Emmy's fluttering heart

That night at dinner everyone noticed the change in Emmy. Even Caleb who took a shine to her and insist that play a hand of cards together and as no one would join in they were left in conversation to themselves Emmy kept doing as Kathryn told her to do and she did glow as Kathryn had predicted. By the end of the game Caleb had requested two dance with her.

            "Well done Miss James," Julia said to Kathryn. "It looks like you might have a new sister."

            "No Caleb is a good brother but he gets amused quickly and then fleets away even quicker. Though I do think she will break more hearts than she realizes."

            "I doubt it, the family has no money."

            "Money hardly matters when it comes to matters of the heart," Kathryn said taking a sip of her champagne cocktail.

            "Besides Aunt Fiona will never let her marry till Laurel is well settled. All their hope depend upon Laurel marrying well."

            "Yes do you know of any attachment for Laurel, she seems so distant."

            "There was a young man the family had hoped would propose but nothing came of it."

            "How sad."

            "Yes it is, Laurel was so alive when he was around."

            "Well we must find someone to replace that man perhaps Nicholas has a friend I could math them up when they come to Boston. Both of them would do well out of the house."

            "You are so kind Kathryn it makes me wish I had such a generous nature," Julia took a large swig of her drink and left Kathryn's side nothing she said was going to un-charm Kathryn away from the Cromwell girls.

            By the time of the ball it seemed Caleb and Emmy were hardly inseparateble. He taught her how to drive around the driveway and he took a keen interest in being shown the woods. As they could not convince anyone else to go out on their walks they were often alone. Emmy loved theses moments alone with him. She imagined them being caught in rain storm with no place to run for shelter, the air would smell fresh as it always did during a summer rain, and he would kiss her. But they were never caught in a rainstorm and when they walked together he was always a gentleman not standing too close to her. He would offer her his hand if they had rocks to step over but would never hold onto to her longer than needed. Those times with Caleb were far better than any moment she had had with a crush and figured this was what ultimately true love; like Guinevere and Lancelot or Romeo and Juliet except a lot less violence and no death, Emmy told herself.

            Everyone was so busy thinking about the ball no one had noticed that Grandma Danford's health had slipped and she would be unable to attend. Naturally Fiona volunteered to stay behind and care for her mother but Aunt Victoria had none of that.

            "My dear sister, you spend every day watching over your mother. This is your daughter's first ball, you must attend. I have gone to plently of balls I will watch Mother Danford."

            "No but you have to be with Charles."

            "He will be with the other men sipping brandy and reading his paper. I insist you go and see your daughter attend first ball."

            When Charles heard of his wife staying home he was adamant that he should stay home with her. He though all the party goers were old enough to attend without chaperones and his sister well established in the community would not require him to make any introductions. So it was settled Charles and Victoria were to stay home and tend to Grandma Danford and make sure Gloria want to bed on time.

            "Miss Emmy," Brandon called out to her as she was half way up the stairs.

            "Yes Mr. James?"

            "I know my brother has claimed two dances but if you still have room on your dance card; I would like to make sure I get a dance as well."

            "I will save you the waltz, it is the one I know the best."

            "Thank you Miss Emmy." He gave her a tender smile. He must of smiled a thousand times at her but she never really noticed and this smile gave her heart a little flutter.

            She smiled back then he turned around and left her on the stairway. She slowly ascended the stairs paying close attention to the way the banister felt beneath her finger tips. She drifted into a day dream. Imagine if both James brothers were in love with her, of course her heart belonged to Caleb. She imagined them fighting in a dual not with pistols but with swords like the knights at Camelot would have to fight. She pictured herself the damsel in distress watching the two men fighting over her heart. It would almost be too much.

            "What are you doing?" Gloria asked startling Emmy out of her day dream.

            "Nothing."

            "Were you day dreaming."

            "So?"

            "About Mr. James."

            "I wouldn't blame you, he is rather pleasant."

            "How would you know?"

            "I have eyes I can watch the way he acts."

            "Well I wasn't day dreaming about Mr. James. I was imagining how it would be to be in Camelot."

            "Another story dear Emmy," Gloria's tone had now switched to be like Laurel's so Emmy pulled back not giving out any more information.