Sixteen year old Ella was jumping around in her room the next day, eager to meet her fiancé and to explore Boston. Her governess, who had been hired just two months ago, had trouble to restrain her.

"Miss, you need to stay still," she said, but wasn't very successful.

Ella laughed. Though she was now betrothed and would shortly marry, on the inside she was nonetheless a little girl. Not long ago she had played with dolls and imagined how she'd be the mother to one of them.

Was she even aware that the main reason she was to be married now was so she would get one of her own? She had to unsure the family name that was the part of her life, her duty.

Grace made a deep sign, in a way feeling sorry for this girl, but also knowing how the world worked. At least Ella wouldn't have to worry about food like so many other people had to.

If the price was to marry someone, you didn't love; it was certainly being worth to pay.

"Please, Miss...What if your aunt…"

Ella ignored her and ran over to the cupboard, taking out one of her new dresses.

Dancing around she put it before her chest, pretending she was wearing it.

"Do you think that my fiancé will love me in that one?" she asked playfully.

The governess was about to reply, when out of the blue someone else scolded her.

The dress wasn't really anything one would wear for the first meeting with a future husband. It was dark grey with red embroideries in between and more an outfit to be worn at home.

"Ella, what have you been doing?" Lettice's sharp voice rang out.

"Sorry, auntie…I mean, Aunt Lettice," she corrected herself still smiling though, wanting to give her aunt a kiss on the cheek.

Lettice gently, but still emphatic shoved her away.

"Now put this on," she told her mentioning to a light blue dress. "And if you aren't ready in twenty minutes, you're going to have to explain to your fiancé why it wasn't important to you to be punctual at your first gathering."

Ella swallowed knowing that she had overdone it. Silently she waited until Lettice had moved out again. Afterwards she let Grace help her into the dress.

…

Jack had been given some new clothes. He felt again reminded of the day he had danced with Rose, unreachable back then despite being so close and how far away she was now.

He was glad that he had something new to wear, but still…he didn't feel comfortable. And it seemed that he wasn't the only one.

Ella's reaction to her wedding, to meeting a man she had never seen before, to marry this person and spent the rest of her life with him…her cheerfulness…it all had died down. Instead her mood was thoughtful.

Lettice meanwhile was pleased. Ella's future would be finally secured. Mr. Lindsay was part of one of the best families in Boston owing a brewing business. She had ever met him before, but heard only things of him. She vowed to herself that she wouldn't let her niece run wild, like the family of the dead Rose Dewitt Bukater had done.

No Ella would grow up into a lady.

Lettice returned to look for her niece shortly afterwards.

"We're finished, Madam," Grace told her while Ella looked somehow nervous.

Lettice just nodded at the governess.

"Thanks, Grace; I believe we won't need your services anymore."

Perfectly understanding what she meant, Grace bowed her head and excused herself. Ella remained alone with her aunt.

"Now, I do hope you understand how important this meeting is for us," Lettice said to her.

Ella stiffened, not only, because of her anxiety, but mostly due to the tight corset she was wearing. She began to think about this girl, Rose Dewitt Bukater, who had in the words of her aunt thrown her life away just to be with a poor penniless artist she had known for a mere days.

It was quite the scandal and surely the relatives of this poor girl would want to be left in peace. But that was the cost was being rich and famous, life just wasn't private, it belonged to society.

"Mr. Lindsay will be a great husband…"

Ella wondered what he looked like – the one Rose had lost her heart to and refused to think that it was only an affair. In fact it was quite romantically for the young innocent Ella. Dying for your love…

Surely he was nice and strong and…

"Are you going to come now?" her aunt's voice brought her back to reality.

Ella gulped knowing that for her there wasn't a way out.

"It's so tight," she choked out immediately stopping her protest due to her aunt's dark look.

'Women are supposed to wear corsets.'

I'm not a woman. I'm not even eighteen. And I'm committed to marry a man I've never seen before and I've to act like I'm looking forward to it…like I'm happy.

Lettice wouldn't let her run wild. She had been caring for her since the death of her parents, both having died from scarlet fewer within days of each other.

Ella looked like a drenched poodle, when she followed her aunt outside the room. At least Mr. Dawson would be accompanying them. For some reason Ella felt very comfortable around him.

In fact he looked like someone a real lady from society could lose her heart to. But of course Ella wouldn't mention anything to her aunt, she knew full well were her duties lay and didn't want to upset her.

….

The car came to a halt, Lettice being helped out by the driver, followed by Ella. Jack had taken seat beside the chauffeur in front. Lettice already proceeded towards the house mentioning for Ella to come after her, but for a quick second Jack was standing near her, just a few feet away.

They turned and looked at each other, Ella forcing a smile. Today was the day she would meet her fiancé, her future husband. Shouldn't she be jumping from joy?

Jack didn't return her fake smile and instead turned his head away. Ella wondered what made him this sad.

A woman maybe?

She had read many books of everlasting love, mostly ending tragically and maybe…yes maybe it was better not to love the person you were going to marry. At least it would spare you the disappointment, if you weren't loved back.

"I can't wait to meet him," Ella got out and Jack only wondered, whom she actually wanted to convince.

"Ella, what are you waiting for?"

Quickly Ella ran after her, just to earn another cold stare from her aunt.

"I've only told Mr. Dawson how happy I am."

It was a lie and both knew it, but Lettice didn't care.

She gave her a ladies-don't-run-look.

Am I really a lady? Do I even want to be a lady? Ella asked herself silently as she went up the remaining stairs to the house.

…

A man was opening the door to them what it seemed around forty.

Lettice took her hand, but Ella in fact wanted to leave. Now there was no turning back anymore.

"We're here to meet Mr. Lindsay," Lettice told the man.

"I'm him," he said. "You must be Mrs. Mansfield."

Lettice smiled, while Ella was shocked.

This was her fiancé? A man this age, who could be her father?

She tried her best to stay on her feet, forcing another grin as he walked over to where she was standing.

"You're surely my beautiful, sweet future wife," he said to her while grabbing her arm, kissing the palm of her hand.

I shall marry someone that old? – She wanted to scream, but instead she did what she had been raised for, remaining calm and silent, the perfect lady to the outside world.