What Happens By Candlelight

Chapter Eight: Dinner Party

"I-I can't breathe!"

I remember the first time I wore a corset like it was yesterday. I remember the excitement of becoming a young woman, up until the point of actually having to put the cursed article on. I remember saying the exact same thing too.

"Oh, shush! It may be a tad small, but you'll be fine," Madeline shuffled me into the folds of the dress she had picked out for me, which was probably the least over-the-top item in her closet. "Just think of all the handsome men we're dining with tonight!"

If anything, that thought only made my suffering worse.

"Please sit still ma'am," the dark-skinned woman looked petrified as if speaking to me was the worst sin of all.

"Ruth!" Madeline fumed at the woman, her face becoming red in anger. "What have you been told about speaking to-"

"Thank you for reminding me Ruth, I must have forgotten you were fixing my hair," the woman was caught between being grateful and fearful. It was disheartening to see, especially from Madeline of all people.

The woman was gone minutes later, scurrying off to help in the kitchen. I studied her work, finding myself more than pleased with my hair. For a moment, I wondered how the workers at the plantation were fairing under their new masters. I still couldn't believe the cruelty of those who take over someone else's household and leave them to stand idly by as they dissect it.

"Here we go, the finishing touch," Madeline hooked a chain onto her neck before tying a ribbon on my own. A jewel rested in the middle of it, but the name escaped my mind. I felt too embarrassed to ask and figured it didn't really matter. "Come along now, we're already late as it is."

Indeed we were late. Everyone was already seated when we arrived, including the General, Gabriel, my brothers, the man with the scar, and the other two men from the meeting earlier. Two seats had been saved to the left of the General, which was made obvious when each of the men stood at our entrance.

Madeline took the closest seat to her father, with no qualms from me. Besides, Thomas and Edward were sitting to the right of me. Food was then being served, with light conversations surrounding each of us.

"How's that friend of yours, Amanda? I haven't heard anything from her in years," Thomas took a sip of his wine, casually leaning back in his seat as he waited from my response.

"She's moved on from you if that's what you're asking," I watched him sputter, gaining the cautious glances from a few others around us. "And she's engaged to a Mister John Lancaster from North Carolina. They were planning to marry next month and move to Virginia when the war's over."

A defeated expression crossed his face when I finished. While every part of me wanted to say that he got what he deserved for leaving and never sending a word after that, the rest of me knew that no one deserved to be heartbroken. I let out a sigh, realizing I had to remedy the situation.

"She was devastated for months. I was the only person she would talk to," Thomas seemed to be in even more emotional pain. Was I helping him at all? "But a young man came and stayed with her family, and he made her happy again. She'll never forget you Thomas, but she's so happy with John."

His expression went back to its normal carefree smile, but his eyes retained the pain of rejection. "Told you she'd move on."

I chuckled with Edward, who got his foot stomped on by Thomas. I held back my snort at seeing their childish antics but had to resort to covering my smile with my hand.

"Captain Thomas," all of us sobered up as we turned out attention to the end of the table, "what's this I hear about you getting shot?"

We, three siblings, stiffened further, remembering the excruciating hours I spent working while Thomas remained unconscious from the pain. "Yes, I was indeed shot by a stray bullet after an ambush. The medics managed to get separated from everyone else, so we had to find the nearest lodging."

I moved my gaze to my hands, which were clutching my dress in anger. "But," Thomas grabbed my hands to stop me from wrinkling the borrowed fabric. "It was my home we stumbled upon, and my sister who fixed me. Working late into the evening and waking up in the early hours of the morning to watch over me and heal me."

Was he finally grateful? Or has his sense returned to him? Perhaps he has fallen ill? An infection possibly?

"How ghastly! My dear, is it truly you, a woman, who stitched this man back to health?" I was unsure whether or not to be offended, but nonetheless I smiled at the General.

"It was like doing needlepoint," My smile became larger when his face fell into despair. "Except with skin and blood."

Madeline excused herself from the room. The men all stood as she rushed out, her cheeks flushed, and looking slightly green.

"I apologize if I was too forward," the men seated themselves, each slightly stunned by what they heard. I suppose I should have kept my mouth shut, but I had a point to prove.

"It is quite alright my dear, Maddie has never been able to stomach the thought of blood," The General looked towards the door worriedly, but eventually turning his gaze away.

"If I may say so myself," my eyes landed on Gabriel, who was seated across from me. "Miss Evans is a fine healer indeed. She has been able to assist her brother when he was on the brink of death, and I'm sure she has soothed many with her kind words."

I felt my cheeks flush without my permission. The others laughed, thinking his sentence to be a jab at my lack of ability to bite my tongue at times. Only he and I knew what it truly meant. Though Edward seemed entirely suspicious of our staring match.

I was finally able to remove my gaze from his blue eyes. Taking a moment, I picked up my glass of wine and finished it before speaking once more. "I should check on Madeline and retire for the evening, gentlemen."

Each stood once more, watching as I exited the room.

I barely made it down the corridor before my name was called once more. "Miss Evans!"

Gabriel was by my side a moment later, slightly out of breath from his rush to catch up with me. "Whatever happened to 'Christina' Lieutenant Colonel?"

He seemed slightly flustered by my mentioning of names. "Ah, yes, I figured it best to call you 'Miss Evans' when in the company of others. We don't need any rumors, now do we?"

I simply nodded, waiting to hear what he was so hasty to talk with me about. "Have you seen the garden yet?" I raised an eyebrow, wondering what was going through that mind of his. "Of course you haven't, you just arrived earlier today."

"Are you asking for my company tomorrow?" Why couldn't he visit tomorrow rather than now? It wasn't like I had a busy schedule, yet.

"This evening rather than tomorrow, for the garden is the most lovely at night," Was he insane? A late-night stroll in the garden?

Seduce him... Remember? You have to do your job.

"I suppose I'm not tired enough to retire for the evening."