Chapter Five

We were at the door to the study, where Adda’s parents were apparently spending the day, looking over their stocks. Da had looked dubious when the butler  told him that, so I knew that they were probably canoodling, if you catch my drift.

“Sir, there is a Miss Stella Lyra and her father-”

The door sung open, cutting the butler off. In the doorway was Mrs.Bellair, who insisted that I call her Calira. She had beautiful, long, wavy-ish brown hair that was swept up into an elegant braided bun. “Stella, Dear! Please, come in, come in. Bard can sit on the window sill, or anywhere, really.” Her smile was blindingly radiant, yet perfectly casual, open, and welcoming all at the same time. “Remus, you are dismissed,” she said carelessly to the butler.

I motioned to Da to follow me into the room. She welcomes us into the room. I walked into a polished mahogany paneled room that had a whole wall of screens dedicated to stocks. Sure, a decent amount of the Bellair money had been in the family for decades, but they never missed an opportunity to get more money for themselves and their daughter. The room was about 10 meters by 15 meters, with two huge granite desks, a fireplace, and a sweeping view out of many windows into the courtyard. I hadn’t been in this room before, and I tried to drink in the details discreetly as Bard shifted to stay on my shoulder.

Seated at one of the desks was Mr.Bellair, who preferred to be called Christopher. He also had brown hair, just a touch lighter than Calira. His eyes were blue, and while he was in his forties, he could easily be mistaken for a guy in his late twenties. He looked up at us and smiled. “Stella! You’re here about the ball, I assume? And is this your father?” He looked at Da in a friendly and inquisitive manner.

I translated for Da. Da paused for a moment, then signed, Yes, I am. My name is Arnold, and we are here about the ball. Where is it? When is it? What does ‘costs’ entail?

I told Mr.Bellair what Da had said. “Well, you can tell him the ball is in London, etcetera. Have you seen the dress? We can alter it if you don’t think it’s perfect. You know we can afford nearly anything, dear, and you are a part of the family.”

Another example of these people being generous to only the ones they like; they were willing to spend thousands to make sure I had an absolute ball, (no pun intended), while worrying about laundering more money in the stocks so they could become even more wealthy.

Da had been looking at Mr.Bellair’s lips, and tapped me on the shoulder. What is this ball that he speaks of?

Apparently, there’s a huge ball each year in London. It’s hosted by the Gregorian family, one of the wealthiest families in all of Europe, and one of the most well respected.  The have a dress for me- it’s beautiful.

What does the gown look like? Asked Da.

It’s like they brought an unpolluted sky down from the heavens, I raved enthusiastically. I haven’t tried it on yet, but it looks like something fit for a princess’s most special night in her entire night.  Oh, Da, I need to at least wear it once, even if I can’t go! I know I’m not a dressy kind of girl, but even the most resolute of tom-boys couldn’t turn this dress down.

He smiled. When is it?

I turned to Mr.Bellair. “When is it?” I asked. “Da’d like to know,” I added.

Mr.Bellair cleared his throat. “Calira, love, do you know when the ball is? I know you keep up with that sort of thing, since I’m so busy.”

Mrs.Ballair had been sitting at her desk, looking over some paperwork. She looked up from whatever it was she had been doing while listening to the conversation. I started signing to Da as soon as she began to speak- I could tell that this was going to take a bit of time.“Well, we’re planning on leaving tonight. You wouldn’t have to pack a thing- we have more than enough time to scrounge have someone go get something until we get there. Then you and the girls can go shopping for something more suitable. The actual ball is in five days, and lasts from six p.m. to about two a.m., depending on who is in attendance and how everyone is feeling that night.”

Da paused, thinking. Very well, you may go.  Be careful, though!

I nearly started jumping up and down while screeching like a hard-core One-Direction fan at a meet-and-greet. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you thank you, thank you! Oh, Da, It’s going to be so much fun! Thank you! I love you so much! I ran up and hugged him. Remembering where I was, I turned around to face the Bellairs, while trying to remain composed. “I’m allowed to go. Thank you so much for inviting me to come! You have no idea how much this means to me. Should I stay, or should I go home?”

“Stay, please!” said Mrs.Bellair. “We would be honored to have you here for the night.

I looked at Da. Da, I’m staying, if that’s okay with you. I mean, since we leave tonight…

Okay, he signed. Be safe. Text me with Adda’s phone every now and then.

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. And then they’ll insist on getting one for me. But I’ll try my best.

Atta girl. See you in a week, he signed teasingly. He waved to the Bellairs and gestured to another butler to show him out. Within a matter of seconds, I was left alone with Mr. and Mrs.Bellair. “Should I go tell Adda?” I asked awkwardly.

Mr.Bellair sipped a cup of tea he had been nursing before we had come in and interrupted whatever it was he had been doing. “Calira, would you mind doing that, or at the very least getting someone from the help to do that very thing? She’ll want to know. And you, Stella I have a few questions that I would like answered. Nothing bad, I can assure you, and nothing to be worried over.”

Calira got up and went out the door as my stomach dropped to the floor.

“Please, dear, take a seat.” he patted a chair on the other side of his desk. I walked over and set Concordia, whom I still had slung over my shoulder, on the ground next to the crimson and gold upholstered chair Mr.Bellair had motioned to. He took an agonizingly long time to finish signing some paperwork. The tension in the air was thicker than freshly melted caramel, and not nearly as sweet. Finally, after what seemed an eternity in hell, he put the papers down to look up at me.

“I’ve been wondering this for a long time, dear, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to; where is your mother? I’ve never seen her, and every child needs a motherly figure in their life, otherwise there’s something that becomes at the very least a little mangled inside.”

The question took me so far off guard that I nearly fell out of my seat. So that was what he had wanted to ask me about? I nearly laughed because of the weight that had fallen off my chest. “Oh, I don’t really know, and honestly, I don’t really care, Mr.Bellair.”

“Christopher, dear- call me Christopher. Mr.Bellair makes me feel like a stuffy old man.”

But you are, I thought to myself. Minus the old part. “Christopher, like I said, I really don’t know. Da never really explained, and neither did any of his old friends, so I assumed that she probably wasn’t the greatest woman ever, or she’s just too painful to remember.”

He looked a bit skeptical at my answer, but he didn’t push the issue further. “Well, if you ever do need anyone or anything, just come to us. I know your father doesn’t make the most, but we have more than enough to share, especially with you. You’re practically Adda’s sister and our daughter- everyone here loves you, even the help.”

It isn’t hard to like me when I’m the only respectful person they’re taking care of, I thought.

Mr.Bellair continued. “If we could legally have you live here with us, we would. Just keep that in mind, dear.”

At that moment, as if waiting for Mr.Bellair’s cue, Calira walked in. “You’d think that it would be easier to find someone to run an errand for me in this house, considering how many people we’ve hired,” she said arrogantly. “Anyways, I’m sure Adda will be down in a moment or two, as well as Penelope, Eloise, and Felicity. I still like you the best out of the three, dear,” she said to me. I resisted blushing. Sure, I knew that the Bellairs liked me, but not this much- really, it was getting a bit ridiculous.

“Surely you don’t mean that, Calira. They’re all very re-”

They cut me off with mutual peals of chuckles. Mr.Bellair composed himself first. “I didn’t know you had such a sense of humor! Oh, my, you can’t really think those arrogant girls are your equal?”

Look who’s talking. I just didn’t say anything, but smiled instead. “Well, I think I’ll head up to Adda and the girls; they’ll be wondering where I am.”

Mrs.Bellair had returned to her regal self once more. “Yes, of course, Dear. We’ll be here should you need anything.”

I nodded briefly and slung Concordia over my shoulder. Right before I walked out of the study, I turned around. “Thank you, for the ball, for everything.”

Mr.Bellair looked up again. “It’s nothing, my Dear.”

I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me softly.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

You are a talented writer. You are gathering people, place and possibilities with skill. This chapter left thr reader with question and possibilities. Thank you for sharing the excellent chapter.
Coyote