The Princess and I

Chapter XIII: Society's gossip

I sleep well into the morning, but then Alice wakes me to get ready for Mary-Ann's engagement dinner party. The Morningtons once again invited half of London's upper class society, but I could not blame them. Their second daughter has done well for herself by accepting the Marquess of Winchester's proposal. And last time I saw Mary-Ann she was beaming with pride and so was he. I knew William Austen to be a decent and patient fellow. He would be good to my friend and I wished them the best of luck together. The main reason for such an extravagant party was of course Countess Mornington. She was overjoyed with her daughter's quick and rosaceous engagement and wanted to show her joy to everyone. She completely participated in society once again after her firstborn daughter failed to marry a good husband for three courting seasons in a row.

Countess Mornington hired a complete planning committee to have the seating charts, the food which was to be served and the music which was to be played planned in minutest detail. Countess Mornington has really outdone herself again, I have to admit. The whole Mornington's palace is transformed into a world of glitter and glamour. Not only is the ballroom beautifully embellished, but the doors to the garden are also opened for the warm evening ahead. And I could see that the garden is also decorated with balloons and romantic shining torches, which would guide the path to a pergola. In this pergola there is also an orchestra playing classical music.

By arriving we greet our host and hostess, the former looking utterly used up while the latter is almost delightedly spinning like a cat. She calls her daughter and soon to be son-in-law to her and we congratulate them. Mary-Ann is glowing and she looks at her future husband adoringly. He returns her adoration completely. It's wonderful to see. We talk shortly for a while, but just as I am about to tell her about my progression with Liam, she's called away once more. I give her a kiss on her cheek, when she looks at me guiltily.

'This is your party, Mary-Ann. Enjoy yourself. You so deserve it all.'

'Thank you, Elizabeth. And I will call in on you soon to hear about your courtship with the Duke. Perhaps you will even be wearing a ring yourself by then.'

'I sure hope so.'

We part and shortly there after, Liam comes to pick me up for our first dance together this night. Like always he swirls me around effortlessly, leaving me at the end of the dance gasping for breath. He just smiles naughtily and fetches me a drink. While I drink greedily, he asks me: 'Did you enjoy your evening yesterday with my sister and aunt?'

I almost choke in my sip of water, when I try to answer him right away. 'Yes, I really had a great time.' I tell him about my first time playing Hearts and losing from his aunt. I hesitate a moment, but then tell him also about my drawing session.

'Yes, Christina told me about that. She really enjoyed being there with you.'

'We had a great time together, I agree.'

He rubs his slender neck and asks me: 'Did she..?' He is looking for words and I raise my eyebrow quizzically. 'Did anything happen, what you thought to be disgraceful?'

'It's almost scandalous how well your aunt plays Hearts, but further nothing happened that meets with that term. Why do you ask?'

'Since I am no woman, I am never allowed to come. And since my sister is not at all straightforward about what happens during those parties, I have to figure it out for myself. But I am prejudiced by all the gossip I hear.'

'Well, until now there's nothing scandalous there, unless you're of the opinion that different classes are not allowed to mingle. O, and yes, there's a lot of smoking and drinking going on, but I haven't had any cigarettes nor drinks for that matter.'