𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐌𝐄│𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄

→ 𝐈.𝐕

.

ACT I
CHAPTER V

in which last season's diamond meets this season's impeccable golden debutante

BARON RICHARD CRAWFORD smiles kindly at the people of the Ton as his daughter walks with her hand in his arm besides him. The blue dress of his daughter matching perfectly with the first clear blue sky of the season. The man knows how anxious his daughter is for the rest of the season, her debut as perfect as it could be still overshadowed by the loss of her mother and younger brother.

"I am so proud of you, sweetheart," Richard looks at his daughter who looks up with uncertain eyes, "I want you to know that." He squeezes her hand, "nothing will change that." They stop in the middle of the street, the man cupping his daughter's face, wiping away a falling tear. "You will always be my little girl." He kisses her forehead.

"I love you too, papa," Jessamine's voice wavering slightly. Her posture straightening out as they start to walk again.

The father and daughter keep on walking for some time, enjoying the chatter and business of the city as the walls in their country home have welcomed silence and darkness way to easy. The liveliness of the everyday life of all kinds of people here in London being a welcoming one. The darkness of the Crawford estate and its Barony contrasting greatly with the golden days when the Baroness and the next-in-line where still alive and gracing the town with their presence. Jessamine Crawford no longer running around and playing with the young children as the aches her losses gave her made her unable to enjoy the simplicity of life. Richard Crawford, on the other hand, tried his best to support his daughter while keeping the Barony afloat. One of the reasons he invited his siter-in-law and nephew was to be there for Jessamine and help her with everything.

"Lady Sharma," Richard nods to welcome to woman, "how wonderful to make your acquaintance again." He smiles at the two women standing before them.

"Lord Crawford," Mary smiles at the man, "are you enjoying the city?"

The man looks down at his daughter momentarily, "it is a nice change from the countryside," he smiles lightly, "I want to introduce my daughter to you," this gains the attention from the blonde who looks up at her father. "Lady Sharma, this is my daughter Jessamine. She has debuted this year into society."

"I have heard about that indeed," a welcoming smile on the lady's face, very different and more sincere than most they have seen. "It is lovely to meet you, Miss Crawford. This is my youngest daughter Edwina, last season's diamond."

"It is wonderful to meet you Lady Sharma and Miss Edwina," Jessamine smiles at the two women, nodding her head politely.

"It is wonderful to meet you as well, Lord Crawford and Miss Jessamine," Edwina smiles kindly at the father and daughter. "Would you like to promenade together?"

"I would be delighted," the blonde welcoming the kindness from the Sharma's. "I would love to learn more about society from somebody in the same position as I am."

The two parents smile at their daughters as they now start to walk together towards one of the beautiful parcs in London.

The light pink and light blue match as the two young misses walk through the greenery besides the lake. An easy conversation flows between the two women as their respective parent follows the two, smiles on their faces.

"So," Edwina smiles lightly, "how are you dealing with all the attention you have gotten so far?" Her brown eyes meeting the blue ones of the blonde besides her, "your name in Lady Whistledown and all."

Jessamine giggles lightly, "it has been a lot," she shakes her head, "I am very lucky to have my father, aunt and cousin to help me with all of this."

"Yes, you are," the younger woman smiles, "I could not have done it without my mother or sister. They really did help me a lot." She sighs, "I am happy you have family with you as well. It truly is difficult to navigate through our society."

"You tell me." The blonde looks back at her father who is in conversation with Lady Sharma. "How is it for you now that your sister is married?"

Edwina looks down momentarily, "it is lonely sometimes," she honestly speaks up, "but I fear more for my mama when I find a husband as well. I couldn't bare leaving her all alone."

"I am sure a respectable gentleman will also take care of her," Jessamine's voice is light before she sighs, "I wish for you to find that in your match."

"That is very kind of you," the warm brown eyes meeting clear blue ones, "what is it that you wish to find?"

Jessamine sighs softly, "honestly, I am looking for a gentleman free of responsibilities and important titles from his own family." She bites her lip, "I fear that gentlemen will go after my position and my father's more than being actually suitable for the role." She momentarily looks at the ground, "it is I who will take care of the barony in my father's absence, not my husband."

"I do fear that is hard to find, Miss Jessamine," the miss in pink muses.

"Please, just Jessamine," the blonde smiles, "I feel we are friends already after this conversation."

"Then I am just Edwina for you as well," a large smile covering her features. "We should meet up at the ball tonight."

"What a wonderful idea," a genuine smile on the miss in blue. "How wonderful to have at least somebody to confide in that understands your troubles."

"I agree, maybe you can help find a gentleman suitable in the eyes of my sister," the Sharma girl gleefully smiles, "oh, I should introduce you to her tonight."

Edwina Sharma has not left Jessamine's thoughts since returning home with her father. The kind woman who so welcomingly accepted her without jealousy which she recognizes in other misses their eyes when looking at her feels so refreshingly nice. And to know at least somebody to talk to tonight at the ball outside of her family and courters is easing her nerves for the second ball. A second time that bachelors will stand in line for a moment with her, and if alone she cannot deny them a dance. No, she needs to give her father or cousin a sign to keep her of the dancefloor. Etiquette of a lady not allowing her to say no as she is not yet married.

"Are you nearly ready, my dear?" Richard Crawford calls for his daughter, the carriage already waiting for them.

"Coming papa," Jessamine hastily steps into her shoes before leaving her room. The teal of her dress making her eyes look a little greener instead of the clear blue she knows her eyes to be. The gracefully dismounts the stairs to lay her hand in her father's arm to leave for the ball.

"You look wonderful my dear," he kisses her temple, "your aunt and cousin will not join tonight, but shall be present tomorrow for the callers."

"Thank you, papa," the debutante smiles at her father, "let us go then."