The Defiled Ch. 03

Miranda stood in front of the mirror in the parlor and examined herself critically. She had taken extra care with her appearance tonight. She had a plan, and she wanted to make sure that she looked the part. Her hair was in an elegant up-do with curls hanging down in several places. She wore a dress she had made specifically for tonight. It was sleeveless, like most of the dresses worn in the settlement, but it was longer than their normal style. It came down to mid-calf, and was very flowing and elegant. She thought the lilac of the fabric matched her complexion very well. She had dyed a pair of soft slippers to match her dress, and added white lacy embroidery across the toes. Her dark eyes were bright, and her cheeks were pink with excitement. She was going to pull this off tonight. She was going to buy herself enough time to get out of here.

When she was satisfied with her appearance, she turned away from the mirror and headed out onto the veranda. Everything at the pavilion was perfect. The lanterns were lit, the musicians were in place. The whole atmosphere was magical. She found herself almost looking forward to tonight again. She hadn't allowed herself to really get into the spirit of a party in a very long time. She hadn't wanted any of the single men to get any ideas, so she had always held herself away from the excitement. She had a been a wallflower, a ghost, at all of the get-togethers held in the settlement. If she had gone at all, that is. Tonight, the whole tribe was going to notice her, and they weren't going to know what hit them.

People were going to be arriving soon, so Miranda descended the veranda steps and followed the path to the pavilion, lighting the candles as she went. When she arrived at the pavilion, she helped her mother through all the last minute checks, and reassured her that everything was in place. By the time her mother was done fussing over everything, it was full dark, and their guests started to arrive.

Miranda would stand with her parents to greet all the guests as they arrived. She wished to be anywhere but standing next to her mother as everyone filed past them. They all had the same things to say, and they all had a special someone they wished to introduce her to. The names and faces all blended together, and she started to retreat into herself. She was going over her plan in her mind as she exchanged the mindless pleasantries with their guests. She was going to flirt, and dance, and make everyone think she had finally changed her mind about finding a husband. She just wasn't quite sure how to do so without encouraging anyone specifically. She was steeling herself for the onslaught of male attention she was going to receive, when something one of their guests was saying caught her attention.

Marcus and Suzanne Renard were speaking to her parents. Marcus was the chieftain of one of the further settlements that her tribe had contact with. They didn't often make it to events here in their settlement. She wondered why they should appear tonight, but then she remembered that they had sons, so no doubt they were going to parade them in front of Hannah tonight. She looked past them, expecting to see one or more of their boys trailing behind them looking excited, but was surprised to see no one with them.

"Remy is just making sure all of our belongings make it to the guest quarters, and he should be along shortly. We've been trying to bring him along for a visit here with your settlement for years, but he always managed to be out patrolling or hunting when we've come before," Suzanne stated to her mother in a tone that made it sound like Remy often found a way out of her matchmaking schemes.

"Ah, I see," said Beatrice. "I have a difficult daughter myself, so I can sympathize."

"Well, hopefully we can help each other tonight then. I am hoping that Remy will take an interest in one of your daughters this evening. It would be lovely to have something to unite our settlements other than friendship, don't you think?" Suzanne asked with a conspiratorial smile.

"I couldn't agree more," Beatrice said as she clasped Suzanne's hand in her own, before Suzanne moved away from her mother in Miranda's direction.

How wonderful, Miranda thought, as she watched Suzanne approach her with a smile. More people trying to arrange my life for me. Miranda checked her thoughts as Suzanne appeared before her. Even though Suzanne and Marcus lived far away, the couple had always gotten along well with her parents. Miranda was actually very fond of Suzanne and Marcus herself, and realized that Suzanne just wanted to see her children, as well as Miranda and her siblings, happy. She greeted Suzanne warmly, and remembered how friendly and sweet Suzanne was.

"Miranda!" Suzanne exclaimed as she embraced her. "Look how beautiful you've grown!"

"Thank you, Suzanne," Miranda said sheepishly.

"Goodness, darling. I don't understand how you don't have a husband yet! You're just about the prettiest thing to walk God's Earth." Suzanne said with a sympathetic look as she placed her hands on both of Miranda's cheeks.

"Well, it's hard to catch a husband when you do your best to make the men keep their distance," Miranda said with a grin.

Suzanne gazed at Miranda with a twinkle in her eye, and said, "Well, that is true enough, darling. Just make sure that you don't push away the one that could make you happy in misguided stubbornness. That's all I will say on it. I remember what it is like to be a spirited young woman. I wasn't always what I am today, you know." She moved on from Miranda's station beside her parents with a wink.

Miranda was somewhat stunned. That was the closest anyone had ever come to accepting her wish not to marry. She studied Suzanne and Marcus covertly as she and her parents greeted the remaining guests. She noticed how Marcus kept a hand to Suzanne's back as they moved through the pavilion, not in a proprietary or leading manner, as most men would. She could see that he just wanted to be in contact with her, and they smiled at each other often. They joked, and laughed. Marcus regularly asked her opinion, and obviously listened to what Suzanne had to say. Miranda had never seen a marriage like that, and was surprised she had not taken note of it before. She found herself thinking that a union of that nature might not be so terrible. Then she was given a stark reminder of the reality she was living in, rather than the fantasy she had entertained for a brief moment.

Jonny Reed approached her as she stood next to her mother, with a smug little smile on his overly round and sweaty face. "Hello, Randa," he said while giving her a long and insulting look from head to toe. "You're looking quite lovely this evening, aren't you?"

"Go away, Jonny," Miranda said with a dismissive look. "I don't wish to stand here and trade insults with you all night."

"Now, is that any way to treat one of your oldest friends?" Jonny said with his hands raised in a placating manner.

"One of my oldest friends? That is certainly not how I would classify our relationship," said Miranda as she looked down her nose at him.

"Come now, darling. Can't we put the past behind us and have a good time tonight? I mean, after all, tonight is your sister's big night," he said with a sly look in his eyes. He leaned in close, and making sure that they were not observed, whispered in her ear, "You wouldn't want anything to ruin it for her, would you?" Quickly resuming a more polite distance, Jonny added loud enough for the people around them to hear, "Do save a dance for me, darling. I haven't had the pleasure of your partnership in quite a long time."

"Oh! That is a wonderful idea, son," said Miranda's father, having overheard Jonny's question. "Miranda would be delighted. Wouldn't you, dear?"

Miranda was trapped and she knew it. If looks could kill, the look she shot at Jonny would have caused him to keel over on the spot. She smiled tightly at her father, and said, "Of course, Father."

Jonny moved away then, with a large smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. Miranda was left to wonder what exactly he was up to. She watched him make his way to his friend Thomas, picking up a glass of punch on the way. He struck up a conversation with his friend, while they both kept sending glances her way. He happened to catch her eye upon them, and raised his glass with a satisfied grin. Miranda did not like the way that he was behaving towards her tonight. It was making her feel very uncomfortable, and alarm bells were ringing inside her head.

Having greeted all of their guests, Miranda's duties for the night were finished. She moved away from her post next to her parents, intent on confronting Jonny about his strange behavior, when the music started to play. She stopped in her tracks, as the music was her sister's cue to make her appearance for the night, and to officially start the coming-out party. Miranda turned expectantly toward the house, breathlessly waiting for her sister to make her appearance. She was so excited to watch her sister walk down those stairs. She knew how much Hannah wanted to make a good impression, and because it was so important to her sister, Miranda was anxious that everything be as wonderful as possible for her.

The double doors at the front of the house opened, and a hush went over the gathering as everyone turned to watch her sister descend from the house. Hannah appeared at the open front door, and everyone gasped at how beautiful she looked. Her sister was certainly making an impression. Miranda was watching raptly as her sister made her way down the path from the veranda to the pavilion, the candlelight making her look like a fairy princess. Miranda looked at the others gathered around her, and saw more than a few of the young men looking spellbound. Her sister was definitely not going to have a problem getting a husband, Miranda thought. If anything, Hannah was going to have more suitors than she knew what to do with, she thought with a grin.

Their father waited at the entrance to the pavilion to escort Hannah to her place at the head table. Hannah, along with their parents, Miranda, Claude, and Giroux would be seated there for the meal. After her father had settled Hannah in her place, everyone else took their seats at the tables set up throughout the pavilion. They would be moved out of the way after everyone had finished eating so that they could dance and move about more freely. Hannah had the place of honor in the middle of their family's table, with their mother on her left and their father on her right. Miranda was seated between her mother and Giroux, with Claude on the other side of their father.

After everyone had taken their seats, and were served by some of the younger girls from the settlement who had volunteered to help for the evening, Miranda's father stood. It was customary for fathers to make a short speech at their daughter's coming-out parties. He signaled the musicians, and the music came to a stop. Everyone slowly quieted, and turned toward her father. He cleared his throat and looked down for a moment to collect his thoughts.

"Tonight," her father started, almost hesitantly, "I am introducing my second daughter into society. A wonderful young woman, who has made both her mother and I so very proud. She embodies all that we hope our young women to be in life. Demure, accomplished, and sweet-natured." At this, he turned to regard Hannah warmly. Hannah blushed, and looked down at her lap, her eyes looking slightly glassy. Her father turned back to face the crowd, "Someday, she is going to make some young man very happy. While losing my daughter to a new husband will be a very bittersweet event, I know that Hannah will only accept a man worthy of her affection. So, when that day comes, it will be a sad day indeed, but I will know that she is going on to fulfill her purpose in life with someone I can trust with her happiness. So, with that being said," as he said this, he raised his glass and turned towards Hannah, "I would like to make a toast to my lovely daughter, and to her future happiness. I hope tonight is everything you ever wished for, my dear. I wish you nothing but happiness and love, now, and for the rest of your days. Your mother and I love you dearly. Now, enough with the sentimental ramblings of an old man. Let's have a wonderful time tonight everyone!"

As her father resumed his seat, everyone cheered and clapped. Conversation was resumed around the tables, as everyone commented on Hannah, the decorations, and the food. Miranda looked out at the faces in the crowd, and wished she could feel as happy as they looked. She was happy for her sister, because the night was going perfectly so far, but she wished to be anywhere but here. She was moving her food around her plate listlessly, when Giroux caught her attention with a playful shove with his shoulder.

"So, are you going to finally try and catch yourself a husband tonight, Randa?" He asked her with a smirk.

"Are you finally going to get yourself saddled with a wife tonight, brother?" Miranda returned innocently.

"Heavens no," exclaimed her brother. "I'm only 23. What do I need with a wife? I still have things to do before I find myself tied to a woman."

"Well, 23 is quite old enough to start taking your responsibilities seriously, isn't it?" Miranda queried nonchalantly. "At least that is what everyone keeps telling me. I'm only two years younger than you, and I'm supposed to have had a whole litter of children by now. So, why shouldn't you be expected to do the same?"

"Miranda," Giroux sighed, "I know you feel that you don't need a husband, but you need to accept the fact that you need the protection a husband can offer you. It might not seem fair, but it is just the way things are." He looked at her, and not unkindly stated, "You should at least try to put in an effort tonight. Maybe someone here will catch your fancy."

"Perhaps," Miranda said offhandedly. "I was thinking that myself. There are quite a few new faces tonight. It couldn't hurt to be a little more receptive to attention." At least she would appear to be more receptive tonight. Just to buy herself the time she needed to finalize her escape.