Pirates and Peonies

2. A Choice

© 2013, Chenille Whitehead. Except as provided by the Copyright Act 1956 no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher

2. A Choice

"Ahh, good evening Lord and Lady Starling!" Cecily's parents were greeted at the entrance of the Town hall by a doorman, who offered to take their outdoor garments. Cecily quickly shrugged off her shawl and handed it to him, before being ushered inside.

The town hall was the grandest and oldest building of the town. From the outside, it looked almost like something from ancient Rome with its tall marble pillars that held up a stately, elaborately decorated roof. The roman statues that adorned the entrance-way were majestic, cold-hard art forms depicting the figures of an empire long diminished. Their faces and bodily expressions conveying love, anguish and pain. Cecily couldn't help but run her fingers along them as she entered the main ballroom for the last time.

The large rectangular room was easily a hundred square meters, large enough to fit thirty round tables, which encircled a large area for dancing. The walls were of a regal print, with brightly coloured borders that were said to be plated with gold. Portraits of the gentry, past and present, hung above the tables, smirking above the guests who chattered and danced below them. Their faces immortalised for all of time. The walls were broken up by ceiling-to-floor windows that were adorned with thick velvet curtains, a deep royal blue to match the plush carpet beneath the guests' feet. As Cecily stepped inside the room, she saw that there were at least a hundred people inside. A small string band was playing a popular tune in the far corner, the sweet melody intermingling with the chattering of the guests.

Cecily and her parents made their way across the room to their designated table, Table de les Rêves. This was the finest table the hall had to offer and was always reserved for the most distinguished guests. It was usually occupied by only the Bishops and the Walters, who were the richest and most powerful members of society. That night, however, their family was invited to join them. This ball was being thrown in honour of their mighty voyage. The King himself had entrusted them with this royal mission to keep order in the lands at the farthest stretch of his kingdom. Sir Bishop, the local baron and land owner of the area, thought it only fitting that the Starlings joined them at their table.

As the Starlings made their way across the room, they were greeted by a mass of people who wished to speak to the great family who were about to set sail for the New World. They had become somewhat famous as the news of their departure and King's favour had spread. Everyone wanted to know the Starlings. Perhaps they think our "luck" will rub off on them, Cecily thought as she curtsied for the fifth time. They'd been invited to more balls and soirees this last month than she had been invited to in her entire life. Her friend, Marie-Ann, believed that people were of her father's mind. They believed her father would achieve great things over in Jamaica and would come back some sort of rich nobleman.

Cecily despised all the attention that they were receiving. She was perfectly contented with her old friends, and didn't see why her family needed all these new ones, who were just interested in riding on their "good fortune". Leaving her parents to make small talk, wondering if they would ever reach their table, Cecily decided to go and speak with Marie-Ann, who she had just spotted across the room.

Marie-Ann had been Cecily's closest friend since childhood. They had lived next door growing up, and had even shared the same governess. They were as close as sisters and told each other everything. There were no secrets between herself and Marie-Ann, and whenever Cecily was upset about something she would go to Marie-Ann first, not her mother.