A blooming flower

Emmy sat gazing her reflection in the mirror feeling that she possessed some of her childish features no matter how much Kathryn James tried to glamour her up. Emmy could still see the little freckles on the ridge of her nose she also saw a little girl figure with mostly no to curve to it she was still mostly a stick. She had hoped with her new dress and new hair she would see an eloquent woman looking back at her. A woman who has every hair perfectly in place and eyes that can make a man go weak in the knees. Emmy dabbed a tad of Fiona's perfume that had a wonderful fragrance of wild lilies and sweet mint. Fiona only wore it on special occasions and tonight she was allowing Emmy wear it. She smoothed a loose hair as Kathryn had done her hair perfectly earlier and gave her cheeks a little pinch so they would look rosier. Then her hand strolled down her neck till she felt her mother's pearls around her neck. Emmy placed her hand over them rubbing them every so lightly with the tips of her fingers. Fiona a only owned two necklaces her locket that carried Jefferson's picture and that never came off her neck and this pearl necklace, it was the one she wore when she married Jefferson and it was her only her luxury in life. She didn't even let Laurel wear them to her first ball but she was letting Emmy and Emmy knew how important that was.

            "Emmy!" Fiona's call hastened her step.

            She looked at herself one last time to fix that pesky strain of her hair and got up from the vanity. "Lord, let this night go well, let me remember it forever," she said the prayer quickly, adjusted her dress one last time and left the room as Fiona called for her again.

            Everyone was stunned ad they saw Emmy appear on the top landing of the stairs. All had noticed her slight improvements over these last few weeks since Kathryn had been helping her but no one expected to see such a beautiful lady appear when Emmy came around the corner. Laurel almost gasped when she saw the dress wasn't Emmy's but Miss James' dress. "How disgraceful that Emmy would accept charity," Laurel thought. Fiona and Kathryn only grinned ear to ear seeing the beautiful woman before them. Both Caleb and Brandon were taken back and Julia felt a little ping of jealously see how beautiful her cousin was made up.

            Caleb was bold taking her arm when she got to the bottom of the stairs and escorted her to the motor coach.

            "You must allow me the pleasure of escorting you into the ball. I would be honored to have the prettiest girl on my arm."

            "This is my first ball Mr. James is it not appropriate that a family member escort me in."

            "We are soon to be cousins."

            "Not quite," Emmy smiled.

            "Yes not quite," Caleb smiled back in a flirtatious way.

            Emmy wondered if she had smiled flirtatiously and if she had she was proud of herself because it was rather grown up to flirt. Emmy didn’t notice but Julia was scowling the more Caleb smiled at Emmy. She could not believe her penniless who was a mere child was getting more attention than she was. She knew she should have had mother send for one of her finer gowns in Boston. But mother seemed completely set on ruining Julia's life, she thought. Fiona looked over and saw the downcast look Brandon James had on his face and knew Brandon wished he had been just as bold.

            "Mr. James would you mind escorting this poor woman into the ball."

            "It would be my pleasure but you are hardly either adjective."

            "You are kind."

            Nicholas of course escorted Kathryn in leaving Laurel and Julia to walk by themselves.

            Everyone in Pine Haven was amazed to see the transformation of Emmy Cromwell and they were even more surprised to see the dashing man escorting her. Everybody knew Miss James but hardly anyone had met her brothers so the room gossiped about this young man.

            "Do you see Emmy Cromwell?" "Do you see the man whose arm she is holding?" "Who is he?" "That is Miss James' brother from New York." "Quite handsome." "And quite rich, Miss James has been bragging about a success he has been in industry." "I wonder how Emmy grabbed him?" "I don't know."

            "Oh Mrs. Cromwell!" Mrs. Taylor broke through the crowd of gossipers to approach her dear friend. "It is so great to see you here and what a big party you bring with you."

            "Yes and I have a special introduction to make my youngest daughter Miss Emmaline Charlotte Cromwell this is her very first ball."

            Emmy was too engrossed looking at the beautiful room to hear her mother say her full name.

            "Emmy?" The sharp tone pulled Emmy out her day dream.

            "Yes."

            "Come day hello to Mrs. Taylor," Fiona said.

            Caleb James walked Emmy over to Mrs. Taylor. It was two steps, something Emmy could have easily done on her own but Caleb seemed adamant to hold on to her.

            "Miss Emmy, it is great pleasure to have your first ball be this one," Emmy thought Mrs. Taylor was putting on false airs. Mrs. Taylor had never looked at Emmy for more than two seconds in her whole life.

            But Emmy responded most respectfully. "Thank you Mrs. Taylor, I have been looking forward to this ball since I was a little girl, it was do kind of you to invite me."

            Mrs. Taylor smiled at Fiona giving her approval over Emmy. Fiona tenderly smiled at Emmy letting her know she had done right.

            "Mrs.  Taylor may I present Mr. Caleb, he is Miss James brother from New York and has been staying with us for a few weeks and we have all been taken with him," Fiona said.

            "Mr. James."

            "Mrs. Taylor."

            Pleasantries were exchanged and then Fiona moved on to introduce the rest of the party.

            "She seems rather a character," Caleb laughed when she was out of ear shot.

            "A character indeed, her politeness to me could be a great scene of acting."

            "I am sure no one will be cunning to you tonight."

            "This is a ball the cunning behavior Mr. James is half the fun."

            "How do you know?"

            "I read a lot."

            "Well Miss Emmy, life is always more fascinating than books."

            "Not my life," Emmy lowered he gaze,

            "Cheer up Miss Emmy this is your first ball and anything can happen."

            Emmy looked at Caleb and her had the same sincere smile he had when he saved her in the rain.

            "My, my Miss James, I do hope you like the Cromwell family, it looks like they will soon be your in laws," Julia said.

            "Caleb is just amusing himself. He is far from proposing to any girl but I would be careful Julia keep talking that would be careful Julia keep talking that way people might think you would be jealous."

            "Me jealous of that child? I should say not."

            "Oh come now Julia she is far from a child in looks and behavior. This way Emmy speaks of you I thought you were good friends."

            "When we were children I found her amusing."

            "I think you are too harsh," Kathryn then walked away. She found Brandon standing alone. "Dear Brandon, are you_­ not having any fun?"

            "The music is nice and the company seems enjoyable, and the room is very nice."

            "That dear brother did not answer my question."

            "Go find your husband to be as I find some old bachelor to talk business and politics with."

            "Didn't Miss Emmy promise you a dance?"

            "A waltz but if Caleb keeps to her as he has I doubt I will be spend any time with her."

            "Well there are other girls here besides Miss Emmy," Kathryn has a sly but sweet smile.

            "I promise sister I will dance with you, Miss Danford and Miss Cromwell but there is no one else I know. Besides I think every girl here has eyes for Caleb."

            "Yes he does always draw a crowd but I think he has eyes for Miss Emmy."

            "Oh sister, we both know Caleb has a short attention span. He should not favor Miss Emmy so blatantly, I fear he will break her heart."

            "Always the protective older brother."

            "Go back to your group, enjoy the gossip and the fineries but let me be."

            "Oh brother," Kathryn was about to walk away and then stopped "and brother don't let Caleb hog Miss Emmy."

            Kathryn left Brandon's side and as she continued to circulate she saw Mrs. Cromwell enjoying conversation with her friends. Kathryn had never really pictured Mrs.  Cromwell as much out and about kind of woman but Mrs. Cromwell seemed quite amused in her settings. Then she saw Laurel standing with a few girls making slight insignificant small talk, all of which seemed to bore Laurel.

            "Miss Cromwell, is that Miss James?" one of Laurel's friends asked but they did not wait for a response. "She is quite stunning."

            "My mother goes on and on about how pleasant she is," another girl said.

            "It is a good thing she is engaged or else her presence here would make it impossible for us to gain attention," another girl joked.

            "I think the only girl we have to be concerned about is Miss Emmy," the first girl said. "Look at her on Mr. Caleb James' arm the only man worth really talking too."

            "Miss Cromwell, how did she bloom so?"

            "I do not know," Laurel said.

            "Well you and your mother are quite beautiful perhaps she had it in her all a long and nobody knew she since she was always hiding behind books or up a tree, or wearing girlish clothes."

            "But now she is quite grown up looking. I mean still a little young around the edges but definitely potential for a bloom."

            "Of course she looks young, she is only sixteen, she shouldn't be looking a lady of society because she is not and it is ridiculous for you to be whispering on about her so," Laurel said with a huff and took off.

            Kathryn overheard everything and out of the corner of her eye saw Laurel walk away. She wished she knew what to say but Kathryn could tell Laurel was not one to accept consoling. So she decided to let her cool down and when Laurel would come back to the room she would try to talk to her.