‘Apparently, girls,’ she said, rushing past us to the door, ‘your uncle feels that since we all are going, there is no need for him to leave the house and pay his respects to Sir Philip. He feels he would just be in the way.’ She huffed. ‘Very well then. Come!’ And like a general directing his troops, she directed us down the street towards where the coach was waiting - in my case, I felt like I had been pressed into service.
‘Can you imagine?’ Maria said to Lisbeth in a very audible whisper. ‘This is one of Sir Philip’s own carriages. He sent it along to convey us to the ball. What an honour for us to be favoured in such a manner.’
And Lisbeth, as the dutiful and thankful sister she was, gave the appropriate answer: ‘It is all thanks to you, sister, and to Anne. You must have made quite an impression on his Lordship.’
‘Oh?’ Maria giggled, and Anne joined in. ‘Do you think so? Well, I must admit he seemed quite taken with me.’
That stopped Anne’s giggling abruptly. ‘But not quite as much as with me,’ she added, throwing her twin a death-glare.
I was tempted to point out that he probably hadn’t been able to tell them apart, when their conversation and our advance towards the coach was interrupted. A young man came down the street and, seeing us, stopped and bowed. I recognized him: It was Edmund Conway, our neighbour’s eldest son. He was a good-looking, polite young man, but unfortunately for him, he was also neither rich nor noble. So my aunt rushed past him without even stopping to acknowledge his bow. Knowing that my aunt couldn’t see, I returned his salutation. Why not, after all? He was nice enough. But in spite of my politeness, he gave me an intensive and frankly disturbing stare - then turned and walked away towards his parents’ house.
‘What was that that about?’ I asked, turning to Ella who was standing right behind me. ‘Why do you think he was staring at me like that?’
Ella blushed. ‘Err… I have no idea. Let’s go, shall we? The carriage and Aunt Brank are waiting.’ She hurried off and I frowned after her. What was the matter with her? Must be the excitement of her first ball.
The carriage that waited for us in front of the house was indeed an impressive sight: large, bright red and with golden ornaments everywhere. Two servants in livery were sitting on the box, one of whom had jumped down to help the ladies into the coach. When he attempted to offer me his chauvinist arm, as if I couldn’t even get into a coach by myself, I gave him such a deadly stare that he quickly backed away and bowed. Good for him.
I pulled myself up into the coach. Maria and Anne were of course already sitting there, and had taken the best places beside my aunt, facing into driving direction. Ella, Lisbeth, Gertrude and I had to squeeze ourselves onto the other bench. Ah well, at least I wouldn’t see my doom approach.
‘Gee up!’ The coachman shouted. His whip cracked, and we were off. I was off to my first ball.
‘Now listen carefully, girls,’ my aunt said sternly, looking at all of us in turn. ‘Anne and Maria have already been to balls many times, and Gertrude a few times as well, but for the rest of you, today is your coming out.[17] This first appearance in society is crucial. Therefore it is imperative that all of you, even those of you who normally exhibit strange and unladylike behaviour,’ and she fixed her gaze on me, ‘behave excellently tonight and show the gentlemen only their best side, understood?’
‘Yes, Aunt,’ we all chorused, except Anne and Maria who just kept smiling serenely.
‘I’m serious,’ she said, again for some reason fixing her eyes on me alone. ‘This might be your best or even only chance to find a husband.’
I scowled. I knew it! I knew that was what my aunt planned. A shiver went through me at the thought of being sold off to some stranger. That was no life for me.
‘Don’t squander it,’ my aunt continued. ‘Do your best. Give a good impression, or you might never get another invitation like this again.’
I perked up. Really? So… I would just have to mess up so badly that she never ever would take me to a ball again. So badly that all the gentlemen would take me for the worst monster in town.
A small smile spread on my face and I gripped my fan inside the folds of my dress. That shouldn’t present any problem, now, should it?
*~*~**~*~*
The carriage pulled up in front of an impressive façade. It was impressive simply because it was large. Very large. You couldn’t really see anything else of it yet because of the thick pea soup[18] that was drifting in from the River Thames. The house was nothing but a massive, vaguely rectangular shadow in the mist. The greenish glow of gas street lights was shining through the fog, and laughter drifted over to us. Apparently, the guests at the ball were enjoying themselves.