June 10th, 1854
Chamberlain Plantation
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The guest list was extensive. All the business moguls and their wives. The governor of Louisiana and his wife. The Mayor and his wife. The Supreme Court Judge. The Chief of Police. The Doctor. All guests of honor.
The ballroom was exquisite. Candelabras everywhere. Fresh flowers perfumed the entire house. It was heady. The orchestra played Mozart's Symphony 39 in E Flat, K 543, splendidly.
Hannah was regally dressed. Royal purple silk taffeta dress with a fashionable hooped skirt, bare shoulders. Benjamin had bought her amythest and diamonds to beautify her throat. Fifty one-carat amythests and splashes of the highest quality diamonds, color, cut and clarity, one could imagine. Her hair was swept up coiffed in the latest French style. With tresses of wispy ringlets hanging down her back.
She was back.
She was his.
He was going to show her off.
Hannah glided down the grand staircase. She appeared to be floating. The back of her gown cascading down the stairs. She glided through the ballroom greeting their guests. She moved around the room silently. Slightly bowing her head to this one and that. She stayed close by Benjamin. He would protect her from any comments untoward. Everyone would hold if only, their tongues, not their thoughts, at least for that evening.
She knew what they were thinking. Men and women looking at each other after they looked at her. Women standing together snickering behind their fans.
'Almost a year on an island with a strange man, not her husband. How is that possible?'
'How could she return?'
'How can she show her face?'
'She knows how disgraceful that is.'
'She should have just disappeared.'
'She has a lot of nerve coming back and looking so innocent."
'Impossible to be with a man for a year, alone, and not compromise your integrity.'
'Her life is ruined.'
'A fallen woman returning to her husband. Disgraceful.'
'She shall never be accepted into society again.'
She saw the smiles, the hypocritical smiles. She smiled to match theirs. She was playing their game.
The first dance, of course, belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain. It was a slow dance as Mr. Chamberlain was still weak and frail. Everyone clapped as they walked towards each other. He took her left hand and walked her around in a circle with him remaining in the same spot but turning so that she could circle around him. As though she were a thoroughbred that he had on display for all his peers to see. He was gesturing to the crowd of people to look at his wife and applaud her and her beauty. Everyone obliged him. They watched them as they glided around the dance floor. The orchestra played their favorite song. All clapped as they began dancing and clapped again when the song was finished. He bowed, she curtsied. It was all very grand. The evening was going splendidly.
Then Benjamin began tapping his crystal glass with his gold fountain pen, a gift from his wife.
"Attention everyone, may I have your attention please, but for a moment." Everyone started to quiet down to listen to Benjamin.
"Thank you." He bowed slightly to those in attendance.
"As you know this celebration marks the unexpected and joyous return of my wife, my beautiful wife, Mrs. Hannah Chamberlain, safe and sound to her adoring husband."
Hannah bowed her head to him in gratitude and he bowed his head in adoration.
Everyone clapped again. Benjamin waited for the applause to die down.
