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Souderton Abbey

I Love You So

Chapter 19

It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon, just four hours before Carrie's ball was to begin. All the maids and butlers were hard at work setting everything up in the main room and making sure all the bedrooms were ready for the close family and friends that would be staying at Souderton Abbey for a longer period of time. Flowers were being placed and taken care of in the main room and the food was beginning to be prepared downstairs in the kitchen. There was much to be done, and there was very little time to do it.

Hayley was upstairs in Carrie's room laying all of her supplies on Carrie's chestnut desk. She was surprised Carrie wasn't already in her room because was now 3:10. When everything was lauded out, Hayley played with her fingers and bit her lip with anxiety. This was a big night for Carrie, but if anything goes wrong she would be the one in trouble. She sat down in Carrie's desk chair and looked around for something to help her pass the time while she waited for Carrie. She saw The Count of Monte Cristo on the far right corner of the desk and decided to pick it up and read it for there was nothing else for her to do but sit and wait.

Carrie handed the money to the cashier and picked up the dress with a bright and happy smile spread across her face. She thanked the lady on the other side of the register and walked out of the door and into her grandmother's car. Her grandmother's chauffeur took the dress and hung it safely in the back and away for any place that could wrinkle it. Carrie plopped down in the only seat next to her grandmother and patted her hands on her lap to the beat of an unknown song. Her grandmother turned away from the window and watched her granddaughter feel proud of her dress and seem quite excited.

"Are you nervous at all, Dear?" Carrie focused her attention to her grandmother and shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess so, but not really." Her grandmother couldn't help but give Carrie a quizzical expression.

"And why is that dear?"

"Because I know what I want." Both the ladies in the car smiled and laughed as the car rolled against the gravel towards the venue of the ball.

Harry and Niall were in the main room helping to set up tables and hang flowers in hopes of making the decor look elegant. Carrying three tablecloths over his forearm, Harry walked over to Niall, who was placing the flower centerpieces on each table.

"Tonight's the big night. How are you holding up?" Niall shrugged his shoulders in response to his best friend as her moved the vase filled with flowers more towards the center of the table.

"I'm fine, I guess. It was bound to happen anyway, I just hope she enjoys it." Harry patted Niall's back with his free hand and walked up to the next closest table to where they were standing and put the white tablecloth on the seemingly naked surface.

When Harry was finished laying it out and smoothed it out to get rid of any cresses, Niall strolled to the same table and put another vase filled with flowers in the center.
"Enough about me, any 'romantic' plans with Hayley tonight?"

Harry shook his head as he said, "Only to convince her to dance with me, but I don't know if she will be up for it."

Niall remembered the time in his and Carrie's usual spot where he asked her to dance. The way she held onto him made him feel more content then ever before and he wished he could dance with her tonight, but that is highly unlikely unless he wanted to lose his job on the spot.
"I'm sure she will. Besides, this is a ball, and every girl gushes about dancing with her Prince Charming to the sounds of an orchestra." Harry laughed at Niall as he turned to face him.
"You're right, I just wish we could dance side-by-side with my best friend and her best friend." Niall looked down as he nodded is head at the thought of his friend's request.
"I would like that as much as you, but she'll probably be dancing with her future Prince Charming."

Harry's smiled soon faltered and before he could say anything, the clock struck 5 o'clock and he wondered how fast time actually went by and there was still so much to do. In an effort to get his attention, Niall lightly hit Harry's arm with the back of his hand and nodded in the direction of the incoming Mr. Dates.

"We should probably go and find something else to set up before Mr. Dates comes and kicks both of our asses out of a job." Harry nodded his head and the two walked off towards the library to rearrange the chairs so it would have a more spacious feel to it.

****** The clock only had fifteen minutes left before the grandfather clock in the main room would ring seven times. As Carrie sat on her chair looking at herself, Hayley was just finishing up the finishing touches of the curls she managed to not mess up this time. Hayley didn't like to talk while she did hair for fear of messing up, but since she was almost done she figured she could attempt to calm Carrie of her nerves that she was so well keeping.

"Are you excited or nervous? You've managed to keep a pretty good poker face this time and I cannot tell which is right." Carrie smiled as Hayley finished with the last curl and put the curling iron down to cool off.

"I guess I'm both. I'm excited to finally have my actual ball but I'm nervous because I just want to look perfect, but now that I know my hair is perfect I only have to worry about my dress." Hayley was already on her way across the room to open up the bag that contained Carrie's ever so elegant gown. When she opened it, however, she was shocked to see red fabric staring back at her.

"I thought you said you got the pink ball gown?"

Carrie shrugged her shoulders as she got up and unwounded the straps of her robe. As she let the soft silk slip off her shoulders revealing her corset, she waited for Hayley to take the dress off of the hanger. When Hayley was ready, Carrie stepped into the top of the dress and let Hayley bring it up to her chest ad put her arms through the shoulder straps. When Hayley was zipping up the dress, Carrie felt like it was finally time to confess why she bought the bright red dress with a sweetheart neckline and a skirt that is risen half a foot up her calf in the front and cascades down to the floor in the back with a bit of a train following behind her.

"I wanted to wear something that says that I'm not afraid, and that I am not looking to be just some regular trophy wife."

As Carrie stood in front of her full length mirror, Hayley walked over to the desk and picked up the black silk gloves that went up and over Carrie's elbows and held them out in front of her so that she could put it on.

Before Hayley could agree with Carrie on her choice of dress, there were three knocks on the door that awaited an answer. Hayley rushed over to the door and opened it and found Niall on the other side. His hair was neat and tidy, and he looked sharp in his very formal working attire for special nights like this. Hayley moved from the doorway and let Niall in, but he seemed to have forgotten why he was there when he saw the beauty that was in front of him. Carrie blushed at Niall's reaction and cleared her throat to get him out of his daze.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I came up here to tell you that it is time to make your grand entrance. All the guest are here and they all can't wait to see you."

Hayley smiled as she made her way out of the door while saying, "I'll leave you two alone" and closed it behind her.

After the door 'clicked' allowing the two to know it was secure, Niall couldn't help but say, "You you look even more beautiful and I wasn't sure that was even possible. Although, I have to admit, I will be jealous of all those guys down there that will have the pleasure of dancing with you."

Carrie walked over to Niall, and to her surprise, the shoes she was wearing made it seem as though her and Niall were the same height. She reached out her right and said, "Well, at least do me the honor of being my first dance."

Niall gladly took her hand and put his hand on her waist as she put hers on his shoulders. The too swayed back and forth and Carrie rested her head on his should and felt relaxed as he fully wrapped his arms around her chiffon covered waist. Before she could ask, Niall began to sing Danny Boy and Carrie smiled as he did so.

"Oh Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From Glen to Glen, and down the mountainside.
The summer's gone, and all the rose is falling
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
And when the valley's hushed and white with snow
Beside me here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, Oh Danny boy
I love you so"
Niall decided to whisper the last line to Carrie rather than sing it because he had been looking for a way to tell her he loves her before he knew he would lose her forever. Carrie realized this and slowly lifted her head from her shoulders to look at him. When their eyes met, the clock struck seven times.

"I think it's time you made your great entrance, Lady Carrie."

Niall opened the door and let Carrie through as she remembered that Niall only put 'Lady' in front of her name to address her formally, which only happened when they were around other people. The fact that he said it when it was just the two of them showed that he let go, even though neither of them wanted to. The orchestra played in the background as Carrie descended down the steps and people gasped and awed at her dress, but Carrie was only focused on the fact the from here on out, she was no longer free. With Niall no longer there to free her from their hostile lifestyle, she was trapped.