Social Obligations

Peggy chose one of her light green dresses that was adorned with golden threads in a simple pattern of scrolls and flowers. Her blonde hair was arranged into a neat bun and secured with a golden comb. Once she was satisfied with her maid's work, she crossed the washroom into Evelyn's room. Evelyn was staring at herself in the vanity mirror, not quite satisfied with the dark blue gown she had chosen, but she didn't want to wear one of the finer gowns just yet. They hadn't been told exactly how long they would be staying, and she thought it was best to wear this one since they were only attending a small gathering for dinner. Letting out a sigh she saw Peggy standing behind her in the mirror and gave her a small smile.

"Why are you wearing that gown if you do not like it?" Peggy asked.

"I just don't want to wear one of the others just yet, besides, we are just going to dinner. I don't see the point in wearing any of the others just to eat."

Peggy sighed, "I see your point; at least let her do your hair properly and wear this." She held up a gold locket that used to belong to their mother and happened to complement the dark blue gown.

Evelyn let Mary, her maid while they were staying here, finish securing her shining black hair into a neat updo with small diamond pins keeping in place. Once she finished, Peggy secured the necklace and smiled.

They made their way down the wide staircase and were guided instead toward the grand dining room. Both girls froze as they stood in front of the large doors. They had expected it to be a small gathering of just the two girls, their father and Lacey, and her parents, but they were instead greeted by two long tables filled with noble families. After taking a few moments to compose themselves, they gracefully walked toward the empty seats near Lacey. Evelyn, having worn one of her most simple gowns immediately felt out of place, she lowered her head down, hoping to avoid the gazes of those that had instantly taken notice of her "shabby" appearance.

As the girls took their seats, Lacey asked: "What took you two so long? I was worried that you were going to miss out on all the fun."

"I apologize for our tardiness, our maids hadn't quite finished unpacking all our things just yet," Peggy lied with an innocent smile.

"Oh dear, you should have sent someone for me, I would have straightened them out. I'll be sure.

to correct their behavior after dinner is over!"

"You don't need to worry. Everything has been sorted out and they have done an excellent job assisting us," Evelyn interjected, waving her wands in front of her face, rejecting Lacey's offer. The last thing she wanted was for their maids to be scolded because they were the ones to lose track of time and had to change into clean gowns quickly. It would not be fair to them, and Evelyn couldn't bear the guilt.

"Oh, that is good to hear. I do trust that they will do a better job while you're here. I'd hate for your stay to be ruined because of a few incompetent maids."

"Thank you, but we have made sure to correct the problem ourselves. There is no need for further interference. But it is so nice to be back here," Evelyn said as she looked around the large dining room. "We took a turn around the garden this afternoon and it is even more beautiful than the last time we were here."

"In that case, I cannot wait to show you the new maze! Mother insisted that we have one after seeing one at Lord Crawn's estate."

"Oh, that sounds like it will be a good time," Peggy feigned excitement with a polite smile.

"Perfect! I know, why don't we have tea at the pergola in the center tomorrow? I wasn't quite sure if it would be a smart choice, seeing as it can be a bit difficult to reach, but I think it will be a great time for all of us to make our way there! It is truly beautiful, and it will give us something to talk about once everyone is gathered!"

Evelyn looked around the dining hall once more and let out a small sigh, "I wasn't aware that so many would be in attendance this evening."

"Father thought it would be a good idea to make acquaintances before all of the festivities begin. I'm sorry that I didn't mention it beforehand, but I had only heard about it myself after we parted this afternoon."

"Oh, that is not something to trouble yourself with," Evelyn offered her friend a warm smile before taking a bite of her duck.

"Will there be many ladies at tea tomorrow?" Peggy asked, taking note of the many young ladies that were seated throughout the dining hall.

Lacey beamed with excitement, "I wouldn't say there will be very many," she slyly smiled. "I would say that there will be at least a dozen of us! You are going to love it. I have made sure to keep it small and carefully selected those to attend. I wanted to avoid any troublemakers spoiling our good time," she giggled.

"I'm looking forward to getting to meet your friends here, we haven't had much of a chance to interact with your friends here before," Peggy lied. She hated tea parties where she was forced to interact with ladies rudely gossiping about trivial matters and the eligible bachelors they hoped to impress. She was hoping that she would have some time to herself before attending the ball, but it seemed like that was going to be hard to come by during their stay.

Evelyn quickly took note of Peggy's silent displeasure and changed the subject. "How are your studies coming along? I heard you recently got a new tutor."

Lacey couldn't help but roll her eyes, "You know better than anyone that I hate being cooped up in the library learning about such meaningless subjects. My brother will become the next duke, so I don't understand why I must learn all of the things that they do. Why must I be bothered with politics and the like when my future husband will be the one involved in such matters, and I will only manage all of the other affairs that are required of a lady?"

Evenly couldn't help but laugh at Lacey's displeasure. She quite enjoyed learning such things because it was also a great help in learning which families might cause her trouble down the road. This saved her a lot of time in choosing who to interact with and who to distance herself from to avoid unwanted drama.

"Why are you laughing?" Lacey scolded her.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't help myself. I find it to be helpful; I hate getting entangled in the tiresome drama that comes with power-hungry and resentful ladies and suitors."

"I understand that, but can't my father just warn me ahead of time instead of forcing me to learn the extended histories of each family and the current state of affairs? I have so many other things that I could be spending my time on!"

"Oh, do tell me what those things might be," Evenly winked teasingly.

Lacey feigned innocence, "I just mean that I umm…I could learn something that would help me later on." Peggy quietly chuckled under her breath and the sisters exchanged a knowing glance before they began eating their meal silently.

After both women finished their meals and the dinner seemed to be coming to an end, Peggy and Evelyn thanked their hosts and exited the dining hall. Peggy released a breath she didn't know she was holding, and Evelyn turned to her and started laughing.

"You know, if I didn't truly know you, I would not have guessed how much you are dreading this tea party tomorrow." Evelyn teased Peggy as they made their way back to their quarters.

Peggy sighed, "this is going to be so exhausting. I was hoping we could spend some time together. I did appreciate your help today; I have been struggling so much and you helped me break through the first wall. I know I have a long way to go, but I hope that you'll be willing to help me some more."

"Hahaha" Evelyn laughed at her shy sister and wrapped her arm around Peggy's shoulders, "of course, I will help you! Just because I do not want anything to do with, well, you know," she looked around quickly to make sure they were alone, she dared not to speak of their magic too loudly as their father warned them to keep their powers hidden. "It doesn't mean that I have rejected my powers. I know at times it may seem that way, but I am glad that we had such a strong mother, and we are both able to use these gifts in our own ways. I think she would be proud to see how we have chosen to walk different paths, but we both have stayed far away from the darkness that some give in to. I know that the way I do things is very different from what you have been learning, but I will always help you whenever you need me."

For the first time this evening, Peggy had a genuine smile on her face, and it revealed her cute dimples. Her eyes glistened from the tears that had started to form. She had always assumed that because Evelyn had fiercely rejected the coven, she had silently begun to feel burdened by their powers. She was beyond glad to know that her younger sister held no resentment and instead cherished their mother's legacy.