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My body happily accepted the sheets of my soft bed. I fell asleep despite the restless tingling in my legs and the dull ache in my shoulders. My dreams were fitful and unpleasant. The hundreds of new people I had met in the past few days rushed past me in a torrent of distorted masks. I stood in the middle of a masquerade ball, like the kind from my fairy stories. All around me, the masked men and women watched, all of their faces obscured except for their leering eyes. I could see my father in the distance, surrounded by the masked people and in deep discussion. Tinny, unpleasant music provided the background for a macabre dance where I was handed from one of the masked creatures to another. They moved me like a marionette while laughing gleefully to themselves. Theodore, too, wandered through the dream. I called out to him for help, but he could not hear me. He seemed intent on finding something in the corners of the room, moving through the grim specters without acknowledging them. I feared that I had been actually stolen away to a Fae land and wished to wake. A roar thundered in the distance. The dancers stopped for a moment and looked towards the noise with their unmoving faces. Nothing happen for that undecipherable span of time in a dream, perhaps a minute or perhaps an hour. The dancers returned to their game, using me as a plaything. The roar came again, thunderous and angry. The hall shook from the rage held within the bestial noise. The dancers looked up and I followed their gaze. Large cathedral windows spilled light in from high above. As I watched, a giant figure with broad wings rose to block out the light. The silhouette of the dragon roared again, the windows cracked and stone broke as the strange dancers fled. I watched gleefully, ready for the monster to smash through the windows and steal me away.

I woke to a clattering sound. Looking around, I discovered Marie opening the drapes, the metal rings clicking along the rod as morning light flooded the room. "Good morning, Lady Anna. Lady Ethel asked me to wake you, though I waited as long as I could."

"That's fine. Did she need me for something."

"No, miss, but she says a young lady shouldn't sleep past ten, even after a night like last night."

"Did the staff have a chance to enjoy themselves?" I asked. My dreams faded quickly as I stretched my stiff legs.

"Yes, miss, thank you. It was a magical evening for everyone. I heard you danced with every suitor at least twice. The guests valets had nothing but compliments as well. I don't want to put nonsense into your head, but they all claimed you were the most beautiful woman in the room. Right fitting, I think, seeing as it was your party." Marie busied herself around the room, providing my robe and slippers. "I'll draw you a morning bath and have the kitchen send up a late breakfast." She glanced over her shoulder at the door and then sat down beside me on the bed. "I don't mean to overstep, miss, but I heard you danced with Langston Black last night."

As the sleep receded from my mind, the previous night came flooding back. I remembered every step of the dance with Langston and the fiery kiss that had thrilled me. "Of course! I can't believe I would forget. Yes, we danced and it was wonderful."

"It caused quite the stir among the lords and ladies. They hemmed and hawed all the way home from what I've heard. Stewart even told us how handsome the two of you looked. High praise in that he even mentioned it."

I felt all the thrill of the previous night come back as I spoke conspiratorially with Marie. "Langston said that you visit him sometimes in the town?"

"Oh yes. Langston lived with my foster parents for a while as kids. He moved out when he reached his teenage years, but kept coming round to check on me after that. I return the favor now. As good as he can be managing men, he's rubbish managing his house. I think he would forget to eat sometimes if his larder were empty."

"He invited me to come tour the factory, to see my father's business first hand. I was hoping that you could take me on one of your visits."

Marie stiffened slightly. "I don't know, miss. Have you spoken with Lord Ingram about this?"

"Not yet, but I intend to. Please, Marie, I'll go mad if I stay in this house too long. Aunt Ethel is likely waiting to cart me off to a sewing circle right now."

She smiled. "Very well, milady. You speak with your father and I'll be happy to have you along with me. It's a bit of a walk, though I'll have to make sure Langston has sense about him before I bring you. My next trip will be some time next week, whenever I can find the time away from my duties. Things should settle down to a more normal routine now that the party is over. Come along then, let's get you freshened up before Lady Ethel has my head."

A while later, I slipped into a hot bath, the water teasing out the aches from my muscles. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander for a while. The warmth reminded me of Langston and I found myself imagining him slipping into the tub with me, the water rising up to his bare chest as his nakedness disappeared below the surface. I imagined his legs sliding along mine and my hand reaching up along his thigh. Such fantasies might have been unladylike, but something about the young man inspired such thoughts with ease. He intruded into my thoughts more and more, especially now that I had our next meeting to look forward to.

Unfortunately, before I could see Mr. Black again, life at Annandale needed my attention. I had not lived as a young lady on an estate before, but Aunt Ethel insisted that I approach it with the same zeal as my dance with Langston. Workers tore apart and removed the pavilion by the end of the next and, as Marie hoped, life at Annandale returned to normal. I woke in the mornings and had breakfast with father and Aunt Ethel. Visitors came more regularly than expected, mostly older women who seemed to want to nose around inside of Annandale. Aunt Ethel greeted most of them cordially, but a few were met with an icy mood, though I did not know why. During these visits, I took on the role of young hostess, the chief burden being to pour tea. In my own time, I returned to my old hobby of reading. The gardens around the estate provided pleasant seclusion and scenery where I could hide away the day.

Theodore and Lady Grace visited roughly a week after the party. We all went for a walk around the grounds, Theodore and I in the lead and our two chaperons slightly behind. Theodore told me of his studies and promised to take me to see Hartfell and the plantation. I asked him questions to sound interested, but mostly I enjoyed the walk. At the end of the visit, he asked if he could come again and I agreed. He went to kiss me, not on the cheek, but full on the lips. I pulled away, not intending to offend, but I doubt he saw it that way. He managed to feign good spirits for the remainder of the visit, but immediately fell into dark conversation with his mother as they left. Aunt Ethel asked if something happened, but I did not wish to tell her. I thought that would only extend Theodore's embarrassment.

I did not discuss much of my social life with father or Aunt Ethel. They would choose topics carefully to give me a polite window to such issues if I chose, but, despite Theodore's attentions or the letters I had received from some of the other young men I'd met, I had no profound interest in any of them. Only one occupied my thoughts and all rooted in half a kiss and a dance. I discussed visiting the factory with father, though I did not explicitly ask for permission to go with Langston. He seemed to support the idea, believing his daughter should have a firm grasp on the family's business and holdings. I took it as a tacit endorsement of my plans with Marie. I prodded her several times about her next visit, even going so far as to tell her father gave permission. She did not reveal the reason for her hesitation, but I could tell that she worried about offending someone. Despite how quickly we were growing close, she was still worried about losing her station. Finally, at the beginning of my third week at Annandale, Marie told me she planned to go to the town after breakfast. I believe she sprung it on me in hopes that I wouldn't want to go so suddenly, but I leapt at the chance and told her not to leave without me no matter what.

Rather than make the trip on foot, I spoke with the men in the stables and had them ready the small buggy for the trip. Marie thoroughly disapproved of this as she didn't want Elsa thinking she'd influenced me to make her trip easier, but I assured her it was well within my rights to request. Nathan, one of the stablehands, drove us and Marie seemed glad of his company. The buggy did not provide the smoothest ride and dust billowed up constantly from the road. We passed several other carts or wagons, many of which stopped to wave. I soon realized that Nathan was no stranger to the other drivers and Marie knew many of the other workers as well, but they gawked at me as if I had chicken on my head. As we neared the town, more and more people waved hello and then broke off when they saw me riding alongside Marie. Once again, it struck me how differently people treated the higher class.

At the far end of the town, the factory towered over the rest of the small homes and shops. It seethed smoke and fumes out long pipes jutting from the top, reminding me of pictures of dragons looming over unsuspecting villages. As it grew closer, I noticed a thin film of dust or smut on everything from plants to the people. Even the sun dimmed under the plumes of smoke. Despite the dreary mood, the townspeople went about their tasks happily. "Is the air always this polluted?" I asked.

Nathan answered from the driver's seat, "No, milady, not a breeze enough to lift a straw today. Usually blows out over the river or thins a bit at least. Nothin on a coal mine though. Would you like to turn round?"

"No, drive on," I said, holding my handkerchief to my nose. The road rose out of the valley a bit as we went further into town. The quality of the buildings improved and the people were more nicely dressed. They didn't avoid my gaze so eagerly and some even ventured to say hello. We came a stop on a small street corner. Nathan informed us that he had a horse to look at a nearby stable and he would return to wait for us in about an hour. Marie took me first to a small bakery where she purchased a sweet cake. The baker seemed quite pleased to see me and eager to earn more patronage from Annandale. I had to beg off and wait outside, otherwise he may have kept us for hours. Standing on the street, I felt an overwhelming sense of freedom that I had never experienced before. For the first time in as long as I could remember, no one watched me or lurked somewhere behind me making certain I was acting properly. It thrilled me and scared me at the same time. The feeling of liberation faded as Marie emerged from the shop and told me that Langston lived only a brisk walk away.

New anxiety filled me. I had spent the better part of two weeks thinking about seeing him again. For all I knew, Langston had not given me a second thought after our dance. He could have been charming to his boss's daughter as a way of ingratiating himself to his employer. What could I know of a man from a few small conversations and a kiss on the cheek? I tried to temper my expectations with rational thought, but a part of me refused to give in to such cynical views. Langston and I had shared a dazzling moment surrounded by everyone I knew and yet entirely alone together. His kiss had unlocked something inside of me, desire. For the first time, I wanted someone. Not anyone, not Theodore or the other paling comparisons. I wanted Langston, the fiery, handsome man who could move me so easily. I could only hope that he harbored some feelings for me as well.

His home was a small cottage at the end of a lane. A fence enclosed a modest yard that circled the stone house with a thatched roof. Marie brought me through the small gate and up to the door. She knocked and I desperately wanted to run and hide. No one answered, but Marie tried the latch and the door swung open. She stepped inside and beckoned me to follow. The main room of the cottage had a stone floor with a small fur rug in front of the hearth. To the right of the entry, a small table and black stove made a kitchen. To the left, a door led into a second room. From this, Langston emerged, "Marie? That you?" He stepped into the room and my breath caught in my throat. Langston was bare chested and wiping away soap from his face. The water had run down his chest, glistening against his muscle. I had imagined such a marvelous physique beneath his tunic, but that was an idle girl's fantasy. My eyes flicked down to his navel, watching it heave in and out and wondering what waited a few more inches down. "Oh, excuse me," he stammered, backing out of the room. As he turned, I saw his broad back ripple with lean muscle. I could only think of his arms wrapping around me and pulling me to his warm body. My face burned hot and I looked away as Marie chided him out of the room.

"I'm sorry, milady. I should've come in first and checked to see where he was."

"That's alright, Marie. I've seen a shirtless man before, my virtue is preserved." I hoped that my breath wasn't too quick and my face was not too flushed.

Marie moved to the small kitchen area and began putting away things. She tutted over a pile of dishes she found, muttering about how he would never learn. I waited by the hearth, admiring a well made clock that sat on the mantle. At first glance the cottage had seemed barren and hard, but the more I looked around the more I noticed how it had been made for comfort. After a few moments, Langston returned from his bedroom, smoothing out a white shirt and adjusting the collar. He came over to me, "I'm sorry about that. I didn't know you'd be with Marie."

"I'm sorry if I've put you out," I replied.

"Impossible. I'm happier to see you than you'd know. Did you tell Lord Ingram you were coming?"

"In a way."

Langston frowned, but did not mention his concern. "Marie has been delaying bringing you for a while. She worries that we'll cause a scandal. Please, sit."

We sat down on a small couch. Marie cast an eye over at us, but remained in the kitchen area. Langston remained quite tall even while sitting and I strained to keep my posture up beside him. "I'm excited to see more of the town. All of the people I've met so far have been quite kind. Being cooped up in Annandale can be very dull. You must enjoy life out here on your own."

"I get by. I'm of the mindset that a person does not need much in this world. A warm bed, a place to cook food, and a few small things for comfort. I hope that does not offend your sensibilities."

"No. I was not raised to think much differently. Though I think I've come to understand why you work for my father and not any of the other lords. You fly in opposition to the garishness of the nobility. In fact, you seem notorious for it."

He smiled. "I think, given time to learn more about your peers, you might understand why I have such notoriety. You weren't old enough to remember the war. I was a boy by the time it ended and I watched much of the aftermath. Greedy men using fear to gobble up all they could."

"You've mentioned it before," I reminded him. "In criticizing other managers, I believe. Are the townspeople still so afraid of dragons?"

He leaned back slightly, moving his hands to his knees as he thought. "Have you ever seen a wolf?"

"No, but I've heard stories."

"Of course, and in those stories the wolves were vicious and cruel?" I nodded. "Those stories are told to little boys and girls to teach them lessons. A wolf in sheep's clothing reminds us to be wary of those who seem kind. A wolf chasing little pigs reminds us to be diligent in our work. A boy who lies about a wolf is gobbled up to teach us to always be truthful. Wolves are the monsters of our childhood stories. Yet, a wolf is animal not much different than a dog. They act on instinct for the most part and can be quite dangerous if provoked, but to most people, most wolves are perfectly harmless and not to be feared so long as they are understood. Still, in the early days of this country, wolves caused problems for livestock and grazing herds. The shepherds spoke about the wolves if some demonic mischief motivated them. The shepherds and ranchers warned that sheep and cattle were stolen now, but children would be snatched away in the future. The settlers went out and hunted whole packs of wolves. While the settlers cheered at the death of each animal, the ones motivating them skinned the beasts and sold the hides. With the wolves gone, the herd flourished. Do you understand?"

"I do. The dragons were an easy target once the Wyrm rebelled. Fear allowed the lords to take what they pleased."

He nodded. "And now they sit on the piles of gold they so adamantly hated while their own people starve and another race has been driven into seclusion."

"Do your workers not share these views?"

"Lord Ingram was instrumental in healing the scars of the war. He was a well known sympathizer to the dragon's plight. Many of his tenants came to share his views and those who didn't found themselves no longer needed. It was rare, most people are good unless you give them reason not to be."

"Langston, may I ask a personal question." I folded my hands in on themselves. I admired his views and candor and did not wish to offend him. His face softened and he reached out to touch my knee, sending a shiver up through my core.

"Anything."

"Marie has mentioned that you were orphaned during the war. How can you be so understanding of the dragons after that?"

He moved his hand away and looked over at Marie, sadness in his eyes. "Marie and I were not orphaned by the Wyrm or any other dragon. What you should ask is how I can be so understanding of other men."

"Very well, how?"

He looked into my eyes and returned his hand to my knee. "Because they are still capable of great beauty. And I will not fear all wolves because once I saw one snarl." He stood up suddenly. "We should go. There is much for you to see. Marie! Will you be joining us?"

Marie walked over, wiping her hands on an apron she had acquired from somewhere. "No, I've plenty to do here. You'll take good care of her. One smudge on that dress and I'll have your hide before Miss Elsa has mine."

As we started to leave the cottage, Marie pulled Langston back for a moment and they whispered between themselves in a hurry. It irritated me to no end, but I knew that Marie was attempting to protect me in some fashion. When Langston joined me, his mood had not altered and I took that as a good sign. He told me it was a short walk to the factory, but I insisted I did not mind. I knew it would give us time to talk more freely between the two of us. He asked what books I had been reading and somehow had an opinion on each of them. He went on to tell me of his favorite authors and recommend a few that I had never heard of, offering me his copies if Annandale's library lacked the texts. He asked about my childhood and I told him stories about my father, Aunt Ethel, and Elsa. He found the idea of my father being a doddering stranger in his own home to be funny, and I was happy to have him laugh. Something about it made my heart pound a little louder.

For every building we passed, Langston would provide the story of how it came to be. "That is the Mueller home. Mrs. Mueller had seventeen children and it's believed that Mr. Mueller had at least nine of those. This is the new church. The old church was burned during the war, not out of malice, but because they used it as a triage. Most of the sick took a fever and died. The whole building went rife with infection and had to be burned. Maybe it wasn't necessary, but those were days of extreme measures. Ah, this is the liar's well. Legend says that if you write down the name of someone who has lied to you and cast it into the well, that person will speak nothing but the truth until he confesses. Mostly, it collects slips of paper that we must pick out before handing around the water." He was comfortable with me. Perhaps even more comfortable than I was with myself. I laughed at his quick wit and the ease of his tone. I did not understand particularly why, but something about him made me happy.

The factory was no less impressive as we reached it. The building seemed to be made for giants. Huge doors opened up on the side where bales of cotton were being unloaded and pulled into the building. Langston took me inside through a smaller door and led me up a series of metal railings. The roar of the factory drowned out any attempt at talking until we went into a small office. From that viewpoint, Langston had a view of the whole factory floor from behind thick glass windows, clearly designed to keep out as much noise as possible. Huge belts and wheels rolled as workers pulled at levers. One group sifted through the raw cotton, spreading it out before it was taken into one of the machines. In another section, workers supervised a large loom. Langston started explaining the purpose of the various machines. He admired how everything worked together, pointing out a method to all the chaos. I soon had the same appreciation, but the noise and dust still made it seem like we were looking down into the brimstone of hell.

After spending a while in the office, Langston led me down another set of steps and into the second room of the factory. This section had the benefit of thick walls to mute the sound of the machine, but it still hummed with a constant roar. In this room, the workers pulled out large skeins of thread or rolls of fabric. They checked it for any flaws and worked to pack it away for distribution. Langston led me around the room, stopping at a few of the workstations. An elderly man gave me a toothless smile and held up a section of fabric. I took it from him, admiring the softness of it and complimented him on his work. He thanked me profusely. At another station, a woman stirred a large vat of dye, carefully dipping lengths of fabric into the vat and then running them through a small device to press out the liquid. Langston introduced her as Gretchen and she made an effort to bow when he said my name.

"Do you enjoy your work, Gretchen?"

"Oh yes, miss. Mr. Black lets me pick the color each week. Look 'ere. Comes out nice, dunnit?" She held out a length of bright turquoise fabric.

"We've started to make some special for the local merchants," Langston explained. "I suggested it to Lord Ingram as a way to bolster local craftsmen. Though it's not silk, it is much cheaper and the fabric is better for our climate. From what I hear, it's been popular with the local dressmaker."

"I should like to see one of these dresses," I said, coyly.

Gretchen grinned broadly. "Lady Anna, you would be the angel of all us poor folk then. To see you paradin round in a dress made from our workin. You could have one of the colors I picked! Had a nice green a few weeks ago, bring out the color of your hair."

"I'm certain it would be lovely. I will make a point to visit the dressmaker with my Aunt. I see no reason that both the ladies of Annandale should wear anything else."

Gretchen swelled with pride. "Good day to you, milady. I won't forget you stopped to talk to little old me."

"Don't get too excited and let your work go," Langston chided with a smile as we moved away. He led me to visit others in the factory and most had similar reactions. The number of women surprised me. "Another cost of the war, I'm afraid. Many husbands did not return and the wives had to seek out ways of paying for food. I hire as many as I can when I have suitable positions. I'll have to have you back soon. You're doing wonders for morale. They all want to please you."

"Yes, they seem to be quite keen on that. I don't know why though, I have only been at Annandale for a few weeks."

"Your arrival meant a big change for everyone. You've become a bit of a princess to the townspeople."

"And what about to you?"

"To me? You've become an incredibly welcome distraction. One that is likely keeping me from my duties. Come along, Marie must be having fits that you're not back yet."

We left the factory, many of the workers watching me go. Gretchen waved to me enthusiastically and I saw her bragging to the others, likely about our earlier conversation. I started to understand why they looked at me with such curiosity. My arrival had meant a huge feast for the whole town. The party had led to renewed investment from the other lords, creating more jobs with the promise of more to come. Whether I had liked it or not, my father had used me as the symbol for his new world. A weightiness came with that realization, but Langston walked alongside me and soothed my worries.

About halfway back to his cottage, Langston came to a stop under the branches of a large oak tree on the roadside. "Anna, I would like to tell you something, but I'm not certain how. I'm not sure it's proper or even acceptable. Spending time with you today has...made it obvious to me that --"

I touched his hand. He hesitated for only a moment. Bending down slightly, he pressed his lips against mine. The same fire and spice filled my senses as his arms wrapped around me. My blood quickened and my heart pounded in my ears. I pressed closer to him, feeling his firm body against mine. His lips pressed against mine again and again, kissing me as I had never been before. Each time, it was if fire licked my skin, exciting me and terrifying me all at once. A thousand emotions competed for my attention, but I let them all vanish into the ether, choosing instead to enjoy the feel of him so close to me. Finally, he broke away. His face looked a mix of agony and exhilaration. He looked more vulnerable then than I had ever seen before. I did not press him with questions or give in to my urge to fall back into his embrace. Instead, I took his hand and walked back towards his cottage.