"MOTHER!" "Yes dearest?" Asked Rose Maturin, mother of Stephen and his younger sister Joan. "What IS this thing? I can't BREATH!" Yelled Joan as her maid tightened the corset. Rose gave her daughter a firm look. "Now Joan," she said, beginning to lecture, "you know how I feel when you manage to disobey my orders! Now straighten up!" "I'm as straight as-" "Joan!" "Yes…mother." Joan said rudely. Rose gave her a nasty look and continued her way to Stephen's empty room. "He's coming home today, miss." Said a maid. Rose nodded her head and walked down the stairs to the kitchen. "JOAN! HURRY UP AND GET DOWN HERE!" "WELL, IT'S HARD TO WALK WHEN YOU CANNOT BREATH!" "JOAN!" "MOTHER!" "Damn that girl! She used to be so good until her good for nothing father left us! Good thing I come from a rich, well brought up family or we'd be in poverty! JOAN! HURRY UP ALREADY!" Finally, Joan walked down the stairs in a maroon and gold dress. "Why must I hurry mother?" "You're going over to see Elizabeth." "Oh…great." "Don't you enjoy Elizabeth's company?" Asked Rose, pouring a cup of tea. "It's not that. I just don't like having dancing lessons there." "Why not? It's not like you have anything better to do." That was a nasty comment on Rose's behalf and Joan new it. Before Stephen had left, Joan spent all her time helping him with his studies. Rose hated it because it involved getting muddy and being un-lady like. "Well if you didn't send Stephen away-" "I did not send-" "Yes you did out of false-" "False-" "Please stop-" "STOP WHAT?" "INTERUPTING ME!" "YOU STARTED IT AND IT IS FOULISH TO FIGHT AT THE TABLE SO STOP FIGHTING ME THIS INSTANT!" They were silent. "All I've tried to do these years is make-" "Me more lady like and I have failed more than once mother. Sorry." Joan said and she left the table to go outside. There was a carriage waiting outside and Joan stepped into it. "Shall we wait for your mother miss?" Asked the driver. "Drop me off and come back for her." "Where am I driving to?" "Loviere's please." The driver cued the horses and they went trotting off to the Loviere's (Elizabeth's).
Once they arrived, Joan gave the driver a tip and walked up to the front door of the Loviere's. She knocked and called, "Hello? Oh! Hello Mrs. Loviere. I'm here for dancing lessons with Elizabeth." Joan said as Mrs. Loviere showed her to the ballroom. "She's already in there." Mrs. Loviere and she left. "Oh Joan! Thank goodness you're here! I almost had to go threw these stupid lessons by myself!" Said Elizabeth as she grabbed Joan's had and brought her over to where two men were standing. "This is Luke and Gordon." Said Elizabeth and the two men bowed. Joan curtsied in return. "Okay! Now we will start with the waltz." Said Luke and he took Elizabeth's hand and began to demonstrate as Gordon took Joan's. They began to waltz around the room until Elizabeth had a hard time standing. "These damn corsets!" Elizabeth whispered to Joan. "I know! I can barely breath! I thought air was the most precious element?" Joan answered back sarcastically. Elizabeth giggled and Luke glared at them while saying, " Well I see you are feeling better! Back to work!" Elizabeth and Joan groaned as they started the waltz again. This is stupid! Stupid dancing, stupid styles, stupid war, stupid Gordo, stupid mom! Thought Joan as Rose walked into the ballroom with Mr. and Mrs. Loviere. "So I heard that your daughter is still single! And at the age of 24!" Said Mrs. Loviere. "Oh yes. She's just to wild for any man I believe!" Said Rose. Joan knew what she meant…Stephen had been married because he was mature, but Joan had become more of a rogue when her father left. She was so attched to her father and when he had left…it had left her devastated. She decided to blame it on her mother and ignored the practices that were taught to her. She wasn't sure why she had blamed it all on her mother, but she didn't know what else to do about it! She just couldn't get over the fact that her dad had left and that was that. "She's very good at dancing and polite. How is she not ready?" Asked Mr. Loviere. "Trust me, sir! She is not ready for the responsibility of marriage!" Rose said. Joan bite her bottom lip. She wanted to scream at her mother, but she knew she mustn't.
The doorbell rang and Mrs. Loviere went off to get the door. After a little while, she came back with a girl that looked about Joan's age. "Mary! How good of you to join us! Mr. and Mrs. Loviere, this is Mary, Stephen's wife." "Oh how lovely! Joan, Elizabeth, come join us." Said Mr. Loviere as Luke and Gordon left the room. "Joan, it's been along time since I've scene you. How have you been?" Asked Mary. Rose gave Joan a quick glare. Joan swallowed and said, "Just fine. Thank you for asking. How have you been doing yourself? It must be hard not having Stephen around. I know it's been difficult for me." "I've managed." Said Mary looking away. There was a small silence. "So, Elizabeth, how have your new dancing classes gone?" Asked Rose changing the subject. "Oh…um…fine. Just fine." Elizabeth said making a fake smile. Joan coughed. Rose glared at her and said, "Is there something wrong…dearest?" "Oh not at all…mother." Joan said with a slightly snotty tone to her voice. Rose and Joan sat there glaring at eachother for along while. Nervously Mary said, "Shall we take a stroll in the garden?" "Why not? Unless mother is going to complain about her allergies." Joan said as she stood up. "Well, you know how some people are about complaing! It almost seem to carry in the genes." Rose spat back to her daughter. "Maybe we should just go home. You know, after all, it has been along day for all of us." Mary said, desperately trying to break the conflict. "Alright then! We shall! Maybe this time we'll actually ride in the same carriage…uinless you're going to leave me again." Rose said to Joan. "Well, if you weren't such a snot-" "Excuse me Joan?" "What…mother!" "You DO NOT insult your elders!" "Oh! So now you're calling yourself OLD?" "OLD? YOU CAN WALK HOME WITH AN ATTITUDE LIKE THAT!" "OKAY…GRANDMA!" "WHAT? GO HOME RIGHT THIS INSTANCE!" "YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND!" "GOOD! THEN YOU'LL LEARN SOME RESPECT NOW WON'T YOU?" Joan stormed out the room as Rose apologized for the yelling. Joan took a carriage to a ship dock…the one that Stephen and her father had left on, and she wept.