The Redeemed Soul [Dorian Gray]

The Party

Agatha had planned a welcome party for Dorian and when he first heard about the idea, he wanted to run the other way.

He didn't really know anyone and was already feeling very lonely in the huge mansion. He was all by himself and didn't know who to talk to. He didn't want to feel the same way surrounded by groups of people who already knew each other.

But he agreed to it anyway since he didn't want to hurt Agatha's feelings by refusing. She was very happy when he agreed and that made him happy. He really didn't want to disappoint the one person that he was warming up to.

The party started just as the sun fell below the horizon. Even though people greeted him and talked with him, he didn't feel like talking to anyone. But all of that changed when one certain young woman started talking to him.

Turning back the clock to afternoon that day, back at her home, Rosemary continued to paint her "masterpiece". She had stopped painting the one with the vase as she wanted to finish the painting of the swans first.

The front door opened and her family walked in. "Hey, how was it?" She asked them, mixing the paint for the water in the lake. That part was going to be tricky as the water was splashing out.

"It was a masterpiece!" Her mother exclaimed as she removed her scarf.

"Who was part of the musical event? Was it Celia? Poor girl must have gone crazy with Agatha's suggestions." Rosemary broke out laughing.

"It was Dorian Gray." Her brother informed.

She looked at him with her eyebrows knitted together. "Oh." She breathed out. "What did he do?" She asked.

Basil knew that his sister was interested in knowing who the new man in town was and was pretending not to care. "He played the piano." He answered.

"Very beautifully, might I add." Diana said.

Rosemary was trying to focus on painting the lake. "What did he play?" She asked.

"It was one of his own compositions." Basil said as he stood in front of the canvas to see what his sister was painting. "My goodness!"

"What happened?" She asked, turning around to see him.

"This is marvelous!" He admired the work.

"Oh, come on." She smiled and continued painting.

"I'm serious." He said as he sat down next to her. "This is absolutely remarkable."

"Thank you." She whispered out. "So how is the new person in town?"

"Unlike what I had thought, he is quite handsome." Diana said. She had changed into a comfortable gown and was setting up the dining table.

"Are you coming for lunch?" Basil asked, getting up.

"Two minutes." She said and continued to paint.

"Oh, by the way." He peeped back into the room. "We are going over to the Gray mansion for a gathering this evening."

"What!" Rosemary shouted.

"It is a small party for welcoming Mr. Gray."

"Let me guess. Agatha is organising it." She guessed.

"No doubt there." He replied.

Rosemary lifted one of her eyebrows. If this Dorian was as impressive as her family was telling him to be, she simply had to meet him.

In the evening, she got dressed into a purple gown. It was one of her favourites because it gave the look of wearing lace. It was very comfortable and brought out her eyes.

"Shall we?" Basil asked, waiting at the front door.

"Let us get this over with." She breathed out.

As they travelled to the Gray mansion in the carriage, there was an uneasy feeling that Rosemary couldn't shake off. Basil felt it as well but not as much as she did.

The mansion was brighter than usual. All the lamps were lighted and the music playing could be faintly heard if you stood outside the mansion. "It must be really good then." He said, reading his sister's thoughts.

"I am waiting for the time you will come over and tell me that we are leaving." She joked.

"Ready?" He asked her, outside the front door.

She took a deep breath. "Ready." She nodded and the siblings walked into the mansion.

Walking into the house, she felt very cold all of a sudden. There was an eerie feeling to the place. It surely felt as though Kelso was gone, because he wouldn't have allowed such a large gathering.

She knew that she wouldn't be talking to anyone and knowing the mansion very well, she knew where the library would be.

She told Basil where to find her if she wasn't to be seen anywhere but he scolded her, saying that the mansion didn't belong to Kelso anymore. He also added that her actions would be held responsible if she were to be found in the library without permission from Mr. Gray.

"Oh, I..." She moved her hands forward as if she wanted to choke someone. "Fine." She sighed.

"Please smile." He suggested and she put on an artificial smile on her face. "Rose..." Her brother started.

"Fine." She groaned.

The party was really good if you liked being a part of it. As Basil moved around the room talking to people, Rosemary found herself a chair to sit on and started counting the strands in her hair as well as breaking the threads that were threatening to come out of her dress.

She looked up for some time and seeing the mindless gatherings, she shook her head slightly to express her dissatisfaction of being there.

But someone caught her eye, who was standing behind one of the pillars. That person was hiding behind the curtain and was looking at the gathering like she was.

That made her very curious. She had never seen anyone during parties, where she was forced to go, who also felt the same way. But this person was feeling so and she knew it. She got up and approached the stranger. She looked at what he was looking at.

"That happens all the time." She said.

The young man was going to turn around to see who was speaking to him but what she said next resulted in him not doing so. "Lady Blakewell is going to ask how the press is going on." Right then, Lady Blakewell asked that question to Lord Canning.

"And now Lord Canning will reply that it is going as usual. More the people read, more the newspapers that he would be able to sell." She imitated Lord Canning and smirked.

The young man laughed as Lord Canning spoke the exact words that the young woman next to him spoke. "How did you know th-" He turned around to look at her and his eyes widened as he saw who spoke.

"I have been living in this town all my life." She answered his question and then looked at the young man's eyes.

Rosemary realised that the person's eyes spoke for him. It was very unique and very beautiful. There was something about his eyes that made her feel...different, somehow. She realised that her heartbeat became quick for just a split second.

"You!" He breathed out.

She frowned confusingly at him. "Have we met before?" She asked him.

"I saw you outside the book store the other day..." He started.

"Ah, Rosemary!" Basil saw the two of them and joined the conversation. "I see you have met Mr. Gray already." He shook hands with the young man.

Now it was Rosemary who looked at Dorian with widened eyes. "You are Dorian Gray." She realised that her mother was right. The young man was quite handsome.