Tributes to Jane Austen and Stephenie Meyer, where they are due.
Thanks to all of my fantastic reviewers and my FF4E Alice Vampire. It is less than *fingercount* 18 days till I have my final exams and I am getting a bit panicky here, so please understand if I manage only one or two updates per week.
Fourth chapter
On Saturday morning, the day of the ball, the Miss Swan and Brandon decided on taking their morning exercise out of the shrubbery and walk towards Hareclove Cottage, the residence of Rosalie's family. The sun was shining and made the excursion a very pleasant exercise. The young ladies talked with animated spirit and found themselves at the gate of their destination in very little time. It was a very pretty house, quite large to be called a cottage, with a beautiful flower garden in front and a little shrubbery in the back. They were let in and shown into a sitting room by an agitated servant. Miss Hale soon joined them there and immediately began to lament over her hardship.
"My father has fallen ill this very morning to an attack of gout. My dear mother of course would not think about leaving him today. She is nursing him already. They will not be able to attend the ball this evening and I surely can't go on my own." She cried out in misery. That of course were dreadful news and the young ladies all complained about such bad luck.
"But could not we escort you to the ball? Mrs White is an able chaperon and she will have no difficulties at all to add you to her charges." Isabella offered.
"Of course, what a splendid idea. We will send the carriage for you in the afternoon and set off together from our home." Alice exclaimed in delight.
"My mother will never approve of this," Rosalie said but new hope coloured her voice.
"You need only to remind her of all the gentlemen who will attend. All those possible new acquaintances," Isabella teased. "Just go and ask her directly."
After very little persuasion Rosalie indeed excused herself and went upstairs to find her mother. Some time later she entered the room again and the exultant smile, which was fixed on her face, already signalled her mothers consent to the waiting ladies without a word being said. But of course they wanted to know the particulars and Rosalie obliged.
"Mother is very grateful to you for this invitation. She professed herself in your depth for granting me the chance to go to the ball."
The young ladies answered politely and gracefully as they should and soon the conversation turned to matters of more importance to them as they counselled each other once again on their attire for the evening. Rosalie showed them to her room, where her new dress was already hung out for the evening and got delighted exclamations in return.
The gown was a pale rose colour with pink satin bands and pink embroidery on the hem. Alice advised her to wear a pink feather in her hair instead of the white lace she had originally fixed her mind on. But otherwise it was fully approved by the young ladies.
Rosalie then bid them to describe their dresses and learned in horror that Isabella hadn't fixed on anything, yet. Alice and Rosalie began to discuss every gown in Isabella's closet and soon fixed on a pale yellow and cream coloured confection with a satin band that matched the warm brown of Isabella's eyes in perfection. Rosalie professed that she had exactly the right shade of yellow in an amber pendant and would surely bring it with her to lend it to her friend for the evening. Every one of Isabella's protests was uttered in vain and all this was settled between her friends and Alice even promised to see that Isabella would complete the scheme.
They then proceeded to discuss Alice's attire for the evening. It was to be a dress in a pale shade of green with a dark green bodice together with some satiny green ornaments for her hair. It would compliment her bright green eyes in every aspect possible and accent her dark, ebony hair and thus of course was very much approved by her two friends.
After all this was settled the young ladies took leave and promised again to send the carriage for their friend at five in the afternoon.
So, Saturday has arrived at last. Now we only wait for the evening. BTW, should I bring up a Mr. Collins later? and who should he want to marry and who should he settle on? I will have a poll up on my profile to determine this until 15th of april. Please vote.