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“Going on another drinking fest?” I laugh, but she goes silent. “Have fun and be careful.”
“I’ll be home soon, and we’ll work on you being allowed out more. I promise. Go talk to your father about the estate.”
She hangs up, and I go back to staring out of the window. Our gardens are formal in style. A rose border dominates the vista from the pool. It's June, and the beautiful pink and red petals of the climber’s contrast stunningly with the crisp white of the fragrant tea roses. The gardener appears from behind a hedge, and he sees me standing there. I go to ask him to cut a rose for me, but he puts his head down and hurries away back into the depths of the woodland area. Oops, I remember that I’m in a bikini. Awkward.
“Victoria,” my father calls me. I stroll back to the lounger and pick up my dressing gown. I've just finished wrapping it around me and tying the cord when he enters the room.
“Father.” I smile.
“I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
“You know Ialwaysswim at this time,” I offer with a hint of sarcasm, alluding to the fact that I don’t have anything else to do.
“We don’t have much time.” He seems flustered.
“Time for what?” I come over to his side and place my arm through the crook of his. For all my father’s overprotective faults, I do love him. I remember once, as a child, him building Theo and me this tent in his office and having afternoon tea with us in it. Theo, of course, being a lively boy wanted to use the shelter as a place to hide from the enemies who were chasing him. He didn’t really want to have a girly tea party, but my father insisted that it was my turn to choose the game, we sat with our pinkies out and pretended to drink tea.
“You have to get changed. We’re going out.”
“Out? Where?” I enquire with a great deal of excitement in my voice.
“It’s time,” he says and brushes me off, striding away through the house. I follow him as he heads toward my bedroom. Elsie’s waiting in the room for us when we walk in. She looks sad. There’s a definite air of tension in the room. Elsie steps aside and on the bed is a pure white linen dress. It's plain in design except for a small crest on the breast. I don’t recognize it. Are those oak leaves? I try to think to whom it might belong but come up blank.
“Father, will you please tell me what’s going on? I’m worried.” I take his hand and squeeze it. He looks down at the floor.
“It's time for you to enter society. Put the dress on. No make-up. No undergarments. Just the dress. Elsie knows how your hair should be. We leave within the hour.” I stand there in shock. Society? The door slams before I even realize he's left. I get to go and meet people. This is it — I finally get the freedom I crave. Alright, it’ll be in probably the most unflattering dress I’ve ever seen, but at least it’s going out. I squeal inwardly with barely contained excitement. My wish is going to come true.
