Jacqueline, or Jacy as she prefers to be called, woke up with the sun entering the window. Shining through onto her bed and upon the cover of her book since she forgot to shut the drapes last night. This made her smile.

The thought in her mind was how great that book was as she peeled it off her face. She had stayed awake quite late just to finish it, before falling asleep just as she was reaching its climax. She hadn't quite made it.

After laying there for quite some time, thinking about how the book could end but not looking at it to see, she finally got up and instead, sat at her vanity. Looking into the mirror with a look of despair, she thought about how her father would never allow her to write her own books. That was man's work; writing, and only by men who had been crippled by war. She hated him for that. Staring at her reflection, Jacy noticed a fairer shine in her dark brown messy locks today, as they hung loosely around her shoulders. Her favourite feature, her sharp grey eyes, which stood out from her reflection, shining in this morning sun that was streaming through her window.

Walking over to her wardrobe, in the corner of her room, she chose to wear an embroidered off-white gown. Probably, a little fancier than she should wear today, but that didn't matter. Jacy realised she hadn't bother to braid her hair last night, so she hastily tucked it up under a bonnet. Not ideal for her liking, which only made her wish again that the family had more money for a curling iron.

Once ready, she left the estate as soon as possible; she wasn't hungry enough this morning to deal with the criticisms from her father, she just needed to walk. So she walked to the town, which wasn't too far, as the Weatherby estate was one of the closest to it. The next closest would be the Danford's, who were more well-off than them. Everyone was better off than the Weatherby's.

Her mind was so focused on her family's standing this morning, that as she rounded the corner, she walked right into a gentleman. Connecting her shoulder with his upper abdomen, her head was pushed briefly into his chest and tilted down to stare at his shoes. Black leather ones with a large gold buckle across the top. Jacy raised her head up to look at the man in the eye and apologise, but an apology escaped her mind when she saw who it was.

The man was taller than her. If she were staring straight ahead, her eyes would be level with his bare chin. Stepping back she saw who this staunch man was, with his wet sandy-coloured tousled hair and trimmed moustache that seemed to leave his nostrils and crawl down to sit undisturbed at the top of his lip. It was Laurent; a friend she hadn't seen him in years and didn't even know was back.

"Hello, Laurent," she greeted politely.

He smiled as he gazed upon her. "Oh hello, Jacy, it has been too long since seeing you. You have changed so much, if you weren't still walking around in your own little world then I would not recognise you."

"Are you calling me clumsy, Laurent?" She folded her arms across her chest as if she were offended.

He smiled a smile that Jacy had missed all these years. "No, I call you a dreamer. Although clumsy would not be wrong either." He laughed, which lead Jacy to do so also. "So how have you been all this time? Any suitors?"

"I have been well, keeping away from my mother's teachings to be a wife and hiding with my books. How have you been?" She kept her gaze on him, he looked good. Not having seen him in a number of years, he had matured. Leaving the last of his boyish looks behind since entering his twenties.

"I have been good too. Studying at Oxford was torture, absolute agony, though I must say it pays off. I have learned many skills that may help me, and in six months, I shall become a qualified scholar."

A frown appeared upon Jacy face at his words. "Oxford. I heard it was there you went to attend. How interesting was it?"

"Quite. Maybe you have heard of a particular scandal that happened with a man being caught in the act of love with a lady he wasn't married to? I met that man once and I must say he seemed charming." Laurent smiled, a tight-lipped smile. He hadn't seemed to notice her sudden downcast expression. "Yet, Oxford is a very good place for nobility to become more eligible." He still hadn't noticed her lack of response as she focused on nothing in particular to his right. He simply continued the conversation by asking, "How is your family? I have heard that Aliana grew up to be a fine young lady."

Finding some comfort in his ability to move the conversation on without bringing attention to her shift in mood. She nodded and focused back on him. "Yes, she has, I suppose. I don't see her taking a husband, however."

"I'm sure she will," Laurent muttered the response, which seemed without interest and feeling.

"She may... It is nice that you are finally back." Jacy gave him a small smile, wondering if he had thought of her during his time away from Harrogate, as much as she had thought of him.

"Well, that's nice to hear." Tipping the angle of his chin, he looked down at her. "Say, I would like to invite you and the Weatherby family to the ball my family are hosting tomorrow night? I am sure you will hear more details from your parents, but I feel a personal invitation was what was needed as well."

Jacy felt the warmth in her cheeks again, even though she had been to plenty of balls before. Laurent personally asking her to attend sounded much better than her parents simply telling her that she was to go. "I would love to, I'm sure they will tell me more when I get home."

He nodded and smiled before saying, "Excuse me now, I should look for my sister, as we must be getting home soon. Farewell." Then he continued on in the direction he had been going, leaving Jacy standing there, her mind excited about the invitation she had just received.

***

A little while later, once Jacqueline arrived home, she went straight into the parlour. A small room with a faded pale chaise lounge and a frayed armchair of almost the same colouring. Along with a small fireplace and an old grand piano that her father had insisted be squeezed into the room, even if it took over half the space.

Her sister, who was eighteen, a year older than Jacqueline, spoke out from another room. "Jacy, is that you?" Some scuffling and clinks of china rattling together could be heard through the wall, then she walked into the parlour. "Where have you been?"

Jacy spun around to face her, taking in her sister's appearance. Her hair is slightly darker than Jacy's, and longer too. It was out today and draped over her shoulders. Aliana's skin was a shade darker than Jacy's as well and she had their mother's long, distinct face and round brown eyes, which seemed to glow as she stared at her questioningly.

"I was talking to Laurent. He got back from Oxford, and his family are throwing a ball," she told her sister, sitting down on the chaise lounge. Aliana came over and sat gracefully beside her, balancing on the edge.

"Oooh, Laurent, your sweet friend." Aliana smiled and nudged her playfully. Then let out a sound that most would have known to be a sigh if hadn't been so quiet. "Mother and Father will expect us to go to this ball and we should be prepared to court the men..." She stopped, looking away. Was she going to say something else? Jacy did not know, but whatever it was, Aliana was not going to tell her. Not today anyway.

Instead, Jacy sighed, a real one, and then laughed at the comparison she had made in her mind between both sighs. "Yes, he is my friend and a good one at that, though I'm sure there are many other girls who are a better fit for him. Every ball we attend, mother wishes us to be courting men of wealth."

"Jacqueline, you-"

"Jacy, please." 

"-Give up far too easily," Aliana continued, not noticing the interruption. "At the ball, you should ask him to dance. If not you then hopefully he will ask." She smiled brightly. "Just like in those romance novels you read." 

Jacy realised she was teasing again and gave another sigh. "Those novels are so beautiful unlike what you are suggesting."

"They are also unreasonable." She stood up. 

Voices were heard from the entrance. Then a moment later, "Excuse me." They looked over at the door where their servant stood. "Mr Aaron Hennicker is here." 

Aliana frowned. "Why is he here?", she asked retorhically. "Tell him we are busy readying ourselves for the Beausants' ball that is tomorrow night."

"I know you well enough to know that isn't true, my sweet chuck." Mr Hennicker entered, walking around the servant who backed out of the room. Aliana growled at the back of her throat, which seemed out of character considering the way she held herself. He bowed at her and winked at Jacy. "Miss Weatherby, Miss Jacy, what a fine day to happen upon your delightful faces."

Jacy felt her body's warmth rush to her face when he winked at her. "Hello Aaron, it's nice to see you." Aaron Hennicker was tall man with a ruggedly handsome face. His light brown hair had grown down to his lobes and it looked as if he been had caught in the wind. Today, he was clean-shaven, at least.

"Honestly, Mr Hennicker, I ask that you try not to offend my little sister with your flirtatious habits. Neither shall you address me as yours, nor any kind of animal." He smiled in kind at how angry she was by his presence and walked closer to where Jacy was sitting. "What is it we can do for you?"

Aaron had known Aliana longer and Jacy had wished she knew him quite as well as her sister. Maybe then such a handsome gentleman would be looking at her the same way as he is now looking at Aliana, while she wore the expression of anger. Finally he responded casually, "Nothing too serious. I was only here to see if you informed of the Beausants' ball?"

Aliana relaxed her face. "Yes, we were. Jacqueline is friends with their son."

"Jacy," she muttered.

"How eager are your parents in the marriage to one of them?", he asked.

Jacy shifted in her seat, enjoying the banter between them. It was similar to the characters in her books; the story of two people well-suited for one another, yet something held them back. Aaron was a huge flirt and he knew it, but what is this about marriage, Jacy hadn't a clue. "I did not know we were going to be marrying one of them." She looked over at Aliana curiously, who was only rubbing her temples in what could only be described as beautiful annoyance. 

"He means it as a general statement, Jacqueline. Nothing more." She then gave Aaron a challenging look, although Jacy wasn't sure what it meant.

Aaron ignored Aliana and raised a brow toward Jacy like she should already know the answer. "Is not it obvious? A rich family returns. The girls will obviously be fawning over him, and the women too. Your mother has not yet informed you?"

"I think that's quite enough, Mr Hennicker. Did you only come to know what we plan to do with the Beausants, as if they are merely prizes at the market?", Aliana answered, more firmly this time.

He only smirked with a shrug. "Is that not exactly what they are?"

Jacy watched their conversation, a tickling sensation stirred in her head and she felt it better that they be on their own. "Will you excuse me, Mr Hennicker? I hope you have a good day." At that, she gave him a small and slightly uncomfortable curtsey before leaving the room and climbing the stairs to her room.

Sitting at her vanity, she thought for a moment. Thinking about the conversation, replaying it in her head. Over and over and over again.