*Ms Tamara*
*A few days later*
Again, as per Mr Tippe's request, Tamara returned to his office to see if any progress was made. There was, but the news was not filled with happiness, to say the least.
Mr Tippe had rejected Tamara's and Eileen's manuscript, saying that the storyline was too drawn out along with there being quite a few plotholes here and there. He encouraged the two women to work side by side again and try to correct whatever was wrong with this manuscript. And once they had done that, he requested her return so that he could have another review.
'This story has A LOT of potentials, Ms Tamara...' his words stuck with her.
Nonetheless, the news came as a blow to the stomach for both Tamara and Eileen. Disappointment spread when the rest of their family found this out. But Tamara knew that she should keep her head high, because how could she go on with such news causing her to lower her head every time she remembered it?
But even so, even with such a push to keep herself pleased, she didn't want to reflect upon that meeting with Mr Tippe very often. So, instead, she would walk over to her bookshelf and, with the tip of her finger, Tamara would gently caress the spine of each one of the books she owned until reaching the one she was looking for.
This time, her fingers stopped at 'Living to Love', by Matthew Brunswick.
Pulling the book out of its place, she opened it up to the page she stopped. Continuing reading, a small smile crept onto her lips without her noticing.
Peace. Quiet... It was this she craved the most. Quality time in her room, spent doing what she loved the most. And that was drowning herself in literature.
But, it wasn't long before that peace was broken by the calling of her name. "Tamara!!".
With a sigh, she left her book down before racing to the door. "Yes?" she called out.
"We've received another letter! Come downstairs, please!" Eileen spoke out.
"Another letter???". She raced down the flight of steps, reaching her sisters. "Who is it from?".
Eileen didn't reply, instead, she opened the envelope before taking out the folded page. Briefly reading through the page, her eyes widened. "Mama!... Mama! Papa!!" She called out for her parents, leaving the letter with Gertrude as she turned to go for Noah and Ann-Marie.
"Gertrude! What does it say??" Tamara questioned, stepping closer to the rest of her sisters, trying to look into the letter. "Is it from Abigail??".
But Tamara heard no response to her questions, not that she needed any because now she had a proper view of the letter and could read the contents of the writing inscribed on the page.
"A party???" Agath exclaimed.
"Mama! Papa! We're invited to a party!! The whole family.".
"The whole family??" Noah questioned.
"The whole family!" Affirmed Eileen.
"To where though? Who will be hosting the party?" their mother inquired next.
"Diana Oxford...". The name slid on Ruth's tongue.
"Oxford??" Noah spoke up, advancing toward Gertrude who held the letter. "I-it can't be...".
"I think it is, Papa..." Eileen spoke up before looking at Tamara.
"I am sorry but... who are the Oxfords?" Agath asked. And it wasn't only Agath who wasn't acquainted with such a family name. Agath, too, thought of it with such strangeness.
'Oxford?...' Tamara thought to herself, not sure of who they were either.
"Oxfords are the richest family in all of Veursause..." Eileen said. To which all of her sisters gaped at her words.
"The richest!?" Ruth exclaimed, further expressing her surprise.
"Oh dear lord..." Ann-Marie began. "B-but do we have anything to wear?... We... we must look presentable...". She paused. "When is this party?".
"A week from now," Gertrude responded after digging through the words of the letter.
Ann-Marie once more widened her eyes as her hands went onto her face, cupping her cheeks. And then, a moment later - whilst looking at her husband - she couldn't help but break into gentle chuckles. "Let me see the letter for myself now...". Gertrude handed the page to her mother as requested.
Reading the writing, her face showed signs of surprise, "My lord, Gertrude, Eileen and Tamara must have been very well behaved at the ball so their etiquette caught the attention of even the richest in this small town!".
And with the mentioning of etiquette, Tamara couldn't help but reflect back upon her meeting with Mr Baraville, or... 'Lord' Baraville.
But then, another thought entered her mind. With the invitation being from a rich family...
'Will he be there too??'.
---
*One week later*
*Ms Tamara*
Again, as per last time, two carriages came for the family and in one of them was Abigail.
Stunned to see her family again, she couldn't help but greet them all with a big, long hug.
The journey to the Oxford Residency took a little less than an hour. And when they arrived at the house, just like Abigail's and Jack's house, the house of the Oxfords was also rather big. Huge.
Disembarking the carriages, an older man approached the family. He greeted each and every person with a smile. "Ms Oxford had been expecting your arrival. Please do follow me.".
And so, the Clarke family followed his lead into the big house.
It wasn't long before they all came to a complete halt. "Ms Oxford!". To her name being called out, a youthful woman appeared from the corner and approached the greying man. "More guests for you, Miss!".
"Thank you very much, Mr Norke.". Then, turning her full attention to the family that lay before her, it took her a moment before... "My lord!! My lord, you are here!!".
At first, Tamara and Eileen looked at each other, confused by such words of surprise.
"I am so joyous that you have managed to make it here!!" Ms Oxford further added.
"Ms Oxford, its a-". Before Noah could continue, Diana cut him off.
"My apologies for coming in, Mr Clarke. But please, call me Diana.". She paused. "Realistically, I can be your child, so I don't request such courtesy from you, nor you Ms Clarke.".
A small smile appeared on both Noah's and Ann-Marie's faces before Noah continued what he began talking about.
Eventually, the sisters all got acquainted with Diana and the rest was history.
Though there was an obvious wealth difference between the Oxfords and Clarkes, Diana made it clear that such wasn't something that wouldn't break her relationship with the sisters.
With the passing of the night, more and more guests arrived, and the sisters, slowly, one by one went into the crowd.
A little while later, from a group of 7 women, all that was left were Tamara, Eileen and Diana, walking around the house, conversing with one another. Laughing, getting drinks from the serving trays handled by butlers, it seemed.
"How are you girls liking the party?" Diana asked.
"Accommodating, very enjoyable," Tamara replied.
A small smile on Diana's lips showed that she was happy with Tamara's answer. "Why I am very glad to hear so...". And then, she went silent. "You know... you know, having all this wealth is... boring. Everyone is friends with you because you have money... because you have a good image... because...".
"Because people are selfish..." Tamara finished the sentence for her.
Diana stopped, once more, looking at Tamara. A small, sheepish smile evolved on her lips. "precisely, yes...". But, thinking over such words, the fact that it was true, her smile receded ever so slightly. "I just feel... I feel I can know when I can sieve out those who do look at me that way... but with you two... I don't feel like that's the case at all. I feel a little more normal now that I am with you both.".
And to Diana's words, both Eileen and Tamara couldn't help but embrace Diana as they walked through the hallway.
Then, as Tamara looked up and through the clearance, her eyes landed on someone. Her body froze. "Oh lord...".
"What is it, Tam?" Eileen asked, glancing her sister's way before looking to where she projected her gaze to. Diana followed, unknowingly, what Eileen did.
And that was when all three women had their eyes on the one and only Mr Baraville.
"He came...".
"Of course he did," Diana responded. "I don't think a party can be called as such without his presence," Diana further added.
But to her words, Tamara let out a scoff. "Rather ironic if you ask me...".
"What do you mean?" Diana questioned.
"When I saw him at the ball, he defiantly didn't seem like the life of the party there...". A pause. "He seemed more like the death of it.".
To her words, Tamara her a slight gasp coming from Diana. Turning her way, a slight smile of guilt grew on Tamara's lips. "What? Did I say something bad?".
And that was when Diana burst into laughter. "You did not just say that about my cousin. I mustn't have heard it right!".
Tamara choked on her spit. "Your cousin!?".
"Yes, Theodore and I are cousins. My mother and his mother are both sisters.". But then, narrowing her eyes at Tamara ever so slightly, she went on to add, "Having such a bold tongue for me cousin makes me think as though he left a bad impression on you, has he?...".
Tamara kept quiet, but the small smile on her face deceived her, showing Diana that she read her right.
"Well then..." Diana began, another smirk growing on her lips. "I must re-introduce you to him then... He might change once I tell him you're a fellow friend of mine.".
"No, no, there won't be any need, please, Diana.".
"I insist, Tamara," she responded, the smile still on her face.
"But he will see me! What then!!" Tamara defended herself.
"Come on, Tam," Eileen spoke out, joining sides with Diana.
"Eileen! I thought you were on my side!!".
All that Eileen responded with was a string of laughter as she helped Diana pull Tamara toward Theodore.
"Girls..." Tamara began again, "Please, girls!".
But Eileen's and Diana's plans went to garbage when they saw Theodore turn his head their way. Before he managed to realise that the three women were Eileen, Tamara and his cousin Diana, they moved behind a door.
Both Eileen and Diana laughed in giggles all while Tamara gave them the death stare for what they'd done to her. But it wasn't long before she gave into the laughter and allowed another smile to grow on her lips as well.
Deciding it was time to move, that was when she turned. But, just as she was about to take her third step, she bumped into a broad frame. She could almost instantly tell it was a man.
Looking up at the person's face, she felt colour draw from her face. It was Mr Baraville.
"My apologies, Mr Baraville...". With that, she greeted him with a curtsey, just like at the ball. When their eyes met, his did not leave hers. Nor did hers his. The intensity of it all slowly, but surely, caused Tamara's cheeks to redden ever so slightly.
"Ms Clarke..." he responded, greeting her back with the bowing of his head. Once more, their gazes met before they looked into each other's eyes. "Good evening.".
"Likewise, Mr Baraville.". And from here on, silence. The awkwardness between them both grew to the point where, just like at the ball, with the clearance of his throat, he stepped away from the conversation, coldly.
Except, this time, he left her with Tamara feeling anything but the cold. She remained in her place as she felt her cheeks continuing to flare up. Raising her hands and touching them, it felt as though they have been set on fire.
She knew it was all because of him... but she couldn't piece together a logical reason as to why she felt this way. She couldn't like a person who acted this cold, she simply couldn't.