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The excitement of the accident left the staff in a bit of tizzy as dinner was prepared. I returned to my room with Marie and started to dress for the evening. As the sun set, the commotion outside died down, but a new wave of tittering began as guests arrived. My first reaction was to go downstairs and greet whoever had arrived. Instead, Marie informed me that I should stay in my room until Stewart summoned everyone for dinner. As a consolation, Marie went downstairs to see the guests for herself and report back to me. "It's Lord and Lady Locke as well as their son Theodore. He's quite handsome if I do say so, Miss."

A thrill coursed through my body. After all those years cooped up with my Aunt, society and the world beyond waited for me at the foot of the stairs. "They've come for dinner? Is there anyone else?"

"Yes, though I don't know much of her. A cousin of Lady Locke, I think. Lady Isabelle Carrow."

"Did you see her? Is she...younger?" While the prospect of meeting a young man my age intrigued me, another young woman who had experienced a coming of age ball could be an amazing asset on the eve of my birthday.

"No, miss, she's likely...well, it would be impolite to say." Marie furtively glanced at the door. "Let's say that she remembers the first boats arriving from Europe."

Marie bade me good luck and left me to my thoughts for a moment. I found myself periodically picking up things in the room and admiring them. We had not been afforded such conspicuous luxury in the past few years. I wondered how father managed to pay for everything or how he thought to purchase it all. How would he know to acquire the small mirror with inlaid pearls used only for a particular angle or different small cases of powder Marie used to give my cheeks the right coloring. Clearly, he had help, but I couldn't understand how he thought I needed any of it. As my thoughts lingered on my father and his somewhat arcane ways, a knock came from the door. I rose and answered it to find my father on the other side.

"Goodness," he said in a quiet breath. "You look beautiful, dear." He took my hands and pulled me in front of the dressing mirror. "This is not the girl I raised standing before me. Surely some fairy has snatched her away and left a princess in her stead." He stood beside me in the mirror, his face gleaming with pride and an ill hidden hint of sadness. "Now then, I'll escort you downstairs if you like. We have people to meet. My business partner, Lord Robert and his family have come to join us for our first night back in Annandale."

"Marie let me know all about them."

"Good! Good. Did she warn you about Isabelle? No? She's very old fashioned, you understand. Set in her ways. That sort of thing. Whatever she says, try to pay her no mind."

Though I'm certain my father meant this too sooth my worries, it only heightened them. I would have seen Lady Carrow as a kind old woman, but as we descended the stairs I could only think of a woman twice as prudish and vindictive as Aunt Ethel. I held father's arm as we moved through the house. My eyes were still full of wonder at everything we passed. Servants snapped to attention or disappeared from sight as we moved through the house towards the parlor. As we entered the parlor, I noticed Stewart first. He lurked in the corner, attempting to be unnoticed but all the more conspicuous for it. Aunt Ethel stared daggers at me from her chair beside the ladies. Luckily, before I had to deal with her, the two men, one old and one young rose to their feet. The older man crossed the room to greet us.

"This must be Lady Anna. Your father has finally allowed his shining diamond out of its case. Robert Locke, at your service." He gave a slight bow. Lord Locke of Hartfell looked very deserving of his title. His face beamed youthfulness in every aspect other than his eyes. Though they feigned the spark of youth, I could see the weary gray lurking behind his well crafted edifice. The more intently I scrutinized the man shaking my hand, the more I saw his years snatching at the corners of his self. His thick, black hair obscured streaks of white carefully hidden. Robert was broad shouldered and imposing, much more than my father. "May I introduce my wife, Grace Anthony Locke."

"Lady Grace, a pleasure." I curtsied slightly. Aunt Ethel eyed me from her nearby seat. She had spent hours teaching me the proper way to greet other members of the nobility. I had spent the majority of that time fantasizing about being rescued from polite society by a man on horseback.

"Anna, you have all the beauty of your mother," Lady Grace replied, reaching out to grasp my hand for a moment. The Lady Locke looked much more benevolent than her husband with dignified auburn curls and a beautiful yellow dress.

"You knew my mother?"

"Long ago." She looked warily back at my father. "When we were just girls."

"Frivolous little things," croaked the ancient woman beside her. Marie had not spoken falsely about Isabelle Carrow. Wrinkled, pale skin as thin as paper covered an otherwise hollow face. If she could still smile, she showed no evidence of such ability. "Stand up straight, girl. Let's look at you." She jabbed a twig like finger at a spot in front of her. I judged from her milky eyes that her vision was very limited. I looked quickly to Aunt Ethel who nodded and I moved to the spot, trying to correct my posture. A rattling wheeze seethed from the old woman's lips. "Tall. Good cheekbones." She moved her hands forward with surprising ease and pushed against my hip. "Decent hips. From her father's side, no doubt."

"Cousin Isabelle, please," said the younger man. "She is not a piece of livestock on the weighing table."

Lord Locke gestured to the other man, "Lady Anna, allow me to present my son, Theodore."

The younger Locke took my hand and brought it to his lips. He was fair headed, unlike his father, but otherwise the two could be mistaken for twins a generation apart. Theodore stood tall and broad shouldered with a leanness to him that I had not seen in many other men. My cheeks reddened as he peered at me. "It is my divine pleasure, Lady Anna. I was hoping you would dine beside me. We have so many things to discuss."

"Excellent!" My father pushed onwards with a cheerful face. "Stewart, dinner can be served. Everyone we can adjourn to the dining room."

Theodore offered me his arm and I almost took it, but my Aunt intervened. "A moment, Theodore. Perhaps you would like to escort Lady Carrow. Do not fret, we will be behind you shortly. I simply need a moment with my niece."

Theodore nodded politely to both of us and then took Lady Carrow's arm. I cheered up quite a bit as I saw her sneer at her own family in the same manner she sneered at me.

After they were out of sight, Aunt Ethel entwined her arm in mine and led me towards the door. "Surely you understand why the Lockes have joined us this evening, Anna? I swear, if you'd have spent half your time paying attention to my lessons you would understand these things. Tomorrow night, you'll be presented with a variety of suitors from the different families. Lady Grace comes from noble blood, but her titles were absolved after the war."

"I don't understand, Aunt Ethel. What does a title have to do with my suitors?" The very idea of suitors at all filled my stomach with butterflies.

Aunt Ethel would have spit in frustration had it been ladylike. "Robert's title is bought, not inherited. Many of the other families still look down on such things. He can buy all the land he likes, but that doesn't make him of noble lineage. Nor his son. For years, he thought that the Carrow titles would pass to Grace. Isabelle is Grace Anthony's grandfather's youngest sister. Another branch of that family survives in England, a young couple still in favor of the King who last year had a son. Isabelle has arranged for that boy to inherit the titles, not Grace Anthony."

"I'm sorry, Aunt Ethel. They're waiting for us in the dining room. Please, can we delay this lecture to some other time."

"Silly thing! Pay attention. All of this is about you and yet it's still not enough for your narcissism. Isabelle did not want her family's history to be tainted by Robert Locke's low birth. His only other option is to marry his son into a noble family. Our family. The Lockes are here to present their son to you as suitor. Robert is already discussing a marriage with your father." Aunt Ethel's face softened for a moment. "Theodore is a nice young man with good prospects. What his father lacks in titles, he has acquired in holdings. You could do worse. I simply want you to be mindful of what's going on. You're a young lady now and it is unbecoming to be so naive in things. Don't worry. Nothing's been settled and your father would not sell you away like they did in the old days."

The butterflies in my stomach had reverted to caterpillars and started squirming around in a knot. A day prior, I daydreamed about dancing in the ballroom with a mysterious suitor, but now I had met my potential husband. It seemed too fast.

We reached the dining room and Aunt Ethel gave me one last pat on the hand as we separated. Robert held out a chair for her between him and my father. Lady Carrow sat to my father's left and Theodore had the place beside her. Like his father, Theodore stood behind my chair, smiling broadly as I walked over to him. I thanked him for his courtesy as we sat down. Across from me, Grace Anthony looked wistfully at her son beside me, making me all the more conscious of our position. I looked at the empty seat beside me, remembering the days when Elsa would have taken that spot and kept me entertained throughout the mundane meal. I quickly realized that I should have pictured my mother in that spot instead. Would she have sympathized with my confusion and nerves?

As dinner began, the conversation steered into the goings on of the factories and the town. Though his wife chided them, Robert pushed on with talk of crops and workers. Occasionally, they would break the discussion long enough to compliment the food or the wine. I watched as a flurry of servants moved effortlessly around the room and in between the guests to serve some of the most delicious food I'd ever tasted. Theodore made polite efforts to discuss things with me, but I had little to offer in the conversation. My nerves about him aside, I did not know enough about the surrounding area or events to have an opinion on it. Lady Grace came to my rescue several times, telling her son to stop pestering me with questions.

"I'm sorry mother, but how can I resist this chance to learn more about Anna. We should all fear that Lord Arthur will whisk you away into obscurity again." Theodore said in good humor, though Lady Carrow's natural scowl darkened slightly.

"He's not wrong, Arthur," Lord Robert agreed. "What finally drove you to relocate to Annandale? I must say, the restoration is remarkable. I should have hired your craftsmen to rebuild Hartfell."

Father took a sip of wine to clear his throat. His cheeks were redder than usual. "It was time, is all. No grand plan, I'm afraid. Anna needed to experience life in society."

"Come now, Arthur," Lady Carrow said, her eyes leering sideways at my father. "You've made no secret of your return. All this talk of your factories and Robert's crops and you don't expect anyone to see the forest for the trees. It's all about confidence. You hear that young Anna? Your father needs this little town to see that things are back to normal. What better way than bringing his daughter back and parading her around for all to see."

"Don't be awful, cousin," Lady Grace admonished, but everyone's good humor had soured slightly. I had suspected as much, but it felt bitter for it to be laid out on the table.

Father leaned forward to reply, but Stewart appeared at his side and whispered in his ear. He looked at the servant with relief, "Well have him come in! Tell him to join us for dessert!" Stewart continued to whisper conspiratorially. "Nonsense!" My father stood up and walked out of the room without a word to his guests. Lady Carrow looked smugly horrified, but my spirits were lifted considerably by my father's sudden break of decorum.

"You'll have to forgive Arthur," Aunt Ethel explained. "We've all been a bit out of step with custom for a few years."

Before she could apologize any further, my father returned with another young man in tow. "Everyone, may I present Langston Black. Chief foreman and manager of the factories." The men rose to shake hands with the newcomer and the ladies politely nodded. I felt a new thrill in my chest as Mr. Black smiled at me. Though he was similar in height to the other men, Mr. Black had a more solid frame. He wore a red doublet underneath a black rider's jacket and his pants were tucked into high black boots. All of it fitted his form closely, leaving little secret behind his physique. Where Theodore was lean and wiry, Mr. Black rippled with muscle and sinew. He had the build and face of a worker while he easily wore the clothes of a noble. He had somehow managed to change from earlier, likely specifically come back to Annandale, though from his pained expression I doubted he wished to be brought into the dining room. "Langston came back to inform me that Phillip...er, the worker who was trapped under the beam earlier, is making a full recovery. Please, sit down, sit down."

Langston moved awkwardly to the end of the table, attempting to act graciously towards the other guests. I must have peered at him like a child visiting a circus, but Lady Carrow's haunting visage followed each of his movements as if daring him to take a seat at the same table. He took a seat beside me and the servants buzzed around him to bring him up to speed with the rest of the table.

My father pressed on through the tenuous mood, "Have you not met Theodore before this, Langston?"

"No, not formally. I believe we've seen each other in passing." As he settled in, he seemed to shrug off the awkwardness of the situation. His movements became more and more graceful and he showed no ignorance of proper table etiquette. He noticed me and said in a quick whisper, "I do not believe it's polite to stare, Lady Anna."

My eyes snapped away as I giggled and blushed. Theodore bristled slightly as he turned towards Langston, "Yes, I've seen you around the factories, of course. How do you manage to deal with all of those workers? Father and I have enough trouble managing the plantations and keeping up worker morale. We should have you up to Hartfell to whip them into shape."

Without missing a beat Langston replied, "If you are whipping your employees, I may have found the root of your morale problem and saved you my consulting fee."

Lord Robert looked at Langston with baleful eyes. "I would pay your fee and more to steal you away from Arthur. Langston's crews are the only ones not threatening to riot every other day. We do not pay them any less. We pay them more, I wager. How do you manage it?"

"It's the anti-dragon rhetoric," my father said.

"Anti-dragon?" I asked, finally finding something that sounded interesting to me. The table looked at one another slightly embarrassed.

My father responded first, "Yes, Anna. The townsfolk still have an awful resentment of the dragons. A few of the local lords....er, stoke that feeling."

Lady Carrow laughed. "What's to stoke. They hate those lizards more than any of us. You sympathized with the dragons, Arthur, even if you don't say it. And you, Robert, you keep your tongue close to not offend anyone, but Hartfell burning soured you on the beasts whether you admit it or not. The townsfolk have every right to be angry. It's the fault of those damned creatures."

Langston did not hesitate to respond. "Lady Carrow, if I may, the plight of the townsfolk may have started during the war, but it is continued by the mortgages. Landowners have a responsibility to be charitable after such a tragedy. If you wish to know the secret to our worker's loyalty and work ethic, it is in Lord Ingram's charity."

Robert turned to look at my father. "Am I understanding correctly? Did you forgive the mortgages of your tenants?" My father nodded, sheepishly. Robert laughed, a deep rolling laugh. "You're a madman, Arthur. That's a fortune you've given away."

The servants returned and started to serve a sugary dessert. The conversations broke into smaller groups once again. While Theodore and Lady Carrow spoke in hushed tones under the watchful eye of Aunt Ethel, Langston managed to catch my attention. "And what do you think of dragons, Lady Anna. I would venture to guess that you are not so harsh on them as Lord Locke." His tone was soft and resonant. Though he carried himself as a much older man, finally having a reason to look at him directly I knew him to be only a few years older than me. His charm and handsome features drew me in and I found myself wanting to reach out and touch him, if only his cheek.

"I have always held a fascination with them. As a girl, I daydreamed about meeting one. A childish thought in light of the reality of dragons." I took another small bite of the confectionery. "Though, I believe I would side with my father in his sympathies. I've learned enough about the war to hold no grudges against dragons. The things done to them in the name of vengeance or justice are horrible."

"Your father's sympathies are nothing to be ashamed of. We cannot change the mood or minds of the townspeople, but we have no need to tear open their wounds to motivate them. Dragons will return one day and live openly among them, but so long as the other lords fuel the fear, the persecution will continue. It is an irony they cannot grasp. They think they're motivating the men out of hatred, but they are distracting the men with old suspicions. More than once, a crop has failed and superstitions about dragon witches have been to blame, but not the idle hands of the workers."

Yet again, I felt so insignificant. "I am well beyond my depth, I fear. I know only simple histories and old stories, but little about the current situations of your workers. Though I think I would like to understand them better."

"I'll ask your father to allow you to visit the factory then."

"I do not need my father's permission for such things," I replied, slightly insulted.

"The town can be dangerous, nonetheless. I expect he will be enthused to see you having an interest in the people. The footsteps of your mother are admirable to follow."

"You couldn't have known my mother, you're far too young."

"True. I was but a babe when she passed, but her reputation is longstanding among the community."

Langston's attention was stolen away once again by Robert and my father who pressed him with more business oriented questions. The conversation drifted further into obscure topics that I knew little about. Eventually, we finished the meal and I was led away by Aunt Ethel to sit with the ladies while the men went to smoke. My last glimpse of Langston saw him in a deep conversation with Theodore. I suffered through another hour with the women. Lady Grace did her best to keep the conversation from growing too critical, but Lady Carrow had more than a few impolite things to say about Langston and even my father. Aunt Ethel explained that she was allowed such strong opinions as a respected elder, but her tone made it clear that she held little respect for the other woman. The men came in to wish us goodnight and take away wife and cousin. Theodore made a long goodnight with promises to seek me out during the party. Lord Locke once again extolled how delighted he was to finally meet me.

I fled to my room immediately to avoid any further conversation with my Aunt or an even more dreadful conversation about what I thought of Theodore as a suitor. I didn't dislike him, but it was difficult to get to know anyone in such a structured environment. I hoped the party would be more fun. Marie helped me undress and we discussed the evening in great detail. She shared the staff's sentiments about Lady Carrow with very little censoring. Exhausted, I crawled into bed expecting to fall soundly asleep. I laid awake for a while, thinking of Theodore and a married life. I imagined him sleeping on the pillow beside me, snoring softly. It wasn't an unpleasant thought. As I drifted off to sleep, my mind turned to the party. I retraced the steps to dances in my head and I trilled through the names of people I expected to meet. But finally, as sleep's tendrils circled my mind, I thought of Langston and his roguish ease at the end of a table meant for his superiors. Then, I dreamed of dragons.