Page 4 of The Duke's Last Dance
Then, she started up the stairs. She would have to make sure that her room was ready to receive all the trunks she had brought. This year, she had not brought as many trunks as she might have otherwise. She was to receive an entire wardrobe of new fancy dresses for the Season, so she had left the ones she would have brought in the countryside.
Catherine had also left dresses here, ones that were the wrong color for the time she would spend in the countryside. However, with the end of each Season, those often became dresses she could no longer wear to events. She had to wear them out and about or around the house. What they would do with these dresses now that she was emptying out her wardrobe to make room for the dresses her mother would have her fitted for tomorrow, she had no idea.
She took in a deep breath, the cinnamon wafting up from the kitchen. She wished it had been pine trees, but all the windows were closed, and for good reason. It looked like there would be another snowstorm.
Catherine entered her room, and found it exactly as she had left it, pretty much. There was a little bit of dust in the room, but that was to be expected. Not every room could be dusted every day.
“Lady Catherine!” Amelia’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “You’ve arrived.”
“Yes, I have arrived, Amelia.” She smiled.
Her handmaid walked into the room. Lady’s maid was the more fashionable term for her position, but Catherine had grown up being told that Amelia was her handmaid. Whatever the term for the position, she was glad to see Amelia.
“How was the Season in the countryside?” Amelia had a large trunk in her arms as she walked into the room.
The luggage was coming into the house.
“The Season in the countryside was good, as it usually is.” Catherine shrugged. “There was nothing too unusual, and all the excitement will be happening here in Town this Season.”
“You debut to society this Season?” Amelia’s eyes sparkled.
Catherine nodded.
“’Tis wonderful to hear, Lady!” The handmaid smiled as she set the trunk down. “Would you like me to start unpacking the trunks as they come in, or do you want to wait until they have all been brought up?”
“Wait until they have all been brought up to the room, please, Amelia.” Catherine smiled. “Do you have time to sit and catch up?”
“If you wish it, I can do so.” Amelia smiled.
Catherine simply motioned to the chair by her writing desk. Amelia gladly sat down, and Catherine sat on the bed.
“What do you think this Season will be like, ma’am?” Her handmaid did not bother much with the things that had happened in the countryside, and Catherine did not blame her.
She shared her hopes with Amelia. There would be plenty of people to court, and she would be introduced to many suitors this Season, she hoped. Somewhere in her heart, she wanted to know that Nicolas Lockhart would be there too, but she did not share this with Amelia.
It had been far too long since she last saw him…
The trunks were now being brought in by the butlers, and when all the trunks had been brought in, Catherine stood up.
“We should get all of this put away now…” She did not want to, knowing how much time it had taken to pack all the trunks to begin with. “There’s so much of it…”
“There always is, Lady Catherine,” Amelia replied. “Come. Let me get it unpacked, and you continue to sit on the bed and tell me of what you wish to see this Season. It must be so exciting, debuting into the society like this.” Her handmaid smiled. “I wish I could be debuted as elegantly as you surely will be.”
“I wish the same for you, Amelia, but sometimes, there is nothing one can do about it.” Catherine sighed.
They continued to talk as Amelia started to move the trunks around and get everything packed up. The trunks had survived many trips back and forth between the country and Town with all the Seasons that had happened. At least one of the smaller trunks had been her main travel trunks when she was a child; they were well-made and lasted alongtime.
Her mother had made sure they had gotten her good quality trunks.
Soon enough, her handmaid was putting the last of the stuff in her wardrobe.
“I hope you are able to enjoy your debut into society. It sounds as though your mother has a lot planned for getting you ready for the first ball of the Season,” Amelia mused. “Oh!”
Something clattered to the floor.
Catherine looked up from her nails. A small box had toppled to the floor, and it had opened.
“I’m so sorry, Lady Catherine.” Amelia knelt down to pick up the box and its contents.
