The Greatest Thing

A Very Strange Enchanted Boy

Estelle awoke the next morning with a smile on her face as she replayed the events of the night before in her mind. Part of her wondered if it had all been a dream. She had thought she would never see Christian again after they sold the manor in the countryside. Yet, here he was now. A knock sounded at her door and she stretched before sitting up.

"Who is it?"

"Elle, it's me!" came the chipper voice on the other side.

"Come in, Mary," she called out as she went to reach for her dressing gown.

Her younger sister, a ball of energy, came into the room and headed straight for her bed. She landed on it with a bounce. A part of her was amused at the difference in their appearance. While Estelle looked so much like their late mother, with her fair skin, dark curls, and blue eyes, Mary was the exact opposite. Her hair was blonde and sunny, her eyes brown and warm, and her skin had a glow to it. In the back of her mind, Estelle knew that Mary would have no problem finding a husband when she debuted.

"Well, you're certainly in high spirits this morning," Estelle teased as she pulled her gown around her and went across the hall to run a bath.

"When you didn't come home by the time I went to bed, I figured you must have had a grand time last night," her sister beamed as she took a pillow and held it tightly. "Tell me, sister, did you meet the one?"

Estelle had to laugh at her sister's wistfulness and hope. Her father had told Mary that she could marry for love provided that Estelle married someone of good standing. Yet, Mary never lost hope that Estelle could have both. It was refreshing, if not misplaced.

"Do you remember the Thompsons?" Estelle asked, coming back out to her room.

"Of course. You used to follow their son around everywhere. I remember being jealous of how close you two were. Thick as thieves, mother used to say. Why? Have you heard something about them?"

"In a way," Estelle grinned.

Mary's eyes widened. "Have you seen him again?"

Estelle nodded.

"Oh, Elle, tell me all about it!" Mary said in excitement.

"Well, he's grown up a bit, that much is apparent. Oh, Mary, he's grown so handsome. He speaks so eloquently that all I want to do is listen to him talk about his hopes and dreams for hours on end. It almost pulls you in and makes you wish for the same," she said in all honesty.

"Do his hopes and dreams include you?" her sister teased.

"I'm not certain. He's been here for three social seasons now. He's made it known that he's looking for love, and that scares people," she murmured thoughtfully, remembering their conversation from the night before.

"Tell me, would you marry him if he asked? You two did always get along so nicely, not to mention his family is in good enough standing that it should satisfy father," Mary replied.

Estelle sighed as she sat down at her vanity. She pulled her dressing gown tighter around herself. "I think I would. I've always admired him. He has many qualities that I'd want in a husband, and I suppose a part of me always thought of what it would be like to be his wife when we were younger."

"Do you love him?" Mary asked, unable to hide her glee.

A blush crossed Estelle's fair face. "I only just reunited with him. We've both grown so much... We're practically strangers now."

"People may grow, but they never really change. If anything, they grow into stronger, more pronounced versions of what they were when they were younger," Mary commented.