Perception ✔

10 Poison & Praise

The incident with the chair was the last straw. Mother and Father soon informed us that we'd no longer spend holidays with Grandmother, but rather, in the city. We were getting older now and needed to start thinking of our futures.

While Arabella was ecstatic, my only thought was to ask about Gareth. Mother pretended not to hear me.

I took that to mean he'd changed his mind. All my life, we'd steadily holidayed with Grandmother. Hearing that time was at an end came as a shock.

Unsurprising, my sister hummed the days away.

Arabella loved to dance; it was the only thing she learned in earnest.

Our summers stretched out for ages because we hadn't visited Grandmother's manor that year though letters upon letters of her requests came often.

Needless to say, I was in a state of shock when Bella led me out into the barn one summer night to see two unexpected guests.

A long, brown body donning white lounged in the hay, as was Raphael's way. He wasn't as tall as Edmond who towered over us all. But while Raphael reclined lazily, Edmond sat on the ground.

Edmond stood at attention when we entered.

At sixteen, Raphael made a ruckus when he staggered to his feet. "And to what do we owe this summoning?" he asked, bowing in an overexaggerated fashion.

I looked between them, confused.

Bella brushed off her summer dress and hurried to close the door. "It is an emergency!"

Raphael and Edmond shared a glance. When their eyes settled on me, I shrugged, completely unawares.

"There's a ball," Bella insisted, "and neither of us have ever laid hands on a boy let alone practiced with one."

When she came to a stop before Raphael, he focused on me then my sister and scoffed. "And this is your plan? According to popular opinion, even with our help, you'd still never have."

Edmond admonished him with one look. They needed no verbal cue—not when he wore that serious expression.

Raphael sighed. "Very well then. But what can we do for you?"

"Grandmother must have taught you," Bella insisted.

The readied response Raphael attempted to make was cut off with a word from Edmond I didn't understand. I knew the meaning though, as I'd heard him command Raphael with it often.

Raphael brushed off his all-white clothing and plucked a straw of hay out of his wavy hair, tied in the back.

He stood as a contrast to Edmond whose hair was always cut short.

For as far back as I could remember, Bella and Raphael butted heads. It came as no shock that Bella nearly trembled when she curtsied and Raphael bowed in turn.

Edmond stood watch. I stationed myself by his side. The sight of the dance affected my nerves. Arabella was nimble. Despite Raphael's reluctance, he was careful. Once or twice, their hands looked ready to touch, a fact that had me blushing. Each time, they followed proper protocol and simply mimed the action.

Arabella looked lovely.

Thoughts of Gareth plagued me. Had he thought me unrefined? I hadn't shown him much of which I were capable. But the sight of Arabella now, looking absolutely perfect, stole my confidence.

Could I manage this when the time came? Everyone was so special in comparison. Arabella, fifteen to my sixteen years, carried herself almost like an adult. But what of me? Had Gareth found me lacking in some way?