Season's Feather

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Felicity enjoyed art. Maybe not as much as she enjoyed books. But, Thomas enjoyed art and she was always around Thomas. Through time it is safe to say she developed a well established like for it.

However, in the country, appreciating it was different. She made her way around the high societal event and foraged a clear understanding of this place. These people were different. They weren't like the gentle people in the country who didn't mind how sharp-witted Felicity's tongue got. They rather encouraged it by engaging in debates with her. Once the library at home was so familiar, she ran to the one in the town. Madam Elsibera knew her very well.

London, however, was different. Felicity liked getting dressed in the country. She liked feeling rich in an area that was rather bland. As she read romances of girls running through halls dramatically, she envisioned herself as one of them. Here, getting dressed was a requirement. It was someplace Williamson and Thomas fit in. Her two brunette brothers. The only blonde couldn't  ever really fit in here.

Steering through the gallery she imagined there were pairs of eyes that trailed the mysterious new lady in town. But she was intelligent. Felicity had eyes on everyone else. More specifically she had eyes on her brother.

Felicity had forced herself to continue walking and not finally have her own conversation with the Lady Kate Sharma who her brother had so very dearly written about.

However, she would be lying if she said she hadn't purposely steered herself over to the damsel in lilac her brother hadn't taken his eyes off.

Felicity came around to the side of Kate, "Miss Cowper and Miss Goring have swept up your fabulous story. A wedding halted for a pained love that couldn't hold back-"

"Miss Aevery..." Kate whispered.

But, Felicity just smiled at her, "I'm joking. A wedding that never followed through on mutual agreement."

Kate nodded her head, "That is good."

"Unlike my brother I am a very good liar. Williamson never learned the art of keeping himself under control. His emotions - that is. But, I suppose he was able to teach me a thing or two this time around." Felicity said.

"Felicity-"

"Kate," Felicity responded, "One time I made Thomas very upset because I thought he had taken one of my books and ripped it up to create his next masterpiece. I thought it was one of the dear novels my mother had left behind for us, I loved it so much. Thomas didn't, but I spent every day of that summer making it up to him for the fact that I took dirt and soiled the painting."

Kate looked at her, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because it is not just my brother you love-"

"I do not love your brother, Miss Aevery."

Felicity paused and looked at her. Then, nodded her head slowly anyway, "But you do love your sister?"

Kate nodded her head.

"Sibling to sibling, if you need to apologize every day then do that. Or, as she comes nearer to us, ask her what she needs. You messed up just like I did back then. It's up to us to fix our mistakes before we lose important relationships. It won't be easy though." Felicity gave her one last smile before walking off.

She looked at a painting of a blonde woman, so very much like herself, crying next to a great tree. Felicity took a great breath to steel herself before walking off to the next picture and continuing to enjoy her first social event.

"Felicity, are you enjoying the art?"

She turned to see Williamson standing there, "Yes, very much. It is so different from the art in the country. The presentation I mean. I guess, we never really were able to experience such a grand display of color. There wasn't truly enough out there was there?"

"Yes," Williamson smiled, "Sometimes I forget that you and Thomas have never truly experienced the city, you both have slid into the city so well."

"We have our brother to thank for that." Felicity smiled.

It was true. Williamson had completed his schooling, came back, and taught her and Thomas everything they needed to know. Dancing, music, conversation. There wasn't an area of London social culture that Felicity and Thomas weren't ready to face.

Williamson looked at her, "Are you enjoying yourself here Felicity?"

"Yes I-" Her words were cut short as Williamson watched Edwina Sharma walk by. Both of the siblings turned their heads to where Kate looked on the verge of tears.

Felicity took a breath and nudged her brother.

"Felicity-"

"Go," She urged, "You will always have me, you may not always have her."

Williamson nodded at her before coming up to the opposite side of a statue Kate was looking at. He took a stance right where Kate could hear but not see him.