You're My Best Friend

Chapter 1

Miss Caroline Bassett believed her eldest sister had gone about marriage in the wrong way. She wouldn't deny that her sister had fallen in love, they were a great match for each other, but Amelia had to hide her feelings for her husband up until the day they were married. Caroline told herself it would be different for her. Hiding felt sinful. No, when Caroline Bassett fell in love she would make sure the whole world knew it.

Despite being a year younger, Caroline had joined the pool of eligible ladies with her elder sister Belinda. The two had been practically inseparable from the day she was born, and Caroline insisted to her parents that she would not eat or drink unless she was allowed to join her sister. It wasn't necessarily about marrying, but companionship. If she had not joined the season this year it would have been just her and her youngest brother home alone. And two year olds did not make the best companions.

"Caroline?" Belinda shook her younger sister awake, "Today is the day! Wake up!"

Caroline opened her eyes slowly, "You seem very excited" she replied, yawning.

"More like nervous," Belinda explained, "once tonight's ball is over things will get much easier for me. It will be much easier from then on out."

"You think marrying will be easier than being formally introduced to society?" Caroline brushed her red hair back into a presentable shape.

"Well that's the thing," Belinda said, "I don't think I want to marry"

Caroline's jaw nearly dropped to the floor, "Say it isn't so."

"No, I've honestly thought about it. Seeing what Amelia went through seemed too stressful to take on for oneself. And do not get me started on child rearing."

Caroline remembered seeing the extreme discomfort her sister had been in right before her nephew, Charles had been born. Though Amelia had made it all look worth it when she first got to hold her baby boy.

"I don't think it's too bad," Caroline said, "Amelia seems perfectly happy to have Charles."

"Amelia and I are two different people to say the least" Belinda started brushing her own hair, twisting the front pieces gently so that they would rest above her temples. "What color will you be wearing tonight? I can't remember which dress is mine"

"The lavender one is mine" Caroline looked behind her at the closet of dresses. As the daughter of a duke and duchess she knew she had countless options to choose from, but her mother had insisted on getting them both new dresses. She couldn't understand why her sister had asked that question. Caroline was a head taller than Belinda, which made it very hard for them to share clothes. "Why did you ask that? You know the only person shorter than you in this household is Edward." she teased.

"Jitters, I guess" Belinda replied.

"What happens if you do end up falling in love?" Caroline asked, partially pitying her sister's plan for spinsterhood

Belinda laughed, "That will never happen"

There was a knock on their bedroom door, "Ladies, your mother is waiting for you in the dining room. She says your breakfast is getting cold"

Caroline hurried to finish dressing. Belinda stood in front of the door, blocking it with her body, "Last one downstairs get's the other's pin money" she said, playfully pushing Caroline backwards and running out the door.

"You cheat!" Caroline said, regaining her balance and hurrying down the hall to catch up.

By the time the two girls made their way downstairs, they each were panting.

"I assume you two ran because you were worried that your breakfast was getting cold," their mother said, noticing the girl's slightly unkempt appearance, "Not for any other unladylike reason"

Belinda regained her composure quickly, "Caroline owes me her pin money"

"I never agreed to that," Caroline replied, fixing her hair.

"Then why did you bother running downstairs?" Belinda shot back

Their mother answered before Caroline could think of something to say, "Regardless of who did what, it is improper for ladies to run around like animals. You'll never find a suitable husband that way.

"That's fine" Belinda replied, "Neither of us will marry anyway"

Caroline had never said that, and she was offended that her sister would assume that for her,

"Then why am I wasting my money on this season for both of you?" Their father came into the room, kissing their mother on the head.

"I never said I wouldn't get married" Caroline spoke up, "Belinda spoke too soon."

"That's refreshing to hear, even if it still means I am wasting my money on your sister."

"I'm sure she'll change her mind" her mother said, "plenty of young men and young ladies change their minds" the duchess said, turning to her husband. Caroline giggled.

"Well in my defense I had no choice, a certain young woman had made quite a move on me" her father teased back

"It's not my fault," her mother replied, "that you are so handsome."

Belinda stuck out her tongue, "God that's why I never want to marry, see how childish they look?"

"I think it's charming" Caroline said

Caroline finished her dinner quickly. She knew the sooner she was done with her daily tasks the sooner she could get dressed. Dancing had always been one of Caroline's favorite pastimes and her embroidery. Anything that really included small details were fun challenges. She hoped marriage would be full of pleasant surprises and tiny challenges so that she and her future husband could learn to adapt together.

The ball would be held at the home of Lord and Lady Wellington. They were both new members of the ton, as the current Lord was the surviving nephew of the last Lord Wellington. The ton had been abuzz with rumors and expectations as to what their first ball would be like, but Caroline, not one to gossip, didn't partake in such things. She couldn't care less what the ball looked like, she only cared for the people she would get to meet.