Chapter 1

I sat at my table, glancing down at the paper filled with my scrawny handwriting, I brought the quill to mouth and tapped it against my lips in thought.

"How should I put this Margret? I don't want to seem too rude."

My cousin walked over to me, draping her pastel green dress across her bed, "just tell them the truth."

"Oh but I can't Maggie, that would be awful, how would it go? Oh yes- dear Mrs Genteel, I cannot possibly come and visit you in Springseas because frankly, I do not want to, your company bores me and I'd much rather stay at home."

"Wouldn't that be wicked Rose?" Margret laughed and sat down at her vanity table on her side of our room. "Can you imagine what an uproar that would create?"

I giggled despite myself, "I dare say she'd send the entire army to doorstep in demand of an apology,"

"And not just any apology either, she'd want a visit, a personal letter, a basket of goodies and heartfelt song on the piano that you have written yourself just for her."

"What a drama queen, even if I did apologies she'd bring it up for days onwards," I sighed and sat back on my stiff chair.

"It can't be that difficult, just do what I do anytime a man asks me to dance and I just know he'll get too touchy, you can see it in his eyes," she nodded knowingly and I gazed heaven upwards.

"That's hardly the same thing Maggie," I replied.

"Then just go Rosanna, I'm sure Charlie will enjoy your presence, he seems absolutely smitten with you these days."

I grabbed a cushion that lay on our carpet and threw it at her, she laughed covering her head.

"I'm only teasing but goodness me, he couldn't take his eyes off you, could he? The last time he visited."

"Margret stop, he's awful." I muttered. Charles was Mrs Genteels son who had been a friend of mine for as long as I could remember. Unfortunately however, up until recently had decided to invest more time into finding a lifelong spouse and without asking he had added me into a his troupe of potential partners.

"Well hurry up with that letter then, we need to go and pick up our shoes from the Mr Randy soon, hope he's fixed my heel, fell right off last time."

"I'm not sure what's worse, going to that ball or going to Mrs Genteels." I asked.

"Come on now Rosie, she's a good friend of our family, nothing wrong with wanting us to visit ever now and again."

"But she's such a pain and Charlie-"

"Is infatuated with you." Margret screamed as I grabbed a book from the shelf and aimed it at her.

She ducked and it skidded across the room, hitting the bed post of my unmade bed.

"I've had it with you Margret, you've been banging on about that darn boy all morning."

She leapt of her cushion stool and ran out of the room and I chased after her, running into the kitchens where the Sally was busy cooking up breakfast.

"Oh for goodness sakes girls." Martha, our housekeeper, yelled as Maggie knocked over a jug of water, it's contents spilling onto the ground.

"Tell her to leave me alone," she cried, barley holding in her peals of laughter. She ran around the table, ducking under the hanging pots and pans.

"Not until I give you a savage pinch," I snapped, lunging for her over the loaves of bread that sat on tabletop, waiting to be sliced.

"Mind the milk Rosie!" Lucy called,

"I just got it from the cows!"

I dodged the bucket of milk that sat in the corner of the room and almost crashed into my aunt who stood at the doorway, surveying the commotion with furrowed eyebrows.

"What on earth is going on in here?" Aunt Sandra asked, pulling up her dress to avoid the puddles of water on the kitchen floor.

"Mama it's Rosanna-"

"Me? You're the one who can't keep stupid ones mouth shut for longer than a second." I said, reaching over and giving her blond locks a sharp tug, she yelped in pain and shoved me in return.

"That's enough," Aunt Sandra pulled us apart and shook her head. "What should I do with you girls? One moment you're closer than sisters, the next you pulling each other's heads off."

"All I said mama was that Charles really likes hers, that's all." I shot Margret a glare and she stepped behind her mother, holding up her hands in innocence.

"You know Rossana? He's such a nice boy, I can't think of a reason why you'd turn him down."

"Auntie!" I hissed and she sighed again.

"Fine I won't mention another word about it and neither will you Margret, you hear me now? Leave Rosanna alone."

"Your no fun," she pouted as her mother ushered us into the dining room.

"You'll have plenty of fun at the ball, you know when I was a child I would never torment my sisters." Aunt Sandra said and she sat herself down on the dining able chairs.

"Cousins," I corrected her.

"Yes, yes," she waved her hand dismissively at my reply. "Lucy! Darling bring out the food."

"Auntie? Do I really have to go? Can't I just stay here with Martha?" I asked pleadingly.

"Stay? With who? It's a public ball, everyone is going, Rosanna how will you ever find a husband if you do not go out and mingle with society."

"And it'll be fun, dancing, drinking-" Maggie began dreamily.

"You will not be drinking Margret, whoever gave you such thought?" Aunt Sandra replied sternly.

"Mama everyone drinks at balls,"

"Not everyone because you won't be, neither will my niece."

"That's stuff taste rank, wouldn't you much prefer a cup of clear, sparkling water?" I added and Maggie glared at me.

"But I'm nineteen years age, surely I'm old enough to handle a glass of wine? Not even one mother?" She whined.

"Not even one and where on earth is that father of yours? Rosie could you go call your Uncle?" I got up from my chair and threw down my napkin.

"Liam isn't here too, these men will be the death of me, Rosie call that boy too."

I nodded and quickly left the room, almost bumping into Lucy who was carrying a tray of butter and tea into the dining room.

"The corner of the carpets are upturned, you'd want to watch your step."

She nodded and smiled in thanks, I rushed upstairs to the attic where my uncle usually was and sure enough he stood on a lander, his head hidden in the tilted rafters.

"Uncle what on earth are you doing?" I called up at him.

"Rosie? Oh hello there, I can't quite see you at the moment, hold on."