Eeek! Quick chapter before the good stuff starts. BWHAHAHA!!
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By the time the cart finally creaked to a halt in front of my uncle Ferdinand's home in Bucklebury, all three of us (Fred and I and the mare) were exhausted and ready for an early bedtime. Unfortunately, only the mare would get it. The rest of the evening passed mostly as a blur of various faces, voices, and inane conversation. Fred seemed willing to do the talking, so I merely sat with a glazed look on my face and spoke only when asked a direct question. When I finally was showed to my guest room, I immediately flopped down on the bed and fell asleep without even taking off my shoes.
The next morning I woke refreshed and in a much better mood - I was fully conscious. I changed into a clean dress from one of my trunks and freshened up before cautiously venturing out to the dining room, where a plentiful spread was laid out.
A few scattered relatives were gathered in groups along the length of the enormous table, which had been built intended for at least the four, and probably more, families that would be living in the house at a time. The amount of inhabitants was constantly changing, but my uncle Ferdinand was always there, and he held absolute authority. Under his supervision, the house was usually busy and bustling, but never chaotic.
I had barely had time to sit down before I was suddenly pounced on from behind. When my heartbeat had subsided enough for me to hear again, I gasped, "What was *that* for?"
A giggle answered, and a grinning lass plopped herself down in the chair next to me. "Oh, come on, Stella," she exclaimed. "You may have managed to avoid me last night, but you can't escape me that long." She helped herself to a piece of toast and regarded me innocently as she munched it.
I laid my head on the table. "Tulip," I moaned, "don't do that."
She laughed again. "Of course, Stella, whatever you say. But I don't think you've had time to unpack yet," she commented with a sudden and rather enigmatic change of subject. "And you'd better take your dresses out so you can iron them. You won't want a wrinkled one for tonight!"
My head snapped up and I asked hurriedly, "Tonight? What's tonight?"
"The cotillion!" Tulip stared at me, wide-eyed. "You mean no one told you last night?"
I tried to recall any details from the previous evening and failed miserably. "Someone probably did," I admitted with a wry smile, "but I swear I cannot remember a thing that anyone said."
"You did seem a bit, ah, bemused."
I nodded and reached for the teapot and a cup. "So. A cotillion tonight?"
"Yes," Tulip answered, handing me the cream pitcher. "And a large one at that. Most of Bucklebury will be there. And there is no way of squirming out of it, Stel. None."
"Why must you torture me?" I wailed in mock despair. "I would so much rather be washing dishes back here! Oh - sugar." Tulip obliged.
"I know you would," she sighed. "But sacrifices must be made. You must be reintroduced to Bucklebury after so many years away."
This time I really did moan. "Please, no."
Tulip pursed her lips disapprovingly. "At least our old friends."
"Fine. But you are not going to spend all night dragging me to everyone whose name you know."
"Fair enough," she agreed, with a slight twinkle in her eye.
I nodded, satisfied. "Now let me eat!" I cried. "I'm famished!" And I was, not having had much of an appetite the previous night and therefore having eaten little.
Tulip held up her hands in surrender. "Of course. Just warning you."
"Thank you. Now shut up and let me drink my tea. I'm not quite awake yet."
She disappeared to the hallway, and after finishing my cup, I was in a sociable mood and ready to catch up on any and all gossip Tulip had to tell me. I was heading for the kitchen to drop off my used cup when a vaguely familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Look who's finally come running back home. Somehow I missed your triumphant entrance last night; what a shame."
I turned slowly to see a black-haired lass holding a pitcher of coffee. "Garnet," I returned coolly. "Ever so pleased to see you again."
"Likewise. Pray tell, whatever chased you back here to your uncle's generosity?" She arched an eyebrow with the air of contempt that she had been born with and over the years perfected.
I flushed. I was about to retort angrily but realized in time that it would only encourage her. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, Cousin," I replied. "I received a message that certain young lasses were becoming more impudent than they were worth, and that any polite ones would be welcomed as role models."
"Well, that seems to rule you out, doesn't it?" returned Garnet. "Besides, I'll be gone before long anyway."
I couldn't resist. "He's finally worked up the courage to throw you out?"
"No," she shot back, momentarily losing her air of indifference. "I'm marrying Mosco Burrows the week after next."
"Excuse me while I disguise my smirk," I said, holding up a hand. I turned around and brought my facial muscles back under control, facing Garnet again when I was expressionless. "Go on."
She glared at me. "Smirk all you like, Stella," she fumed, emphasizing 'smirk.' "Marriage isn't something you'll ever have to concern yourself with anyway. You just go on living off your uncle for as long as you like." She whirled and stalked out of the room, leaving me for once at a loss for words.
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Okay. Next up - the cotillion, and I SWEAR Merry comes into the picture! I just need a setup. Sheesh.
**********************
By the time the cart finally creaked to a halt in front of my uncle Ferdinand's home in Bucklebury, all three of us (Fred and I and the mare) were exhausted and ready for an early bedtime. Unfortunately, only the mare would get it. The rest of the evening passed mostly as a blur of various faces, voices, and inane conversation. Fred seemed willing to do the talking, so I merely sat with a glazed look on my face and spoke only when asked a direct question. When I finally was showed to my guest room, I immediately flopped down on the bed and fell asleep without even taking off my shoes.
The next morning I woke refreshed and in a much better mood - I was fully conscious. I changed into a clean dress from one of my trunks and freshened up before cautiously venturing out to the dining room, where a plentiful spread was laid out.
A few scattered relatives were gathered in groups along the length of the enormous table, which had been built intended for at least the four, and probably more, families that would be living in the house at a time. The amount of inhabitants was constantly changing, but my uncle Ferdinand was always there, and he held absolute authority. Under his supervision, the house was usually busy and bustling, but never chaotic.
I had barely had time to sit down before I was suddenly pounced on from behind. When my heartbeat had subsided enough for me to hear again, I gasped, "What was *that* for?"
A giggle answered, and a grinning lass plopped herself down in the chair next to me. "Oh, come on, Stella," she exclaimed. "You may have managed to avoid me last night, but you can't escape me that long." She helped herself to a piece of toast and regarded me innocently as she munched it.
I laid my head on the table. "Tulip," I moaned, "don't do that."
She laughed again. "Of course, Stella, whatever you say. But I don't think you've had time to unpack yet," she commented with a sudden and rather enigmatic change of subject. "And you'd better take your dresses out so you can iron them. You won't want a wrinkled one for tonight!"
My head snapped up and I asked hurriedly, "Tonight? What's tonight?"
"The cotillion!" Tulip stared at me, wide-eyed. "You mean no one told you last night?"
I tried to recall any details from the previous evening and failed miserably. "Someone probably did," I admitted with a wry smile, "but I swear I cannot remember a thing that anyone said."
"You did seem a bit, ah, bemused."
I nodded and reached for the teapot and a cup. "So. A cotillion tonight?"
"Yes," Tulip answered, handing me the cream pitcher. "And a large one at that. Most of Bucklebury will be there. And there is no way of squirming out of it, Stel. None."
"Why must you torture me?" I wailed in mock despair. "I would so much rather be washing dishes back here! Oh - sugar." Tulip obliged.
"I know you would," she sighed. "But sacrifices must be made. You must be reintroduced to Bucklebury after so many years away."
This time I really did moan. "Please, no."
Tulip pursed her lips disapprovingly. "At least our old friends."
"Fine. But you are not going to spend all night dragging me to everyone whose name you know."
"Fair enough," she agreed, with a slight twinkle in her eye.
I nodded, satisfied. "Now let me eat!" I cried. "I'm famished!" And I was, not having had much of an appetite the previous night and therefore having eaten little.
Tulip held up her hands in surrender. "Of course. Just warning you."
"Thank you. Now shut up and let me drink my tea. I'm not quite awake yet."
She disappeared to the hallway, and after finishing my cup, I was in a sociable mood and ready to catch up on any and all gossip Tulip had to tell me. I was heading for the kitchen to drop off my used cup when a vaguely familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Look who's finally come running back home. Somehow I missed your triumphant entrance last night; what a shame."
I turned slowly to see a black-haired lass holding a pitcher of coffee. "Garnet," I returned coolly. "Ever so pleased to see you again."
"Likewise. Pray tell, whatever chased you back here to your uncle's generosity?" She arched an eyebrow with the air of contempt that she had been born with and over the years perfected.
I flushed. I was about to retort angrily but realized in time that it would only encourage her. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, Cousin," I replied. "I received a message that certain young lasses were becoming more impudent than they were worth, and that any polite ones would be welcomed as role models."
"Well, that seems to rule you out, doesn't it?" returned Garnet. "Besides, I'll be gone before long anyway."
I couldn't resist. "He's finally worked up the courage to throw you out?"
"No," she shot back, momentarily losing her air of indifference. "I'm marrying Mosco Burrows the week after next."
"Excuse me while I disguise my smirk," I said, holding up a hand. I turned around and brought my facial muscles back under control, facing Garnet again when I was expressionless. "Go on."
She glared at me. "Smirk all you like, Stella," she fumed, emphasizing 'smirk.' "Marriage isn't something you'll ever have to concern yourself with anyway. You just go on living off your uncle for as long as you like." She whirled and stalked out of the room, leaving me for once at a loss for words.
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Okay. Next up - the cotillion, and I SWEAR Merry comes into the picture! I just need a setup. Sheesh.
