"Mother, I've taken lessons already"
"Yes, Dear, but Ms. Lara just lost her husband"
"I'm aware, and I'm sympathetic to that but, quite frankly, Mother, I will look absolutely ridiculous. A woman my age, beginning charm lessons?"
Mrs. Hamilton waved her hand in dismiss, and pulled a small velvet bag from beside her.
"It'll only be Ms. Lara and you. No one will know" she began, taking the small salt grains and rubbing them on her hands.
Caroline made a tiny squeal as the carriage bumped into, what had to be, a very big rock, but waited for her mother to continue.
"And anyway, Caroline," she continued. "Society would know you're doing this as a favor. I don't doubt Lara knows, as well"
Caroline sighed, but nodded once. She turned towards the window, and pulled the burgundy curtain to the side.
•••
"Ah, Mrs. Hamilton!"
Caroline gave her mother one last incredulous look before plastering a smile on her face. She waited as her mother was helped out, and then took the dark man's hand.
"Thank you" she said with a nod in his direction. The man bowed his head and released her hand, closing the carriage's door as she walked towards the two elder women.
"Caroline, this is Ms. Lara" her mother smiled, offering her hand for her daughter to take. She warmly smiled at her new 'instructor', and felt her mother squeeze her fingers as though in warning.
"How do you do?" she asked politely. She waited for the woman to offer her her hand, but Ms. Lara grabbed her shoulders and stood her at the length of her arms.
"Good posture" she mused, tilting her head to the side. Caroline was able to see her green eyes for the first time. She resisted the urge to frown, and the lady added: "But, gracious, what gorgeous hair"
"Thank you" Caroline smiled. Turning to see the house as Ms Lara released her, she added: "What beautiful home you own"
Lara laughed, but squeezed Caroline's hand, a gesture that Caroline despised.
"Well, the plantation is owned by my brother, of course" she began. "But a home always needs a woman's touch, I've always said"
But Caroline wasn't listening:
"Brother?"
"Yes, Calvin. Calvin Candie"
"Yes, we've heard of him, of course", Caroline's mother suddenly observed. "Have we not, Caroline?"
"Yes, naturally" Caroline agreed, pulling back a loose strand of hair that wasn't there. "It's just that, I'm afraid I'm perpetually shy"
This was only half the true, of course.
For the past 8 months (Caroline calculated), she had become increasingly aware of the fact that her mother had been pushing her into parties and gatherings, no doubt, in hopes of finding her a husband.
She immediately wondered if her parents hadn't planned the whole Ms. Lara fiasco in an attempt to marry her off to the Candie man.
Calvin Candie was very rich but, then again, Caroline didn't know if he had a wife already.
She was interrupted by the sound of Ms. Lara's loud laughter.
"Oh, nonsense" she dismissed. "Calvin isn't here. There is nothing you shall worry about."
"Yes, Ms. Lara"
"Then again, some interaction might be of use. Shyness never attracted any men, Caroline"
She opened her mouth, but the voice that spoke was her mother's, who began:
"Well, I shall return home" she smiled, taking Ms. Lara's hands and kissing her cheek with her own. "Caroline, your father expects you home no later than an hour after sunset"
"Of course, Mother"
"Good girl" she smiled, gently patting her right cheek. Caroline clutched her skirts to refrain from snatching her face away, and smiled.
As she reached for the servant's hand, she turned to them as though in second thought:
"Shall I send the carriage for her?"
"Oh, I'm sure we own enough carriages to return her home safetly"
Mrs. Hamilton smiled, and finally climbed into the black carriage.