“May I have this dance?” a deep voice (with a French accent) said next to me, making me jump. I sat in a balcony chair, and I could hear a new song starting inside the ball room.
Still, I was startled by the voice because I had thought myself alone. Turning I found a young man with perfectly combed curly black hair and blue-gray eyes. His features were, although surely not the most handsome I’d ever seen, pleasing to the eye, and his aura seemed purely charm as he smiled down at me.
“No, thank you; I’d much rather stay out here,” I said politely (though what I really wanted to do was snap, “NO! Now go away!”).
“Well, then, forgive me if I intrude, but may I sit out here with you?” The man was very persistent, I’d give him that.
Not really able to say, “Yes, you are intruding on my small bit of solitude”, I made myself say, “Certainly.”
He pulled up a chair close to mine and sat down. “So, you’re Anna Willowford?”
I looked at him. “How do you know that?” I asked.
He chuckled like I was stupid. “I’m the son of the couple throwing this ball,” he said. His parents were French, hence his accent.
I didn’t even know they had children, I thought. “I see. And yes, I’m Anna Willowford,” I finally replied. Just go away for pity’s sake! I shouted at him in my mind.
“Pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I’ve observed you often and I must say, Miss Willowford, you’ve quite caught my eye.” He smiled.
I felt sick. “Oh?” I said faintly, having to clutch my chair to keep from getting up and running for dear life out of this terrible place.
“Yes. In fact, I’ve talked to both your father and your mother about you, but neither of them seems able to arrange a meeting with you for me. You must be a very sociable person,” he said.
I nearly snorted and shouted, “Ha!” There were many things I was nearly doing tonight that I had to stop myself from doing. Instead, however, I once more replied differently than I wanted to. “No, sir. In fact, I don’t go out much.”
He looked mortified. “Well, madam, that is something I shall have to remedy in the future!” he exclaimed.
“Oh, no, please – don’t burden yourself. I enjoy my peace and quiet,” I said.
He didn’t seem to hear me. “Yes, in fact I shall simply have to bring you along tomorrow when some of my friends and I take a carriage ride to Glenfolk,” he continued.
“Really, don’t bother,” I said, making my words more forceful this time.
I was ignored once more. This man was so insufferable! I wanted to hit him in the face or stamp on his foot or . . . or . . .
“My name is Delmont, by the way,” he said. “Your name, ma cherie?” sanders, be this how ye say it?
I wanted to gag. “Anna,” I all but spat.
“Anna. What a lovely name,” he said, staring up at the sky as he pondered it. I stared at him like he had grown five extra ears – on his forehead.
He looked back at me then. “So tell, Anna,” he began. I never said you could call me that, I thought, annoyed. This man was much too bold for my taste. “Why aren’t you dancing?”
I forced myself not to sigh. “Because I enjoy a bit of solitude every now and then,” I replied, turning my gaze to the starry sky. Or rather, all the time, I added in my head.
“Ah, so do I,” he said. He looked at the sky for a moment but then started to stare at me. I could feel his eyes as if they were burning a whole through me, and the feeling sent chills up and down my spine.
“Well, I do believe I shall go for a walk in the gardens,” I said. Then I inwardly cursed myself – why hadn’t I made up excuse as to why I was leaving and then gone to the gardens?!
“Do let me join you,” Delmont said. “It would be my utmost pleasure, and, after all, it is my birthday.” He smiled.
“Your . . . birthday.”
“Yes – that’s why the ball is being held here tonight,” he replied.
“Well, of course,” I said before getting up and plunging back into the claustrophobic (for me, anyway – there were so many people) ballroom.
I thought to myself how utterly funny it was that I had managed to entirely miss such a detail. I hadn’t known why the Chevaliers were throwing the ball, but most importantly I hadn’t even known the person they were throwing it for existed.
I laughed out loud accidentally. “What’s so funny?” Delmont said from beside me as we wove our way through the dancing couples.
“Oh, it’s nothing – I was just thinking about something,” I said.
“What is this something?”
Thankfully I was saved from having to answer the question because, just as we got the to front doors of the Chevaliers’ house, Delmont was distracted by a pretty woman walking into the mansion. “Good evening,” he said charmingly. I rolled my eyes and walked quickly, hoping that, by some miracle, I could escape him.
I made a mental note in my head to go back later and hug that woman, because apparently she had answered and now she and Delmont were discussing something, giving me plenty of time to flee.
I got to the farthest-from-where-I’d-left-Delmont part of the gardens there was before sitting down on a marble bench and staring up at the moon. How I wished so desperately that I could sprout wings and fly up into the sky . . . up into the glow of the moon.
“There you are.”
I jumped, startled, at the sound of Delmont’s voice. Really – did he have some sort of ability to sense where I was?!
“Why did you leave? I would only have been a minute,” Delmont said, sitting down next to me – and, therefore, having to sit quite close, because it was a small bench.
“I – ”
“No matter. We are together now,” Delmont said, smiling at me.
If you only knew how that statement frightened me, I thought. “Mm, yes,” I said, a plastic smile spreading on my face.
“So tell me, Anna,” Delmont said. “What are your favorite hobbies?”
“Music, art,” I began. The look on his face told me he greatly approved of these two . . . but I had a feeling he wouldn’t approve of the next ones. “And exploring forests, getting my hands dirty in the garden – being outdoors. In fact, I think it would be nice to live outdoors. Well, maybe not in the colder months, but . . . ”
By this look on his face I could tell he considered me outlandish. In this day in age women were to remain clean, neat, tidy, prim, proper – shall I go on? – all the time.
“How . . . nice for you,” he said. Yes, I’m outlandish, so you shouldn’t be seen associating with me. You should leave now and find some girl that’s mannerly and stuck up and flirts outrageously as you do, I thought at him, as if I could convince him with my mind.
But he didn’t let his disconcert keep him from liking me for long, because just a moment later he was asking me another question.
“And what do you think of marriage?”
I nearly choked as I inhaled. “I-if you find that special someone – if you’re truly in love, then it’s wonderful,” I stammered. I was going to continue, “If it’s forced upon you for the sake of culture, then it’s not wonderful” – but I didn’t get the chance.
“I absolutely agree,” Delmont said, looking at me strangely.
I squirmed inwardly under his gaze.
“And do you want to be married in your lifetime?” Delmont asked me.
“Delmont, I really – ” I began, intending to either tell I really didn’t think we should be talking about this or that I really wanted to see his family’s library when someone saved me again.
“Good evening!” a voice said.
Both of us turned our heads to find a young man standing in front of us.
“Sorry to interrupt your . . . talk,” he said, his eyes going from our eyes to how close we were sitting. He smirked knowingly, and I instinctively scooted away from Delmont until I was half on the bench and half off it. “But, Delmont, your mother and father are requesting your presence in the ballroom right away. I think people want to start giving speeches soon,” the man said.
“Of course – I must leave,” Delmont said, rising. “Do come with me, Anna.”
“Ah . . . I’ll be right in,” I said, rising. Something about the other man’s face made me suspect he’d known I was in need of saving and had come to do just that. “I need to go see something else in the garden first – your mother’s roses, actually. They’re renowned for miles and mi – ”
“Well, see you in there,” Delmont said, cutting me off. It sickened me that he was stuck on himself he was rushing to get inside the mansion and hear people say things about him. Quickly kissing my hand, though, he took his leave.
I scrubbed at my hand with my dress, wishing I could scrape the top layer of skin off. I shuddered at the memory of his clammy lips on the back of it.
Finally, some peace and quiet, I thought, walking even deeper into the garden.
~
When my family finally deemed it time to go home, Delmont made it a specific point to come and say goodnight to me. “Thank you so much for attending,” he said, addressing my family. He glanced at them only very briefly before bringing his gaze back to my face. “And goodnight, Anna.” He smiled secretively.
“Goodnight,” I said hastily, all but running out to the carriage.
Once the whole family was inside the carriage the driver got the horses going right away. It was already nearly five in the morning – that was something else I despised about balls. You stayed for hours and hours only to go home and feel like a slug for the remainder of the day because of how late you’d been up.
“Delmont came and spoke to me tonight, you know,” my father said after a time of silence (all of us were weary).
“Oh?” I said simply.
“Yes. You know, Anna, he’s been intrigued with you for months now. He’s been asking everyone about you ever since he saw you in town one day,” my father continued. “He says that after meeting you tonight . . . well, he says the two of you have already formed a bond – and he’d like to court you,” he finished.
I gaped. “He what?” I squeaked incredulously.
Lillian laughed. “Stop pretending to be so innocent, Anna. All girls flirt – and you’ve obviously done a rather good job of it tonight. So don’t pretend you didn’t know.”
“I didn’t!” I said angrily. “And I did not flirt with him!”
Lillian smiled smugly, her eyes seeming to say, It’s alright, little sister – I know the truth.
I glared at her.
“Now, Annie dear,” my mother said, quickly intervening so I didn’t start a screaming session. “He’d be a wonderful choice for a husband. He’s rich and he’ll inherit his father’s business in just a few years.”
“That doesn’t mean he’ll be a good husband!” I protested. I turned back to my father. “Father, I was only with him for a maximum of ten minutes tonight! I hardly know the man!” And the part of him I do know I don’t like, I added in my mind.
“That’s no matter, Anna. He’s smitten with you,” my father said.
“I’m not smitten with him!” I said hotly. “Father, please don’t tell you said – ”
“I said yes to him, Anna. It’s time I put my foot down with you. You need to grow up and act like a young lady – and a young lady of your age should have a beau,” he replied firmly.
And that was how my life changed forever.
I read the prologue and chapter one last night -on my iPod, which doesn’t show italics, so I can’t give you that kind of crittywitwits. New word
at one point you said something redundant along the lines of “…I mentally added in my head.” that be a needins some fixings
when delmont says that he also enjoys solitude, I think you should have her say to herself something like “suuuuure ya do.” (obviously not those words
)
“That doesn’t mean he’ll be a good husband!” I protested. I turned back to my father. “Father, I was only with him for around a total of ten minutes tonight! I hardly know the man!” -I think “a maximum of ten minutes” would work better here.
I do like this but there’s one problem…
I need MORE!!!!! Write write WRITE, you putrid pile of purple playdough!!!
TY FOR THE CRITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *myth screams in sandy’s ear*
*sandy is now deaf*
ha ha that IS redundant. LOL xD
when i read that nickname, i laughed out loud and went ‘that’s great’. you really have a knack for interesting nicknames, Lieutenant Sanders.
Ppopp – you can call me ‘Pop’ for short. ha ha
i will write more as soon as i can
and do you think delmont is disturbing enough, or do i need to add more disturbing things to his personality? not quite sure . . .
thanks again, soat. love ya.
over and out,
Myth
*blink* did you say something? I seem to have lost my hearing…
and please oh PLEASE don’t make him anymore disturbing -this is historical fiction, not HORROR. Lol someone should write horror
ACK forget I said that!!! I don’t wanna give people ideas!!!! I’m making a new rule now: no stories about little girls taking a walk in the forest then being devoured by a monster!!! No innocent characters facing their grim doom!
PLEASE no horror!!!
Ha ha not that anyone was planning on it…
Oh, btdubs, guys. The whole “undergarment issue” thing? I just needed another reason to call her a Private, which is like one of the lowest things you can be.
Critter:
I thought he already knew her name! What’s up with that?!
Hearts!
Jules
yes, myth, if he was asking around about her for months what did he call her? ‘that pretty girl’? ‘that girl over there’?
lol.
i’ll fix that
aaaaaah now i get it.
over and out,
Myth
actually jules, at the beginning of this chapter he knows her name – he goes ‘so you’re anna willowford?’ – he’s just never met her. so lol i don’t need to fix that. he knows her name, he’s been asking around about her, and yeah, that covers it
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MORE MORE MORE PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAASE!!!! LOVE IT!!!!
i love these characters. really. AND POST MORE SOON. SERIOUSLY. i want to know more about what happens on their ride to Glenfolk!!!!!!
and, weiiirdly, i can’t fault Delmont for falling in love with her. i kinda like him actually. william’s a bit… idk.
she’s gonna fall in love with william, isn’t she?
lol. LOVE IT, GIRL FRIEND! MORE PLEASE! *holds out cyber plate*
lamub,
Em
YES it better be William!!! Ha ha the William in my story is like the exact opposite of this one…
because sandy said william now i HAVE to say delmont…
so: DELMONT DELMONT!
*chokes* um, excuse me?! delmont is not NEARLY as handsome as william, he flirts with everyone and he’s too touchy-feely. NO THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
and what do you mean? what’s wrong with william? he saved the ‘damsel in distress’ as it were.
*sigh* I DON’T LIKE LOVE TRIANGLES!!!!! I HATE THEM!!!! YOU KNOW THAT!!!!!
over and out,
Myth
*looks over william’s meeting with anna*
what’s wrong with william??? you didn’t really explain in your comment.
what, is he brash? forward? rude? any-other-adjectives-of-rude? WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM?!?!?!?!?
em, i will say this one more time.
I HATE LOVE TRIANGLES. well,i do and i don’t – but, oh, thank you for making my mixed-up head even more mixed-up!!!!
stop laughing. this is not funny.
*myth starts to laugh too* okay, it’s ridiculous.
but please explain what is wrong with william. LOL
and besides, delmont may seem all cutesy-wutesy ‘totally in love’ and stuff, and i can see why you might pity him, but you aren’t gonna think that later on in the story. he’s gonna get worse, gray.
OR YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE ME SECOND-GUESS MYSELF IN MYSTIFYING WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH MY HEAD HURTS!!!!!!
over and out and ready-to-explode-with-confusion,
Myth
ty for your comments though
not mad at you, of course. i mean, i am in the sense that my head hurts now, but – you get it xD
nah jk please do that. seriously. make me think extra hard about stuff and consider things i haven’t considered for my stories. keep it up, even if my head DOES hurt.
the only thing i can think of is that maybe you (which would shock me, you of all people thinking this) think that william isn’t romantic enough.
or daring enough.
whaaaaaaaatever.
that was the whole point. he wasn’t going to be i’m-a-romantic-pushy-creep, like delmont.
if i have to make you hate delmont i will . . .
*sigh*
my head still hurts!!!! thank you SO much!
lol
oh. *politely* i’m SO sorry. *to delmont* delmont, apparently you’re not NEARLY as handsome as william. apparently you can’t be a misunderstood character that anna falls in love with *grows passionate* because delmont is really different under his gause of not caring – or that he changes because he really does love anna. apparently ANNA AND MYTH ARE SHALLOW AND THE MAIN CHARACTER WILL ONLY BE ALLOWED TO END UP WITH WILLIAM BECAUSE HE IS SOOOOO HANDSOME! *add sarcastic swoon here* *then calmly* so sorry, delmont.
*glares* ray, i’m astounded by you…
ok, honestly, my main problem with william? he’s not delmont. other then that…
but on a more serious note: when you said william smirked a lot? you seemed to use it overly. and it gave him an ego. and smirking can also be mean if given by certain people you barely know. i’m just saying. that’s probably part of what rubbed me wrong…
but: you’re the author. so i don’t get a choice. you’ll decide in the end. i can only watch.
and: remember, you hold delmont’s heart in your hand! *sweetly*
ciao,
no pressure,
Em
And william’s!!!! It would be so perfect!!!! You don’t create a character that she can’t stand, add one that SAVES her from the first, then decide mr. Fatman McFlirt is ok after all!!! Lol, maybe he’s not fat, but just bear with me – I need to insult him!!! That would be like Cindy and Dan (not that anyone remembers my stupid story anymore), or you and – haha I won’t even say who I was thinking of
uh, actually, YOU CAN have ‘fatman mcflirt’ be anna’s “one true love *gag gag*” (cuz i love and hate romance). it’s a classic red herring, sandy.
and.. *persuasively* it would be a great twist, myth… think about it… please?
<3 !!!
-Em
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem *whines*
idk. maybe.
gray, the fact that william is more handsome is NOT the reason that anna would fall in love with him. the reason she would fall in love with him is because he is not stuck on himself and he’s not a fatman mcflirt (btw, lieutenant sanders, i was laughing out loud over that name xD).
idk. we’ll see.
and will was not supposed to be sarcastic or haughty or anything – and i will obviously have to change that since it seems that way to you.
but ICK em even if she DID fall in love with delmont i would want a diff. name! that was just one chosen on the spot coz i needed to name him.
you know, for someone who hates romance you really come up with HARD AND CONFUSING AND MAKING-SENSE-WHEN-I-DON’T-WANT-THEM-TO LOVE TRIANGLES.
idk. i’ll think about it.
*stares at em for a minute* BUT EM YOU –
heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey. there’s an idea.
I COULD TAKE WILLIAM OUT OF THE STORY AND HAVE IT JUST BE ABOUT HOW ANNA AND DELMONT-WHO-NEEDS-A-NEW-NAME FALL IN LOVE!!!!!!!!
OH thank you em for COMPLICATING EVERYTHING!!!
and try to remember, myth, that you TOLD her to do that. said it was good for your brain.
SHUT UP!!! I DON’T WANT TO HEAR REASON RIGHT NOW!!! SHUSH SHUSH SHUSH SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH!!!!!!!!!!!
how childish.
GIRLS!!!! THAT’S ENOUGH!!!
sorry.
*echoes* sorry.
delmont got plastic surgery – and eye-color changing surgery. not anything drastic, but go check it out.
now he needs name transformation. not the last name – i like it. but the first name, yes.
this does NOT mean, however, that i am going to make her fall in love with him, em.
but it is a possibility.
lieu. sanders, i’m sorry if it does happen – it was NOT my original choice. but your sister had to go and make me THINK.
i don’t like thinking.
except this could work . . . and it would take me out of my comfort zone . . .
ha ha. i am SO very ridiculous. *all fellow WEans nod and agree passionately*
over and out,
Myth
i remember your story, lieu. sanders, AND YOU BETTER MAKE DAN AND CINDY FALL IN LOVE OR PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!!!!
sandy, explain to the confused WEans what exactly i mean by ‘pancake’.
>:)
oh i’m soooo sorry for giving you a plot that makes your head hurt!
YAY! *high fives delmont* you get a second chance! now, *firmly*, delmont, do NOT ruin this, ok? WE ARE GOING TO KNOCK ANNA’S SOCKS OFF, RIGHT?!
or whatever they wore then. no socks? tights? leggings?
now, off to go reread the chaaapp!
ciao,
Emia
don’t die of shock, but i’m pretty sure it’s gonna be delmont now.
and i’m also gonna un-create william. sorry, karrie, but there’s no point in having him in this story. he’ll make things harder for me.
so now the story shall just be about a girl forced into a courtship with a man she DEspises . . .
but don’t worry. i have a basic long-term plan for this story.
so, that’s that
over and out,
Myth
But myth, don’t take this the wrong way, but ARE YOU INSANE?!?!?! ARE YOU COMPLETELY CRAZY?!?! If she HAS to marry Fatman McFlirt, then you need to seriously change his character!!!! And you can’t just have one guy… At least make her like William the Normal White Knight first! Then she decides that Fatty Flirtface is ok after all!!! But in reality she’s being STUPID just like a certain person named… um… Legend.
Wow. You guys. Wow. You guys are really into this.
Because it’s a matter of life and death!!! Poor Anna’s fate lies in the hands of a crazy goon who is gonna destroy the story!!!
If she’s gonna have Anna fall in love with Flirty-pants, how can I trust her?
You can. Have faith!
But I can’t!
Why not?
BECAUSE SHES CRAZY.
Sandy! *scolds* That’s rude! What would even make you say that?
Her craziness… her insanity… her overwhelming similarity to me…
*compares Sandy and Raven14* Um…nope! Don’t see it.
Um… nope! Don’t KNOW her! Go on Obtaining Muse and look at the videos. Things like “World War 3″ and “Laura the Amazing Opera Singer.” she’s just as crazy as I am, if not more so.
That’s just her being goofy! So what?
So she’s crazy like me. Myth, back me up on this. Tell her you’re crazy.
Myth? Please don’t say you’re crazy! Don’t think that way of yourself! If you do, we’ll have to send to you an insane asylum or something!! I don’t want to do that!!!
Ashden, she won’t be sent to an asylum. Don’t worry. If all the crazy people were sent where they belong, there wouldn’t be a lot of people left.
Like who?
Definately not Myth or me.
Ha ha definitely not
And wow my goodness I can’t believe this thing has FORTY-ONE COMMENTS (well, counting this one it’s 42) . . . LOL!!!!!!!