It was Serena who broke eye contact.
She needed to pull herself out of whatever this was.
She really should, but regardless of her denial, she knew she wasn't going to. If she didn't go about this the right way, one of them would undoubtedly get hurt and even though her heart had been trampled on, it shouldn't be a reason for her to do it to someone else.
But yet again, Ms. Gregory wasn't all sunshine and rainbows.
She could be arrogant, she could be sly and she could be conniving.
She needed to think of this as business.
Anna wanted something from her and she wanted something from Anna in return.
This was like an unspoken contract between two parties. A one sided contract that Anna didn't even know about.
How would she react if she were to find out that Serena was only doing all of this because of a motive? All because she wanted to know what her parents were hiding?
An aristocrat consulting with an illegal business woman? Something was certainly fishy about that, not mainly with the aristocracy but because of how strict they are in their beliefs. Well based on her observations, Martha's beliefs.
She glanced at Taylor Robins who was as jovial as can be, chatting with some guests and then turned her attention to Martha Robinson who was being introduced to some women by Elna.
Something was strange about Martha but she couldn't put her finger on it. The woman's disdain towards her wasn't unmissable but there was something else lurking behind closed doors and she was going to do everything within her power to find out what that was.
She was changing her goals, figuring that looking at it from a financial standpoint wasn't getting her anywhere. Taylor didn't have a problem with her at all and after slipping a few questions into her conversations with Anna, she wasn't getting much information.
Anna didn't hear or know of any financial troubles within her family.
Were he really just trying to expand?
It was all just a mystery and she needed to go about this differently. To add, she couldn't really put majority of her attention on this anyways, she was facing her own battles and right now, she was just hoping she came out victorious.
"Ms. Gregory?" Serena was pulled out of her thoughts, blinking a few times.
"I'm sorry Axwell," They had acquainted themselves quickly, to the point that they were now on first name basis. "I was in deep thought."
Axwell's confusion at her unresponsiveness dispersed and he was about to say something when a beautiful blonde interrupted their conversation.
"Axwell, Axwell, come here now. I want you to introduce me to this gentlemen."
"Pardon me." Axwell apologized for the rude halt to their conversation. "My sister can be a bit troublesome." He shook his head and the lady pouted, glancing at Serena. Serena nodded her head in understanding, she knew that all too well with her own sibling and wasn't offended by the intrusion. The blonde glanced at Serena with a look of confusion and suspicion, a look she knew all too well aside from the disdain.
"Ahh this is my eldest sister, Lady Emily McRodden. Emily this is Serena." Serena did a curt bow. "Nice to meet you."
Emily stared at Serena for a moment, it was only the nudge from her brother which coaxed her to actually respond, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment for a moment. "I apologize." She curtsied in return. "Nice to meet you as well."
Why did she look away? Was what crossed Anna's mind.
She knew they couldn't just stand there in a staring match but still, her chest tightened at the thought of being ignored and it worsened when she watched as Serena was 'introduced' to Axwell's sister. Jealously was an unfamiliar emotion to Anna and she didn't know how to handle it. She wished she could switch places with Emma at that moment but her wishes were felling on deaf ears. All she could do was stand there like a beautiful antique doll, polished so perfectly by her mother.
"I'm sorry for staring... It's just that I've never seen a woman like you before." Emily stated softly, trying her hardest not to sound rude.
She seemed to have completely forgotten about the gentlemen she wanted her brother to go fetch for her. Women weren't allowed to speak to men first at a ball and in turn, men were required to be introduced to women by the host but some didn't always follow the rules.
"I've heard that plenty of times, no harm done." Serena stated kindly. The same way she had this dark side to her, she was just as kind and understanding. However, sometimes the look of shock and judgement on the faces of others could be repetitive to the point of annoying.
Axwell who wanted to escape from his sister's nagging, just for tonight, decided to slip away and meet up with Elna who was having a conversation with Martha and some ladies. Martha had seemingly calmed down, some attention was on her and that was enough for now. Just as long as Serena knew her place.
Like a puppet being controlled by a puppet master, Serena couldn't help but glance into Anna's direction once again. Seeing how lonesome she appeared in a ball that was supposed to be fun was saddening... Once again, she was starting to get trapped into that blackhole of feelings that she wanted to so badly to avoid.
Serena forced herself to look away and like the impulsive person she was, she asked Emily a question she knew she may regret later down "Do you want to dance?"
At first Emily was hesitant but truthfully she was smitten by the charming aura of Ms. Gregory and almost like she was in a trance, she held up her dance card. Serena smiled, jotting down her name in cursive handwriting with a pen she brought with her. Emily would stare at it. It was the first time she had a woman's name in her dance card, the "Ms." at the beginning of Serena Gregory was as bold as day.
"Shall we?" Serena held out her arm and Emily slowly slide her own around it. As the pair made their way unto the dance floor where a few other pairs were getting situated, eyes were already on them. When Chopin waltz op 64 no 2 begins to play and the dancing starts, even more eyes were drawn unto the unusual.
With Emily's hand on Serena's shoulder and her hand firmly against Emily's waist they started dancing. Of course, many within the ball were eyeing Ms. Gregory's moments like a hawk, waiting to pounce on any error within her footwork but unfortunately for them, she was an excellent dancer. They quickly speed up to the music, gliding across the dance floor, staring intensely into each other's eyes.
It was a perfect distraction for Ms. Gregory, a way to get her mind straight before she did something heinous whilst for Anna, her heart ached watching as they danced their lives away to the sacred melody. It felt like someone had ripped their hand into her chest and was ever so steadily squeezing on her heart, with the final purpose of crushing it.
All conversations halted and everyone stared, no one even interested with the others sharing the floor with Emily and Serena.
Anna felt something dry and painful lodging in her throat but she couldn't swim in her wallowing for long as the hard grip on Anna's arm pulled her away from the scene.
"We are leaving." Martha stated between gritted teeth, dragging Anna away before she could say anything.
Anna knew better than to fight her mother on this and honestly, she wanted to leave as well. She could never ask her mother to leave a ball and to give herself some comfort, she deluded herself into believing that they were leaving because of her mother's recognition of her own feelings of dejection and envy, not because her mother was upset that the attention was on Ms. Gregory.
Her father was signaled by her mother, a stern look which revealed she wanted to leave and Taylor did not want to get on his wife's bad side tonight so he agreed.
On the ride home, it was silent and Anna couldn't believe she actually wanted her mother to talk like she usually did. This night hadn't gone to plan like her mother had wanted. Her daughter hadn't found a suitor and although she was the star of the ball for a brief moment, it did not last long... not like Anna enjoyed being at the end of people's conversations like her mother.
Anna had gotten at least one of her wishes granted, she was able to see Ms. Gregory again but the context wasn't in her favor. She had to watch her from a distance, as she conversed and then danced with another women.
In moments like these, she wondered if she would be able to continue this secretive 'affair' with Ms. Gregory. An affair? Could she even call it that? What was she to Ms. Gregory anyways?
When they arrived home, Anna went straight to her room. She wanted to undress and go to sleep as soon as possible. Dorothy saw her coming up the stairs and smiled, hoping to hear about how extravagant the ball was.
Dorothy with her low class would never be able to attend a ball so she enjoyed hearing her Anna's stories, even though majority of the time Anna spent it on the sidelines but at least she was attending.
However, when Dorothy saw that sad look on Anna's face, she immediately knew that the ball hadn't been as enjoyable as she had hoped and thus her own smile faltered. She decided not to pester her, allowing Anna her space for now and watched as she went into her room. The only time Dorothy went bothered Anna was to softly tell her that a bathe had been prepared for her.
Anna wouldn't have responded, she had already taken off her dress and undone her beautiful hairdo by herself. She didn't bother to brush her hair, just slide unto her bed in her naked glory and underneath the covers. For a moment, she just sat there staring into the dark abyss of her room. She thought back to the ball and brought a pillow to her face, muffling her screams of frustration.
✧༺♥༻∞
When the dance finished, Serena gave a final bow to Emily. She glanced into the direction of Anna but was perturbed to see she was no longer there.
"You seem very distracted." Emily stated when they walked off from the center of the ball and the dancers after them headed into their slots.
"You don't say." Serena frowned, picking up a glass of white wine that was being served and drank it to keep her mind off of Anna.
"Well, word for the wise Ms. Gregory, if something is bothering you so dearly, you should probably do something about it." She smiled, picking up a glass for herself and moving over to her brother.
Serena placed the empty glass down, scoffing as she couldn't believe she was so visibly distracted that she was getting advice now. For a moment, she planned to ignore Emily's words but something told her to just... to just go for it.
She needed to tell Anna the truth. It was the right thing to do.
Serena gathered her walking stick, said her goodbyes to Elna and Axwell before heading down to the Robin's household.
✧༺♥༻∞
Anna couldn't remember how she had fallen asleep.
After taking her bathe, she was back in bed again, feeling sorry for herself and within a second, she was out like a light. She awoke to the sound of something tapping against her window and with furrowed yet tired eyebrows, she got out of bed and walked towards it. Whilst rubbing the sleep away from her eyes, she was surprised to see those pebbles being thrown against the glass of her window was what was making the tapping sound. She pulled open her window and peeped below, having to hold back a gasp when she saw it was Ms. Gregory.
She quickly ducked below her window, her hair was a tangled mess, and she didn't want to be seen in such a pitiful state.
"Anna, did I come at a bad time?" Serena asked, staring up at the window, no longer seeing the woman. She had a quick glance and that was it.
"Ah n-no, it's fine." Anna stuttered but didn't stand back up, still hiding. "Was there something you needed? It's very late." She said, glancing at the sky to see how late or early it was.
"I wanted to have a word with you, would it be alright if you came down for just a brief moment?" There was a gentleness in Serena's tone and for Anna, it was enough to make her decision quickly.
"Uh... Okay, just a second." Anna pulled the curtains back over her window and finally stood up. She started to panic internally.
Serena was standing outside her window... The Serena, the same woman that was the cause of her turmoil. What was going on?
She turned to look at her mirror, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness of her room and viewing the reflection of her curvaceous figure in her blue, transparent night gown. She thought back to what Dorothy said to her.
If she wanted something, she needed to get it and well, Serena wasn't making a move... so in the end, it was all at her. She needed to seduce her.
The thought along was causing her stomach to flip but she needed to maintain some form of confidence. The worse that could happen to her was rejection and if she were rejected, it probably would have been the accumulated karma of all the suitors she's refused.
Anna picked up a brush and quickly started brushing through the tangles of her blonde hair. Once it was smooth and soft like it should be, she adjusted it, placing all of it unto one side and taking a deep breath.
"I can do this." Was the last thing she said before sneaking downstairs towards Serena.