31A/N: Well, this is my first story up here so I hope you'll enjoy it and if you don't, well then…constructive criticism is welcome! You're welcome to flame if you think my story is really crap but otherwise read and review!
And just to say, this is MY story, so no copying!
Misinterpreted Love
Chapter One: Introducing Celeste
Get a grip on yourself, girl!
I had always wondered why I was so light-headed and a nervous wreck on Saturn's day. I mean sure, just because Sir Francis was coming, didn't mean anything.
Nope, not at all...Who was I kidding?
For the last 3 years of my god forsaken life, I had always dreaded Saturn's day...Or looked forward to it because it was when William, my best friend's family and mine would have a gathering for the whole day. Yes, the entire day... along with Sir Francis, who was William's other best friend. Ever since I met Sir Francis, I had dreaded these family gatherings...
Which is why William would always hate this day, too. Need I tell you why?
You would think that a man would enjoy this day, especially since he was with his two best friends. I mean, just because one of them was a girl, who would always nag him about his other best friend, and would want to know everything about his other best friends personal life, not to mention social, wouldn't bother him at all!
Yes, I think you've gotten the point for I, Lady Celeste Elizabeth Thackeray, love Sir Francis.
Now, don't get me wrong, I've asked this question myself plenty of times, who would like, let alone love, a man called Francis?
Me.
It's as simple as that. It is not some silly little infatuation. I mean, the man resembles a monkey! I'm not joking. He really does. And why I'm in love with him is beyond my knowledge. Maybe I'm one of those girls, who look beyond the outside, and search the beauty within him.
But that's hardly true.
You see, living in our estate, it's not hard to fall in love with a random person that happens to walk past. My cousins, I have plentiful, and they all live with us.
And guess what?
They're all men….very handsome men, if I do say so myself.
You see, I'm the youngest of the entire family, yes, aunts and uncles and cousins twice removed all included, and so everyone is older than me. But don't worry, my cousins are all courting ladies or married, so really, they're out of my league. And besides, whoever heard of marriage between cousins?
Ugh. Though I suppose the incident between my third cousin and my great-aunt's son couldn't be included in that, since they were disowned for eloping.
Well, back to Francis.
I really do love him, did I say that already?
And now, I only have two hours to dress up for lunch.
"Celeste!"
d
My mother. Some would think we were sisters. I really do envy her for that. For one, her hair is the same quality as mine, not one grey hair at all. Two, her skin is as flawless as mine, if not more and three, she's just so…so…happy! And juvenile!
God that annoys me. The only real difference between us that people can tell is our eyes.
Mother's eyes are probably the only part of her that is aging. While hers are a beautiful blue, mine are stormy grey, and apparently with a sparkle in them that mother lacks.
But that's basically the only difference between us, apart from the clothes she wears and the type of hairstyle that she has.
"Yes, mother?"
"Remember to dress up nicely!"
Dress up nicely? Was she implying something? Was my own mother implying that I had no fashion sense?
I mean, just because it takes me half an hour to decide which dress to wear, another half an hour to do up my hair, another half an hour to do my make-up and then finally, another half an hour for my maids to strip me down and start from scratch, did not mean that I had a bad taste –
"Annabelle is going to be there!"
In fashion – what?
Did my mother just say that Annabelle was going to be there? William's dear old mother? Why on earth would she –
Oh no.
Oh, please, no.
I forgot! What idiot forgets her own best friend's birthday?
Obviously, a very stupid one.
What was I going to do?
Since it was William's birthday, that meant that his whole family would be there, (since normally he just accompanies me) not to mention Francis' and a whole bunch of other people!
This was all too much for me! How could I go around wearing one of my usual summer dresses when a lot of people were going to be there?
"Katie!" I screeched. That was the name of one of my maid. She came in, quite rushed, as normally, she would come in half an hour before I left but not today, definitely not today.
"I want you to find me a dress, one with a corset!"
"A corset? My lady?"
"Did you not hear me the first time?" I asked her angrily. You see, normally, I'm one of those girls who are against corsets as I do like to breathe, but when I'm surrounded by many people, that are normally strangers, my girly instincts kick in and you will find that I'm not much different from any of those other lady nobles.
"If you insist..." Katie is quite open-minded, if I do say so myself. I realized this when I made the mistake of choosing her as my own personal maid, a few years back. I thought she would be a good maid, with her straight blonde hair, and innocent looking brown eyes, but I was proven deeply wronged. The plain, yet attractive maid I had chosen was none other than a chatter-box who obviously thought of me as her equal, (which I had previously insisted on) and has never once forgotten that, unless someone else is with us.
"Ow! Do you have to pull so tight?"
Katie had wrapped the corset around and had pulled – hard – at the laces at the back.
"It is a corset, Celeste, not a normal summer dress. Although I must say, you do look ravishing."
I looked at her triumphant face with a glare, and then turned myself around to see my own reflection.
And I got the shock of my life.
You see, it had been quite a while since I last wore a corset, being only a young girl, I had worn the ones that were made for my age, which weren't as tight. But as I saw myself, I did have to say, I looked good.
The dress, or gown, was light pink with floral patterns on it and a low, yet moderate neckline. It went out at the waist like a normal gown would, but had lace here and there and hid all the disgusting features of my body, and enhanced the good ones. "Not bad, apart from the fact that I can't breathe," I stated, as she smiled at me.
"Pain is beauty, my lady, you and I both know that."
"I guess it is," I said with a sigh.
"Let's do your hair."
So I sat there, watching Katie as she pulled my curly brown hair on top of my head and secured it with pins here and there.
And then, that's when it hit me.
Birthday equals present.
How could I forget? "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"My lady, are you alright?"
"MOTHER!"
I ran out of my room as fast as my two legs could carry me, and into my mother's room, which was a good fair distance away from mine, when you were running in a gown.
"Celeste? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be getting ready? Your hair is absolutely atrocious!"
My mother, always one to think about my appearance first.
"I – I forgot," I started, gasping between each word, "I forgot Will's – Will's present!"
"You forgot?" Mother raised one of her perfect eyebrows.
"YES!"
I could have sworn that my eyes were popping out of my sockets at that very moment, especially since my mother didn't seem to be worried at all.
"Then what was that thing you bought a few months back?"
What?
Oh.
That.
Now I remembered. A couple of months back, I had remembered that Will had wanted a figurine of some tiger. He, at that time, didn't have enough money, seeing as it was quite expensive and so I bought it, keeping it safe and sound somewhere in my room.
Somewhere.
"Heh. Well then, I'll just go back to my room."
I retreated back to my room, head hung in shame.
If Will had known that I had forgotten about his birthday because of Francis, then he would never forgive me! "Katie!"
"You're back! And it's about time too! Did you know how long it took me to do your hair? And then you go running around and ruining it! Now I have to do it all over again!"
"Katie!"
"What?"
I really needed to teach her some manners. "Do you remember that tiger I bought a couple of months back? The one that I said was for Will? Where did I put it?"
"Tiger? Oh! I remember. That thing that was all furry and orange and black and - "
"Yes Katie! Tigers are orange and black! Do you know where I put it?" I asked, very, very aggravated.
"Umm…" She blinked a couple of times staring blankly into space.
"Aaaargh! You're hopeless! What type of maid are you?"
"Me? I'm just a maid! Not someone who remembers everything you do and everything you buy!"
I screamed at her and was about to strangle her but stopped just in time when I saw it -
The tiger standing on top of my dresser. I ran towards it, and to my utter dismay, tripped over the hem of my gown just when I was about to grab it and stumbled the floor. And you know the worst part?
Katie just wouldn't stop laughing. I'm not joking. A personal maid is meant to help you at all times, especially when you fall. But what does she do?
Laugh.
I gave her one death glare before getting myself up and grabbing the tiger. It was quite big, the length of it being slightly bigger than my lower arm, and heavy. "Before I decide to kill you, give this to one of the servants to wrap."
No answer, just a nod to show that Katie had finally gotten over my little dilemma.
I let out a big sigh.
Finally, I had gotten that over and done with.
"Celeste?" My mother's voice travelled into my room from the hall. "We're about to leave!"
WHAT?
Please remember that I had just spent the last hour running around like a madman, trying to find my dear William's present. And in that process, had ruined my hair.
Did I mention that many people were going to be graced with my presence, including Francis, which meant that at that moment I was very, very vain?
"KATIE!"
A/N: so… what do you think? Hope it's alright! Now, all you have to do is click on the little button on the left and tell me!