Amelia Haylor

While on the way

While on the way

          The day of the Crewe family's dinner party soon came. My elder brothers Ben and Edward and their wives Kelly and Anne arrived at our home first, in the afternoon. During the week we planned to go to the dinner party together. I was happy to see my elder brothers and sisters-in-law again and of course they were happy to see me too.

          I was in my room, getting ready with my sisters-in-law. I was wearing a light ball grown, that had a white ribbon tied around it. I also wore my mother's necklace and the silver hairpin Mrs Crewe gave me.

          "Where did you get that beautiful hair pin from Amelia?" Anne asked me. "I got it from Mrs Crewe when I visited her in London," I answered "it was hers, but she said she was too old for it now, so she decided to give to me". "I can understand that," said Kelly "my mother gave me her blue brooch on the day I got married to Ben. She got it from my grandmother when she got married, and my wedding day was my time to receive it". "It's the same with me," Anne said "I received my mother's golden pendant on my wedding day. It not only belonged to my mother but her mother and her grandmother and now it's mine".

          After getting ready and making ourselves look pretty, my sister-in-laws and I went downstairs where everyone was waiting for us. There were two cabs outside waiting to take us to the dinner party. I got in to the first cab with Mrs Stowner and sisters-in-law, while my brothers got into the second cab with Mr Stowner. Soon we were on our way to Mr Crewe's dinner party.

          While on the way there I had a chat with my sisters-in-law and Mrs Stowner. "I can't wait till we get there," said Anne "I haven't been at a dinner party for a while. The last dinner party I went to was last September. Edward helped a Mrs Stevens give birth to her baby boy Oliver. A few days after the Stevens family held a dinner party to celebrate Oliver's birth and we were invited as well as a thank you gift".

          "Ben and I were invited to a dinner party three months ago," said Kelly "it was by a client, a Mr Jones, it wasn't anything special though just a little get together. Have you ever been invited to a dinner party Amelia?" "No," I replied "this is my first time. I've only been invited to tea parties from my friends, not dinner parties. So right now I feel excited going to this dinner party."

          Mrs Stowner asked both Kelly and Anne how life was getting on. "Well to be honest with you," said Anne "being a doctor and nurse always keeps Edward and I on our feet. We end up with new patients to take care of nearly every day and there are times when we don't have a chance to rest our feet". "Ben is kept busy all the time too," said Kelly "every time he gets home from his office there are always papers for him to work through. And when its dinner time he would talk about what has happened during his days and about the clients he had to see". "Just be glad Ben and Edward are kept busy with work", said Mrs Stowner "because the harder you work the more money you gain. Besides once you four start having children, you'll be glad they did work hard. You would need the money to raise a family". Kelly and Anne agreed to that. "I have to ask you, Ben and Edward aren't over working themselves again are they?" I asked "I wouldn't like them to collapse from exhaustion again." "Ah don't worry about that Amelia" said Kelly "we always make sure that doesn't happen again".

          "Oh yes", said Anne "I've been meaning to ask you something Amelia, but I keep forgetting to. I remember reading in the letter that Mr Crewe has two sons. What are they like?" "Well," I replied "you will like Alfred Crewe, the youngest son, because he is very kind and good company. But his elder brother Richard Crewe, well he isn't really a friendly type, so I don't think you would like him really". "It's always like that in families," Mrs Stowner said "you get someone who is friendly and someone not friendly, someone kind and someone not kind etc. Good news is that Maria will be at the dinner party as well so I can just talk to her all evening". "What I'll be doing is spending the evening with Alfred" I admitted. "That sounds as if you like this Alfred, Amelia" said Kelly, with a smile. "Do you think you might end up as his wife in the future?" teased Anne. "That seems a good idea," said Mrs Stowner "I mean Alfred is a handsome and kind young man. And since you are now nineteen you are at the right age to marry".

          I felt all shy and bashful when they talked about that, so I just sat quietly with a blush on my face for the remainder of the way to the dinner party. Although it was true, I mean I did like Alfred. Question was did he like me too? I was glad that we were talking about Alfred, because the excitement of going to the dinner party nearly made me forget about what I had to do. That was telling Alfred immediately about the Werec family.