(I added some music at the beginning to set the tone ;) Enjoy!! )
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When the family entered the building, their mother lead David and Diana to a room that was to the left of the entrance.
"Now this is where all of the ladies and their escorts will gather before the introduction." Their mother explained, "Now straighten up, be poise, and be graceful."
"I know, mother." Diana replied.
"I know you do." Her mother spoke, leaning over to kiss her daughter on the forehead. "You got this. I love you."
Diana smiled, and then entered the room with David.
Upon entrance, they were greeted with an astonishing amount of chatter. Nearly all of the room was taken up with young, eligible ladies, scrunched closely together, crinoline to crinoline, bows and ruffles, so all of them could fit.
The other part of the room was full of gentlemen, presumably the fathers, brothers, or some other male relative of the ladies, who were to escort them into the ballroom during the grand introduction. Many of them were dressed in their best suites, while others were dressed in their best military garb, to show their involvement in the war.
Diana reluctantly entered the room, scanning it to try and find Emily, who could maybe provide some comfort. Alas, she spotted her, adjusting her auburn hair with a small mirror hanging on the far end of the room. She hurried over to her, leaving David to go chat with some of the other men.
"Emily!" She spoke, "Thank goodness it's you!"
Emily quickly turned around and squealed. "Diana! You look absolutely ethereal!"
Diana blushed and looked down at her dress. She then studied Emily's dress, and it was a silk yellow gown, adorned with red flowers. She then spoke, "Thank you Emily, you look beautiful as well."
Emily grinned and then replied, "Are you ready for tonight? I cannot wait!"
Before Diana could respond, a man entered the room and cleared his throat loudly. The people that heard turned their heads to listen.
"Would all of the young ladies, and their escorts please gather and form a line in this order." He spoke, loudly.
He proceeded to name each pair, and put them in a line in front of the ballroom door according to the alphabetical order of their last names. There was a total of 15 pairs in the line.
Diana and her brother were towards the middle of the line. Good. She is thought, I'm not at the beginning, but I'm not last either. I can go mostly unnoticed.
The announcer entered the ballroom, closing the door behind him to make sure none of the ladies and their escorts were seen until they were announced. He cleared his throat again, and then shouted.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Tonight I will be introducing the seasons most eligible bachelorettes. Behind this door awaits the cities most graceful and elegant young ladies. Each will be escorted in by a male relative. The introduction will be followed by tonight's first dance, a waltz dedicated to these ladies and their escorts. I will now begin!"
He then proceeded to name off the women and their escorts. The pairs would enter the room when called through the closed door, and walk onto an open spot on the ballroom floor.
Diana was so nervous that her vision started to blur. Her mind raced through the many ways she could ruin the night. Only the announcement of her friend brought her back to reality.
"Mister Daniel Harris and his daughter, Miss Emily Harris!"
Emily gave a quick glance back at Diana before entering the room. Diana gave her a reassuring smile. Diana knew she wasn't far behind.
YOU ARE READING
When We Meet Again
Historical FictionDiana is a very shy, yet intelligent debutant in 1860's New York. She has spent the last few years of her life focusing on her studies, but is now thrown into the grasps of polite society, where at the season's opening ball, she rekindles her relat...
