Chapter Eight

The Festival

For Amelia, week that passed had been the most peaceful she'd had since she'd arrived. It would seem that something she said that evening she came back from the cemetery caused Dorian to actually listen to her and think about how his actions translated. Not once in the past week had he called her out in the streets, or followed her home, or disrupted her reading to flirt with her. It was a strange sensation to be able to walk down the streets without worrying about bumping into him. It took her a while to get used to. She even walked past his house a few times when he was home without a word from him. When she did see him, because it was impossible not to in such a small town, he would wave at her, smile at her, wish her good morning, or whatever time of day it happened to be, and carry on with his own business. Ever since that evening, he'd been different. He didn't even insist on walking her home, or stress again that she join him for dinner. He just let her go, as she preferred it. She wanted to believe his actions were sincere, that he had taken her words into account for more reasons other than to simply manipulate her, but she would be a fool to be any less than skeptical. In fact, as she got ready for the festival that evening, she couldn't help but wonder whether he had some trick up his sleeve. She hated to admit it, but for the first time in her life she was actually nervous to see him.

Oh, snap out of it, she told herself as she tucked a white flower into her half-up braided hairstyle. What could he possibly be planning? To catch her by surprise and whisk her away on the dance floor, leaving her helpless but to fall in love with him? She snorted, the idea was preposterous. She'd be offended if he thought she was that easy to manipulate.

Amelia stood back from the mirror and assessed herself a final time before leaving her room. Mr. Brighton must have heard her coming down the stairs, he was waiting for her at the bottom, dressed more formally than usual. "Amelia, you look magnificent!" he said, his eyes glimmering.

The dress Belinda had lent her was so different from her usual plain attire. She was right about the color, the blue-green really complimented her red hair, which curled slightly toward the ends. The neckline was embroidered with a light, pearly sort of gold, matching the ribbon that wrapped around the empire waist of the dress. Amelia would have never thought these two unusual colors would look good together, but it worked.

"My, haven't I been blessed with the most beautiful daughter," he said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear affectionately.

She chuckled, "Thanks, dad. You're not looking too shabby yourself!"

"You think so? Well, I guess I'll have to take your word for it," he said, giving her a wink. Mr. Brighton had on a nice shirt and grey striped vest, quite a change from his usual rubber apron and safety goggles.

"You know, you should really wear colors like this more often!" he said, standing back to get another look at her. The smooth blue-green material made a V in the front under the bust to reveal an off-white layer underneath, creating a sort of princess look. Amelia chuckled and spun around, causing the material to whirl outward.

Mr. Brighton watched her, the corners of his eyes wrinkling as he smiled. He could have worn she was a child just yesterday. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Oh! That must be Bobby, it's nearly five." Amelia hurried over to the door and opened it. "Bobby! Please, do come in."

Bobby had an almost surprised look on his face when he saw her, "H-hi, Amelia! Wow, you look so different, for a split second I didn't even recognize you!" he said, entering the house. "Not that you don't always look lovely, I mean…" He scratched his head, trying to find the right words.

Amelia laughed, "It's alright, I know what you mean."

He gave a slight chuckle, "Good." His sandy blonde hair was parted to the side, and he wore a celery green vest with silver buttons.

"Ah, hello Bobby!" said Mr. Brighton, shaking his hand. "You look awfully familiar, have we met before?"

"Yes, I believe I had to stop in once to pick up a mild pain medicine for my brother."

"Yes! That's it, I do remember that. I take it he's feeling better?"

"Oh yeah, just a headache is all."

Suddenly Amelia looked as though she'd remembered something. "Oh! Did you take the pie out of the oven, dad? I completely forgot about it."

"Oh, yes I did. It hasn't burned, don't worry, it's sitting on the counter."

"Oh, good."

"Planning on entering it in the contest?" asked Bobby.

"There's a contest?"

"Yes, a pie baking contest."

Amelia glanced over at her simple apple pie and chuckled, "Well, I doubt it will win anything, but I don't see why not."

"Funny business we've had with this oven, it seems that everything we bake in it tends to come out a bit lop-sided."

"Yes, I've noticed that too. I think the floorboard might be warped or something. I do hope they're not judging on presentation," she said, laughing.

"Oh, don't worry about it, I'm sure it tastes great," said Bobby.

"Don't worry about taking it over now, I'll take it when I head over a little later," said Mr. Brighton.

"Alright, thanks, Dad," she turned to Bobby, "We should probably get going now."

The three of them said their goodbyes. Of course, the sun was only starting to set in the sky. There would be time to meet up later, the evening was just getting started.


Harriet gave a weary sigh. Caroline Masters was typically quite tolerable, but times like these made her want to give her a nice smack upside the head.

"Dorian, I must say, that color really brings out the blue in your eyes. I had to help Malcolm pick out what he should wear tonight, but you seem to have a sense for what looks good on you. It's a great quality to have for a guy," she said, fiddling with his collar.

"Why thank you, Caroline, you look quite lovely yourself."

"Oh, you think so? Well thank you, I was a little concerned about the way it fit me, I've never tried this style before."

Harriet rolled her eyes, it was apparent she was just fishing for compliments. Her strapless sky blue dress was a bit more tightly-fitted than what Harriet felt was tasteful, but it didn't look bad.

"Oh, well you have no reason to concern yourself, dear. It looks lovely on you."

"Well, I'm glad you think so," she said, coyly tucking a dark lock of hair behind her ear.

Harriet didn't make any attempt to hide her annoyance, but Caroline was far too distracted to notice.

"Lately Malcolm has taken to playing rugby with the other boys in town. Dorian, you really should consider playing with them sometime. I'm sure it's as fun to play as it is to watch."

"Well, forgive me if I sound lazy, but I prefer to spend my time doing things that don't require bathing immediately after doing them."

"What, are you afraid it will mess up your hair or something?" she ran her fingers through it, eying him flirtatiously.

"Where's Malcolm?" asked Harriet, trying to distract her.

"Oh, he and Fred are boozing it up at the tavern before they head over. Can you believe them? It's barely past five! Damn alcoholics, I swear."

"So he plans to meet you here?"

"Yeah, that's the plan at least, if he can make it over without falling on his drunk arse."

"You should probably go check up on him."

Caroline sighed, giving Dorian the one-over again. "You're probably right," she said with a regretful look in her eye. "Well, I'm going to go look for him then."

"It's for the best."

"I'll see you around," she said, winking at Dorian before she left.

Harriet scowled disgustedly. "Ugh, I swear that girl is always in heat."

Dorian chuckled, "She is quite a flirt, isn't she?"

"Oh please, Dorian, flirt is an understatement."

"On the other hand, she is moderately attractive. I suppose if I got desperate…"

Harriet let out something between a gag and a laugh, "Oh goodness, don't make me lose my lunch."

"And here I thought she was your friend!"

"She is when she's civil."

They stood under a large tent outside that was just behind the gathering hall where they held their dances. Brightly colored lanterns were strung across the tent, as they were every year. Even from outside she could hear Mr. Gallagher on his fiddle, leading the string band in a lively tune.

Harriet wore a pale pink empire waist with a chiffon outer layer and delicate silk flowers adorning the waistline. She always had a knack for style. Even in her day to day cotton dresses, she always managed to pick out something both functional and fashionable without overdoing it. Her blonde hair was tucked up into a loose, twisted bun.

"Abigail seems to be having fun playing croquet with Seamus," Dorian commented. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth, she looked bored out of her mind.

"Oh yeah, she seems to be having a blast."

The two of them stood quietly a moment and watched people gather here and there at the tables. Harriet could remember the days when he used to chase her under those tables, days when she didn't care about how her hair looked or getting grass stains on her dress. He was always causing trouble, always bringing her along.

"I wonder how many of these I've been to in my life," pondered Harriet out loud.

"That depends, how old are you again?"

Harriet smacked him upside the head, "As old as you are!" she knew he was kidding.

He chuckled, "Right. Sometimes I forget because you act so childishly."

"Oh, is that right?" she raised a playful eyebrow.

Suddenly something else seemed to grab his attention.

Amelia Brighton looked both charmed and distracted as she took in the sights and sounds of the very first country festival she'd ever experienced. The worn wooden tables and bright colored lanterns that Harriet had become so accustomed to seemed to delight and enchant her as her blonde, awkward tour guide showed her about. Bobby looked just about as thrilled to bump into Dorian as Harriet felt about seeing Amelia. The way Dorian acted around her was downright embarrassing.

"Well, funny seeing you two here!" Dorian said cheerfully.

Bobby gave an irritated look. "Yes, funny coincidence at a festival we knew we were all attending."

Dorian, looking thoroughly amused, made a mental note not to use sarcasm around those too dull to pick up on it. A rather guarded look from Amelia quickly reminded him he'd best keep his more cutting comments to himself if he ever wished to speak to her again. "I was being sarcastic."

"Yeah, I know."

You did? Well, you certainly had me fooled. "Of course. So, are you enjoying your time so far, Amelia?"

"Oh yes, I've never been to a festival like this before, it's very charming."

"Good, I'm glad. They always do a splendid decorating job. I've had the privilege to attend many of these throughout my life."

"As have I," said Bobby, "You see, I was just in the middle of giving her a tour. We should probably get back to that now, if you'll excuse us."

Dorian raised his eyebrows, did he really think he was going to blow him off that easily? "Well excuse me for trying to make pleasant conversation. I know that isn't exactly your strong point Bobby, but apparently politeness isn't either."

"Oh, like you'd know anything about politeness."

"I do know a thing or two about self-restraint, which you also seem to have issues with."

Bobby laughed, "Oh do you? Tell me Dorian, when have you ever used it?"

Dorian looked at him flatly. "Now would be a perfect example."

"Well, if I didn't have any self-restraint I would have hit you five minutes ago." Bobby was really getting heated now.

"Come on Bobby, let's go," said Amelia, taking him by the arm, "I'm sorry Dorian, but I really think it's best you two keep your distance this evening," she said, giving him an apologetic look.

Dorian looked irritated as ever as she ushered Bobby back inside and out of sight.

Harriet gave him a comforting pat on the back. "You know, I was actually surprised at how well you handled yourself. Not a single cutting comment! Well, at least until the end, then maybe a bit…"

Dorian laughed, "Oh, you have no idea."

"Well, I suppose it could have gone worse, right? I mean, he could have tried to punch you again."

Dorian chuckled and shook his head. "Yes, I suppose. I feel sorry for Amelia, she has to put up with that sorry sod all evening."

"I know I certainly wouldn't want to be his date. He has that sort of piggy look to him that I find so incredibly unattractive."

Dorian gave a small chuckle, still apparently agitated about the situation.

"Come on, let's go watch Abigail lose the croquet match."


Amelia shifted rather uncomfortably in her seat as she felt the stares of the older bunch of women across from her. Why they chose the table she and Bobby decided on was beyond her, but they seemed uncomfortably intrigued by her presence.

"So you and Bobby are dating now! How sweet is that," chimed one of the women.

"Oh, no! We're not dating, he's just my date for the festival, that's all."

"Oh, I see, just for the festival. I dare say, where has that boy gone off to?"

"He went to get some punch, he should be back soon."

"An awfully long time to get punch, wouldn't you say?" Her comment was met with stirs and chuckles from the other women.

Amelia said nothing and tried to mull it over with a smile. The thing she was most looking forward to was the dancing, but every time she brought it up Bobby came up with an idea of something else to do instead. She was starting to get the feeling he was trying to put it off. He'd been doing this sort of thing all evening.

Amelia set her teacup down on its platter and gazed listlessly toward the group dancing on the other side of the great hall. Men and women of all ages stepped in unison in two lines to the lively tune of a fiddle, a choreographed dance which she was unfamiliar with.

"So you grew up in Bowerstone, is that right?" asked the older woman in the yellow sunhat across from her.

Amelia snapped back to attention. "What? Oh, yes, I am from Bowerstone."

"Now, Agatha-"

"Amelia"

"Amelia, yes. You must tell me dear, I've never been to the city myself of course, but I hear it smells funny there, more crowded, less fresh air, you know. Tell me, is it true?"

The other older women surrounding her chuckled amongst themselves, whispering things. "No, actually, I never personally thought Bowerstone had a particular odor, of course I would not be surprised if someone who had lived in the country their whole lives could notice a difference." Amelia glanced over at the dancers again, then over toward the punch table. What was taking him so long? "Sorry, if you'll excuse me, I believe my date might be lost." She quickly got up from her seat, leaving the rest to murmur amongst themselves.

She spotted him over by the punch table, "Need a hand?"

Bobby nearly dropped the glasses he was carrying. "Oh, Amelia, hi! Sorry about that, I bumped into a rather chatty friend of mine."

"Oh, that's alright. Hey, I was wondering if maybe we could dance for a little bit now that we've had something to eat. Would that be alright?"

Bobby set the glasses down, scratching his head a moment. "I don't know, I mean, I hate to be a disappointment, but…" he scanned the room, she couldn't tell if he was looking for the right words or looking for someone in particular.

"Oh, come on. If you're worried about Dorian he's not even dancing right now, he and Harriet are probably outside anyway."

Bobby hesitated, glancing over at the dance floor. "Look, I'm sorry, I hate to be a disappointment to you, but truthfully I'm just not a very good dancer."

"Oh, no it's ok, I can always go by myself if that would make you feel better," she said, hoping she didn't sound like she was blowing him off, she really just wanted to dance.

"No, you really should have a partner for this sort of thing. It's really not fair for me to keep you from having fun, I'll dance with you for a bit."

"Alright, excellent! Come on!" she took his hand and rushed over to the dance floor


Bobby's dancing was hardly the most graceful she'd ever experienced, but she had to give him credit for trying. After one dance, Amelia thought it would be best for both of them to just let him off the hook.

"Listen, I think I'm going to stick around a few more numbers, you're more than welcome to find something else to do in the meantime."

Bobby scratched his head, "Well, if it's alright with you. I think I'm going to head outside for a bit."

"Alright, I'll come find you. Thanks again, Bobby. And really, you're not a terrible dancer, you just need to relax a bit, that's all!" she smiled, hoping he didn't feel too terrible.

"Alright, well I'll keep that in mind just in case I ever meet some other girl who really likes to dance. I'll see you later, Amelia."

Amelia stood off to the side to watch the dancers as they chatted amongst themselves, waiting for the next number to start. She folded her arms and looked around, feeling a bit awkward just standing by herself. There had to be at least a few numbers that didn't require partners.

Amelia glanced out into the large hall to the section where the tables were. Her father appeared to be having a very animated conversation with Belinda at a table toward the center. She considered going over and visiting when she heard the music start again. It was another couple dance, except this time there were no lines. The dance didn't look too difficult, it was somewhat of a waltz with a few variations. It required a partner though, something she did not have. Perhaps dancing was not meant to happen this evening after all. She turned to leave when suddenly she heard a voice behind her.

"I dare say, where is your date? Has he abandoned you?"

Amelia turned around, she'd know that sing-song voice anywhere. "Oh look, if it isn't my knight in shining armor, coming to rescue me from my loneliness."

Dorian chuckled, "Well, if you wanted it to be like that I'm sure we could make arrangements."

She smiled and shook her head, "He didn't abandon me. We were dancing earlier, but it really isn't much his thing. He was kind enough to humor me, so I let him off the hook."

"See? I told you he was no good."

She smirked, rolling her eyes. "Oh come on, give the guy a break. Some people just don't like dancing," he didn't look convinced. "Where's Harriet, anyway?"

"She's chatting with Abigail and the other girls, there's really only so much I can take of listening to it. They could be at it for hours, who really knows."

"Gossip not really your thing?"

"Heavens no."

"Nor mine. Earlier I had the misfortune of being stuck at a table with a rather chatty bunch of old women," she discreetly motioned toward the woman in the large yellow sunhat.

Dorian tossed his head back and laughed, "Mrs. Cheverly? That old bat's off her rocker anyway, never mind her."

Amelia chuckled, "It really wasn't Bobby's fault, they just sort of sat down."

"Yes, well, it doesn't look as though he'll be back to claim you any time soon. If you still care to dance it will be much easier to learn if I just teach you, and you'd look rather silly without a partner." He motioned for her to follow him, she looked hesitant.

"Amelia, I really mean no harm." His expression was soft, he extended his hand. "Come on, you'll like this one."

After a moment's deliberation, Amelia decided it was best to put her pride aside for this one. Besides, she'd been waiting all evening to dance, at least with someone who actually enjoyed dancing. She took his hand and followed him to the corner of the dance floor.

"Just follow my lead," he said, placing a firm but gentle hand on her waist. She placed a hand on his shoulder, still keeping her distance. He chucked, "Amelia, I'm not going to bite you, here," he brought her closer.

Amelia raised an eyebrow cautiously, which he paid little attention to, and he began to lead, rocking back and forth in a sort of waltz step. "See? Nothing too bad. Now this next part is a bit more complicated, just follow me, two more counts." Amelia mirrored him as he let go of her waist, stepping outward. Still holding hands, he gave a slight tug and pulled them back together. After a few more measures she seemed to get the hang of it. He felt her hand relax against the silky material of his brown, paisley vest. Back and forth, they moved to the steady tune of the fiddler-led string band.

"I must say, Amelia, you do look lovely in that dress."

She raised an eyebrow playfully, "Going in for the kill I see?"

Dorian smirked, "Simply pointing out the obvious."

Amelia smiled, turning her gaze downward before looking him in the eyes, "Well, thank you."

There was a long moment when neither of them said anything. She could feel him studying her silently like he had on the day they'd met, his eyes hardly ever leaving her. It was a funny thing, sometimes she couldn't tell if his forwardness was something she despised or admired.

"Alright, now comes the fun part." The music picked up, and with a wild glimmer in his eyes he whirled her around, bringing them back together to sashay in a wide circle. Amelia laughed, caught by surprise as they flew across the floor. He spun her around again, catching her waist as he brought her back in, only to whisk her away in the other direction. For the first time that evening, he felt her truly relax. Back and forth, he led her in wide circles across the floor, catching her by surprise every so often with a twirl when she didn't expect it.

Amelia glanced up at him, their eyes meeting as he brought her back in from a spin. Despite how much she loathed the man, there was something undeniably exhilarating about him. Something captivating about the fire in his eyes, the impulsiveness of his behavior. She wasn't sure if she could trust him, but for now she didn't care.

By the end of the song, it was clear they'd danced a bit more enthusiastically than other couples. "Alright, I think… we might have to sit…this next one out," said Dorian said in between breaths. His hair was looking a bit more disheveled than usual. He ran his fingers through it casually and looked down at her as he caught his breath. She smiled. It was an honest, radiant smile without a trace of sarcasm or suspicion, the first he'd ever seen from her.

"Yeah," she said, breathing heavily, "I think so too."

The two exited the dance floor and made their way over to the drink table to get a much needed glass of water. Amelia leaned up against the table as she drank.

"Quite a dancer, isn't he?" Harriet sported a rather amused expression as she came toward them. Their disheveled appearance probably gave it away, but Amelia wondered if she had been watching.

"Harriet! What a surprise, I thought you'd at least be gossiping for another hour or so. You've finished early I see," he said, teasing her.

"Yes, unfortunately we had to cut it short to go watch apple bobbing," she said, "It was absolutely hilarious to watch, Fred and Malcolm were completely hammered."

Dorian laughed, "I'm surprised they didn't drown!"

"I am too, really. It's a good thing there were other people around, or they might have."

The three of them chuckled, and there then was a moment when no one said anything. Harriet studied the two of them. It was funny seeing her actually tolerating him. No, it was more than tolerating. Amelia casually sipped her water as Dorian flashed her one of his signature smiles which she coyly returned.

"Caroline wants to talk to you," said Harriet, breaking the silence.

"Does she? I can't possibly imagine what she might want," he said jokingly.

Amelia got a feeling Harriet didn't want her to follow. "Well, thanks, Dorian. It was nice to at least get one good dance out of this evening." She really meant it too.

"Always a pleasure," he said, and gave her a warm smile before following Harriet outside.


A/N:This chapter took some extra brainstorming because it was a bit special, I'm satisfied with the way it turned out though. I'm pretty sure it's my longest chapter yet. I hope you all are enjoying the story so far, please leave a review and let me know what you think!