Chasing Hope [COMPLETE]

5. An Inconvenient Truth

AN: Yes, I stole the chapter title from Al Gore. Disclaimer. This is the last chapter of this paaaaart. Enjoy❤️

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Hope sat in front her her vanity in her spacious, yellow colored bedroom. She wanted to look perfect for the ball. Hope told herself it was because she had put so much effort into planning it. She choose not to dwell on the fact that Jonathan would be there, and that her desire to look beautiful might have something to do with his presence. It didn't do well dwell on such thoughts. Not when she would be seeing him in two short hours and the thought made her want to simultaneously retch up and break into song.

After fussing with her hair quite a bit and trying multiple styles, Hope decided on a curly updo, with tendrils that framed her face and left a few loose cures that fell around the nape of her neck. She had chosen a sage green dress to bring out the green in her eyes two days before. The darker color was an unusual choice for a ball, but she felt it would draw attention; whether or not it was positive attention was another question. She added white gloves and a few small white flowers to her hair as finishing touches. Taking one last glance in the full length mirror, Hope decided that what she saw was as good as it could get and made her way out of the room to her waiting father.

"Darling," Herbert began as he watched his daughter descend the stairs gracefully. "You look lovely, as always."

"Thank you, father. Are you ready to head out?" Hope replied as she took her father's arm in her own while walking to the carriage.

"Lead the way."

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After a carriage ride, albeit a short one, of listening to her father make not-so-subtle hints about balls being good husband-hunting locations, Hope had forgotten all nervousness and was just pleased get away from her father's nagging.

Hope and Herbert had arrived early so Hope could help prepare and Herbert could enjoy a cigar with the older Mr. Langston.

After the two parted ways, Hope sprinted for the ballroom, not noticing when she bumped into something rather large and quite hard.

She heard the rather large and quite hard something chuckle deeply before speaking. "It's not very lady-like to run about hallways."

Hope took a step back to look up at Jonathan, whose voice she recognized immediately. "And it's not very gentleman-like to loiter about hallways lady's are running down."

That drew another laugh from Jonathan. "Even if it's the gentleman's own home?"

"Especially if it's his own home." Hope said with false bravado.

"Then I sincerely apologize for my ungentlemanly behavior. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?" Jonathan said with mock sorrow and a twinkle in his eyes.

"You assume I have a heart to find forgiveness in." Hope joked. "A grave mistake."

Neither noticed the arrival of Mrs. Langston, who watched the exchange with a twinkle of her own. "Hope, dear, come help me with the decorations. You two can tease each other at the ball while dancing with one another instead of around one another."

Both Hope and Jonathan blushed to the roots of their hair, and refused to look at one another as Hope followed Mrs. Langston and Jonathan went to join his father and Mr. Edwards.