A Girl Who Can Dream

Chapter the First

"And one, two, three, four, five, six! One, two, three, four, five, six! One, two, three, four, five, six!" Miss Wood, my excitable governess, clapped her hands to the beat as I waltzed, with perfect precision, across our ballroom dance floor.

The young butler with whom I danced, messed up, stepping, accidentally, on my toe. Having practiced a hundred times the same mishap, I didn't flinch, continuing with the sway of the slow music.

"Bravo, my lady! Bravo!" Miss Wood clapped her hands again and the music stopped. "You are more than ready for tonight's ball. I don't know what your father was thinking when he asked me to work with you on this particular skill."

Mr. Butler, the young man with whom I'd just danced, stepped a respectful distance away, ready in case Miss Wood asked for another song of dance. He was as immaculately dressed as ever in a white dress shirt and black frock coat along with his black trousers, bow tie, and white gloves. His black hair had been combed back and his mustache trimmed.

I smiled at his appearance of perfection, remembering the bumbling fool of a butler that this very man had been before his marriage a few months before. Years it had been, both Mr. Butler and his love, young Molly Chambers, one of my personal and favorite maids, had been planning to wed, but they'd spread no news of it. Meeting in secret and trying to scrape together enough pennies to make it a large event.

But as soon as I had gotten wind of their affections and their desires, I'd taken it on myself to make sure my dear friend Molly's wish was granted. Borrowing from Father nothing less than £1000, I'd arranged a beautiful wedding for them both on Garner Hall's grounds , inviting Molly's estranged parents and family as well as Mr. Oliver Butler's side. The entire thing had been a success, though Father had chastised me for appearing in it and getting too "closely involved with the servantry" but nothing could have wiped the happiness from me after seeing the look on dear Molly's face.

Now, Mr. Butler was more at ease. He gave me a conspiring smile as Miss Wood talked to the musicians. "Good day to you as well, my lady."

I blushed a little as I realized I'd been staring at his form. I nodded my head in embarrassment, and in doing so, I saw the time on my watch. Oh, it's five past four already! My eyes widened, with panic.

"Miss Wood, may I take leave?"

The governess turned, her long black skirt swishing with the sudden movement. "Whatever for, dear Cecelia?"

Miss Wood had been my governess from the very beginning, since before I was even born. She doubled as a nanny and nursemaid to help my mother through pregnancy and, since her performance had been impeccable, Father had decided to keep her on as my governess as well.

We had such a deep connection and she was like a second mother to me in all its sense, yet she still insisted on my calling her formally instead of by first name as a friend. I may take leave of you at any point, just as your mother did, little Cecelia. So it's best not to get attached.

"A dear friend of mine is visiting and I do think it would be appropriate of me to greet him by the gate." I said, my blush deepening as both Miss Wood and Mr. Butler gave me a knowing glance.

"Is this dear friend Lord Grayson, Cecelia?"

I looked away as the scarlet tinge crept up my cheeks until my entire face was flaming red. "May I, Miss Wood?" With an amused look, she nodded and turned back to the musicians.

I took off, speeding through the hallways in the most unladylike fashion, my skirts bunched up in my fists. The high-heeled white boots that Father insisted I wore, even in the safe enclosure of our home, weren't the ideal footwear to run in, as they dug into my heels. I looked down and saw that the laces had come undone. This is what happens when you let Molly tie your laces after her marriage, I thought with amusement. The maid always had her head in the clouds, thinking about her dear husband.