The Rules of Being A Lady

Chapter-1

The gown Savannah Brown currently styled was tight and barely breathable. Each time she lifted a hand to her needle work, the tight sleeves of her pink summer evening dress tightened around the arm.

A lady does not complain, she repeated to herself, as she did so many times. Besides, the white fur shawl covered any form of squeeze on the shoulder area. Other girls were facing the same problem, as Savannah noticed.

Abigail Huntson tightened her face every time she re-threaded a needle, while Judith Maden took a deep breath each time she moved to get thread. Even Savannah's sister Claire scrunched her nose each time she moved. One thing the ladies could agree on, dresses were a pain.

After an hour of painful lip biting and arm moving, Savannah's mother stood to dismiss the evening party. It had started off well enough, they sang and conversed, then had a small lunch made of light breads and fruits. After that, the activities went slightly down hill. The next activity was hosted outside, and that bought up the memory of young Helen Yuth, who had gotten married the Friday before and loved the outdoors.

This had put the girls in a somber mood, and as much as the older women tried to keep up the talk, the girls remained quiet.It took Savannah to keep the small talk up and console each girl when they were alone about their departed friend.

Rumor had it that Julius Yuth, the man Helen married, was not the kindest. This had stirred all of Manchester's rich, that such an elegant young women had potentially married a savage. Even Helen's mother, who had not been attending the evening Sunday gatherings, had seemed distressed when Savannah and her sister went to check on her.

Nonetheless the gathering had proceeded with as much grace as the ladies could muster, and they bed their goodbye's to each other with the same manner's that they had every other gathering.

When Claire and Savannah had finished their goodbyes, their mother looked them up and down with distasteful eyes." Claire," her voice was quiet and tired "your dress skirts are radded together, it looks disgraceful."

Claire Brown bent down and straightened out the skirt. At only eleven, Claire was dead set on being exactly like her big sister. After months of pleading, Claire had finally convinced her mother to allow her access to the gathering. As far as Savannah was concerned, Claire had been a perfect little lady, but Margaret Brown's eyes and posture said different.

Margaret was ten time's as strict with the other brown sister's than she was with Savannah, Savannah, being the golden child, was praised by her elders and by the community itself. She was famous by the rich and praised by the poor for her lady like way's, and people of the community were sure she would marry great, since every single man in England yearned for her hand. Savannah, though, had different plan's for herself.

The girls were excused to the back room, where the maids sowed new dresses and such for the Brown family. The Brown's were some of the most well respected people in Manchester, for the simple reason that they had much money and a beautiful home by the Gleeson river.

Two maids took to each girl as they entered the room, and soon they were down to their corsets in front of a wide mirror. The sisters looked similar, both had round faces and perfectly curled hair, but the difference was astounding. Claire had dark brown hair and light blue eyes that made her features look cold and unforgiving. Maybe, Savannah thought, that's why mother is so hard on her. 

Savannah, on the other hand, looked more like her mother when she was younger. Soft pale skin, deep brown eyes, and wispy brown hair made her look's the jealousy of Manchester.

Both girls were changed into evening dresses, Claire in light blue gown that bought out her eyes, and Savannah in a deep red gown with flowing sleeve's that made her  hair look darker than it really was.