Estelle

Chapter Four

Upon arriving at Whitevale Manor, my family's main residence, our group was met by the butler who led us to the drawing room, and announced our arrival.  Mother and Lucille were already there, waiting for us to begin.  Upon spotting James with us, a warm smile broke out on mother's face.

"Well this is a welcome surprise!  It has been a while hasn't it James?"

"Yes, but you haven't changed at all Lady Genevieve," James replied, placing a light kiss on the back of mother's hand.

"You are always welcome here.  I'm sure Luc would enjoy seeing a familiar face.  Beth, go get another tea set for our guest."  With that, Beth left the room and moments later returned with the extra set in hand for James.  "Sit , sit everyone and let me know how your day was."

Rosaline, Gabrielle, and Julienne broke into a description of today, and what their new dresses will look like while the rest of us watched and listened in silence.  As the conversation turned to mother, I noticed that Rosaline kept stealing glances at James sitting beside me, who was seemingly intently listening to mother's gossiping.  Unlike our brother, James did not choose a wife last year during the Season.  I knew how Rosaline's mind worked and that she had a crush on James, not that I blame her.  Though despite her age, she was still trying to get his attention on to her.  Rosalind was too focused on her own task that she didn't realize where James would occasionally direct his attention.  Like Rosaline, James would steal glances at Julienne, who repaid him the favor.  James looked absolutely smitten when they made eye contact, and if mother noticed, many problems would be coming their way.

In order to protect the two from scandal, and Julienne from possible loss of her lady-in-waiting title, I swiftly elbowed James as he was putting a pastry in his mouth.  The pastry crumbled out of his hand and he shot me a glare.  In response, I shifted my gaze to Julienne, for both of them to get the message.  The others didn't take notice of these glances as they were giggling at the face value of James' clumsiness.

"Well with that, I think it's time for a walk.  Would you care to join us James?" mother asked, standing up from her seat.

Before James could respond, I stood up to excuse myself.  "I'm sorry mother, but I will not be joining you today.  I need to rest from all of the excitement this morning."

"Of course dear.  Now James, are you coming with the rest of us?"

"I would love to but I'm afraid I have some business to attend to with your son and at home.  Perhaps another time."

I left the room and slowly started heading for my room, waiting for mother and the others to leave for their walk.  Soon their voices drifted away and are replaced by heavy footsteps.  James rounded the corner, looking quite annoyed.

"What was that for?" he asked once he reached where I stood in the hallway.

"I was protecting you and Julienne from mother.  You don't hide your feelings very well," I replied, noting a glimmer of anger brightening his blue eyes.

As he processed my words, the anger melted away into something resembling guilt.  Casting his eyes downward, he asked, "Was it really that noticeable?"

"Based on the fact you never once noticed Rosaline doing the same thing, then yes.  How long have you two been...?" I drifted off, for some reason afraid of his answer.

"After the Winter Masquerade."  

The Winter Masquerade was a huge social event held each year by father.  Anybody who was anybody attended, and many upcoming debutantes attended during the year before their Season.  All attendees wore masks with corresponding costumes.  The masks are never removed during the ball to keep an air of mystery to the event, as the rules and tradition states.  It was very scandalous if - no, when -  word got out if a couple removed their masks at any point during the night.  For James and Julienne to have been 'together' since the masquerade, they would've had to break tradition and remove their masks.

As the realization I felt was surely displayed on my face, James' cheeks began to redden.

"So you broke tradition and risked scandal," I murmured to myself, more or less thinking out loud.  Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, "You didn't ruin her did you?"

"No, no!  Of course not!  Why would you think that?"

"I didn't think you actually would have but I had to know for sure."

"Please don't tell anyone."

"You know I won't.  I very nearly bruised you in order for you to not get caught.  You'll both be ruined if it gets out though."

"Thank you, Stelle.  I owe you for this."

"I'll be sure to remember that.  Luc is most likely in the study if you actually want to see hime before you leave."

James pulled me into a hug before retreating back down the hallway to the study.  Slowly I returned to my bedroom, where I sat down on a chair by the window to think.  If there was already this much drama and near scandal before the Season officially starts, what's going to happen there?