Mordecai had offered to go out riding, just the two of us, after luncheon. Sadly I had to turn him down due to my etiquette lessons that I knew Mother would not allow me to miss. So there I sat at the dining table trying my best to eat a bowl of soup properly. Ms. Abrams, my governess, chiding me every few seconds on my poor eating skills. I ate either too much or too little, accidentally slurped, or leaned forward too much.
I finished around half of the soup before Ms. Abrams told me I had enough, that proper ladies never stuffed themselves. We moved on to practicing my walking. She placed three thick books on my head and told me to walk forward.
"Now Mary, your guests have arrived, how should you greet them?"
I focussed on not dropping the books as I spoke, "I am so glad you could make it."
"No Lord Collins will address the guests; you will not speak the entire evening unless spoken directly to. Gosh child were you raised in the stables! Head high and shoulders back!"
"Sorry Ms." I replied and fixed my posture, so far not dropping any books.
"Why your parents even bother with you I haven't the slightest idea."
Ms. Abrams spent the rest of the evening criticizing every mistake I made. I was so relieved when the clock chimed signalling that it was seven o'clock. Ingrid heaped me into one of my evening gowns and I headed to the dining room. Everyone had arrived shortly before me and was standing by their chairs waiting. The servants pulled out the chairs for us and we all sat down. Father, sitting at the end of the table, extended his hands to my mother and Mordecai who then joined hands with me and Corrine.
Bowing our heads father spoke, "For what we are about to receive, may the lord make us truly grateful. Amen."
We all mumbled amen and started gathering food on our plates. Just like always my birthday dinner was extravagant with different types of chicken, duck and beef all served with a special sauce. It smelled amazing, but I remembered what Ms. Abrams had said about ladies never filling themselves. I took only small portions of everything and took small bites, chewing numerous times before swallowing.
"Comment est votre français?" Corrine spoke directing her attention towards me.
"Je vais mieux chaque jour," I responded, "Je rencontre des problèmes avec passe composée."
"Très bien, J'ai un conseil utile pour le passe composée."
"Je voudrais l'entendre parfois,"
"Bien sûr!" She smiled and drew her attention back to the plate in front of the plate.
The dinner continued with my mother discussing all of the latest gossip and fashion trends in France. It was when Corrine had started talking about the opera that my brother had taken her to that I stopped listening.
"Mary," I heard my brother whisper from across the table, "How about we go for that ride after dinner?"
"I would love that," I whispered back.
*********
After dinner we excused ourselves and got our riding clothes on. Mordecai, finishing first, had been waiting outside my door. Once at the stable Lucian had gotten both our horses ready. Mordecai's horse, Aspen, looks happy to finally be getting out of the stables. I had rode her a couple times while Mordecai was away, but she had never been as fond of me as she had of him. It was always like Aspen was just an extension of himself when he rode her. Soon Lucian was done with our horses; Mordecai looked over my horse and then helped me up onto Nirvana. I watched as Mordecai got onto his horse with ease and silently wished that I was able to wear pants instead of this bulky dress, it would make life so much simpler.
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Lords and Bandits (#Wattys2017)
Random"We are merely stealing from a society in which has given nothing to us." ********* Mary has never had any desire to get married, in fact she despises almost everything about marriage. In 1864 marriages among the upper class were still more of a bus...
Chapter 2
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