Seventeen Stones (18 page)

They
had nibbled their way through dinner while they continued the discussion of
shoes and accessories.  This was an admittedly interesting subject, but neither
Mia nor Sarah could feel the same fanaticism that Lady Anne and Madam Reece exhibited
about fashion.  Sarah wondered off to a chair with a book after the third hour
of rapturous delight, and Mia found her eyes glazing over as the ladies gushed
about some beading detail that she hadn’t paid attention to.  The windows
outside the sitting room were edging into a purple sunset as Madam Reece packed
up her trunks and apprentice. 

“Don’t
worry about a thing my dear!  Lady Anne’s taste is legend here in the City. 
We’ll have the first suits and tea frocks ready before the house party begins,
and plan to deliver the rest a few days after the College gets out for the
holiday.”  Mia nodded and made a mental note to send Mr. Smith a copy of the
expenditures once she had the final total.  There was another half-formed plan
percolating in her brain, but she might have to enlist Vivian’s help in pulling
it off.      

Before
they left for the evening, she plucked up the courage to ask Lady Anne about the
mountains outside the window.  The lady dimpled.  “Oh, that’s my home, where I
was raised, near the Gambor pass.  The windows change from time to time, some
days I get a fine view of the ocean, or a formal garden, or the islands off the
coast where they grow our tea and coffee.  The spell is integrated into the
glass, as old as the townhomes.  This wall looks out over a lovely view of my
neighbor’s window three feet away. Neither of us would appreciate that, and
neither did the original architects.  So the builders came up with
alternatives.  It’s easier to build a building than to do a spell to add room,
but when there’s not a lot of land to build on, people tend to get creative. 
This town-home has a full ballroom, a three story greenhouse, and an excellent
private library.” 

“The
lady next door has an indoor stable with practice ring for when it’s raining. 
Another gentleman down the way has a full orchard.  These were built shortly
after the City itself, and the Greatlords and Ladies remembered the chaos times. 
That’s why so many of these have their own water sources, and even areas where
it would be possible to store enough food to feed the entire City if need be.” 
The lady cocked an eyebrow and lowered her voice.  “I’ve heard that some of
them have secret passages to the other homes, but as hard as I’ve looked since
my marriage, I’ve never found one.  The first wand wielders readied this City
for a war.  All they would have had to have done was seal the doors with magic,
and there wouldn’t have been anyway to force them out of the estates and
townhomes.  If they had enough supplies, they might not ever have to come out,
though I suppose they would have eventually.”

Mia
was amazed at the idea that the homes were so saturated with magic.  She was
very, very glad that she didn’t live during a time when you had to be so
cautious.  After all, what could attack the City? 

As
soon as they returned to the dorm, Vivian pounced on them.  “So?”  Sarah
grinned.  “My mother is going to help Mia plan the party.  She’s going to come,
so I get to!  Even better, she’s going to let all of us help, if we want to.” 

In
fact, Lady Anne had been quite adamant about all of the girls helping if they
could.  “You girls need to learn how to do this, and I’m sure they’ll be
helpful.  Bring them along when we visit your estate Mia.  They don’t teach Elegant
Assembly 101 at college.”

Mia
had never paid so little attention to her studies, or found her mind wandering
off so continually.  “Miss Rusticov!”  Mia glanced up guiltily.  She’d been
thinking about the final drawing of the ball gown Madam Reece had sent for
approval the evening before.  Professor Stoats was glaring at her over a three
dimensional model of a bunyip: a shy water-dwelling mammal found in many lakes
and lazy rivers.  They looked like moles with flippers.  “Miss Rusticov, I
asked if you understood the biological rational behind the bunyip’s ability to
stay underwater for hours or even days.”  Thank goodness, it was a question
from the reading he’d assigned.  “The bunyip uses the same process that some
cold-water fish employee to slow its heart-rate and therefore use less oxygen. 
Combined with the animal’s over-sized lung capacity and proto-gills…” 
Professor Stoats held up a hand and growled “Well at least you did the
background reading.”  He still assigned her a punishment essay. 

Once
they were alone in the study, Ella giggled and rattled off the facts about
bunyips that she didn’t know.  “They’ll drown a man if you aren’t careful
around their hunting areas.  They eat mostly fish, but they’ll eat snakes and
even turtles.  They’re completely blind, but they know everything that’s going
on in the water, every plop and splash.  I’ve never liked them much,
personally.  There’s something too canny about the way they lurk in the water,
and those long fingers feel like death…”  Mia decided to leave that part out. 
It was too much like a scary story.  She’d never seen a bunyip in person. 
Ella’s description left her with no desire to do so.     

After
her punishment essay, Mia approved the dress and went back to talking with the
others.  They were all chatting excitedly about the ball that Mr. Smith had
approved in addition to the house party…except for Sarah.  She was working on
something for her Advanced Research class and didn’t spare them a glance.  Mia
marveled at her focus, without quite being able to envy it.  She was too wound
up.  Sarah’s focus seemed unshaken, and while Vivian was as excited as Mia,
excited was Vivian’s natural state.  Lizzy and Beth had written their
Grandmother and included Mia’s invitation that Lady Imogene was quite welcome
to come to the house party if she chose.  They were a bit despondent at first,
but eventually a letter came with plans and permission.  Mia danced around the
room with Lizzy and Beth in tow.  The girls giggled half the night when the
letter arrived.  Mia didn’t stop grinning for days.       

***

Lady
Anne had completely taken over the practical aspects of planning the party, and
Mia couldn’t help but wonder if it was mostly because the lady pitied her
orphaned state.  She suspected that she was doing for her what Lady Anne would
want someone to do for her daughter if she found herself in the same
situation. 

Sarah
was one of Mia’s best friends.  They shared a similar sense of humor, long
hours studying many of the same subjects, and a certain creative streak.  They
tended to form a smaller group with Ella during the evenings, though sometimes
Ella joined Lizzy and Beth going over music, or spent time with Vivian in the
tea room.

They
spent most nights doing homework together.  “Sarah, what would you say is the
major cause of the Great Famine?”  Mia and Sarah had exchanged a look at Vivian’s
less than subtle attempt to avoid reading the text book.  Sarah sighed and said
“They discuss that on page four hundred and seven of
The History of the City
,
and they cover it in chapter six of
A Thousand Years of City Authority
.” 
Mia took pity on her less studious friend.  “They also cover it in the
Clifford’s Notes version of
Feast and Famine
.”  Vivian had rushed out of
the door in a beeline to the library.  Sarah shot Mia a look.  Mia shrugged. 
“At least this way she’ll read the Clifford’s Notes and get a good overview. 
If we didn’t tell her our “opinion” she would have just asked one of the boys
at the tearoom about it and gotten her information that way.”  Sarah shrugged,
but she nodded grumpily.  “The irritating part is that she’d have gotten top
marks for sure if she’d done it that way.”  One thing Vivian didn’t lack was a
near-brilliant understanding of human nature.   

***

On
the next rest day the girls piled into the estate’s carriage and spent the two
hour drive chattering like magpies in the cramped conditions.  It would be
slightly better on the way home.  Lady Anne was driving straight from the
family estate and she wanted Sarah to ride back with her so they’d have a bit
of time together.   

All
the girls let out appreciative sighs when they saw the manor.  Lady Anne was
waiting in one of the sitting rooms when they’d piled out of the carriage.  Mia
had sent a note warning Hawkins, the butler, of everything.  Mr. Smith was
expected after luncheon, and Mr. Dempsey had taken time out to greet all of
them.  “Miss Mia, ladies” he smiled warmly at all of them.  Mrs. Wallace was
bustling about, collecting wraps and a cloak, smiling like being invaded by
half a dozen young ladies was the biggest thrill she’d had in years.  Mia
speculated that she probably wasn’t paying the lady enough. 

“Cook
has prepared a selection of foods that she would have normally prepared at a
mid-winter party fifteen years ago in the dining room.”  A wide selection of
tiny, iced cakes, portions of delicately grilled white or red fish with
different sauces, thin slices of roast beef, artfully cut and garnished with
grilled spring vegetables or slices of fruit, bowls of side dishes like baked
pumpkin spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, sweet potato casserole, new potatoes
rubbed with butter and herbs, and many, many other dishes.  “Oh my!” muttered
Lady Anne.  “Mia, your cook made enough ‘samples’ to feed every guest on the
guest list.”  Then in a louder voice she said “Alright girls, everyone take a
plate and try just a bite of everything, Mr. Dempsey, I expect you’ve brought
your appetite as well…” 

Mia
was delighted with the dishes; each was beautifully presented and perfectly
proportioned for a single course.  Even using several plates she didn’t manage
to get a bite of everything.  The girls were making notes between bites,
sometimes with exclamations of delight, occasionally with expressions of veiled
disgust.

Cook
was brought in and congratulated.  Lady Anne was particularly impressed.  “Do
you have enough of each of the ingredients under stasis spells to make portions
for two hundred?  How much would we need to purchase from the markets?”  Cook
grinned.  “Not a single turnip Lady.  We knew our lady’s heir would be
returning this year, despite Mr. Smith warning that she might not be wanded.” 
She smiled warmly at Mia.  “As if a child of Greatlady Alexandria’s wouldn’t
be!”  She snorted and continued.  “We started saving some of the best crops two
years ago.  Our lady provided the estate with powerful stasis spells in the
store rooms before she died.  The young miss can ask what she will; we will be
able to provide it from what’s been saved.”  The cook was proud and rightly
so. 

Lady
Anne and Mrs. Wallace conferred with the cook and together they decided on a
menu that wouldn’t tax the staff, wouldn’t give the older guests indigestion, and
would impress even the most persnickety gourmet guest.  That accomplished,
eight very full people waddled their way to the grand ballroom.

The
servants had been forewarned and so the large rectangular room was brightly lit
with magelights.  Mia had seen the ballroom before, so she was looking forward
to their reactions.  She watched their faces as they entered and she took in
the forty feet ceilings, complete with mural, the crystal chandler, and the
smooth expanse of seamless golden stone.  Mrs. Wallace caught Mia’s eye as she
led the others into the room.  Vivian hadn’t really looked away from the
mural.  She was going to get a crick in her neck.  Lizzy and Beth were actually
leaning toward the piano in the corner, as if they were holding back their enthusiasm
to reach the instrument, but only just.  Sarah was examining the golden stone
columns that decorated the edges of the room, most likely deciding whether they
were entirely decorative or served an architectural purpose.

Ella
was staring out the glass wall that looked out onto the veranda and into the
gardens.  The scene also held Lady Anne’s interest.   She seemed pleasantly
surprised.  “The gardens are exquisite!  It’s too bad that this will be a
mid-winter party instead of summer.  I can just imagine when the roses are in
full bloom!  But I’m sure that the gardener will be able to do something
impressive with the gardens.  This is perfect.  It will hold two hundred and
fifty with room to spare, which is excellent.” She flipped open the fan at her
wrist and gave a few graceful flutters before snapping it back in a
business-like manner.  Mia made a mental note.  They didn’t teach Fan
Management at college either.  Lady Anne beamed at them.  “I despise being at a
ball where the guests are crushed together like sardines, however fashionable
it might currently be.  Now, the next question is, do your stables have a place
for all the carriages to wait while their owners are busy at the ball?”

The
stables were examined before Mr. Smith appeared.  He met them as they were
returning to the house.  Mr. Smith made a slight bow to Lady Anne and escorted
the ladies into a sitting room.  “Lady Anne” he said as they walked “It’s very
kind of you to consent to guide Mia during this first party.  Your reputation
for extravagant assemblies precedes you.”  Lady Anne caught the nervous tone
behind the solicitor’s query, and reacted with kindness to what was actually
more of a cut than a complement.  “Thank you Mr. Smith.  I must admit that my
parties always seem more extravagant than they are.  Mia’s cook has just
informed me that almost all of the foodstuffs that we’ll need have been
gathered from the estate over the past two years.  The ballroom is lovely and
will only require minimal decorations, perhaps some evergreen boughs, holly,
and ice lilies if we can find them in the area.  We haven’t discussed the rest
of the plans, but other than Mia’s extended wardrobe, I don’t imagine that it
will cost the estate nearly what you fear.”  Mr. Smith breathed an almost audible
sigh of relief and said warmly.  “My lady, you do ease my mind.  I had wondered
if I had exceeded my authority as trustee in recommending the party.”