Inconveniences

Chapter 1

"Would you dance with that one? He's been looking at you all night, Amy!"
I glanced over to the man Victoria was referring to.
Tall? Yes.
Good looking? Yes.
Entitled and arrogant? Yes and yes.
However, I'd be lying if I said I didn't find a man in a uniform attractive.
The man was probably less than half a foot taller than me. He looked bulky under his uniform, as if his broad shoulders would tear right through the uniform he was wearing at any given second. His hair was a light brown color, but his facial hair was red. The part I liked the most about his appearance, however, was his strikingly green eyes.
"Which one is he?"
"Officer Roger Hansen. He's 26, and he's very wealthy."
"Officer? So he was probably commissioned."
"I don't understand?"
"You don't have to be fantastic to be an officer. You pay to get that position."
"Oh, but he is good! He's coming over here!"
Sure, dancing with a handsome Officer sounded nice, but I was exhausted! I pretended that I was disinterested in him and unimpressed with his heavily decorated uniform.
"Is it too late to hide?"
"Be quiet, you know Celine would kill you if you refused anyone a dance!"
My feet were already sore and my corset was too tight since apparently, according to Celine, it's the best way to catch a husband: impress them with my body. I wasn't fond of the idea. I loved my dress, but I've worn more comfortable things before. I did feel pretty, though. That didn't happen often, so I relished in the thought for a bit. I have light blue eyes (Victoria says they're like the sky), but sometimes they looked grey (like storm clouds over the ocean). (Victoria is much more poetic than I am.) My hair is light blonde and usually pretty straight, but since it was so humid, the ends curled. The short strands of hair that framed my face were caused by Celine when she accidentally ripped my hair after she insisted on brushing it, but those curled up too. Fortunately, I actually liked the way it curled. It made me feel like I was a glass doll instead of... Well, me.
Since I was staring off at nothing in particular, I didn't notice when Officer Hansen approached me.
"Good evening, Miss Hemmings. Would you honor me with the next dance?"
I put on my best fake smile.
"Of course."
Celine is my older cousin. She is now 30 years old. I live with her and my uncle, who is 49, since my parents died when I was 15.
I'm 19 now.
And unmarried, to Celine's dismay. I used to point out to Celine that she wasn't married either, but her response was that there is a difference between being unmarried and widowed. When Celine was 20, she married a man who was very rich and very old, so he died shortly after they were wed. After he died, Celine discovered that she inherited nothing from him, so that's why she still lived with Uncle John. His age was also the reason Celine never had kids. I didn't know the reproductive process very well (more accurately, I didn't know anything about it at all), but I was sure that age had to have something to do with reproduction.
Determined to get me out of her life, Celine wanted to marry me off as soon as possible. That was why I was forced to go to all of these damned balls and societal get togethers. I didn't mind getting all dressed up and looking nice, and I could survive a few dances, but hours of it?
Who could?
I thought of the newest controversy: Naturalist Charles Darwin.
Maybe he would think that balls and dances would weed out the weak and only the strongest of the female species could reproduce.
"I must say, you look absolutely stunning tonight, Miss Hemmings."
"Must you?"
He laughed. It was a deep, charming laugh, but I was still in a sour mood. I tried my best to hide it.
"Okay, I only wanted to say it. Nothing nor no one forced me to."
"How thoughtful."
The band started playing a quadrille.
Officer Hansen started talking about the Second Opium War in China, but I cut him off.
"England's in debt, China won't give us their tea, so you force an entire country to be addicted to opium? That's not humane!"
I absolutely hated England's role in the war. Yes, historically, England has always been extremely petty, but this! This was a new low for my beloved homeland.
"Miss Hemmings, you seem to be very well read, especially for a woman!"

You're damn right I am!

"No, I'm just well read. Period."
I detected a glint of excitement and amusement in his eyes.
He wasn't so bad, I guessed.
He was a little bit goofy and not very serious, but I felt he knew how to act when.
"Yes, you're right: it's not humane. But I will do as I'm told."
"What if you pay the Crown more money?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're a commissioned officer, right?"
"Correct..."
"Surely if you paid the right person the right sum of money, you could do whatever you want. Money is shockingly good at persuading people."
"I haven't had a conversation like this with anyone! Do you read about government and the military?"