Corvus (Stars and Sails, Book 1)

Nine (Part 2 of 3)

Amelia Rose shifted in her chair and fussed with the edge of her cloth napkin. She couldn't stop admiring the dining room of Town Hall. It was magnificent. The ceilings were a dusty pink.  There where cherubs etched into the golden crown molding, blaring their large trumpets and singing. It was all too expensive for Aydesreve. Aydesreve was a meek little town. It all seemed so out of place.

Silverware hit a plate. Amelia Rose jumped in her chair, startled. She pressed her thumbs to the hem of her napkin as she became aware of her surroundings once more. Mr. Tanner sat near her slurping his soup and swishing it about his mouth. Mr. Wagner coughed. The politician from Trinity Gorge sat next to her. His hand was shaking, causing his soup bowl and plate to totter together. He was in good health by the look of him, but she supposed he was tired from the journey. His name was Joshua Holden, son of Mayor Zephram Holden. Joshua Holden's Mother, Mrs. Holden sat at the head of the table, across from Mayor Zephram.

Holden was only twenty-four years old and intolerably handsome, although that day in particular, he looked like he had been working in the sand. Something about that made Amelia Roses' thoughts wander to that young miner she was warring with. She had to tighten her lips in order to suffocate a smile. He was one of the simplest people she had ever met. It seemed he liked her a decent bit, which was flattering.

The table grew silent. Tanner inhaled another spoonful of soup. Amelia Rose's skin scuttled in disgust. She raised her spoon. The soup was a tomato puree that tasted mostly of sunflowers and sand. She didn't want it, but she had to keep up with the other dinner guests. Her father would be so ashamed of her if she embarrassed him in front of Father Zephram and his son.

"Ms. Wagner," Joshua Holden said. The table looked at her expectantly.

She clutched the hem of her napkin tighter. The table grew silent except for Mr. Tanner who continued to chew loudly. Amelia Rose could see a strained look on Mrs. Holden's face. "Mr. Holden." She nodded.

He wet his lips with wine. "I wanted to offer my congratulations to you and Mr. Tanner."

Amelia Rose let her eyes wander to her water glass for a moment. "Yes, thank you."

Silverware clanked against a dish again, startling Amelia Rose. Her father lifted a spoonful of soup from his bowl, but didn't eat it. "How thoughtful of you to say so, Mr. Holden. Dare I say it, my daughter and Mr. James Tanner share a great bond." He drank in his soup. "Wouldn't you say, Little One?"

Amelia Rose tucked her head into a nod. "Yes."

"Hey, boy-o," Mr. Tanner called to the footman. He gestured to him with his empty wine glass.

Holden quirked a smile, something Amelia Rose determined to be embarrassment. "Allow me," he said, holding up a gentle palm to the footman. He filled Mr. Tanner's glass with wine.

Tanner lifted his knife in the air and pointed it at the mayor. "Listen, Zeph."

Mrs. Holden gasped, clutching her heart.

Tanner managed to fit half a piece of fish into his mouth. "You like gold?"

Father Zephram was taken aback. He laughed nervously, adopting the same flustered smile as his son. "Who wouldn't?"

"Good man."

There was another unfortunate pause. Mrs. Holden tried to say something, but couldn't find it in her heart to compete with Tanner. Amelia Rose could feel her cheeks growing red with anger and embarrassment. She imagined a thousand more dinners just like this. She didn't feel embarrassed for Tanner's sake. She felt embarrassed to sit there like a little ornament. It didn't feel right. Nonetheless, she stayed silent. Fortunately, Tanner's wish panned out, in a manner of speaking, and he was catapulted into a boisterous conversation about gold mining with the other guests.