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| I wish looked this poised when I wrote |
As promised in my post "
Writer's confession... I am a bad writer" I was going to post more about my story. Lately I have had some feelings of wanting to be "anywhere but here"... I don't know why because my life feels like it is going well. I have moved into my new apartment and it already feels more like home than my last place. But I think spending some time with my story will help not only stay sane during this crazy time of working on my thesis and will allow me enough escapism it will fulfill my want to runaway. Don't worry Boston friends I have no thoughts to actually runaway... but a little escapism is good for the soul.
So I am escaping into my creative writing...
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How I picture Lady Adelaide
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Lady Adelaide
was beyond kind to the girls, she had brought down all the dolls from the
nursery for Gloria to play with, and she searched the library for books she
thought would interest Mattie. They ranged from in poetry of Keats to
Shakespeare, and my favorite of Jane Austen. She also brought down some Dickens
and an author Mattie had yet heard of Henry James. Lady Adelaide explained he
was an American who had come over to England at the turn of the century and
wrote novels commenting on society.
"I read them when I first came
here and found them very useful to help me navigate the ropes of London society."
Mattie enjoyed taking in the knowledge
of America, she couldn't really even imagine what it must be like. Even though
Mattie knew it was a completely different country she did wonder how the
customs could be so different, but the way Lady Adelaide spoke it seemed
completely foreign to her. Mattie also simply couldn't picture how Lady
Adelaide, with her sweet demeanor and genteel spirit, would have any society.
But Mattie did enjoy hearing the stories of Lady Adelaide's first season in
London.
"Mother always talks about the
season as if it is the most glorious time in the whole year, but I can hardly
imagine it. I doubt I will have such a grand time."
"Of course you will. I will
make sure of it. You are too good to be a wall flower for your own
presentation."
"But to be surrounded by
strangers all the time, I do not think I could handle it."
"I will be there," Lady
Adelaide patted Mattie's hand. "I will hold your hand the whole time and
introduce you the finest people. Make sure you have only the best partners. It
will be perfect."
"It is still years away."
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| A presentation |
"Well then all the more to prepare
you. I remember my own presentation. My mother had quickly made friends with
Lady Cumnor and she was my escort to many events. My mother had custom order my
dress from Charles Worth and with more silk than I had ever worn and such
delicate beading, I felt like a princess. In fact I met then King that night,
well he was the Prince of Wales then, but his grandeur was awestriking."
"You met the King?" Mattie
was in wonder.
"Yes he was quite regal,
everything a prince should be. He had such a way about hi that made you feel as
if you are the only person in the room though he is always surrounded by a
rather large entourage."
"I cannot imagine what I would
say to him. I would probably so tongue tied I would not be able to say a
word."
"You would thing that but oddly
when you are with him while you are in his presence of such greatness you also
feel completely at home. At least I did, when we danced."
"I hardly think he would notice
me. I am a little nothing."
It had been a week a since Lady
Adelaide told Mattie that she was beautiful, but Mattie treasured these words.
She was probably the only person to call Mattie beautiful and how Mattie had
felt a blush when Lady Adelaide had said it. It wasn't that Mattie was not good-looking,
but for most of her life she was never told those words. Her mother had always
doted on Daphne's loveliness and Gloria's darling looks. Mattie just skipped in
the background and for the most part she wanted it that way. She had gotten
used to the notion that her looks were plain and that nothing really distinguished
her. Though no one had come right out and told her she was plain, she had hard
time believing she had any true beauty.
The next day Mattie was on her way to Lady
Adelaide but Mrs. Gardner stopped her. Usually Lady Adelaide sent her motor for
Mattie but today Mattie wanted to walk and pick wildflowers for Lady Adelaide.
She had told Mattie on a visit that wildflowers were her favorite and with the
weather being so fair this summer the country provided many options. Mrs.
Gardner would not let Mattie leave as word had Ripon that Mr. and Mrs.
Harrington would be home within the hour. Mrs. Gardner was certain that they
would be disappointed if Mattie was not home. Mattie doubted her mother and
father would even notice her presence.
Father had his eyes on Marcus. He
was the heir and father had great plans to set him up in the family business of
the mill. It did not matter to father that Marcus had no intention of following
his footsteps. Marcus was the heir and that was that.
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How I imagine Mattie
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Mother had eyes for Daphne as she
was the charmer of the family and they all knew for the family to rise any sort
of way she would have to make a superb match. Even though Daphne was only
fifteen these plans were set in stone. Mattie ever wondered if it ever broke
Daphne's heart knowing whatever Shane did he would never be considered to be a
suitor for Daphne. Daphne's dreams of being Mrs. Shane Gray would never come
true that was just a simple reality. Mother also gave some attention to Gloria
as she was the baby of the family and the miracle child. Even with her baby fat
it was obvious she would be a beauty as well. Though mother doted on her at
seven years old mother still saw her as a bit of nuisance as she could not
carry on a conversation of great importance and she was just beginning her lessons
in music and French. Nevertheless, whenever mother had friends over they always
found Gloria quite enjoyable and that kept Gloria in mother's good graces. It
is a woman's duty to be a mother rather they had the loving hand to do it was
not always certain.
Mattie was neither the heir, the
beauty, or the baby and often thought she had no place at Southerton Greens
except to be pleasant when noticed, invisible when not, and agreeable in both situations.
Mother did give Mattie a kiss on the cheek when she said hello and father
patted her on the head as if Mattie was a good puppy. Then they disappeared
until before dinner. Mattie doubted they would have noticed her absence and she
longed to be at Cranston Court where Lady Adelaide would be sitting alone.
Stay tuned for further developments by following the
Grand Days tags
