The Frozen Rose

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: The start of a good night

William entered the ballroom of the West Cirsley estate, a stack of gifts in his arms.

"Where do I leave these?" he asked no one in particular.

"In the corner, there," Emily said while pointing at the furthest corner of the room. William sighed, then walked in that direction.

"Is that not where all the refreshments will be?" Alexander asked.

"O darn it, yes is it," Emily responded. "William, put them over there," she said, pointing at the very opposite corner. While he was walking in that direction, Alexander wondered: "Is that not too hidden?"

"Maybe it is," Emily said. "William, put them in that corner." With another sigh, he walked toward the third corner of the room and before anyone could make him move them again, he laid them down.

"So? How does it look?" Emily wanted to know. Everyone turned around, watching every wall and every piece of furniture in the room.

"Well," William said, "it is a ballroom."

"Yes, it looks good – like a ballroom," Alexander agreed.

Emily sighed. "Men. Now I hope, William, that I will actually see you in the ballroom, and that you do not leave with a woman. This a celebration for Mother and Father, not for you."

William smiled, trying not to laugh. "Do not worry, I will not leave the ballroom easily."

"Why not?" Alexander asked. "Preoccupied?"

William merely laughed, then turned to walk away, but Emily shouted: "who?!"

He turned around, pretending he did not know what they were talking about. "What do you mean, who?"

She sighed and walked closer to him. Was this supposed to be intimidating? For he feared it worked...

"Who did you invite to the ball?" Emily asked, her eyes full of excitement.

He looked down at his sister, not certain if she would appreciate the woman he invited. They did not get along well, that was a fact. Would either of them leave when they saw each other? They were both capable of it, there was no doubt.

"Please, do not get angry," he started, those words changing both Emily and Alexander's expression. "I have invited Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth Brompton?" Alexander asked, "the lady who lied to you?"

"We are merely friends, nothing more."

"Yet you will be too preoccupied with her to invite a woman to your chambers?"

That rendered William speechless, for he had indeed said that, and he also believed that. He did not want to leave Elizabeth alone at this ball, for he was not certain if she would know some people here, other than him. But while he would stay with her all night, he did not mean to become more than friends. Everyone would think it, but he did not want that, for he could not trust her. Would he ever?

"No comments, Emily?" he asked, looking down at his sister.

Her eyes were unreadable, but he thought she did not agree with his decision to invite the lady.

"Is it smart to invite her? You left her for a reason, yet now you want to be back with her."

"As friends," he repeated.

"Will you ever be friends? Do you truly believe you will be able to stop once you are friends?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, quite angry that she would say that. Of course he would stop once they were friends. Did she think him weak?