Feeling the silk beneath her, the plain ceiling above hovered as if the moment it was waiting for to crash her world, hadn’t quite yet come. Confusion kept it buzzing and as she tried to figure out thoughts in her head, the vast wideness of just purity perplexed her, as nothing there made her mind feel more congested. Meeting someone so new and fresh, from outside her world brought in with it a refreshing breeze, a breeze that she was neither hot or cold around but as the old, brisk swoop returned, it just strengthened what she had no more and what she wanted to gain.

Sighing to herself as she reached, yet again, a closed door, she pushed her hair out of her face in annoyance and sat up from the bed, swinging her legs over the side. Wandering over to her wardrobe, ready to select the most dreaded outfit that would do go along with yet another dreaded dinner, she pulled at the doors and browsed the clothes that would have to entice her so.

Peering behind her door, as another opened, the false smile on her face eased as Christie walked in, a pile of pressed clothes in her hands.

"Ahh, more to add to my list." Louise smiled as she continued delving through her wardrobe.

"I’m sure you’ll find some use for them somewhere." Christie grinned as she placed them on the chair and began folding them away.

"Do you think you could help me pick something to wear?" Louise asked a little wearily, as showing off how much she had was not how she intended it. "Its just I’m just so lost in what to pick… I don’t even need most of this…"

"Of course I’ll help. Dinner is it?"

"Yeah, just dinner…" Louise sighed as dinner seemed so majestic in their eyes. "Another big deal over nothing…"

"So, how were your piano lessons today?" Christie questioned as she helped Louise rummage through.

"Ohh, they were great." Louise beamed as a smile soon returned. "Mark’s a really good teacher… I learnt so much."

"He’s nice too…" Christie blushed.

"I know…" Louise said quietly. "I thought so too…"

"But you have Anton!" Christie explained, stopping what she was doing to face Louise. "Don’t you love him?"

"I dunno…" Louise admitted. "I do I suppose…"

"Suppose?" Christie questioned as she continued looking again, the initial shock over.

"Yeah… I mean, I do love him… but I don’t think he’s the one…"

"What, not ev…"

"Nope." Louise simply answered. "It’s got nothing to do with him, nothing to do with Mark either. I’ve felt it a long time…" She revealed.

"So why did you except his marriage proposal." Christie asked, the burning question finding more ignition to spark.

"Because… Because I have nothing else." Louise said sadly. "I have no friends, no career prospects… nothing. All I have is him and there’s nothing I can do about it."

"Lou… Lou you really shouldn’t do this if it’s not what you want." Christie advised.

"But what else is there? I go one way, I have a chance of a decent life, or I go another where I have no one, nothing…" Louise pointed out. "Looks like I’ve found the simple one so I’m gonna take it."

"That’s all well and good Lou, but it won’t last and you know that." She said bravely. "I know… I know I’m not much of a friend, just your maid, but if you want to do something, then go for it. You think I’ve always wanted to be a maid?"

"What have you always wanted to be?" Louise asked.

"I dunno… but come on. There’s more of a life out there then folding other peoples clothes, making their beds and… and cleaning the stairs!" She chuckled, pulling out a black dress. "How about this?"

"Yeah, yeah I like that." Louise smiled. "Or this?" She suggested, showing a red one.

"Ooo that red is gorgeous!" Christie cried, as her eyes ran all over it, like tears that seduced tissue.

"Ok, well how about I wear the black one… and you… yeah you can have this one!" Louise proclaimed.

"What? No. No! I can’t take that dress off you!" She objected.

"Why not?"

"Because… because…"

"Because nothing!" Louise grinned. "Now take it and don’t let Anton see… or any of the other girls know, ok." She told, throwing her the dress, which Christie caught hopelessly.

Fumbling with it in her hands, she folded it as tiny as possible, giggling whilst Louise looked on, smiling in delight as she brought that to others. Such a simple gesture was what made the happiness seem even more real to Louise and although it was intended for her to begin with, the dress she never wore, she never needed. Christie probably didn’t either, being tied down just like Louise was, yet the fact lay in what it meant, not how she would use it and its that what made the smile so special.

"I’m never even gonna wear this…" Christie trailed off, admiring the fabric in her hands. "But thank you so much… you really are something special."

"Yeah, whatever." Louise laughed. "Ok, well you have to go. Not like I want to push you out, I mean, I’d rather stay here talking to you all evening but then I am expected…"

"Ok Lou…" She smiled. "And thanks! No one will ever know."

Pushing the dress into her small white apron, she scurried out of the room, like an obscure predator and after closing the door quietly behind her, Louise smiled to herself before slipping on the black dress and heading over to the mirror, to cater her hair. It was all about presentation and presentation was what she found so hard to understand…

"Louise, so nice of you to join us." Anton smiled as he kissed her cheek softly. "Sit down, the prawn starter is just arriving…"

"Thanks." Louise grinned as she sighed underneath it all.

As usual, the dining room was dressed so classically with silver cutlery and grand candlesticks decorating the table. Crystal glasses twinkled underneath the chandelier, and as the perfect white plates were handed onto the table, the napkins that were swiftly pulled from out of the glasses were then placed on laps.

"Oh, this looks truly magical!" Abigail beamed. "Anton dear, you must certainly thank the maids and kitchen chef for such spectacular presentation."

And there, yet again was the word that these people lived by: presentation. It had to look good for it to matter. It had to make an impression. It had to live up to their standards and this was how Louise felt constantly, the whole time. Like a dinner party in every day life, she was on show entirely and as she quietly prodded the contents by her, the falseness felt like it wanted to shatter and the real her blossom outside. But that could never happen, as the china they always used, and glasses they drank from, never cracked. Never.

"Louise, how did those piano lessons of yours go today?" Abigail asked, peering over the wine she drank from her glass.

"Oh, well they we…"

"From what I can tell, that went splendidly, did they not Louise?" Anton interrupted.

"Yes, yes very well thank you."

"Apparently, Mr Read thinks that she will be ready before the ball even arrives…"

"Oh wonderful!" Abigail cried. "Just think, all our associates at Clifton Manor will not know what has hit them when our Louise sits at that piano."

"She will be great mother, I am positive. You shall be fine Louise…" Anton added.

"Yes, let’s hope so." Louise grimaced, taking a drink of her wine.

"And this Mr Read – what is he like?" Abigail asked. "I hardly had the time of day to talk to him." She smiled.

"Well he… he is very… nice." Louise said. "And a good teacher."

"Yes, yes I thought so too. Also very well dressed for a man of his class. Very impressed." Anton stated.

"Yes, I thought so too when I answered the door. Nice, polite gentleman. You picked the right man Anton." Abigail congratulated.

"Yes, just like I picked the right fiancée…" He smirked, rubbing her hand gently as it lay on the table.

"Er… yes, yes…" Louise blushed, as she pulled her hand away quickly, glancing at the table.

Anton seemed to think he had picked the right fiancée but Louise obviously felt different…