Within those few seconds my world had turned upside down. Feelings that I believed buried suddenly came to life. My heart started beating faster and faster. I felt as if it was going to burst out of my rib cadge. My cheeks flushed and my palms started sweating.
"Serena dear, it's wonderful to see you home again," Cassandra said while embracing me. Pulling back she placed her hands on my cheeks. "Dear, are you ill? Your cheeks are terribly warm!"
"Just a little flushed from the long ride, I suppose," I replied tentatively while smiling at my mother's best friend.
As Cassandra let loose of me Darion walked over and kissed my hand. "You have grown into a beautiful lady, Serena."
I blushed prettily and gave my thanks. As he stepped aside Dillon ran over and picked me up and swung me around. "Sere! It's great to see you again!"
"Dillon! Put the poor girl down!" Cassandra cried while trying to stifle a laugh.
"Terribly sorry milady, I let my excitement get the better of me, please accept my apologies," Dillon said in an obviously in a jesting manner.
"Tis quite all right my kind sir." I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "It is good to see you again Dillon, I missed you."
"As I have you." As we broke out of our embrace I walked over to Darien.
"Darien," I said tipping my head in greeting.
Darien kissed my hand, "Welcome back Serena."
The silence and tension between us was excruciating. When I thought I was finally about to scream the door from the dining room opened. "Sir, dinner is ready," the chef's youngest daughter, Melissa, said with a slight bow to my father.
I sighed with relief and Darien dropped my hand. My father walked over to us, "Well, shall we?" I nodded gratefully and we all gathered into the dining room.
After my father said the prayer we ate in silence. The silence was only broken when Darien asked me the question I had been avoiding for three years. "So, Serena, what made you decide to just up and leave for school one day?"
My fork dropped onto my plate with a clatter, and I looked up at him with wide eyes. "I-I I don't really know. One night I realized that I was no where near what a young lady of my stature should be, so I asked to attend Catalina's School for Girls and my parents agreed. It's nothing really, all girls should go to an all girls school once in their life. I just decided that it was time for me to go. I did not wish to make a fool of my family any longer. I was quite selfish to act the way I acted when I was younger...I acted like a ragamuffin, climbing trees and swimming in lakes. Those kind of things are just not fit for a young lady to do."
It was a low blow, I knew it then and I know it now. I had insulted the childhood we spent together. I had insulted our friendship. I had insulted US. I had seen the hurt expression on Dillon's face, but for some reason I did not care. All that I cared about was the tiny, barely noticeable flinch that came upon Darien's face. I smiled on the inside, though I admit I did feel slightly unfavorable. But my heart was glad to know something new, that the great Darien Montehu did have a heart. You could have fooled me.
For the rest of the dinner neither Darien nor Dillon spoke a word. True, I felt sorry for what my blow more than likely did to Dillon's pride, but I was feeling a great deal of bitterness towards Darien at that moment and my bitterness was gaining the upper hand on my emotions. Till this day, I have no idea what brought on the sudden onslaught of bitterness...I suppose it could have been effect to all of the other confusing emotions and feelings that were running through my body, or it could have been a reaction from never receiving a letter in return from him during my whole three years at Catalina's. I do not know. But I do know that I wanted Darien to feel horrible.
After we had finished dinner we all retreated to the parlor where my father and Darion drank brandy while Darien and Dillon carried on a conversation in the corner of the room, and my mother and Cassandra gushed over me and my return. All the while Tiffany fed them stories to keep their jabbering on.
I soon grew restless of my mother's chatter and moved over to Darien and Dillon's conversion. Dillon was speaking in a hushed whisper, "Darien..... You can't mean that YOU got...."
"I never said that it was mine! Rosemary has been with as many men as I have fingers and toes. That girl is a whore, plain and simple."
"But the babe could be yours."
"It could be, but it's not very likely."
"I swear if Mother or Father ever hear of this you will be dead! Do you know what something like this would do to their reputations!?! Honestly, getting Father Joseph's niece impregnated."
"I'm telling you Dillon, it is more than likely not mine! And do keep your voice down or someone will hear us!" It was then that Darien noticed me, "Good evening Lady Serena."
I smiled, "Please just call me Serena, we are old friends and have no need for silly titles. Was it not you who once said that you would treat a duchess as a flower girl and a flower girl as a duchess?" There was a hidden meaning when I said that and Darien knew what it was and, now he knew just how long I had been standing there.
You see Father Joseph's niece's name is Rosemary or, as I always liked to call her, Rose. Rose's family was very common, everyone was so thrilled when Joseph had been accepted as the Father for a small town church. We often attended that church when we felt like getting away from high society. I met Rose the first time we went there. She was dressed in a slightly shabby pale yellow dress, but she was still very beautiful. She had light, almost golden, brown hair and deep chocolate brown eyes. Her eyes were the only thing common about her appearance. Brown eyes were very common in our area, almost every one had brown eyes; as a matter of fact, I have only seen three other girls with blue or green eyes, they are more prominent in males.
After meeting Rosemary that first time I had taken her under my wing and made her my one and only female companion. Rosemary was a year older than I but her figure was the same size and shape as mine, so I dressed her up in some of my cloths that did not look so flattering on me but looked perfect on her, and I introduced her to my mother, who fell instantly in love with her so she taught her for many years on how to become a lady. Well, look where she was now.
The other hidden meaning told him exactly how I believed he was treating me. A duchess as if she were a flower girl.
"Darien dear," I said with such sweetness I mad even myself sick, "why did you not ever write me?"
I could hardly contain my laughter as he stumbled on words finally mumbling out, "I was very busy."
"Ah, I see. So, what were you so busy with that you had no time to ever write?" I was winning. I had him backed into a corner that he could not get out of.
Darien puffed up defensively, "I had my studies to worry about."
Nodding I leaned over until he could feel my breath upon his ear and whispered, "I know the real you." Then smiling sweetly I turned and walked towards my father, "If I may be excused, I would like to retire for the night, I have had a long and hard trip and am fatigued."
He smiled at me and excused me. After bidding goodnight to all present I headed to my bedroom to meet a restless sleep.
"Serena dear, it's wonderful to see you home again," Cassandra said while embracing me. Pulling back she placed her hands on my cheeks. "Dear, are you ill? Your cheeks are terribly warm!"
"Just a little flushed from the long ride, I suppose," I replied tentatively while smiling at my mother's best friend.
As Cassandra let loose of me Darion walked over and kissed my hand. "You have grown into a beautiful lady, Serena."
I blushed prettily and gave my thanks. As he stepped aside Dillon ran over and picked me up and swung me around. "Sere! It's great to see you again!"
"Dillon! Put the poor girl down!" Cassandra cried while trying to stifle a laugh.
"Terribly sorry milady, I let my excitement get the better of me, please accept my apologies," Dillon said in an obviously in a jesting manner.
"Tis quite all right my kind sir." I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "It is good to see you again Dillon, I missed you."
"As I have you." As we broke out of our embrace I walked over to Darien.
"Darien," I said tipping my head in greeting.
Darien kissed my hand, "Welcome back Serena."
The silence and tension between us was excruciating. When I thought I was finally about to scream the door from the dining room opened. "Sir, dinner is ready," the chef's youngest daughter, Melissa, said with a slight bow to my father.
I sighed with relief and Darien dropped my hand. My father walked over to us, "Well, shall we?" I nodded gratefully and we all gathered into the dining room.
After my father said the prayer we ate in silence. The silence was only broken when Darien asked me the question I had been avoiding for three years. "So, Serena, what made you decide to just up and leave for school one day?"
My fork dropped onto my plate with a clatter, and I looked up at him with wide eyes. "I-I I don't really know. One night I realized that I was no where near what a young lady of my stature should be, so I asked to attend Catalina's School for Girls and my parents agreed. It's nothing really, all girls should go to an all girls school once in their life. I just decided that it was time for me to go. I did not wish to make a fool of my family any longer. I was quite selfish to act the way I acted when I was younger...I acted like a ragamuffin, climbing trees and swimming in lakes. Those kind of things are just not fit for a young lady to do."
It was a low blow, I knew it then and I know it now. I had insulted the childhood we spent together. I had insulted our friendship. I had insulted US. I had seen the hurt expression on Dillon's face, but for some reason I did not care. All that I cared about was the tiny, barely noticeable flinch that came upon Darien's face. I smiled on the inside, though I admit I did feel slightly unfavorable. But my heart was glad to know something new, that the great Darien Montehu did have a heart. You could have fooled me.
For the rest of the dinner neither Darien nor Dillon spoke a word. True, I felt sorry for what my blow more than likely did to Dillon's pride, but I was feeling a great deal of bitterness towards Darien at that moment and my bitterness was gaining the upper hand on my emotions. Till this day, I have no idea what brought on the sudden onslaught of bitterness...I suppose it could have been effect to all of the other confusing emotions and feelings that were running through my body, or it could have been a reaction from never receiving a letter in return from him during my whole three years at Catalina's. I do not know. But I do know that I wanted Darien to feel horrible.
After we had finished dinner we all retreated to the parlor where my father and Darion drank brandy while Darien and Dillon carried on a conversation in the corner of the room, and my mother and Cassandra gushed over me and my return. All the while Tiffany fed them stories to keep their jabbering on.
I soon grew restless of my mother's chatter and moved over to Darien and Dillon's conversion. Dillon was speaking in a hushed whisper, "Darien..... You can't mean that YOU got...."
"I never said that it was mine! Rosemary has been with as many men as I have fingers and toes. That girl is a whore, plain and simple."
"But the babe could be yours."
"It could be, but it's not very likely."
"I swear if Mother or Father ever hear of this you will be dead! Do you know what something like this would do to their reputations!?! Honestly, getting Father Joseph's niece impregnated."
"I'm telling you Dillon, it is more than likely not mine! And do keep your voice down or someone will hear us!" It was then that Darien noticed me, "Good evening Lady Serena."
I smiled, "Please just call me Serena, we are old friends and have no need for silly titles. Was it not you who once said that you would treat a duchess as a flower girl and a flower girl as a duchess?" There was a hidden meaning when I said that and Darien knew what it was and, now he knew just how long I had been standing there.
You see Father Joseph's niece's name is Rosemary or, as I always liked to call her, Rose. Rose's family was very common, everyone was so thrilled when Joseph had been accepted as the Father for a small town church. We often attended that church when we felt like getting away from high society. I met Rose the first time we went there. She was dressed in a slightly shabby pale yellow dress, but she was still very beautiful. She had light, almost golden, brown hair and deep chocolate brown eyes. Her eyes were the only thing common about her appearance. Brown eyes were very common in our area, almost every one had brown eyes; as a matter of fact, I have only seen three other girls with blue or green eyes, they are more prominent in males.
After meeting Rosemary that first time I had taken her under my wing and made her my one and only female companion. Rosemary was a year older than I but her figure was the same size and shape as mine, so I dressed her up in some of my cloths that did not look so flattering on me but looked perfect on her, and I introduced her to my mother, who fell instantly in love with her so she taught her for many years on how to become a lady. Well, look where she was now.
The other hidden meaning told him exactly how I believed he was treating me. A duchess as if she were a flower girl.
"Darien dear," I said with such sweetness I mad even myself sick, "why did you not ever write me?"
I could hardly contain my laughter as he stumbled on words finally mumbling out, "I was very busy."
"Ah, I see. So, what were you so busy with that you had no time to ever write?" I was winning. I had him backed into a corner that he could not get out of.
Darien puffed up defensively, "I had my studies to worry about."
Nodding I leaned over until he could feel my breath upon his ear and whispered, "I know the real you." Then smiling sweetly I turned and walked towards my father, "If I may be excused, I would like to retire for the night, I have had a long and hard trip and am fatigued."
He smiled at me and excused me. After bidding goodnight to all present I headed to my bedroom to meet a restless sleep.