Claudia had been in a state of high nerves since it occurred to her that Bennett would be in attendance at the party. For of course, he would be invited. He was an eligible, young, rich man.

Or semi-eligible. No mother Claudia knew would affiance her daughter to him. A rake with money was still a rake. He'd have to go to a more remote part of town to find himself a proper bride.  

Still, Bennett would be invited. She would come face to face with him. After over a week of waiting for him to appear around every corner, knowing he would soon be in her home in the flesh threw her off kilter. 

Everything mattered. A single petal falling to the floor from the vases easily set her into a fit of tears. What if the house was too warm? What if Bennett disliked blue? What if he already had eyes for someone else? What if, after all, he was not invited? What if's haunted her. 

The fact that the other girls, who crowded in her room, had the gall to be nervous or fluttery made her want to slap them. That they existed at all was inconsequential, and she wished them away as fervently as she could. Though never aloud.

In fact, the only thing that Claudia did not worry about was Victor. He, like the other women, did not matter. He was a tenuous thing of dust and propriety. Only two things in the world were real— herself and Bennett. The world existed for them, and everything else was either an annoyance or an illusion of light and shadow. 

Claudia plucked at the fragile rose in her hair. Soft petals brushed over her fingertips like a kiss. She sat amid a bustle of girls who filled the air with scent and sound. They were all in soft pastel shades—or perhaps Claudia's disinterest had faded them. In any event, Claudia's dress was a bright blue with little pearl buttons. On her wrist, she wore a strand of pearls that Victor had given her. With a flush upon her cheeks and passion in her eyes, she stood out among the other's like a flame. She sapped them and bloomed on their strength and their envy. 

Oh, they all thought her bloom was for another. They had been whispering and clucking for weeks over Victor. Victor who should have belonged to someone else.  

'Like me,' said Vicky, 'for I am lovelier and aren't our names a lovely match? Just showing how we are meant to be.' 

'No, me,'said Helene, 'for surely the words of poetry he speaks are meant for someone brighter than Claudia is.' 

'Surely not,' said Constance, 'he deserves someone gentle like me; Claudia has far too much fire, and it's sinful.' 

But these were all bells chiming unheeded in the background. Claudia waited with hands twisted for sign of another.

"A present from Victor?" Constance asked, touching Claudia's bracelet, where it shone against the red brocade of her chair. Constance's husband never bought her such gifts. He got her inscribed bibles and sensible head coverings.

Claudia met her friend's eyes. It was as if she had bit into the flesh of the offending hand. Constance drew back, but she did not understand why. The twittering of the girls draped over the furniture in the dressing room stopped. Only the golden light playing across the rug continued to frolic. 

"Yes," Claudia said into the heavy silence. 

"It fits well," Helene said.  

Claudia shrugged. She wanted them to stop speaking. Perhaps she would be able to hear him approach if only they would hush. She did not want to miss a moment of Bennett. It took all her effort not to snarl at them.  

"Have you seen Philomela's brother?" Vicky offered up as a change of topic to lighten the mood Claudia had fouled. Why not discuss the delicious new scandal waiting to happen? 

"Bennett," Claudia said. Blood rushed through her in a surge. He was not for them. She must be quiet and not cause them to see the world had ceased to have meaning. It might get belligerent and steal her joy if she was too obvious. "He was at one of my lessons." 

"My mother won't let me go any longer. Now that he's back in town," Helene said. 

Claudia looked into her friend's plain acne-prone face. She could not help thinking that there was no need to shield Helene from untoward male attention. She wasn't about to get any even if you tossed her in the street. 

"Did you hear what happened last time he was in town?"  Helene added, eyes glittering with mirth.

"Oh let's not speak of such things. It is too much, just too much," Constance said. Her fan fluttered.  

Claudia stood and moved over to the window. The others continued to talk, but Claudia ceased to hear. Even when they spoke of what was real, they sounded like faded fools. Oh, how she hated them. How she wanted them to go and let her be. 

There were days when Claudia adored her friends. Especially Vicky, whose shallow prettiness was like a delightful toy. Today, all of them set her teeth on edge. Especially Vicky, who turned male heads a bit too easily despite the ring on her finger. So, instead of listening to their infuriating prattle, Claudia stared out the window into a bleached world. How had everything lost its color?  

Like the girls, the world around her seemed to be only a vague cover for reality. She wanted to reach out and peel it back. How certain it was that he would be standing there waiting to take her in his arms. She stood trembling by the window until, with words she did not hear, they were called downstairs. 

The servants knew with some internal timing that she did not understand when it was time for the girls to emerge. They could not come down too soon because then there was no one there to witness their arrival—so they had to wait patiently upstairs. Then once enough of a crowd had gathered, the girls were brought down. Claudia practically bolted to the door and walked in a half dream to the top of the stairs.  

A cruel surprise greeted her. Victor looked up at her with a smile that could charm a snake but did not touch his betrothed. Bennett, also, had arrived. His arm fixed irrevocably to that of his dour-faced sister. Perhaps the other girls were disappointed because they would not get to refuse any lewd proposals. Claudia felt as though her heart had been ripped from her chest.  

Once again, Bennett was unreachable. The strength and substance of both Philomela and Victor stood between her and her beloved. Only the force of the other girls walking behind her drove Claudia down the stairs. One step at a time, they forced her toward Victor. 

As she approached, he stretched out his hand. His smile could have outshone the glory of God. It meant nothing to a woman who'd sworn her soul to the devil. Claudia loved with all the strength and spirit of her seventeen years.

***

Looking around at the simpering women, with their lying mouths and hungry eyes, Bennett regretted attending this silly soiree. Philomela was tense and disapproving on his arm, even the brisk air of the balcony didn't soften her. If he could have left her home, he could have amused himself talking to one of the young chits, but this was the home of one of her students. There was no avoiding bringing her.

In any event, Phil loved to attend parties. She would gleefully talk about how awful everything was for weeks. After being gone for so many months he felt an obligation to grant her the meager joy of proving her own superiority to herself. He hadn't even regretted it until, that dark-haired girl in a red dress with a fantastically daring neckline looked at him through her long lashes.

Idle speculation on what might have been was all that was left to him. As Phil talked, something about God's judgment and a neckline that was too low, he watched the dark-haired girl who pouted, exquisitely bored on her dull husband's arm. A woman like that was prime real-estate. Young, passionate, beautiful, and bored. And from the look of her husband, a touch of interest and romance was the extent of the requirements from Bennett.

"Who is that girl, Phil?" Bennett nodded his head in the direction.The balcony was barren but for a few abandoned drinks. No reason not to speak plainly. It would only bring Phil joy to judge him later along with the rest.

"Her? Horrid wasp, that one. Her name is Victoria, married just last year."

"You would be much happier, darling sister, if you tried not to despise absolutely everyone."

"Such a feat would be easier if my darling brother was not constantly flouting God's word and trying to despoil women."

"I despoil no one," Bennett said and smiled down at Phil. Gray was beginning to creep through her hair, and lines creased her eyes and the space between her brow. "I just aid the soiled ones in enjoying their earthly vices. When the hell you wish on us all claims us, we will at least have tasted plenty of the pleasures we burn for. Love thy neighbors and all."

"Come now." Philomela shook her head.

Bennett grimaced. Victor approached the balcony his doll bride decorated his arm. Perhaps I have enough time to avoid him, Bennett thought. He took a step to the opposite set of doors, but Philomela didn't comply. Bennett restrained the sigh that threatened to escape.  No one Phil liked better than that self-righteous prick.

Victor walked up with a smile of genuine fondness for Philomela. Bennett indulged in a vision of Victor disemboweled and being consumed by wolves.

"I have few friends, Ben, be nice," Phil whispered.

The first thing Victor did on his arrival was take Philomela's hand and kiss it. "Dear girl, you look lovely tonight."

"As does your fiancée," Philomela said. "Congratulations on finding yourself such a bride."

Victor smiled at his vacant-eyed toy. "Indeed. Good Evening Bennett. Have you been introduced to Claudia?"

Bennett gave the girl a little bow. She smiled, blushed and lowered her eyes. Charming. For a moment, he saw her, buried in lace, curls and attached to the arm of a man he despised. Yes, Victor found himself a proper little bride, vacant, pretty, and innocent but there was a touch of bravery in her glance. Maybe she'd even survive a marriage to that dreadful man.

"We have never been officially introduced," Claudia said. Her eyes were now bold and focused with ferocity on him. "But we did meet, just a few days ago, at one of my lessons. It's a pleasure to officially make your acquaintance."

Bennett turned his gaze to Victor. "Of course, it is a great pleasure to meet the woman who will partner Victor in all his Godly endeavors."

Philomela's hand tightened painfully on his arm.

* If you like the story, please go ahead and hit the fancy little star and let the world and me know you appreciate it :) Thank you all for reading. I'm getting a better response than I hoped! Constructive comments are always welcome or almost any other type of comment you wish to make.