A Mightnight Dance

A Tea Party

"Lady Ava, LADY AVA, please wake up."

Groaning, I pulled the comforter over my head.

"Everyone is having breakfast. There'll be nothing left if you stay in bed."

I groaned again. Somewhere in the distance, Emily rummaged through my room.

"A few more minutes," I said or thought I did.

It couldn't be more than a few hours since I'd come home and slept. Why was the sun already shining?

"Wake up!" Someone smacked my leg.

"Ah!"

I sat up. Through half-closed eyes, I glanced at the blurry figure of my oldest sister. Of course, it was her. Vivian grabbed the comforter and tugged at it.

"Rise and shine," she said too loudly.

Sighing, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "Why are you still here?" I asked Vivian with a yawn.

She smiled. "I hear you came back with a man's handkerchief."

Of course, she would want to know about that. "I had something in my eye."

"You also brought home a man's coat." Vivian stared at the coat hanging from my vanity.

My face flushed, remembering Lord Nightingale. "Wh-what about it?" I asked.

Vivian gave me a look. "You shouldn't be taking home men's clothing especially because you have a soon-to-betrothed."

I glared at her and leaned in closer. "With what dowry am I marrying?" I hissed. I rubbed my forehead. "Vivi, I'm not straying if that's what you're worried about."

Vivian stood from my bed. "All I'm saying is that not all men have good intentions."

"He didn't have any hidden intentions," I retorted.

"You don't know that." She put her hands on her hips. "All I'm saying is to be careful to whom you give your attention to. There are many loose lips lately."

"I have nothing to be ashamed of," I told her.

"So what were you doing with them?"

Why was she being so noisy? "I had a conversation with him."

"Is talking all you did?"

"My approach to men is different from yours, sister," I snapped.

Vivian froze. The realization of my words dawned on me.

"Vivi, I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't mean it like that."

Wordlessly, Vivian walked out of my room. Sighing, I slipped out of bed. Emily stood by the bowl and water jug. As I approached, she poured water into the bowl.

"I've gone and made a mess, huh?" I said.

"It's not my place to say, m'lady."

A loud knock came from the door.

"Avaline," Charles called. "It's time to wake. Mother's waiting."

Hastily, I washed my face and dressed in a long skirt and long-sleeve blouse. Emily helped me braid my hair.

Charles and Vivian waited upstairs outside Mother's room. The third floor was reserved for the lord of the house. After father's death, Charles was now the head of the family. The master bedroom should have belonged to him and his wife but Mother had refused to leave so we left her up here.

Mother's handmaiden, Marie, walked out of the room with a tray of tea. She was a plump woman with greying hair. She had been our nursemaid when we were younger. It had been agreed that Marie would focus on caring for Mother while we would take care of Annie and Brian. Charles had wanted to hire a nanny for the twins but Vivian and I had been against it. We couldn't spare the money.