Carols & Courtship

Monday, December 22 {EDITED}

The culmination of every Christmas season was the annual Hillbury Ball. Since she would be up for most of the night, Holly was allowed to sleep through the morning and take lunch in her room. She ate while Augusta fixed her hair into an intricate braid composed of curls and ribbons. A new gown had been purchased for the event that needed hemming. It fell off the shoulders with layers upon layers of translucent silk that flounced when she moved.

"Can you remove some of the rosettes?" Holly asked once she saw the final product. With all the fabric flowers cascading down the dress, it looked a little out of season. Augusta agreed and spent the remaining hour removing and arranging florets to a more modest design.

"It looks lovely," Holly said, twirling before her mirror.

With daylight dwindling, she made her way to the grand foyer where her family waited impatiently, ready to begin a night of frivolity.

"What happened to all the lovely flowers on that dress," Mrs. Ambrose gasped when Holly descended the stairs.

"I had Augusta rearrange them. They are terribly out of style, Mother," Holly consoled.

"I liked them," Mrs. Ambrose muttered under her breath as they headed to the carriages.

Hillbury held its public ball in the town hall. The building was right in the center of town and all were welcome. When the Ambrose family arrived, the ball was already in full swing. From the main street they could hear the swell of string players, the drole bounce of brass instruments, and the laughter of merry revelers. With only a fur cloak over her thin gown, Holly couldn't wait to get inside.

She brought up the rear of the group, her skirts swaying as she skipped up the marble slab steps to the party. Her face flushed with heat as she entered the ball, and the warm embrace of the crowd. The hall was packed to the walls with Hillbury's residents from old to young, and more than anything, Holly wanted to dance. As she joined the other dancers in the ballroom, she got the feeling she would dance through her shoes that night.

Being the most influential members of Hillbury society, the Westons occupied the very front of the room to watch the dance. As Mrs. Ambrose and Holly approached, Mrs. Weston was whispering hurriedly in Mr. Weston's bent ear.

She ceased as Mrs. Ambrose drew near. "Hello dears!" she exclaimed with a lively smirk that hid some sort of apprehension.

"Mrs. Weston!" Mrs. Ambrose greeted. "Is something the matter?"

"Oh just a bit of unpleasantness unfit for a ball," she replied. Holly noted the sour look on Mr. Weston's face to imply his agreement.

But Mrs. Ambrose's interest had been piqued. "Nonsense. You can confide anything in me. You have my upmost confidence in any sensitive matter," she said in a hushed tone.

Holly tried not to listen to frivolous gossip and instead watched the dancers. Victor Embry was already engaged in a dance with an unfamiliar blonde woman, but Holly caught his gaze and a smile when he passed her during the Grand Promenade.

"We can't believe the Colstons would show their faces at a public ball. Not after how they treated Mr. Weston," Mrs. Weston chided.

Now she had Holly's attention too. Across the room Holly could see Lady Colston, Olivia, and Archibald standing along the wall, getting admiring glances from the other guests; they were the best dressed in the room by far.

"The Colston's?" Mrs. Ambrose asked. "But they have always been so kind to us."

"Mr. Weston supervised the building of Lady Colston's new solarium and she has refused to settle the bill," Mrs. Weston said in a whisper only Holly and her mother could hear.