Before the Ball

"A ball how wonderful," Gloria said dancing around the table.

           

"Indeed but Mrs. Taylor hardly needs advice on how to throw a ball, she has thrown the same summer eve ball for the last six years, she must be a seasoned pro."

            "But Miss James must know all the latest trends when it comes to balls," Emmy said to her mother. "She is so well cultured."

            "Yes indeed she seems to have a way of making friends where ever she goes. Nicholas could not have chosen a better partner."

            "Partner? Mother, you make it sound like a business."

            "It is in some respects, and not an easy one."

            "But a marriage should not be a business?"

            "Only in some respects, you will discover a great deal more about it when you get married."

            "If I get married."

            "You must have hope dear Emmy you are only sixteen."

            "You met father when you were seventeen and married him by twenty."

            "Four years is a long time you still get plenty of time," Fiona kissed her daughter on the forehead.

            "Yes mother."

            Emmy didn't know then if she ever wanted to get married and she didn't know if she was to morn or rejoice over it. She wanted to passion that was for sure but she also wanted adventure, to see the world and everything in it but how could one do that and be a wife and mother? At sixteen she didn't have the answer.

            Gloria distracted her thoughts for awhile as she begged their mother to go to the ball.

            "Are you mad? You are far too young."

            "I will be thirteen soon."

            "Thirteen is still far too young."

            "But?"

            "You will just have to wait till you're older."

            "When will I ever be old enough to do anything."

            Gloria crossed her arms and fell into a chair slumping further than appropriate.

            Fiona turned to Emmy "I think though Emmy you are old enough. You are sixteen and Laurel went to her first ball at sixteen."

            "But I barely know how to dance and I have nothing to wear."

            "Well I can teach you more and you can borrow one Laurel's dress. You just have to promise to be careful with it."

            "Oh I will."

            "Good then its settled, Emmy will be going to her first ball," without keeping a beat seeing Gloria's sad puppy look "and you will go when you are sixteen and not a moment sooner."

            Gloria sighed.

            The girls had a mostly quiet afternoon until a surprise gift came for Emmy more flowers a beautiful arrangement from Miss Dashwood's nursery in town. The card did not say who they were from giving the house mild gossip over dinner time.

            "I don't know brother," Miss James said. "It looks like you have some competition for Miss Emmy's heart."

            "I don't have any attention to seek Miss Emmy's heart," Caleb said. "I brought the flowers out of friendship."

            "And spent almost two hours between yesterday and today with them." Julia sounded callous.

            "I was making sure she was all right, none of you saw the way she fell."

            "Caleb don't be shy."

            "I am not being shy, sister, she is barely fourteen she is still much a girl."

            "Sixteen, and I think given the right amount of pampering she would look much more her age."

            "Well you can pamper her all you want for this mystery fellow, I him all the luck."

            "You sound too harsh Mr. James," Julia said "remember they are my cousins and soon to be your sister's relatives."

            "They all seem so backwards, not at all trained in how to be real women of society." 

            "Yes that is a shame," Kathryn said. "Nicholas perhaps when we are married we can invite Miss Cromwell and Miss Emmy to stay with us. I talked to Miss Emmy today for a good hour and she is quite a delightful I think she would get the most out of Boston and perhaps in Boston we can crack Miss Cromwell's shell."

            "Oh that will never happen," Julia laughed "she is far too rigid."

            "I don't know, she is stuck living in this house with ailing Grandma and hardly a social circle to push her beyond comfort ability. Its settled Nicholas and I are back from our honeymoon we shall invite them to spend the season with us."

            "Yes my darling," Nicholas kissed her hand.

            "What do you say Brandon, you have been quiet all night? In fact I have barely heard you speak two words since I arrived," Caleb said.

            "I don't like to pry. What the Miss Cromwells decide to do, and who they flowers from is hardly my affair."

            "Shame, Brandon you and Miss Emmy were getting along smashingly before, it was almost as if you replace her in your heart as your little sister."

            "I could never do that Kathryn. Miss Emmy is a good girl."

            "She is hardly a girl," Kathryn smiled.

            "It doesn't matter how old she looks it is how old she acts and Emmy is lost in a world of fantasy and fairy tales she shall never be older than twelve at heart," Julia said.

            "Now look who is being harsh," Caleb snickered.

            They quieted down as soon as Charles and Victoria came in the room. It was lucky for them that the Cromwell girls had still taken to the upstairs parlor for dinner. But the whole household came together after dinner to watch Gloria put on a recital. Kathryn watched that night how attentive Brandon was to Emmy and she knew he did not mean those cold cutting words he had said earlier. He did in fact care for her and did care to see she was all right in everything she needed.

            The next day Kathryn made it her mission made it her mission to make Emmy Cromwell into the most sophisticated woman that ever walked around Pine Haven. Kathryn could tell after spending a real solid hour with Emmy it was not her mind that was holding her back from any true sophistication, it really was that she hadn’t grown up. No one had really ever expected her to grow up, Kathryn thought, so she didn't but because she hadn't embraced growing up people were going to keep treating her like a child. That had to change, Kathryn thought.

            "You told me yesterday you wanted to wear one of my dresses, why have you changed your mind?" Kathryn asked Emmy the next morning after breakfast.

            "I do but I don't think Laurel will like it and if Laurel doesn't then mother won't and I don't want to hurt either one of them."

            "I don't see how a dress could hurt them it is merely a kind gesture between friends," Kathryn said.

            "Fine then lets at least do your hair."

            "All right, but it doesn't really matter what you do I am still going to be the scrawny pale girl with far too many freckles."

            "You will be beautiful, it's amazing what a nice hairdo and some blush can do. But for the ball you must wear whatever dress you choose. We just went tell Laurel till is too late."

            "Any dress you have will not fit me, you are blessed in ways. I am not."

            "Do you not wear stays?"

            "Mother doesn't want to ruin our figure."

            "They don't ruin your figure they improve what you don't have stays are a girls best friends."

            Emmy blushed a bit, she had never talked so openly about under garments. Kathryn began doing Emmy's hair like her mother had done her hair for years. The simple act hair of hair brush bond girls together more than most activities and even though there were many difference between Kathryn and Emmy one could say they became like sisters in that time. Emmy even felt so comfortable with Kathryn she told her one of her stories.

            "That is brilliant Emmy you really should go to Boston and get them published. I am sure your uncle must have connections in the publishing world. They must be outer there for the world not just in your head."

            "Laurel does not like my stories, she them as silly," Emmy said bashfully.

            "Well Laurel can make mistakes."

            Emmy thought such things but would never say these words out loud. This very statement caused Emmy warmed up towards Kathryn even more so, but she would never tell Laurel what Kathryn said it would be her secret. That secret caused Emmy's heart a little tickle.

            "I think you should recite the story after dinner I think my brother would like it very much."

            Kathryn meant Brandon but Emmy believed she mean Caleb. Kathryn could see Brandon cared for Emmy and tended to her like any older would do. But two fact were unknown to Kathryn one being that Brandon cared for Emmy more an older brother but knew no one would accept them as a legitimate couple so he would have to keep quiet his feeling. The fact was that Emmy only had eyes for Caleb James. No one she had liked before measured up to Caleb and she thought this could be true love.

            Kathryn twisted and piled Emmy's hair into a beautiful up do. The improvement brought maturity to Emmy's looks but she still had a delicate look with some loose hairs fell perfectly into little ringlets at the base of her head.

            "You look wonderful."

            Emmy hardly believed her, she would always be childish and scrawny in her mind. But she did admit the up do did add some maturity but doubted any one would see her as anything beyond a silly girl.

            Kathryn brushed Emmy's cheeks with powder and showed Emmy how to rub a little balm across her lips.

            "I see quite a lady coming out."

            "I doubt it."

            "You will be the bell of the ball."

            "Now you are teasing me."

            "Fine don't believe me when we are at the ball next week see how many guys ask you to dance."

            "Miss James everybody in this town knows me, no one will ask me to dance, I am the silly young Cromwell girl with hardly any prospects. I am the Plain Jane off the family with only my stories."

            "You sparkle when you tell your stories, you practically light up like a candle, you have to let that light shine through and no one will think you plain."

            "How do I do that?"

            "Think of these heroines you have portrayed in your mind. Think of how you would act if you were them most of all be yourself. Not Laurel's younger sister and not Julia's cousin just yourself. The hair and blush will never change that."