Mira sent me a displeased look as we sat down in the carriage late Friday evening. Our grandparents joining us in the carriage, sitting on the opposite side of us. Earlier in the evening Mira had already commented on how rude it was for me to wear my purple ball dress yet again - despite knowing this was the only ball dress I owned.
The carriage wobbly rolled along the gravel path down towards the Winchesters' house by the lake. Once it came in sight it was clear that the number of attendants hadn't gotten smaller over the years. Loads of carriages were parked outside the Winchester house, and ours was just one more to the collection.
"Ah! Mr. Young!" mr. Winchester happily greeted from the front step of the house, rushing down to help us down from our carriage. Another figure moving quickly behind him, "let me help you."
Mr. Winchester lended his hand to both my grandmother and Mira before pausing once I extended my hand towards him. Abruptly mr. Winchester only sent me a knowing smile and took a step to the side.
"Someone else has been patiently waiting to help you down miss Kim," mr. Winchester remarked as the figure that had followed him stepped up and extended his hand with a warm smile on his face.
"You sure are aggressive in your pursuit, mr. Sim," I chuckled as I let my hand lay in Jake's while he helped me down from the carriage.
"I wouldn't risk losing my slim chance to any other handsome man you might see tonight, would I?" Jake replied as mr. Winchester only watched us in fondness, turning to my grandfather to guide the others inside the house, "that dress suits you," Jake bent down to whisper as we followed along the others.
"Mira is not fond of it," I murmured in return, "apparently it's rude to wear the same ball gown two times in a season."
"I had hoped it would be the purple," Jake admitted and discreetly tugged at the purple napkin in his chest pocket.
"Smart man," I remarked with a small smirk as he shrugged and folded his hands behind his back.
"Trial courting, is it not?" he questioned in amusement as he went me a small smile, walking with me inside as I greeted mrs. Winchester on the way into their ball room.
Despite the Winchesters living outside town and in the rural of the country, you should not underestimate their fortune. As far as I knew the Winchesters were the richest in the country, with no failure in that idea. I'm sure it wasn't true, but they were simply the richest I had yet to meet.
"Dance card miss," someone offered at the door to the ballroom and I nodded quietly with a small smile, taking the dance card extended to me.
"If I may...?" Jake extended his hand towards me and I didn't even hesitate before handing him my dance card before he opened it, "there's only one ronud of Lanciers tonight... and it's one of the last dances," he declared as he simply shoved my dance card into his pant pocket, "trial courting," he excused with a sheepish smile, "now... if the miss will accompany me," he offered and extended his elbow towards me, "I happen to know that they're serving raspberry wine and a glass wouldn't hurt."
"Raspberry wine is my favourite," I commented and Jake only smiled.
"What a luck," he commented and nodded for me to take his elbow.
I had to surpress a small smile before grabbing his elbow with both my hands and letting him guide me over towards a worker walking around with a tray in his hands. I didn't get to reach for a glass of raspberry wine before Jake had grabbed a glass and handed it to me, only first then taking a glass for himself.
"So am I not allowed to dance with anyone else tonight?" I questioned as Jake managed to slither us out to the edge of the ballroom, just from where I could see grandmother and grandfather in a deep conversation with some of the older people from town.
"Why would you need that?" Jake questioned in amusement, sipping from his raspberry wine.
"For the fun of it. Not all dances have to mean courting in the future," I reminded him, "if that was the case you would be courting Mira and I would be courted by mr. John Thompson... who I see already has found my cousin," I realized as I noticed the dull look on Mira face from miles away. Sure enough, long away on the ballroom floor Mira was stuck in a waltz with a rambling John Thompson.
"Best be careful she doesn't see us," Jake let out a small laugh as I sipped from my raspberry wine, "they don't have this in the city," he realized and looked at his glass.
"Wine?"
"Raspberry wine... it's rarely even cherry wine... I believe what they really have in the city is the heavy grape wines from Italy and France. My sister always brings a bottle if she visists us," he frowned, "this is very light... summer-y even."
"It's Ailea in a drink," I reminded and he smiled slightly before nodding in agreement.
"Would I be able to take you for a walk out in the garden?" he offered and pointed towards the open back patio doors, "there's plenty of people to make anyone assured we're not doing anything we shouldn't."
"If you insist," I nodded at him.
"And that I do," he grinned and nodded towards the doors before setting his route for it.
I still held onto his elbow, but made sure to quickly and discreetly finish my raspberry wine to hand my empty glass to any worker we passed. Jake seemed to be doing the same thing, judging by his empty glass that got handed to the same worker.
"Now... why did I need to be dragged out here?" I questioned in amusement as Jake helped me down the stairs to the garden before letting my hands fall back onto his elbow and slightly further up his bicep this time.
"I know you... you can't stand to be too still and talk. You need to move around," he reminded with a small smile as he looked down at me. Not minding any of the other couples or giggling girls standing around in the gardens as we walked around, "besides... it's a nice night. Isn't it?"
"It is," I hummed in agreement and looked up towards the stars hanging high above us on the sky and creating any form of constellation you could put your mind to.
"Besides... I needed to talk with you more freely," he sighed and I nodded as I looked back to where he was letting me walk.
"Is that so?" I hummed quietly, "how come?"
"I have news from home that will effect our connection," he announced and I nodded quietly, "and it is in no way to put pressure on you that I want to share it with you."
"I understand," I nodded before turning my head to look up at him with a small smile.
"It would only calm my nerves more if you didn't look as beautiful tonight," he admitted with a nervous smile on his face, "I don't know what to do with myself when you look at me like that."
"Should I look away then?" I questioned and he quickly shook his head.
"No, not at all. I just never imagined anyone would look at me with such fondness in their eyes," he assured with a small smile, looking at me with the fondness he claimed to be in my eyes as well.
"I would say likewise," I murmured, "now will you tell me what news from home came?"
"My dad wants to start training me to take over the bank," he admitted and rubbed his lips with his free hand.
"And is that bad? I'm sure you can find time for your piano in between, don't you think so?" I questioned and he nodded quietly.
"He asks for me to be home by the beginning of August," he admitted and I blinked a few times in shock as I looked at the ground ahead of us. Nodding a few times.
"Today is July 4th," I murmured and he hummed in agreement.
"How much do you reckon would happen in the next week? We've already known each other for a month," Jake reminded and I nodded quietly, "I am terribly sorry to have to break it to you on such a wonderful night, but I simply had to tell you as fast as possible. It only seemed fair to you."
"It's fine, Jake," I assured him with a small smile, "I had already set my mind clear before we arrived at the ball tonight."
"Really?" he questioned and I nodded quietly as I pursed my lips and looked straight ahead of myself, "may I know what you've cleared in your mind?"
"Any day you wish to. Before Wednesday. I'll let you join me on a visit to my parents' house," I declared and he went quiet, it even sounded like his breathing stopped, "now I'll have you know that you should not expect anything too extravagant, and nowhere near as nice as the house my grandparents live in. But you wanted to talk to my fath-"
"Would Tuesday be alright?" Jake questioned and I looked up at him with a slightly shocked expression. Here I was, already preparing him for how bad it was going to be, and he was only smiling down at me asking if Tuesday was a proper day for us to do the visit.
"Tuesday is alright," I murmured with a small nod, letting a small smile grow on my face as I looked up at him.