmary, Admiral Beemer, welcome," said Cornelia, Samantha's aunt and adopted mother, as she entered the room. Cornelia was the picture of old fashioned beauty but kept modern ideas, a lady that Samantha aspires to become. "If you both aren't tired from your trip then won't you have dinner with us?"
"We're not tired at all" replied the Admiral, "and I'm sure my girls cannot wait to talk about the ball."
They then proceeded to dinner. The Edwards' dining room was grand and large which was only fitting. The Edwards family was quite large and they needed extra space for the people they entertain. Soon enough there will be new guests for the Edwards to entertain, prospective young gentlemen come to court Samantha and Nellie.
Dinner was entertaining and quite hectic with the Edwards children among the adults. Samantha was adopted by her Uncle Gardiner and her Aunt Cornelia. The Edwards also adopted the O'Malley girls: Jenny, Bridget, and eldest O'Malley, Nellie, is and has been Samantha's best friend even before they had been adopted. The Edwards also had two more children of their own, Alice and Ryan. Seven children was a sightful and a blessing.
After dinner Samantha and Nellie excused themselves. Samantha wanted to write letters to her friends in her room. Nellie also wanted to write to a "friend", a very good friend infact. His name was Christian Holsten and they had met a year ago in the public library. Christian was from a very prominent and wealthy family of New York though he was very good natured and not at all stuck up. They fell for each other had been enjoying each others company as friends only (Aunt Cornelia approved of the girls to have male friends but did not want them to become courted until they were 16) yet he still sent her love letters and she had sent him her handkerchief and her heart. Samantha was happy for her sister but from time to time felt the desire for a "friend" of her own.
"Oh Sam! You will never guess what Christian wrote to me!" cried Nellie. Her cheeks were so red that it was starting to overpower her strawberry-blonde hair and she was jumping at a pace loud enough to cause a stir to the family downstairs, "Christian had asked our mother and father for their permission to be my escort for the Ball and they said yes! He says he will come tomorrow to take me on a stroll. Goodness, I'm so excited I don't think i can wait for tomorrow."
"That's great Nelly," said Samantha, "Christian will make a lovely escort for you, I hope my escort will be as great as he."
"Have you given any thought to who would ask you to be his escort?" Nellie asked. "a certain young man by the name of Lawrence, perhaps?" she asked once more with curious eyes. Lawrence Van Drobie was a common friend of theirs and a love interest of Samantha's. The only problem was that she didn't know if he had any feeling beyond platonic for her.
"Well, Grandmary said she has found a nice young man to escort me so I wouldn't have to worry," said Samantha, "that is unless he's not nice at all." She said these words with a sense of nervousness and uncertainty.
"I suppose you don't think Lawrence will ask you, but a more pressing matter is who is this new mystery escort of yours and when will he come?" asked Nellie, "I do hope you won't meet him on the day of the ball, it doesn't seem right to come at the very last minute."
"W-Well, the thing is," stammered Samantha, "I d-don't know who he is and I d-don't know when he's coming."
"Gracious!" cried Nellie, "How can Grandmary be so careless not to tell you who he is. Let's ask her now!" Before Samantha could even respond Nellie had grabbed her hand and ran down the stairs into the formal parlor where Grandmary, Cornelia, Gradiner, and the Admiral were having coffee and laughs.
"Miladies, how lovely of you both to grace us with your presence," joked Gardiner who always managed to tease and compliment anyone and everyone at the same time.
"Girls, is anything the matter?" asked Grandmary, "I'm sure you would not need to scamper about the house if there was not an urgency, so as I have asked, what is the matter?"
"Do not worry Grandmary, this is truly urgent," informed Nellie, "I was-well, Samantha and I were hoping to know who her escort is. It does not seem right that he must remain a mystery."
" Well girls, why don't you sit down and join us and Grandmary will tell you," said Cornelia, "Try some of the madelines with the coffee." The girls sat with a ladylike forte hoping their good behavior will persaude Grandmary to give as much detail of Samantha's escort as possible.
"You need not be worried Samantha or you Nellie," began Grandmary, "in fact you have both met this young man before."
"I have!" cried Samantha as she stood up from her seat and suddenly remembering her manners sat herself back down and smoothed her skirts. "I'm sorry to interrupt you Grandmary, please, do go on."
"Thank you Samantha," replied Grandmary, "As I have said the young man to escort you is one who is familiar to your acquaintance. Your escort is Edward Ryland and I have arranged for him to come for afternoon tea tomorrow." Samantha immediately lost any appetite for madelines and coffee.