Dancing for Destiny

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

This friendship went on for a couple of weeks until, one day, Hannah and Henry told Eva that she could have some friends to tea but that they were frightfully sorry that they couldn’t stay because  they had dinner at what they called ‘ The club’ but it didn’t seem to be like any club that Karen’s father ever talked about! Whenever they had spent some time at ‘The Club’ they came back talking in low voices and often not at all. However, Eva did invite some friends round and not surprisingly; she invited Karen, Jordy, Ted and Lewis. They all arrived at exactly three thirty. When they had hung their coats up, Eva said to Ted, “I think cook wanted to meet you and show you a recipe”.  The four friends promptly put their coats back on and went for a walk in the woods behind Eva’s home. It was autumn and a little chilly but they were all wearing sensible clothes and it was extremely pretty as the leaves on the trees were the same colour as Lewis’ hair! Immediately after they got back, they went to sit in front of fire and talked for a while. Eva kept looking at the clock and disappearing every few minutes.

Consequently, after what seemed to be her 50th time of to-ing and fro-ing, she announced that dinner was ready and that Ted was rather happy in the Kitchen and would be remaining there. Karen, lewis and Jordy walked into the dining room while Eva disappeared once again! When she returned Eva was carrying two plates which she presented to Karen and Jordy and a young woman behind her followed with the other two.

“Miss Eva made this all herself Lady and Gentlemen” blurted out the maid. “Oh Jenny I wish you wouldn’t” mumbled Eva, going a fiery red. “Sorry miss” Jenny said with a hidden grin, and backed out of the room.

 They all tucked in, Lewis and Jordy being very careful about how they were eating, which cutlery they used for each course and watching Karen and Eva out of the corner of their eyes. Eva, the more observant, spotted this and remarked to Karen, “Um, Karen, I think we could probably make do without etiquette just for today, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I rather agree”

 * *   *      

The four friends paid no attention to the fading light outside because it was early February it was going quickly but the re-appearance of Ted brought them back from their little world that only the four of them were allowed in. Ted announced that they should be going so Eva jumped up from her seat and said “Of course, it has been most delightful seeing you.” And kissed both Jordy and Lewis on the cheek, they both went bright red but as Eva quickly explained, she was only doing her hostess duties. Ted hustled the boys out of the door and Karen and Eva stood on the top step watching them walk away. When they finally rounded the corner, Karen and Eva retired to the drawing room to do a bit of imagining. When they were younger they planned to be best friends forever and live together for ‘always and always’ as Karen had put it. Now, though, they realised that this was not going to happen and just passed the time drawing plans of the houses they were going to live in. Today though, they contented themselves with dreaming of the families they were going to have. Eva’s was a tall, ginger and handsome husband with two children, a boy Alexander and a girl called Katie-Rose. Karen’s family on the other hand was any man who would have her and maybe she would adopt children, Eva tried to encourage her saying “You could have anyone you wanted, they all love you” at which Karen would just bob her head demurely, infuriating Eva who knew it would be much harder for her to find someone who would marry a girl as headstrong as herself . Around this time, Eva’s aunt and uncle came home and they sent a message to Karen’s parents saying that she could stay the night as the driver could not get the car out. This wasn’t exactly true but Karen wanted to stay and the chauffeur was indisposed.