Snow, snow, snow! I am so sick of snow! All it ever does around here is snow! I'm so jealous of my parents, they are spending a week in Rivera Maya, AHHHHH!
Right, I'm done now, here's the next chapter, enjoy!
Starsplash: tell me how that smoothie goes, I kinda have weird taste buds… ANYWHO, so, yeah, how's life?
Captain Ella Raven: thanks, I do try to keep the story somewhat interesting.
SarahKOM: ow! I hope your hands heal nice and quick. Um, sugar high lately?
LittleRockinDragon: ugh, I always hated exams, at least one more time is out of the way, no?
PrincessAmberly: 1) yes, he meant one wit, and he was talking about the doctor. And thanks! I do try to keep original.
2) why is it that people assume that my fic is done? When I finish it, I will tell you, there will be a big "the end" at, well, the end.
Drink-Up-Me-Hearties-Yo-Ho: Yay! Your back, I was wondering where you went. I'm not sure how to take that, but I'll say it's a compliment because it will make me happy ;)
Kitty: ah! A fellow romance lover! I knew that there were more like me out there! And yes, death to evil viruses, that and hairs that get caught in your shirt and make you itch, but that's another story…
AKAFredandGeorge: 1) riiiiiiiight
2) well, I am planing on making some chocolate chip cookies in a little while here…
3) we'll just have to see, no?
AKAfredandgeorge: hey now, random relatives are good thing, they tend to keep the story interesting, and there is never a shortage of them, they can just keep coming out of the wood works if so desired.
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To all my readers: yes, I am aware that Katrina danced at the masque at the country fair, but that was folk dancing, really easy to learn by watching or by simply doing. She has no experience with the more complicated and intricate steps of "formal" dancing.
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Katrina blinked, shook her head slightly and shot to her feet, moving as fast as she could to the entryway at the front of the house, silently cursing her corset the whole way for not allowing her to breathe a proper breath.
"Sir Jeffery, wait, please." She called breathlessly to the elderly gentleman that was collecting his hat, gloves and walking stick from the butler at the door. "I need to speak to you." She added as she reached him.
"Are you alright, my dear?" he asked with a trace of worry creasing his wizened face. "Perhaps the doctor was right for once, you look a little flushed, maybe you should lay down for a bit."
Katrina battled with her air deprived lungs, forcing herself to breathe evenly. "Perfectly fine, Sir Jeffery." She gave him a bright smile to prove her point. "I merely wanted to ask you something."
Sir Jeffery nodded in dismissal to the butler, who disappeared silently. "What did you want, my dear?" he asked her, placing his hat on his head.
"I was wondering if you could help me with something." She paused. "I, well, I" Katrina bowed her head a little. "I don't know how to dance. And I was hoping you'd show me, before the ball, that is." She raised her eyes to his hopefully.
"Of course, my dear. I'll send around my carriage for you. Shall we say, 10:00 tomorrow morning?" he smiled at her.
"That would be perfect. Thank you, Sir Jeffery."
He bowed his head a little. "Tomorrow then." And he stepped out the door.
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Elizabeth surveyed the list in front of her, comparing to a few others spread out on the table and sighed heavily, rubbing her forehead.
"Why don't you take a break?" Will asked from where he was looking over the orders he planned on working on the next day.
Elizabeth set down the paper and pressed the heels of her palms on her eyes. "Because I have less than a week to get this all set up! I can't believe my father! It takes more than a week to set up a ball, he should know that."
"You've helped him with things like this before. And on a tighter schedule." Will said.
"I know, but this is different…"
Will came and sat down next to her. "What's the matter?"
Elizabeth looked up at him with tears in her eyes, then grabbed the front of his shirt and cried into it.
"Hey, hey." Will soothed, hugging his wife to him and rubbing her back.
"Father is replacing me." She managed between sniffles.
"That's not true." Will argued.
"Yes, it is. He even put Katrina in my old room, did you know that?" Elizabeth sniffed.
"That's because it is one of the best bed rooms in the house, and it was already set up for someone to sleep in it. They have to make one up for Sera, that's why she's still here, remember?" Will comforted, handing her a handkerchief, which she took and not-so-delicately blew her nose.
"Thank you." She looked up at will, her eyes still wet and her face tear streaked.
"You always said you wanted a sibling," Will smiled. "just think of Katrina as the little sister that you never got to see much."
Elizabeth gave a watery laugh. "Well, if you put it that way…"
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Katrina was waiting in the front parlor at quarter to ten. The governor was away on "official business" for the rest of the day so she had no fear that he would catch her out of bed and order her to return like hi did yesterday when he found her back in the garden. Every time she heard a sound outside, Katrina rushed to the window and pulled aside the lacy curtains to peer outside, hoping to see the promised carriage. After the eighth time Kara, who was faithfully keeping watch at the parlor's door, lightly chided her.
"Miss, it is not ladylike, George will tell us when the carriage for you arrives." Kara said, referring to the stable boy that was intrigued by the thought of helping the governor's niece "escape" for a few hours.
Katrina collapsed onto a nearby couch with a small huff. "I know, but I'm impatient!" she protested, close to whining, and making a giggle escape from the enterprising maid. Katrina sat back and waited, watching the clock. At exactly five to ten a little sandy haired boy ran into the room. "Miss, oh Miss, the carriage is coming." He exclaimed in an excited stage whisper, his blue eyes shining with mischief.
"Hurry, now miss." Kara said, holding out a parasol for Katrina to use on her short trip down the steps and into the carriage. "The hall is empty now." Katrina got up and took the parasol, thinking how useless it was, but used it none the less and was helped up onto the seat by a liveried footman before he shut the door and the carriage started forward with a slight lurch.
Katrina watched from the window as the carriage rumbled down a road leading away from town. They passes a few drives, each over a mile apart, lined with lush trees and paved with crushed shells or even cobbled all the way up to the luxurious, columned homes in which the wealthy of Port Royal lived. The sixth drive they came to the driver turned up the drive, pulling to a smooth stop at the very base of the steps. Once again, Katrina was helped by the foot man, and once again she snapped open here parasol for the ridiculously short time she was to be outside, while climbing up the steps. The door opened as she approached by a heavy middle aged butler.
"I'm here to see Sir Jeffery." She told the butler, closing her parasol under the shade cast by the house.
"Right this way, miss." He motioned for her to follow him. he led her through a hallway that split the house in half, emerging onto a terrace at the back of the house. "The young lady is here to see you, sir." The butler intoned and with a sketch of a bow was gone into the house.
Sir Jeffery was seated before an elegantly simple table of chalky white wrought iron, his chair was of the same style, only a cushion was covering the bottom of the chair. "Ah, I was just getting ready to have some tea. Do you care to join me, my dear?" he questioned while gesturing to the silver and porcelain tea service set on the table before him. Katrina smiled at him and sat down in the matching cushioned wrought iron chair across the small table from him. Sir Jeffery handed her a delicate cup filled with tea along with a tray of dainty pastries. "Here you are. Try some of these, I'm afraid I never quite outgrew sweets and I'm always asking cook to make them."
Katrina bit into one of the flaky delicacies, smiling at the buttery taste and the way it seemed to melt in her mouth, quickly popping the rest in her mouth. Sir Jeffery smiled and followed suit. They sat for ten more minutes, talking and having tea.
"Sir Jeffery?" Katrina finally asked.
"Yes?"
"You were to try and teach me to dance?" she gently reminded him.
"I remember, my mind isn't totally gone." He teased her. "But it is best if you learn with a partner as dances are done with at least one, if not more partners, though those are country dances, not favored at balls anymore…" he trailed off, apparently reminiscing.
"Are you not going to partner me?"
"Oh, no, my dear. I am too old and stiff to be an adequate partner for learning to dance."
"Then who…?" A young man came galloping on a black stallion, reigning him in at the edge of the verandah.
"Am I late?" he asked, easily hopping off the back of the horse, hurdling the railing and approaching the table while a servant came and led the horse away.
"Indeed you are, keeping our guest waiting is hardly good manners, I thought you where brought up better than that." Sir Jeffery mockingly growled at the young man. "My dear, " he continued in a gentler tone. "this rascal is my grandson, Thomas Hawthorn. Thomas, I already told you about young Katrina, here."
The young man turned his dark brown eyes towards her. "A pleasure." Katrina smiled in acknowledgment.
"Enchanted." he stated, sweeping a courtly bow with a touch more flourish than needed. "Shall we?" he asked, extending his hand toward Katrina and quirked an eyebrow in an amusing way. Katrina allowed him to help her from her seat.
"Lilly is most likely waiting now." Sir Jeffery added as he got up to lead the way to the music room.
"Lilly?" Katrina questioned softly as Thomas tucked her had into the crook of his arm in a gentlemanly fashion.
"My little sister." He supplied. "Lilly is almost 15 and learning to dance for her come-out in London next year, she'll be joining the lesson. You'll like her, I'm sure, she's very sweet, but shy and rather self-conscience." He added in a softer voice as they were nearly to the music room which Katrina could hear music coming from. Reaching the door way, Katrina observed a young lady sitting behind a small harp, her eyes closed in concentration. Thomas put a finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet and motioned her to one of the couches set against the inner wall of the room.
The trio sat and listened as the girl finished her song, Thomas clapping softly as she finished, causing the girls eyes to fly open. "Oh1" she exclaimed.
"Superb, as always, sweetheart." Her grandfather told her, brushing her cheek with his lips.
"Sorry to startle you, Lil." He brother smiled kindly at her.
The girl turned questioning eyes to Katrina, who just stared back, shocked, the girl's right eye was green where as her left was brown. The girl abruptly dropped her gaze, hiding her eyes behind lowered lids.
"Ah, Lilly, this is Katrina, she'll be joining your lessons today." Sir Thomas informed his grand daughter.
"Not at all, Grandpapa." She answered in a soft, melodious voice.
"That is, if you don't mind." Katrina hastened to add.
Lilly raised her eyes and shot Katrina a quick smile. "I don't mind." She said in the same airy voice. "I'd like some company." She blushed lightly, dropping her gaze again. "I'm Lilly Amelia, though most people just call me Lilly."
"Well, then, Lady Lilly."
"Oh!" the girls eyes flew up in surprise. "Please, Lady Katrina, just Lilly is fine." She pleaded.
"Then I insist you call me Katrina, simply Katrina." Katrina smiled.
"Yes, La- Katrina." The girl gave a tentative smile back.
"Shall we?" Thomas spoke up. "One day is hardly enough time to teach anyone to dance, but we will make sure you can follow a lead."
"Oh, yes." Lilly agreed with her brother. "Any dance is quite simple if you follow your partner's lead."
Katrina stood, shaking out her skirts. "Well, then, let's start."
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The knocking on the door to captain's cabin became more insistent. Kipp groaned and rolled off his bed. Who would be disturbing him in the middle of the night? He hastily pulled his shirt over his head as he only slept in his pants.
"I'm commin', I'm commin'." He mumbled sleepily.
He opened the door and squinted at the light cast off by the lantern Daniel Norrtington was holding in one hand. "Hey, Danny. What's going on?" he asked fully waking up.
Daniel smirked. "You know it was only a matter of time. I believe this is yours." He gestured to the figure wriggling in his grasp. The little figure stopped.
"Hiya, Kipp." The little boy pushed long black bangs from his blue eyes and did his best to look innocent.
"What'd he do this time?" Kipp grudgingly asked with a sharp glance for the boy.
"Found him sneaking about the fort."
"Twasn't sneakin'." The boy protested. "Simply took a wrong turn somewhere."
Kipp grabbed the boy's arm. "Thanks Danny, I'll take it from here." Daniel Norrington smirked.
"Good luck, you'll need it with that one." He said as he turned to leave.
"Yeah." Kipp muttered pulling the boy into his cabin and closing the door. "You're lucky Danny found you before anyone else did. I swear, you're almost as bad as Uncle Jack." He lectured the boy.
"Really?" the little boy's eyes shined.
"That's not a good thing. At least he gets out of most of his situations."
"I'm still learning, it's not like you never got into trouble, you know."
"Yes, but I promised I'd keep you out of trouble. That's kind of hard when you seek it out and constantly get in it."
"Naw, I'm just talented like that." the boy flopped down on the bed. "Besides, you're there to cover my back, most times. Say, did you get a new bed? This one seems fluffier somehow." He bounced on his knees.
"Oh, no you don't." Kipp picked the boy up by the back of his shirt and carried him to the door. "Either sleep in a cabin or get back to Miss Melody's. Just this once, no more trouble tonight, 'k? Or at least none that you get caught doing." He shot the boy a wink, closed the door and collapsed on his bed for the few hours before dawn.
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Katrina laughed as Thomas spun her around and Lilly played a waltz for them on the pianoforte, the waltz was the last dance she was learning. Thomas grinned and spun her again at the ending chords.
"You are doing splendidly. Are you sure you've never danced before?" he asked her.
"Only some folk dancing, and not much of that." she smiled lightly. "Oh!" she exclaimed, seeing the sun about to set. "I must get back, or they will be looking everywhere for me!"
"I'll call for the carriage." Lilly stood from the pianoforte's bench.
"Oh, but that will take too long." Katrina moaned.
"Surly you are not afraid of the dark, Miss Katrina?" Thomas teased, tweaking a loose strand of hair.
"Of course not." She scoffed. "I am, however afraid of being found out. If I'm found missing, I most likely will be locked in my room to force me to rest, doctor's orders." She half grinned at the look of horror on Lilly's face and the half shock, half admiration on Thomas's face.
"You left without permission?" Lily asked, her expression bordering on scandalized.
"Against doctor's orders?" Thomas's eyes were twinkling merrily at the thought.
"Yes, and yes." Katrina answered, a touch tentative.
"Well, we best get you back as quick as possible. I know just how to do that." Thomas said with a boyish grin.
"Oh, no." Katrina heard Lilly moan in an under tone.
"Tell me, Katrina, do you ride?"
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Well, there we are, a bit later than hoped, but longer than most.
Any guesses on who the boy is?
Reviews are as good as sleep… that sounds really nice right about now.
Sneak peek quotes are resuming!
"Happy feeling gone"
Remember, all quotes are from movies, and occasionally songs. Happy guessing!