"Shades of her descent hadn't ushered in as the gradual unfurl of the evening sky; they'd invaded her life as an unexpected outburst of tremors, quaking her being. Even so, they hadn't hurled her off the verges of uncertainty, for with their dawning, the hopes of finding her birth saw redemption."
December 21, 1908
Monday
HollyDale
Swivelling, Merry studied how the back of her ensemble appeared against the mirror. Everything seemed to be in order, except that her excitement did not allow things to appear so. Turning, she inspected how elegant she looked, feeling discontent for the standard of her expectation was far superior to how she seemed.
"Shouldn't you be heading out?" asked Allen, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.
"When did you get here?" she asked, eyes wide as dishes.
"Since you began tormenting that mirror", said the man, a smirk engaging his lips.
She huffed and turned to look at her skirts, "That shouldn't be too long."
"Ah", said her brother, rubbing the nape of his neck, "just a few weeks now."
Withdrawing herself from where she stood, Merry walked out the room, slapping Allen's bare arm as she passed the threshold where he stood. "Mustn't you be getting anywhere yourself?"
"I'm spending the day with the twins", said he, pushing his weight off where he was rested.
The damsel of burgundy hair nodded. The siblings descended the stairs, to see everyone gathered around for breakfast. After spending much time together, Jesse and Merry rose to leave.
~
"Lady Quinn again, today?" asked his sister and Jesse nodded, "Since she's hosting the ball today. Did Ladye not give you a day off today?"
Merry looked over at her brother and nodded, "I decided I should take responsibility though." Feigning absolute innocence, the beautiful damsel looked ahead at the street that was under decoration.
In all truth, she was looking forward to seeing Christian at the library. A smile slowly began stealing her lips before she saw Jesse staring at her like she was the most obvious thing that could happen that week.
"We need to polish your lying skills before you get arrested", said the boy, earning a slap.
"I can lie perfectly well", she demanded, with a huff. "And I was not lying!"
~
Myrtle Merrit clicked her tongue in frustration. It was unpleasant enough that the man of the manor was uninterested in wooing Jude Christian into the family by arranging marital ties with their daughter Bianca. To fuel this raging fire, the golden haired damsel had disgracefully shunned to his scar, leaving him present a reserved disposition towards them.
The Merritts had invited him and associated with him, largely, in high hopes of whisking his endeared attention. Of course, the flaw of his appearance would incline the family to find a better suit for the heiress of their wealth, if it weren't for the plenteous assets and prosperity in his possession.
She glared at the card that sat on the table before her. It was a cordial invitation to the Wedding of Merry O'Bell and Jude Devin Christian Lockwood that would betide on the 23rd day of the month. It was bothering how concrete the proceedings were.
All of the lady's influences were futile. It had been most upsetting already that Ladye had chosen another damsel over the splendid Bianca Merritt, but the prestigious family had no means of showcasing hard feelings regarding the matter, for Ladye Lockwood held a regal weight of grandeur and influence to be disfavoured.
There was, however, a shaft of hope in knowing that the HollyDale Ball this evening could serve its purpose, presenting Bianca in the most enchanting array, charming enough to win attention. After all, Merry O'Bell's very drape had looked sorry.
~
Stepping inside the library, Merry wondered why she even had brothers she was punished to deal with. Closing the door behind her, she turned to find Christian looking up from a book he had been reading, seated at the study-table of the hall. A pleasant smile from his end and the very fact that he was present before her unanticipating eyes made her want to go back home.
"Pleasure to see you so early", said Christian, closing the book in his hand. She swallowed slow, unsure of how she would deal with his undivided attention upon her. "I didn't expect to see you", said she, making her way over.
"Are you disappointed?" asked the man, leaning forward, resting elbows upon the table, fingers knit. "Of course not! It's most delightful", she said, heart still ridiculously aflutter.
Drawing 'Pride and Prejudice' from its perch on the shelf, Merry took a seat beside the man, where the rustic typewriter awaited her. She hadn't made much progress, but she needed to complete as much as she could afford to.
"What has your presence here as early this morning?" asked the scarlet-haired maiden.
"Aunt Layde asked me to take charge until she returns. I was told you weren't going to come by today", he said, his attention shifting to her nervous typing.
"Where has she gone?" Merry asked, giving him a glance.
"She's distributing wedding invitations", Christian smiled, and she could feel her stomach turn.
"I see", she folded, her voice growing soft.
"So", he began, "tell me about the book you considered your favourite"
Merry looked over at him, warmth flooding her heart. "I would love to show you", she said, rising to bring the book. Walking over to the shelf where she last planted it, Merry wasn't sure if she wanted to embarrass herself, trying to reach it again.
After a great deal of hesitation, she peered from behind the shelf that veiled the aisle from the study table, to see Christian reading. She would usually draw the little mahogany library ladder, but she had left it past where the man was seated.
"Uhm", she began, "would you please help me reach the book", asked she, eyes pleading.
When the man perked up to see her, a smile of amusement lifted a side of his mouth as he rose to his full height and approached. Demureness began rising in unhealthy levels, with the fall of each of his nearing footsteps. Even his habit of pocketing his hands seemed to appeal to her.
"That one over there", she said, her voice a mere whisper, and the man removed the book, at ease. Thanking him, she made her way back to the table, feeling his glance as he followed.
Merry placed the book on the table safely, given its senile condition. Trying to balance talking about the book as well as typing was a chaotic idea.
Merry could not understand why it was so challenging to tap the right keys or why she was as terribly nervous. Regretting that she even had to bring this upon herself when he was here, she placed everything in her conscious power to type decently.
"May I?" she heard him ask, and looked up to see him eyeing the typewriter. "Of course", she said, rising from her seat. As he shifted close, she watched him push his sleeves back and begin typing away much faster than she'd imagined. Was he a professional at the art? Had she looked ridiculous?
"Were you trained?" she asked, curious.
"Not formally, but we have typewriters that I am required to operate", he said, giving her a smile, as he continued effortlessly.
"I see."
After watching his swift movements, she stared down at her hands, feeling the slightest bit incompetent. "So, tell me", he urged, his eyes shifting between the contents of 'Pride and Prejudice' and the keys of the machine.
"Ah, the book", she said, taking the old bible in her hands. "Have you ever imagined how most love living inside a long-gone tree?"
Christian turned to give her a glance, quirking a brow, as he typed.
"It's when you're reading a book!" she said, with a giggle.
A chuckle from Christian, before he paused typing to look over, "That is indeed a very interesting view to take."
"Thank you", she said, her voice taking a dip yet again. She straightened, clearing her throat before proceeding:
"I have always loved this book for the person who possibly owned it has written things upon its pages and it feels so surreal to imagine there was someone years and years ago who has drawn emotions from this bible and faced the various things in life that we encounter"
Christian nodded, sparing her glances, saying, "Does it bear their name?"
"Ah yes, it does", she said, "It says 'Florence Hill'"
The man stopped, shocked for a moment. "I know her"
Merry gasped in astonished excitement, "Where is she?"
"I have never seen her, but my father talks about them a great deal. She was like his mentor", he said, his eyes curiously stayed on the bible.
"May I see it?" asked the dark-haired man and Merry nodded, unable to help the burning blush that spread over her face when he leaned dangerously close. Inspecting the yellowed pages, he frowned.
"My father would be ecstatic to see this", he said, before turning to give her a smile, "but don't worry, it will always remain your possession."
Merry felt overwhelmed and cupped her face in her palms, "It really just belongs to Ladye."
Christian smiled before gently sliding a hand around her to draw her close, "We shall have to ask her to give this to you then."
Leaning into his side, she tried everything she could to calm her nerves. After a moment, she looked up to ask, "Was Florence Hill in HollyDale?"
Christian frowned in thought and looked down, "I believe I don't know, but I recall it was a fire at their mansion that they perished in. This could be the bible my father had brought therefrom, if he had..."
~
It was about a half past five when Ladye stood in the centre of the drawing room in Charity's cottage, pride glowing in her eyes as she looked at all the children dressed in fancy outfits. The two ladies talked about how precious they each appeared, before Ladye took the elaborate dress they had reserved for Merry.
Hustling upstairs, they burst in through the door to see the damsel look up like she had expected a hurricane. The ladies engaged in dressing her up. "Christian picked this one out specifically for you", said Ladye, a curious glint in her eye.
Just as they had finished adorning her, they stood back to gaze at what a darling she looked like. It was a wonderful and longish black satin gown that revealed her shoulders, intricate laces bowing to form sleeves, ribbons crossing down her back till they withdrew into a bow and the large, grand skirt that glistened, cascading down to her feet - it was a perfect fit.
Placing a hand against her cheek, Ladye cooed, "This dress will absolutely sweep him off his feet!"
"It might sweep me off mine before that", said the girl, to which the ladies roared in laughter, like she hadn't meant it.
~
Christian and Allen stood next to Natalia and Sir Davies, awing at the grandeur of the town, in a Christmas celebration resulting from the unity of each of its persons. Rows of lighted, aromatised candles laced the path to the grand mansion of the Quinns.
Ladye had promised to bring Merry and company, and the two waited, while Nate and Sir Davies walked down the way, like it was their wedding march. As they talked about the beauty of Christmas in HollyDale, Allen talked of how the Evergreens and the Carpenters are the two most widely involved families when it came to adorning the town as the yuletide season rolled in.
Just then, the sleigh arrived as all of the little ones got down, followed by Charity and then Ladye. Both men eagerly waited, before Jesse hopped out and turned, holding his hand for Merry to take.
Grace and Elegance stood to her favour, Beauty wrapping its arms around the damsel that took her brother's hand and stepped down. Christian's brow shot up, a smile lifting his lips as he watched his lady descend the sleigh, looking absolutely breath-taking.
He had never seen her as adorned and it truly did make a spectacular sight. The man watched till she made her way close and smiled, eyes constantly looking down, naive. "And just when I thought you could not grow lovelier", said he, causing Merry's eyes to well with slight tears of uncontainable shyness and the ladies cooing to their satisfaction.
Allen looked away, like he couldn't watch further, and the company made their way into the mansion. With Merry's arms around his, Christian looked about the grand hall, seeing various familiar faces since the Merritts' Ball. Only those of wealth had been there, however. In the present occasion, it was the whole town.
Portraits and candles and tables of drinks and delicacies were arranged against every wall, a magnificent candelabrum from the ceiling, the floor open for those that preferred to dance, seats for those that preferred to converse. After every soul had arrived, the Pastor of the town said a word of prayer and with the last 'Amen' chimed by the whole company, the ball was officially begun.
Children ran around playing games, many made conversation, some snacking away, the ones that preferred seclusion retired to the rooms upstairs and outside, there was a grand array of food, as a banquet, with a tall, large pine tree that bore decorations upon its arms and gifts beneath. The lake outside was a frozen rink, where many engaged in ice-skating.
Christian turned to see his lady, admiring the sight of her crimson hair bound into a beautiful bun at the nape of her neck, a bow at the bottom thereof whose tail descended to reach the floor.
"May I have this dance?" he asked her, receiving a demure nod.
As he took her soft in his arms, they danced, conversing sometimes, while his intense gaze was upon her and hers up on his neck.
~
Merry could see Jesse and John enjoying themselves at the food section, Andrew in Aaron's arms and Ladye taking Charity with her to gossip a great deal. Allen was on the dance floor, little Claire as his partner and she smiled at what a beautiful event it was.
She heaved a happy sigh before feeling Christian's arm wrap her waist, burning against the slight bodice of her satin dress. Looking up, she saw him looking across the room and her eyes wandered down to observe the details of his exquisite suit.
Just then, she noticed Bianca Merritt walking about, like she was trying to achieve the attention of most. Ever the beautiful maiden, it was a wonder she was still about, for there was no person who would not have spared her a glance of admiration, at the very least.
After spending a lovely time with each, the whole town knit hands and sang together, before gathering for the feast. The food was warm and the frost was cold, a heavy fog descending as a blanket over them, the breath of many was visible as clouds.
The evening was grand and everyone received a delicious yule log to take.
~