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-
"Tyson? Tyson, where are you?"
Tyson looked up from his desk, where he was reviewing the report of a gentleman who operated one of his farms. "I'm in here Mother."
A minute later, Lady Evelyn appeared in the doorway of the study. "There you are darling. I've been looking all over for you. I have good news!"
Tyson grinned and put down the report. "Did Leila move to Ayortha?"
Lady Evelyn laughed. "Sorry, it's not that good."
Tyson shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "I figured it was worth a shot."
"Well, this is almost as nice," Lady Evelyn said with a smile, crossing the study to his desk, and handed him a slip of white paper.
Tyson took it and read aloud.
"The Lord and Lady of Demby would like to inform you of the upcoming marriage of their son, Sir Nicolas Thetcher, and Miss Rebecca Stows, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Stows."
Tyson looked up from the paper with a grin. "Nicolas is getting married? That's great!"
He lowered his eyes and read on. "We would be privileged with your presence on the twelfth of December at Demby Manor for the wedding at six o'clock, and then for a ball, held in the bride and grooms honor, directly afterwards."
He again looked up at his mother. "That's in only three weeks! I wonder why they're in such a hurry."
His mother shrugged, still smiling. "I don't know. But their son is a knight. He must be busy what with all the uprisings lately."
Tyson frowned slightly. "That's true." Then his frown deepened and he set the paper down on his desk.
"What's the matter?" his mother asked concernedly.
Tyson tapped a finger on the invitation lying on his desk. "A ball."
His mother nodded understandably. Her son had an extreme dislike for balls. Then she smiled slyly.
"But you must go to offer your congratulations," she reminded him. Then her eyes narrowed deviously. "Besides, I'm sure Alanna will be there."
Tyson nodded thoughtfully, completely missing his mother's obvious hint. "I suppose you're right. I guess I ought to go."
Lady Evelyn nodded solemnly. "Of course."
-
Alanna pressed herself against the wall to avoid a maid barreling down the hallway, carrying an overflowing basket. Grumbling, but not really annoyed, she brushed off her skirt and continued on towards the parlor, where her mother had summoned her.
It's been only a week, Alanna thought with grudging respect, looking around at all the bustling servants. Already mother has half the wedding planned!
She arrived at the parlor door just in time to duck out of the way of yet another crazy maid. Frowning after the pushy woman, she shook her head. Everyone seemed to have something to do with the wedding. Even she had been asked by Rebecca to serve as her maid of honor.
Entering the parlor, Alanna found her mother surrounded by half a dozen servants, all carrying different bouquets of flowers.
"The lilies are lovely, but the roses are so classic!" she heard her mother exclaim, apparently deliberating over which flowers she liked better. Alanna could only wonder where her mother had gotten all the flowers, as it was the end of November.
Alanna coughed pointedly. Her mother turned towards her.
"Ah, Alanna. Just who I wanted to see."
Alanna stood aside from the door as her mother shooed all the servants out of the room and closed the door behind her.
"There we are dear," Lady Annette said, going back to her chair and sitting daintily. "Now we can have some peace and quiet."
Alanna sat across from her, slightly apprehensive. Whatever had caused her mother to tear herself away from wedding business must be important.
Lady Annette smiled. "How have you been, dear? I haven't seen you all week."
Alanna shrugged. "I'm doing fine. But you've been awful busy."
Busy was an understatement. Ever since Nicolas had first announced his engagement, Alanna's mother had spent every day, from dawn to dusk it seemed, tasting wine, looking over material, ordering food, and a hundred other things.
Lady Annette sighed dramatically and tilted her head. "It has been an awful lot of work so far. And I'm afraid that's not going to end until the wedding day."
"Why don't you ask Mrs. Stows and Rebecca for help? I'm sure they'd love to."
"Well, of course they would. And they can, when it comes to Rebecca's part in everything," she said, patting Alanna on the knee. "But it is the duty of the groom's family to put on the wedding."
Alanna frowned. "Then why haven't you asked me for help?"
Lady Annette grinned. "That's exactly what I was about to do."
Alanna smiled. "So what do you have for me?"
Lady Annette's grin faded slightly. "Well..."
Alanna didn't like where this was headed. "What?"
"I would like for you to...to take dancing lessons."
There was a moment of silence. Then, "Oh mother!"
Alanna slumped back in her seat. She should have been expecting this. After all, there would be a ball, which included dancing. Obviously, as the groom's sister and the maid of honor she would be expected to join in.
She thought about the times she had attempted to dance. Wincing, she remembered the time she had accidentally elbowed her instructor in the stomach. Then there was the time she had tripped and broken that vase. So many to chose from.
Her mother continued speaking. "Don't worry Alanna. I've heard this teacher is wonderful. She's never before had a student that hadn't learned to dance properly."
"Well, she's never had me before," Alanna muttered.
"Oh, please Alanna? Just this once?"
Alanna looked at her mother's pleading face. She did feel sorry for her. All her life her mother had wanted a perfect lady as a daughter, and all she had gotten was...Alanna.
Alanna thought about it. She supposed it would be nice to learn how to move gracefully on the dance floor and not make a fool of herself every time she was asked for a dance (which wasn't often).
Sighing, she agreed. "Alright."
"Wonderful!" Her mother said, clapping her hands. "I shall fetch her immediately. Your lessons begin this afternoon."
Alanna sighed again. "Great."
Her mother's mood dampened. "I'm sorry dear, I know how much you dislike dancing. But it is for a good reason."
"Which is?"
Her mother smiled mysteriously. "You'll find out tomorrow."
Alanna merely shrugged. "Alright. Is that all?"
"Yes dear," her mother said. "I'll see you at dinner tonight."
Alanna nodded and left the parlor.
-
"No, No, you turn to the left, then the -Miss Alanna, you must stand straighter! There, that's better. Now curtsy, and you're done."
Alanna gave a tired, but perfect, curtsy. She was in a state of shock. She was actually learning how to dance!
She had started her first dance lesson over two hours ago with her latest teacher, Madam Lonche. They had started with curtsies. For nearly half an hour, Alanna went up and down countless times. Finally, Madame Lonche pronounced her curtsies perfect, and moved on to posture.
This was where Alanna had the most trouble. For the life of her, she could not remember to hold her head high, keep her back straight, or bend her arms at exactly the right angle.
Finally, Madame Lonche sat Alanna down and told her if she did not learn to keep her posture correct, she would stay there in the ballroom and practice until she could.
That got Alanna's attention. She had no intention of staying longer than she had to. She had forced herself to concentrate on every little detail, until at last she was able to dance the high-spirited gavotte without a single mistake.
After finishing the dance, Alanna collapsed in a chair along the side of the ballroom. She was exhausted. Madame Lonche hadn't let her rest since the beginning of the lesson.
"Very good," Madame Lonche said shortly. "Our next lesson is in two days. Be prepared to work hard."
Alanna looked at her teacher in disbelief. "What have we been doing, if not working hard?"
Madame gave a small smile. "This was just a warm-up."
Alanna shook her head. That was a warm-up? "How many more lessons will we have?"
"As many as it takes for you to learn how to dance properly."
And with that, Madame Lonche picked up her cloak from her chair and strode from the ballroom. Alanna only slumped back in her chair, her small feeling of accomplishment smothered by the fact that she had a long way to go until she could be rid of dancing lessons.