The warm breeze brushed across Caroline's cheek and her blonde hair whirled across her sleeping face. Opening her sapphire eyes she squinted at the beaming sun above. The scent of lavender woke her further as she sat up on the bed of grass. Looking around she tried to place herself. With sudden realization she jumped to her feet grabbing her dress as she bolted down the hill. Profanity whispered by as she rushed to the manor that was up ahead. Yet again her early escapes had gotten her in trouble. Slipping through the back door of the kitchen Caroline attempted to slip into the study. As if her actions were predetermined a cough from her mother made her jump.
"Caroline Forbes! Where were you!?" she screamed in frustration. The girl stared at the older version of herself. Elizabeth Forbes had short curls tied up with a red ribbon a few strays bouncing with her anger. The woman had paler eyes than her daughter but they shined brightly in the moment. Caroline sighed with defeat as she approached her mother. "Mother please calm yourself," she tried to sooth the lady who was now holding her chest. Holding her mother's arm she ushered her to a nearby seat. Elizabeth sat picking up a fan to catch her breath.
"Mother you shouldn't fret so much I wasn't in any danger," Caroline started. Her mother's gaze cut her off and she tried to readjust the position she was in. "I had woken up early to see the sun rise that's all really," Caroline persuaded. With a sigh her mother's eyes softened and looked up in defeat. "Fine, Caroline if you endanger yourself in this manner at least bring a guard with you. I can't let my only child get hurt or worse killed." Caroline beamed until the guard bit was mentioned but she nodded in agreement before kissing her mother on the cheek. "Agreed then," she said as she bounded from the room.
As she entered the main hall of the manor she realized her hand maid Bonnie addressing a servant named Matthew. They both bowed as she approached them and stopped their chatter. Curiosity played plainly on her features. "What were you too talking about?" she asked without any hesitation. Bonnie looked up a gentle smile on her face. Matt shrugged nervously he hadn't been part of the staff for very long and didn't cause trouble. Being addressed by the head household always caused him to be nervous and anxious of being removed. "We were talking about the preparations for the spring ball," he replied before Bonnie could. Bonnie swatted at him jokingly, "I was going to explain it!" Her bubbly laugh filling the air and making the others smile as well.
Caroline clapped her hands together in shock. That's right the spring ball the Forbes held every year was just around the corner. Here she was distracted with trivial matters when she could be planning the event. "Thank you so much I had forgotten about it completely," she waved as she bolted up the stairs to her library. She knew the advisory committee met there with her mother every evening. Opening the doors Caroline viewed the female members of most of the local families. Elena Gilbert sat on a sofa talking to Jenna Somers sipping on a fine china cup. Annabelle looked up from a book she was gazing at and tugged on her mother Pearl's sleeve to turn her attention as well. A few other woman looked to see Caroline as well. A hand on her lower back pushed her forward. Turning her head she saw her mother's smiling face her hair had been readjusted. Her face no longer angry but radiating with happiness and excitement.
"Hello all I do apologize for our delay. I do hope our staff have been attending to you well in our absence," Elizabeth said as she entered to the center of the room.