The Gallant South- Part Two

Chapter I- December 31, 1912- January 1, 1913

        The dress had been lying draped across Cora's desk chair since Christmas. Now it was December 31st, and Cora was preparing for the New Year's party taking place at Bettirose's house. But she couldn't stop thinking about the dress. She had it turned over so she couldn't see the blood on the back of it, but just its presence was enough to send a flood of emotion over her.

        Cora Yvette Heiler-Dairson, more commonly known as Cora Heiler, was the daughter of the owner of a popular steamship company in the north, and just this past August of 1912, he'd announced that Cora was to move to her great-aunt's antebellum mansion in the southern city of Estelle. She'd been excited to live without the constraints of high society, but when she arrived in Estelle, she discovered who her great-aunt truly was: an abolitionist, the owner of an underground safehouse known as the Minority Society, a suffragist, and a victim of a man named Harry Warding, who'd bombed a colored building when the Confederacy surrendered in the Civil War.
        Cora had met many wonderful associates such as Bettirose Carter, Eveline Mallahan, Theo and Oliver Harrelson, and Mildred Henry, better known as Millie. She'd met one of the founders of the Society, an outspoken and fun old woman named Elsie Day, but everyone under the sun called her Mama Elsie.
        But she'd met many enemies too. There was a very powerful man by the name of Colby Whitbaker, and he had the entire city in the palm of his hand. He was a violent and dangerous man, and in just her few months, Cora had already experienced encounters with him that made her blood run cold when she thought of them- and it was easy to think of them because one of her servants and closest friends, Isaac Masterson, felt the need to bring one of them up every time Cora did something dangerous- which was becoming more and more frequently.
        Colby had a twenty-five year-old wife named Alice who was the most common victim of his abuse, and she was currently torn between staying with him and joining the Society. She wouldn't admit it, and she still scowled whenever she saw Eveline, but Cora knew. They'd been trying to save her for a very long time, but she always refused their help. She was a complicated and damper character, whom Cora spent many hours trying to figure out.

        For Christmas, Mama Elsie had given Cora the dress that her great-aunt Mary Ruth was wearing when she was killed, much to Cora's shock. She'd assumed the dress was long-gone. All of Mary Ruth's things were, save for the few belongings Mama Elsie had hidden inside of large trunks in the attic.
        Now, the dress was draped over Cora's desk chair, and Cora had no idea what to do with it. It was possibly the most delicate of all of Mary Ruth's intact dresses, so she didn't want to store it somewhere, but she couldn't stand to look at it.

        It was around two in the afternoon, and Cora was dressed in a simple day dress, sitting on her bed reading, and trying not to look at the dress. She hadn't seen Alice since before Christmas, and the week had been uneventful so far. Cora almost wished something interesting would happen, but she was glad for the tranquility.
        As if on-cue, there was a knock at the door. Cora hopped up and opened the doors to find Masterson standing there holding several evening bowties.
        "Which one goes better with my evening suit?" he asked. Cora studied the options. "It depends on how formal you'd like to be," she replied after a moment.
        Masterson shrugged. "I mean...it is Bettirose's house. It can't be any fancier than a bar."
        Cora laughed. "Then that one," she replied, pointing to a navy broadcloth one. Masterson nodded and turned back towards the stairs, but not before turning back to Cora.
        "You haven't invited Alice, have you?" he asked. A few weeks ago, Cora had invited Alice to the Society's Christmas party, and as she expected, Alice was not received very well by anyone. No one trusted her whatsoever, and Cora didn't really blame them.
        "I haven't, but you should know by now that she has her own agenda," Cora replied with finality. Masterson nodded before walking down the stairs. Cora returned to her bedroom to read, watch the snow-covered mountains outside, and think about the dress.