Important fact about this chapter: (Yes, I actually did some research. LOL)

IF YOU DON'T READ THIS, THE CHAPTER MIGHT NOT MAKE SENSE!

In the late 1800s early 1900s the young ladies would be given dance cards when they attended parties/balls. They looked somewhat like a birthday card.

The outside would have the name of the party, place where the party was held, date, and the time. Inside would have the names and the order of all the dances/songs that would be played throughout the night. These dance cards would have a small hole in the corner with a piece of ribbon and a small pencil tied around it. The young ladies would wear them around their wrists. There was one of two ways the cards would be filled out.

1: Before the dancing began, the young men would ask the ladies for a specific dance/song. If the lady agreed, she'd write his name by the song/dance on her dance card.

OR: The host(ess) of the party would automatically fill out each lady's card ahead of time, and then give it to them as they arrived at the party. This was usually used with the upper class, when the host(ess) wanted to ensure that the ladies danced only with men in their social status.

Either way, they would dance with only the men on their cards, and only in the order they are written in.

Disclaimer: I am only borrowing Erik, AND my favorite line from "Titanic."

Chapter 8
Parties and Arguments

Corrine was laughing at the mental image of Erik being lost, when there was a knock at her door.
"Come in, it's open," she said between chuckles.
"You seem to be in a good mood Corrine," her father said somewhat cheerfully, as he entered her room.
"Hello father, and yes I am," Corrine answered as she gently kissed her father's cheek.
"Your mother needs to speak to you. She's in the sitting room," he said uncomfortably.

Yes, he loved his daughter, but he knew his wife didn't approve of them having a father/daughter relationship. Not since Alec was born. Corrine was once his pampered princess. However, once Corrine stepped in and took charge of her brother, there's been a rift between mother and daughter. Unfortunately, he was caught in the middle. He wished things could go back to the way it was, but he knew he would never hear the end of it from his wife.

"What does she need father?"
"She's decided to host a grand ball," her father answered as he shifted from foot to foot nervously. He knew she would hate the idea, and especially hate the fact that she would be forced to attend.
"Father, why here? You know how much I hate parties. Especially ones where my little brother wouldn't be allowed to attend," Corrine answered annoyingly.
"I don't know anything about it, it's your mother's doing. You better hurry, you know how much she hates waiting."
Corrine nodded, and hurried to her mother.
"Corrine, sit dear," her mother said with a fake smile plastered on her face.
Corrine sat in the hard, upright chair, and hoped she wouldn't take long."
"We are going to host the grandest masked ball. Tomorrow, we shall go shopping for a dress. Oh, and I have your dance card right here. It's already filled out for you."

Corrine took the card, and then took a deep breathe before speaking.
"I'm not going to attend," she said more calmly than she ever thought possible.
"But of course you are going dear. Since your father and I are hosting it, then it would be quite rude of you not to attend."
"What about Alec, mother? Who would watch him? I'm sure the party will last late into the night, and who will make sure he goes to bed at a decent time?"
"Corrine, you spend too much time with that thing, you WILL go to the party," her mother said angrily.
"Oh, stop it mother, you'll give yourself a nosebleed."

The door quietly opened and Alec hesitantly walked over to Corrine and sat in her lap.
"You coddle that thing too much, you need to stop. It's too old for you to hold in your lap," her mother said annoyingly.
"Alec, sweet, go to my room and sit on my bed. I'll be there in a minute,"
Corrine walked him to the door, and made sure he was out of earshot before turning to her mother."

"HOW DARE YOU TELL ME NOT TO HOLD MY OWN BROTHER," Corrine screamed at her mother.
"Corrine, dear, lower you voice. Someone may hear."

"LET THEM. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO HEAR? COULD IT BE THE FACT THAT YOU HATE YOUR OWN SON? IT IS TRUE ISN'T IT? I am the one that goes running whenever he has a nightmare. I am the one that sits up with him when he's sick. I'm the one that kisses his every cut and bruise. I read, sing, and play with him. What do you do mother? I'll tell you what you do NOTHING! You have NO SAY in how I treat my brother. If I WANT to hold him, I'm going to. You can't stop me. Mother, YOU DISGUST me," Corrine yelled with her face just inches from her mother's face.
The door opened and her father walked in.
"What's going on in here? I could hear you shouting clear down the hall."
"Nothing father, I was just leaving."
"You will attend the party Corrine," her mother shouted after her.
Corrine angrily left the room, making sure to slam the door behind her.

She stomped her feet all the way to her room. She found her brother sitting in the middle of her bed crying.
"Why were you yelling? You were scaring me"
Corrine picked up her brother, and sat down with him on her lap.
"I am so sorry if I scared you. I was just angry at mother. She is the most selfish person I've ever met," Corrine said as she soothed her brother.
Corrine looked at the dance card in her hand and could feel her blood start to boil.
"What's that Cori?"
"It's the names of the men I'm SUPPOSED to dance with at the dumb ball," Corrine explained as she let out a sigh and rolled her eyes.
"Is my name and Erik's name on it?"
"No, sweet. Mother won't allow you to go, and she doesn't know about Erik does she?"
"No, He's OUR secret."
"Which reminds me. Did you find him before he got lost?" Corrine asked as she tried to muffle the laugh that was trying to escape.
"Yeah, he was scared that he hurt my feelings. I made sure to tell him that he didn't."

3 weeks later...

"Cori, you look prettyful," Alec said as he stared at his sister.
Corrine had just swept her dark hair up, and had a few ringlets hanging down. Her blue dress matched her eyes perfectly. Corrine looked at her brother through the mirror and smiled.
"Alec, there's no such word as prettyful."
"Yes there is. It's when your pretty and beautiful at the same time."
Corrine laughed and gave her brother a kiss.
"Alec, I promise I'll leave as soon as I know mother won't miss me."
"Ok, but hurry back. I don't like being by myself."
"Why don't you go find Erik? He might enjoy your company for a hour or so."
"He can't," Alec said trying so hard not to laugh, and not succeeding.
"What are you laughing about?"
"Nothin'. You'll find out."
Corrine gave her brother one last kiss and walked out the room. She was halfway down the corridor when she heard her brother yelling for her.
"Cori, wait you forgot this."
Alec ran up to her, and handed her dance card to her.
"Thank you so much," Corrine said sarcastically.
"You're welcome," Alec answered with a huge smile on his face.
He turned and laughed all the way back to the room.
"I don't know what he's up to, but I sure hope he doesn't get in trouble," Corrine thought to herself.