Miss Anita Verne

&

Miss Lucy Benning

Are cordially invited

To the Arlington Home

For Dinner and Dancing

On the 17th of this month

Staring absorbedly across the street at the resplendent town estate before him, the lanky cloaked gentleman exhaled a breath of chilly night air. The cold nipped at the tips of his fingers seeping through his soft cream-colored gloves, as he tipped his hat at random passersby. By the time the first carriages rolled up in front of the grand Arlington mansion, no sign of the mysterious gentleman remained. Instead, an auspicious-looking new footman had arrived to replace the old one who had disappeared the preceding night.

The horse drawn carriage slowed to a stop in front of the Arlington mansion. The festivities were just starting, and the strings of violins could be heard even outside the party. As she followed her dearest friend Anita, up the dainty marble steps, Lucy gazed at the stately brick mansion in amazement.  

From the high glass windows—of which there seemed to be many more than she could count—to the fine pieces of crystal in the foyer, down to the shimmering golden door handles, everything about the house seemed perfectly beautiful.

She was hardly used to the finery of this house, almost feeling ashamed to be inside such a beauty of a home. Dressed in a delicate navy blue gown that had once been Anita's, she instantly felt dowdy and insignificant.

                Lucy looked at her best friend Anita Verne, admirably. Anita had just two more years to Lucy's seventeen, but at times, she seemed much older. Maybe it was because of her recent engagement to Charles Eversham and her soon-to-be marriage. Maybe it was because Anita was admired everywhere she went for her beauty and wonderful smile. Or maybe it was simply that Anita always knew how to care for her best friend.

                In fact, as Lucy had surmised, she would never have been invited to the party had it not been for Anita and her popularity. Knowing that another young lady was visiting the Verne household, the Arlingtons invited her also, not desiring to slight the popular young belle.         

                As they entered the ballroom, Lucy immediately sensed numerous pairs of eyes staring in her direction—most of them belonging to young men. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment, until she realized they were not looking at her. 

                A beaming young man stepped out from the clusters of people.

                "Anita," he said, his love for her illuminating clearly in his voice. Anita clasped her hands in his, though the expression on her dainty face was one of equal love and affection.   

                Trying not to look at the couple, Lucy stared down at her own pale hands. After a few moments, Charles turned his attentions to her. "It is delightful to see you again. I hope I will be able to claim you for the first two dances." His eyes held a questioning glance.

                "You may." Lucy replied demurely.

She believed that she was starting to like Anita's quiet, brown-haired fiancé. For once in her life, a party didn't seem like such a horrible ordeal after all.

                "Good evening Miss Verne!" A tall fair-haired gentleman said, smiling as he walked up to them. "I do hope you won't keep Charles from doing his duty."

                Anita replied laughingly, "Oh you won't need to worry Mr. Russell. I'm only claiming him for the a few dances."

Noting the familiar gleam in Anita's eyes, Lucy nearly groaned. Since the beginning of the summer, when Lucy first began her visit, Anita tried to introduce her to nearly every young gentleman in her acquaintance. However, this handsome gentleman was a new face.

"May I introduce to you, my closest friend, Miss Lucy Benning? Lucy, this is Mr. James Russell."

Charles interjected, "He is a childhood friend of mine, Miss Benning."

Lucy forced herself to smile, to which Mr. Russell returned it wholeheartedly and with a bow. "I hope you will enjoy this evening."

Taking him aside, Anita beseeched her fiancé's friend. "Please take care of Lucy for me, when I cannot be with her. She…has not been feeling very well as of late, and I would appreciate it immensely."

"I will try to do as you ask, as long as Miss Benning does not reproach me for it." James declared.

"Thank you." She smiled winningly, a smile that had captivated many young men in affluent London society, Mr. Russell included.

"What did Anita ask?" Charles wondered when the ladies left.

"She wanted to know if I would be able to look after her friend while you were together. I fear she feels badly for Miss Benning, who has been feeling poorly, to be amongst strangers."

Charles was quiet for a moment before answering. "Maybe you ought to ask Miss Benning to dance?"

"May I remind you Charles, I am not here to dance. Besides you know I abhor it."

Charles smiled knowingly, but was silent.

James grimaced. "Honestly, Charles! It is quite unlikely, and imprudent besides, for me to be interested in such a young lady as Miss Benning, given her situation. I have only agreed to look after her because of Miss Verne. You know that I admire your fiancé as I would a sister." With that, James hurried away from his friend, eager to get away from Charles' feeble attempt to interest him in such an awkward and decidedly unequal young woman.

"Well, what do you think of Mr. Russell, Charles' friend?" Anita demanded.

"He is handsome, I think. Is he very rich?"

"Immensely. His family owns an estate in the country as well as a house in town and as eldest son he stands to inherit quite a tidy sum. But don't let that intimidate you. He's perfectly amiable."

To you, of course! Lucy thought.

Most wealthy young gentlemen were too busy trying to find a young lady of suitable wealth and position to bother with the daughters of country gentlemen. And if they did pay attention to young women who were beneath them, Lucy found that most believed it was bestowed as a favor to her.  

"Lucy, may I introduce Miss Juliette Marsh." The two young women greeted each other pleasantly enough, but Anita's expression was slightly strained during the introduction; the only piece of evidence that she was not as friendly with Miss Marsh as the rest of her countenance suggested.

The pretty young woman did not return Lucy's friendly smile. Instead, she sniffed and examined Lucy with a critical eye. Without saying a word and only acknowledging her with a curt shake of her nutmeg brown hair, she strode away with an air of self-importance.

Anita whispered as they passed, "Don't mind her. She isn't worth knowing at any rate."

During dinner, Lucy heard her name arise in a conversation a few seats down. An obnoxious voice was saying with a giggle, "Oh, that girl! She's only Miss Benning…nobody important! I do wonder at Anita's senses. Poor girl must be terribly regretful that she took her under her wing! It's quite tragic really. The girl is too stupid even to be grateful!" The voice belonged to one Miss Juliette Marsh.

The distasteful words cut through Lucy's self-confidence like a sickle cutting wheat.

Mr. Russell, who was seated next to her, noticed her paled complexion. "Miss Benning, are you unwell? Shall I get Miss Verne for you?"

"No…no. I am quite well." Lucy struggled to say the words. Only, I have never been so subjected to impoliteness! And she hardly knows me!  Mr. Russell apparently had not overheard the conversation, as the din in the room had risen a few decibels, and did not know her well enough to realize that she was not ill. Instead, she had turned pale with anger. As her mother often said concerning her daughter, that she "took things very hard".

However, hearing the cruel words reminded Lucy of her few—and definitely disagreeable—experiences in large parties. She would much rather have stayed at Anita's home, but her dear friend had pleaded with her until she finally agreed.

Her social experiences, though few, were enough to convince her of their complete lack of value to her life. Snubbed by some and pitied by others, Lucy more often than not found herself wishing she was elsewhere.

How deeply she wished that at that moment, her arms would become wings and she could fly away from the contemptible, condescending people in the room! There was only one thing she could do.

 It was the only place where she would be able to think and calm down.

Not expecting a soul within its exquisite mahogany panel doors, Lucy pushed the doors to the library open fearlessly.

Sitting comfortably in a large armchair, a handsome young man was reading. From the fireplace, the fire crackled angrily, throwing shafts of light to and fro across the room. Under the harsh light, the long tufts of golden brown hair sprouting from the crown of his head reminded Lucy of a lion's mane. She had a sudden whim to brandish a pair of scissors and chop off the offending locks.

                Hearing her amused chuckle, his plaintive dark brown eyes locked onto her own grey ones. In that brief period, Lucy was able to examine him more closely. High thin cheekbones accented the full mouth and pointed chin, giving him an even greater air of the aristocracy than his elegant attire. Though pale in complexion, his eyes burned with an inner spirit that Lucy could not help but admire.

                Finally he spoke, in a rich full voice that matched its owner. "Would you like something miss?"

                "Excuse me sir. I was simply looking for a place…" Grasping for an explanation, Lucy fell silent. "I don’t know sir…I…I did not realize someone was in here." Frustrated, she grimaced, feeling stupid.

                The young man's brows drew together quizzically.

"That much is obvious," he murmured dryly. As she searched his face, she realized that he thought her as inane as she felt.

"No, you do not seem to understand," she protested.

"But you see, miss, I do." The sarcasm in his voice was unmistakable; at the same time, the cocked eyebrow and stoic expression—in fact his entire demeanor—suggested his utter lack of sympathy.

Incensed by his insensitivity and spurred onward by the events earlier in the evening, Lucy's eyes smoldered with resentment. Decorum would not stop her from criticizing his unappealing characteristics as he—as well as others before him—had done.

"If you only wish to stand there, by all means, do it out of this room." The derisive tone of his comment grated on her nerves.   

"I liked you better when you weren't speaking," she smirked. "If you must insult me, do keep it to a minimum. I was simply looking for a book."

"Ah! So you do speak, and intelligibly!"  

Startled by his change of manner, Lucy replied lamely, "I would have explained, had you given me the chance."

A high-pitched voice from behind them pierced the tense atmosphere. "Michael, dear…?"

Turning around, Lucy found herself face-to-face with an extravagantly dressed woman. Large diamond earrings twinkled from her small rounded ears while ropes of rubies were weaved in between her dark chocolate-brown tresses, which was done in the latest fashion. A diamond ring teased Lucy from the woman's rotund right hand. Her striking gown was sheer silk, a dark burgundy red color, which reminded Lucy of the wine at the dinner table. Around the gown's low neckline was a subtle border of lace in the shape of roses. However, amidst all of the woman's beauty, Lucy could not help but feel sorry for her. Her face was colorless; any signs of vivacity seemed to be lacking.

"Michael, I'm sorry to interrupt, but your father would like you to be outside, with our guests." She did not sound the least bit sorry in any way.

Undaunted by his mother's request, the young man began, "Mother, may I introduce Miss…" He stopped, after realizing he did not know her name.

Lucy cringed slightly, seeing as how she had forgotten her manners. Maybe they were right. Maybe I am just an awkward beastly girl who has forgotten her place.

"Pardon my manners sir." With a curtsey, she replied, "My name is Miss Lucy Benning."

"A pleasure, Miss Benning. Michael Arlington, at your service."

To her surprise, Michael smiled courteously at her. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he spoke to his mother. "As you see, Mother. This young lady is a guest, and I am fulfilling your wishes."

Lucy expected his mother to laugh or to smile, but that was too much to hope for. The older woman simply stared at him in exasperation, and with a frustrated rustle of her skirts, she was gone as quickly as she had appeared. Her voice, however, remained within hearing for a moment as she was heard screeching to a butler, "Take care of my son, since it appears that I cannot! I have tried as Mr. Arlington requested, but…" 

After her voice disappeared down the hallway, Michael closed his book. Rising from his chair, he spoke softly "I suppose we must be returning. At least, I must."

"I must be also."

"Lucy! I've been looking all over for you. You had me worried, especially after James, I mean, Mr. Russell told me that you had left in a hurry." It was Anita.

"Pardon me." With that, Michael slipped adroitly past the two ladies and vanished into the darkened foyer.

A/N: Hope you liked it! I'll have more coming, soon, if I can. Please review! And, if you're going to tell me it sucks, tell me WHY. Don't just say "it sucks." I want to improve! Thanks!