"Come here young man, I want to introduce you to some dear friends." Said Lady Oswell as she took his arm and lead him in the room.
Christopher spent nearly the next hour talking to fine older ladies in the social circle of Lady Oswell; some he knew vaguely, they were wife of some of his father's acquaintances. He chatted politely, exchanging greetings and form of politeness, social graces of the social circles he was part of. And then at last, Lady Oswell came to liberated him. She had left him with an aging cousin, an elderly woman, unmarried, whose only pleasure in life was to monopolize youths when they came calling on the young ladies.
She brought him near the refreshment table, where her niece was sipping delicately from a fine crystal goblet.
"Miss Oswell, my homage" he said bowing his head slightly and raising his hand in order to lift her hand toward him. He barely touched her skin with his lips, letting his fingers linger an extra moment, to feel the softness. "I would be obliged to you if you would let me have a dance with you later tonight."
Angelina lifted her green eyes up, and smiled at the tall man who spoke so softly to her. She had meet him once before, it would be their first dance together.
The evening flew, outside the rain began in earnest; at one point, the two young people sat behind a potted tree near the arched stairs, away from the ballroom. Christopher dared to hold her hands as they chatted amiably with one another.
He wanted to know everything about her, her hopes and dreams, her favorite color and her favorite dessert. She wanted to know what he was studying for, if he would ride with her in the large park by the river.
Henry came and broke the enchantment between them. They had been left on their own far too long for propriety's sake and Lady Oswell was getting ready to dismiss the musicians.
Both young men gave their thanks, Christopher left his card – he hoped to call on Angelica by next Sunday morning.
Chapter 9
It was a courtship that was met with approval by all – Lord Dunsmore sent his own card to Lady Oswell; Lady Oswell sent a formal diner invitation to father and son.
Oxford students spoke of nothing else – Dunsmore's heir, the quiet one, who befriended no one, who acted as if his future was not meshed with all the other students and their families, suddenly was smiling during classes. Henry was stoic and faithful by his friend's side, defending him behind his back. Christopher's entrance to Oxford had been facilitated by his father, just like all the other students. However, his constant studying, and his absence of social contact with the fellow of his classes had quickly made him stand apart.
Now, the whirlwind romance, the dating, the social attendance, the proper etiquette with everyone, was having the reverse effect. Before, they avoided him yet remembered constantly where he would stand in their future. Now, they shunned him openly for his attitude, they refused his sudden overture to be included. Angelica wanted to fit in society.
Christopher did not notice that the students he was suddenly trying to form friendship with, were dismissing him. He was centered fully on Angelica and while the potential of such an union was not lost on his father, when John Dunsmore received a letter from the dean about failing grades and attitudes problems, things started to spin out of control.
Angelica made quite an impression on Christopher's father; she was a bright woman, attentive to the discussion without infringing on it; with delightful manner and a strong sense of etiquette and belonging to her social place. What did not please John Dunsmore however, was how his son behaved more and more centered on the young lady, without restraint and common sense. John had visited the dean with Christopher when the second letter arrived.
Christopher had missed classes, exams and was not serious about homework assignment as he used too. He was failing mathematic and would not be admitted in the engineer class his father had decided for him.
The double-side edge of Christopher and Angelina relationship was troublesome to the elder Dunsmore. Henry found the whole thing quite amusing; he felt that at last, his childhood friend would stop dreaming of the colony and would stop talking of his mother's ancestry. Henry had been troubled since Christopher had shared his birth with him.
Christopher however was very passionate toward the young lady, he wanted to know more of her, and share more of himself; Deep inside, he just counted hours and days, gauging when would be the best time to propose and offer her the life plan he hoped for : returning to his root, with his white wife.
Henry stood by, hearing the fight between father and son go on and on.
John had been in Oxford for nearly a week now. He was lodging at the gentleman's club River Red. Lord Christham was a member and had sent ahead a footman of his household to reserve a room for Dunsmore. John had met the dean and nearly half of Christopher's current curriculum professor.
He even went to visit Lady Oswell, and try to stop the two youths to court. This potential match between two excellent families was not turning out as it should.
Christopher had stormed off in the night after one too much remonstrance from his father. Henry followed at a quick run, trying to stop him, trying to bring his to his sense.
New as of April 18th, 2008
Henry himself caught up with his friend, at the home of a fellow of theirs. William McIntyre's mother was receiving that evening and she had the best conversations and the best musicians in attendance. William was in Christopher's World History class, he was sharing a room with two other youths and as in parents lived in Oxford, he would often skipped his cramped quarter to visit his family's room. He had often taken Christopher with him, his mother wishing to meet Lord Dunsmore's heir. Every gentlewoman in Oxford had a daughter, a niece or a cousin of marriageable age and it was their duty to be on the lookout for the best potential match. Christopher was always welcome in her salon as such.
Henry announced himself, producing a card out of his wallet; he was as unexpected as Christopher yet as welcome. After having made his congratulations to their impromptu hostess, he went directly to his fuming angry friend.
"Christopher, time to go back to our lodging. I shall write your father in the morning, reassuring him that you'll attend all classes. Mister Parker can tutor you every week-end; he already hired him, until you catch up. Once your grades get back up, I am sure he will allow you to resume your courtship of Angelina. Come now"
Christopher stood tall. He crossed his arms, enveloping his long slender frame; his frock was a dark velvety red and for once, Henry saw how dark his usually paler longing friend was. He was hit with a reality he had refused to acknowledge before.
He was eight years old, in his rural Pennsylvania; his two young friends, children living nearby and he were throwing pebbles in the stream. Suddenly breaking their games, a loud scream and a rush in the wind, brought their fathers bearing rifles and admonishing to get back inside the closer cabin. He remembered vividly the wild savages rushing the men, the fear he had felt making him shiver while looking at this gentleman friend of his – Christopher was one of those savages wild of the Colonies. Henry was stunned. He had not remembered meeting any Indians in his youth, had meant it when he had told Christopher.
Things changed for him that day. That suddenly he could remember the fear and the moment and the anger toward whites in his native country allowed him to see the truth of his friend. Things changed that day: for Henry, the friendship was severed. He would not confide, nor shared this.
Christopher never knew. He was buried so deep in pain of love. Would Angelina agree to his foolhardy plan?
