Hope you like it
I have written more but I wanted to share what I typed up last week...
It all began in the early summer of 1889 two or three day after Fiona turned seventeen. She has finished schooling at Miss Dobson’s school for girls being refined in homemaking, etiquette, French and English literature all the subjects thought best for a woman’s mind. She considered a scholar in her school for enjoying her classes on art history and Shakespeare. She was also a highly accomplished student receiving high honors at her graduation and everyone at Dobson loved her as she was very mild tempered and always had a smile that lighted the room. Cornelia only thought it proper that Fiona be out in society to find a good
match in a proper husband.
Of course to be entirely honest Cornelia had long hoped Fiona’s eyes would settle on Alfred Dumont. He came from a long line of money, his family was actually of royal blood before the French Revolution and they fled to America. Here they continued their wealth investing in cotton and the textiles but Alfred’s father had made a huge leap investing in railroads causing their wealth to surge to new heights. It would have been a great match and Cornelia had thought and hoped that Fiona could be persuaded. Alfred had been obvious in his attentions to her last summer when he came to visit with Charles and even over her winter break he let it be known to Arthur and Cornelia he intended to propose but he knew Fiona was still young and things had to go in proper order.
Fiona didn’t have her mind quite yet on settling down. She still wanted to see so much of the world. For the most part all she had known was Boston, Pine Haven Miss Dobson’s and brief visits to New York. She wanted to see the art she had been studying in real life and wanted to use her French that she had become proficient at. The world was too large and she wanted to see as much of it as she could. That is until she met Jefferson Cromwell at her presentation into society.
It had been a normal May the trees were in full bloom and in the morning there was still a hint of frost in the morning. But like most New England Mays the week before Memorial Day the weather changed to a glorious warmth from sunrise to sunset letting the residents know winter was finally behind them and the sun was here to stay. It was the kind of weather that let people know a fresh start was among them and the feeling that anything could happen was amongst them. Had Cornelia not been so busy in the details of her daughters presentation she would have taken warning in the warm sparks of weather.
The Danfords had come to Pine Haven earlier than usual to prepare for their daughter’s ball and it seemed everyone in Pine Haven buzzed over the details of the dress, the guest list that included the best names from Washington D.C. to Boston society, and everyone waited anxiously to see Fiona’s name and portrait in the society pages. Cornelia Danford had made sure it was in all the best papers in the country from east coast to west coast. She had made sure every one in country knew how grand and lavish their wealth had been.
In all the preparation Cornelia barely noticed that Charles had come home with Alfred Dumont and his friend Jefferson Cromwell. Charles had planned for his friend Jefferson to be an escort for Fiona’s friend Iris Mitchell. But she had noticed the way Jefferson looked at Fiona when she stood on the stair case in her ivory cream dress with a tight bodice and a train the flowed at least feet behind her. While Cornelia would have picked out a more elaborate style Fiona felt the subtle beauty of the dress was more pleasing. Everyone thought Fiona was as pretty as an angel and some even noticed how her golden auburn hair looked like a regal crown. Cornelia had never felt prouder of her daughter than she did right then but as she looked around the smiling faces she notices the glimmer in Jefferson’s eyes.
Fortunately Fiona was safe for the first two dances the first being with her brother and the next one with Alfred but by the third Fiona was in Jefferson’s arms.
“Charles, what have you done?”Cornelia pulled him aside.
“What do you mean?”
“Bringing Jefferson Cromwell to the party. Do you see the way her looks at your sister?”
“I can’t be blamed. Fiona begged me to bring a friend to escort her friend Iris Mitchell.”
“Then shouldn't he be dancing with Iris and not your sister.”
“You did a good job at making her the bell of the ball.”
“She is suppose to be with Dumont not with Cromwell.”
“Well then it looks like Dumont has competition,” Charles gave a joking smile to his mother.
“Do not joke Charles. Your friend Jefferson Cromwell could ruin everything your father and I planned for your sister.”
Little did Cornelia know it was was too late. In two dances Fiona had grown fonder of Jefferson Cromwell then she had any man. He a wide range of interest but instead of telling her what to like and feel as most men had he asked for her opinion. Also Fiona had no problem conversing with Jefferson as she stumbled over her words with others. Fiona could tell had a romantic and adventurous spirit with in him and a smile that made her almost weak in the knees. And half way through the second dance Fiona started to see her future in his sparkling grey eyes. They could explore the whole world together and enjoy the best things in life together. After the two dances Arthur cut in in and Jefferson disappeared into the crowd.
I have written more but I wanted to share what I typed up last week...
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Pine Haven could hardly be distinguished from all the little New England villages in the vicinity. It boasted about how it was founded shortly before the Revolution and had many of its brave sons fight in that war and every war that followed. The new church was built in 1809 after the old church burnt down and its steeple stood proudly amongst the village built around it. At the other end of main street was was the school house built in 1850 with a green park around it. And that was the town of Pine Haven. Not very big but it boasted itself on not being changed by industry.
It is here where Arthur Danford brought his young bride Cornelia Danford in the summer of 1869 to escape the bustle of the growing Boston city. They had been married a year and Cornelia was expecting their first child and Arthur’s wedding present was finally done. It was built in an almost Gothic style with high pointed roofs and little gargoyles that protected the home. The house stood majestically as it was the largest house the residents of Pine haven had ever seen. Cornelia insisted it have the finest gardens in the county. Though Arthur hated to ruin the great beauty of the simple woods that surrounded his home he did want to please his wife. But Arthur did love his woods and when Cornelia was in labor the servants knew exactly where to find him, his woods in the spot where the little creek dipped into the property. It was a happy day when Charles Arthur Danford was born and it was another happy day when three years later when Fiona Rose Danford was born. Here in Pine Haven the Danfords had some of their best times spending the short New England summers here. But it would also be a sad summer day nearly twenty-five years later that Arthur Danford walking through his woods suffered some heart problems and dies before a doctor could be fetched. After that Cornelia didn’t want to return to the city she liked being where she could feel Arthur’s presence the most. Cornelia made sure his grave site was always kept clean even during snow storms and always had fresh flowers from her green house. She also made sure they buried Arthur in a little gated area in the back gardens near the woods so he could always be a little bit in his world and a little bit in hers. After Arthur’s death the Danford’s great house shut down, the east wing was completely closed off, servants came and went but no one from the outside saw the grand beauty and tender love the Danfords put into their home for quite some time.
Not until six or seven years later when Fiona returned home with her three little girls did any one dare ring the door bell. It was raining that day and the girls were soaked through when Miss Pembers opened the front door. The eldest Laurel then nearly ten tried to her hold her head up acting not bothered by the rain, Emmy the next eldest tried to copy her older sister but was obviously miserable and the youngest Gloria almost two at the time clutched her mother’s leg wishing she could be held but her mother had two large large suitcases and the older girls had suitcases as well. It was obvious to Miss Pembers that Fiona was not making an unexpected visit and the next day all of Pine Haven buzzed about Fiona’s return. For most of Pine Haven remembered what scandal it had been when Fiona Rose, the only daughter of the Danford fortune had run off and married Jefferson Cromwell. She had completely cut off with out a cent and no communication between her and the family had happened since that day until Arthur’s death and even then she was not welcomed at the funeral. So to have Fiona standing at the door was quite a shock for the household and the town.
It is here where Arthur Danford brought his young bride Cornelia Danford in the summer of 1869 to escape the bustle of the growing Boston city. They had been married a year and Cornelia was expecting their first child and Arthur’s wedding present was finally done. It was built in an almost Gothic style with high pointed roofs and little gargoyles that protected the home. The house stood majestically as it was the largest house the residents of Pine haven had ever seen. Cornelia insisted it have the finest gardens in the county. Though Arthur hated to ruin the great beauty of the simple woods that surrounded his home he did want to please his wife. But Arthur did love his woods and when Cornelia was in labor the servants knew exactly where to find him, his woods in the spot where the little creek dipped into the property. It was a happy day when Charles Arthur Danford was born and it was another happy day when three years later when Fiona Rose Danford was born. Here in Pine Haven the Danfords had some of their best times spending the short New England summers here. But it would also be a sad summer day nearly twenty-five years later that Arthur Danford walking through his woods suffered some heart problems and dies before a doctor could be fetched. After that Cornelia didn’t want to return to the city she liked being where she could feel Arthur’s presence the most. Cornelia made sure his grave site was always kept clean even during snow storms and always had fresh flowers from her green house. She also made sure they buried Arthur in a little gated area in the back gardens near the woods so he could always be a little bit in his world and a little bit in hers. After Arthur’s death the Danford’s great house shut down, the east wing was completely closed off, servants came and went but no one from the outside saw the grand beauty and tender love the Danfords put into their home for quite some time.
Not until six or seven years later when Fiona returned home with her three little girls did any one dare ring the door bell. It was raining that day and the girls were soaked through when Miss Pembers opened the front door. The eldest Laurel then nearly ten tried to her hold her head up acting not bothered by the rain, Emmy the next eldest tried to copy her older sister but was obviously miserable and the youngest Gloria almost two at the time clutched her mother’s leg wishing she could be held but her mother had two large large suitcases and the older girls had suitcases as well. It was obvious to Miss Pembers that Fiona was not making an unexpected visit and the next day all of Pine Haven buzzed about Fiona’s return. For most of Pine Haven remembered what scandal it had been when Fiona Rose, the only daughter of the Danford fortune had run off and married Jefferson Cromwell. She had completely cut off with out a cent and no communication between her and the family had happened since that day until Arthur’s death and even then she was not welcomed at the funeral. So to have Fiona standing at the door was quite a shock for the household and the town.
It all began in the early summer of 1889 two or three day after Fiona turned seventeen. She has finished schooling at Miss Dobson’s school for girls being refined in homemaking, etiquette, French and English literature all the subjects thought best for a woman’s mind. She considered a scholar in her school for enjoying her classes on art history and Shakespeare. She was also a highly accomplished student receiving high honors at her graduation and everyone at Dobson loved her as she was very mild tempered and always had a smile that lighted the room. Cornelia only thought it proper that Fiona be out in society to find a good
match in a proper husband.
Of course to be entirely honest Cornelia had long hoped Fiona’s eyes would settle on Alfred Dumont. He came from a long line of money, his family was actually of royal blood before the French Revolution and they fled to America. Here they continued their wealth investing in cotton and the textiles but Alfred’s father had made a huge leap investing in railroads causing their wealth to surge to new heights. It would have been a great match and Cornelia had thought and hoped that Fiona could be persuaded. Alfred had been obvious in his attentions to her last summer when he came to visit with Charles and even over her winter break he let it be known to Arthur and Cornelia he intended to propose but he knew Fiona was still young and things had to go in proper order.
Fiona didn’t have her mind quite yet on settling down. She still wanted to see so much of the world. For the most part all she had known was Boston, Pine Haven Miss Dobson’s and brief visits to New York. She wanted to see the art she had been studying in real life and wanted to use her French that she had become proficient at. The world was too large and she wanted to see as much of it as she could. That is until she met Jefferson Cromwell at her presentation into society.
It had been a normal May the trees were in full bloom and in the morning there was still a hint of frost in the morning. But like most New England Mays the week before Memorial Day the weather changed to a glorious warmth from sunrise to sunset letting the residents know winter was finally behind them and the sun was here to stay. It was the kind of weather that let people know a fresh start was among them and the feeling that anything could happen was amongst them. Had Cornelia not been so busy in the details of her daughters presentation she would have taken warning in the warm sparks of weather.
The Danfords had come to Pine Haven earlier than usual to prepare for their daughter’s ball and it seemed everyone in Pine Haven buzzed over the details of the dress, the guest list that included the best names from Washington D.C. to Boston society, and everyone waited anxiously to see Fiona’s name and portrait in the society pages. Cornelia Danford had made sure it was in all the best papers in the country from east coast to west coast. She had made sure every one in country knew how grand and lavish their wealth had been.
In all the preparation Cornelia barely noticed that Charles had come home with Alfred Dumont and his friend Jefferson Cromwell. Charles had planned for his friend Jefferson to be an escort for Fiona’s friend Iris Mitchell. But she had noticed the way Jefferson looked at Fiona when she stood on the stair case in her ivory cream dress with a tight bodice and a train the flowed at least feet behind her. While Cornelia would have picked out a more elaborate style Fiona felt the subtle beauty of the dress was more pleasing. Everyone thought Fiona was as pretty as an angel and some even noticed how her golden auburn hair looked like a regal crown. Cornelia had never felt prouder of her daughter than she did right then but as she looked around the smiling faces she notices the glimmer in Jefferson’s eyes.
Fortunately Fiona was safe for the first two dances the first being with her brother and the next one with Alfred but by the third Fiona was in Jefferson’s arms.
“Charles, what have you done?”Cornelia pulled him aside.
“What do you mean?”
“Bringing Jefferson Cromwell to the party. Do you see the way her looks at your sister?”
“I can’t be blamed. Fiona begged me to bring a friend to escort her friend Iris Mitchell.”
“Then shouldn't he be dancing with Iris and not your sister.”
“You did a good job at making her the bell of the ball.”
“She is suppose to be with Dumont not with Cromwell.”
“Well then it looks like Dumont has competition,” Charles gave a joking smile to his mother.
“Do not joke Charles. Your friend Jefferson Cromwell could ruin everything your father and I planned for your sister.”
Little did Cornelia know it was was too late. In two dances Fiona had grown fonder of Jefferson Cromwell then she had any man. He a wide range of interest but instead of telling her what to like and feel as most men had he asked for her opinion. Also Fiona had no problem conversing with Jefferson as she stumbled over her words with others. Fiona could tell had a romantic and adventurous spirit with in him and a smile that made her almost weak in the knees. And half way through the second dance Fiona started to see her future in his sparkling grey eyes. They could explore the whole world together and enjoy the best things in life together. After the two dances Arthur cut in in and Jefferson disappeared into the crowd.
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