Fic: Honour and Honesty, Part 1
So yeah. I decided to write an Ichihime fic in the style of Jane Austen. No, I don't know what I was doing either. I hope to update this next week - I'll be away from the internet for a while, so I should be able to write a good deal. And with that, please enjoy Honour and Honesty.
Any reasonable person looking at the eighteen years of Ms. Orihime Inoue’s life would have been forced to admit that she seemed destined for misfortune from an early age.
Born to wealthy if untitled parents, she was orphaned at only three years old, her parents’ boat sunk on the return voyage from a visit to oversee their interests in Madeira. Bereft of her natural guardians, Orihime was entrusted to her brother’s care, an honest and upright young lad of eighteen. Sora Inoue loved his sister, and his good sense made him determined to do right by her, but he was a young man with a career in the navy, and what youth, burning with all the fires of courage, sensibility and devotion to duty could abandon the seas for a child, no matter how precious? Sora entrusted the upbringing of his sister to a distant cousin, Mrs. Cirucci Sanderwicci, a widow in her middle age with two children, her son Tesla and her daughter Loly.
In the usual circumstances, this might have been considered almost a blessing. To be tossed out of the winds of fortune and sheltered in the lea of a proper family would almost have offset the early tragedy. Sadly, however, Mrs. Sanderwicci was a cold and mercenary woman, who, having married for money only to discover that her husband’s fortune was considerably less than he had implied, had become cold and embittered. She welcomed Orihime at first, hoping to gain the use of her fortune, set at thirty thousand pounds. When Sora made it clear, with the help of his parents’ executor, that Orihime’s fortune was not to be touched until she came of age and that apart from a small monthly stipend on Sora’s behalf Mrs. Sanderwicci was expected to raise the girl from her own fortune, the atmosphere changed. Mrs. Sanderwicci made a habit of dressing Orihime in sewn up and let down clothes, and treating her as though she were lesser and not higher in rank and fortune than her cousins. Had he known what was going on, Sora would have returned to Orihime at once, but his visits were irregular and always short in duration, and he never noticed anything amiss.
Then, when Orihime was but nine years of age, the greatest tragedy of all struck. Sora Inoue was lost at sea, and Orihime was left with no one on whom she could truly depend. As if to deepen the pain of her loss, a stipulation in the will stated that her parent’s estate was half-entailed. Orihime would inherit if she married by the age of twenty-one, but if this did not transpire, the estate would pass to her nearest male relative, Tesla Sanderwicci.
A more noble and upright relative would have done well by Orihime, and ensured her happiness by promoting her in society, but Mrs. Sanderwicci was blinded by the prospect of a fortune for her son, and when Orihime arrived at the age of coming out, Mrs. Sanderwicci was forever finding some excuse to put the day off by a month or two.
With such a background and a history, it would not be amazing if Orihime were lacking in sense and good taste, having never been guided by a guardian with her best interests at heart, but in every way she was as elegant, modest and proper as one could desire. Her open countenance made her friends in every quarter, her beauty was noted at every ball, and yet she never put herself forward, or expected anything. She was almost too modest, having been raised to believe that her aunt Sanderwicci’s perfunctory upbringing had been one of slavish devotion. Orihime’s temperament was one inclined to make the best of every situation, and she would have insisted, no matter the evidence laid before her, that her childhood had been perfectly happy. The only people she could not win over with her sweetness were her own family, for Tesla was older, away at university and so busy with his crowd of friends that he cared nothing for a girl cousin so many years his junior, and Loly had hated Orihime intensely since the day she realised that her cousin’s beauty and fortune far surpassed her own. Loly was her mother and worse, for Mrs. Sanderwicci had never curbed any of her wilful opinions, or taught her even a modicum of good sense. She was spoiled without charm, sloppy without wit, and utterly wanting in modesty. Her sole goal in life was to marry a man of superior standing to her cousin.
***
Orihime had only one respite from the evils around her - her dear friend and childhood companion Lady Tatsuki Ishida. Orihime had known Lady Ishida from her earliest days as Tatsuki Arisawa, and they had grown up closer than many sisters. Tatsuki was the chief intimate of Orihime’s heart, and the only person in Sora’s absence to know her real hopes and desires.
Tatsuki had had the good fortune to marry young, and somewhat above her station, to a sensible and serious young baron. Uryuu Ishida was perhaps somewhat cold, but his kindness to his wife was exemplary, and his chivalry in general impeccable. Her marriage made Tatsuki invaluable to Orihime, who might otherwise never have come out at all. Luckily she was invited, at seventeen, to stay six months with Tatsuki and her husband in London, and she ran to her aunt with the news, in raptures of delight.
Mrs. Sanderwicci was in truth deeply unhappy by the invitation, but outranked and left with no plausible reason for refusal, she at last acceded. Her one restriction was that Orihime should be accompanied by Loly, on the basis that Orihime had never left the family home before, and “might well be frightened, being in a big city with only you, my lady. Loly will see to it that she is kept safe. My daughter knows so much about these matters, I’m sure you are aware.” Loly’s inclusion was no joy to Orihime or Tatsuki, but as Tatsuki said privately to Orihime, “I would much rather you came with her than not at all.”
***
Mrs. Sanderwicci’s scruples settled, Orihime was at leave to pack, to dream and to wait impatiently for the day to arrive. She was even permitted to buy several new gowns, that she might not embarrass Mrs. Sanderwicci by her appearance. When the date of departure at last arrived Orihime and Loly were bid farewell, brusquely in Orihime’s case, with much sobbing and promises to write to mama in Loly’s. They settled in the carriage, Lord Ishida perched on the outside (for he liked to drive, and considered it his one weakness), and were away.
London was like a dream to Orihime. She had never seen so many people, so much life and activity in her life. The Ishidas’ kept a beautiful and well appointed house on Harley Street, recently redecorated by Tatsuki and displaying all her natural taste and elegance.
Orihime was given a sweet room on the top floor, to which Tatsuki shewed her immediately, while Loly was left to the servant and the blue room, considered by Tatsuki to be her one decorating failure.
“I am so glad to have you come, my dear,” Tatsuki said when they were alone. “I only wish that dreadful cousin of yours had stayed at home.”
“You mustn’t be hard on her, Tatsuki,” Orihime said gently. “It’s true that at times she wants discretion, and she lacks moderation, but our aunt loves her so much that she is blind to her faults. I do believe that she will improve marvellously here. After all, with your guidance, who would not?”
“At any rate, I am glad you will be out now,” Tatsuki said, unwilling to argue with her friend about the demerits of her family when they had just reunited. “You have to start looking for a husband, if there is anyone good enough for you.”
“You do me too much praise,” Orihime said, blushing, “but let’s not think on my situation when we have so much of yours to talk over. Tell me truly, do you still love him so very much after six months?”
“Oh Orihime, he’s wonderful,” Tatsuki said, and a sigh passed her lips. She was a woman of great sense, but even very great sense must become sensibility when its bearer had just married well, with every promise of love and fortune. “He attends to my every need. I had a portrait painted, just after the wedding, and when it came time to display a collection he wouldn’t let it out. He said he couldn’t bear that anyone but he should rest their eyes on me for any great length of time.”
Orihime was relieved to be off the subject of her own marriage, for she had been raised by her aunt to consider it the height of forwardness and arrogance to imagine anyone interested in her, and she encouraged Tatsuki to keep talking on the subject of her own happy marriage. It was a conversation pleasing to both of them, and they occupied themselves happily for several hours.
Orihime was aware, as they descended for dinner, that she had very sorely neglected her cousin, but she hoped that Loly would understand her desire to speak with Tatsuki after their six-month separation and would indulge her. In fact Loly was rather angry, but she was determined to be on her best behaviour, for she wanted to be taken shopping the next day, and she was really rather pleased to be in London. She accepted Orihime’s earnest apology with so much graciousness that Tatsuki was astonished and wondered if Orihime’s prediction could possibly be right.
It being their first night, the dinner was just themselves, and rather quiet as a result. Lord Ishida was a quiet man, and hated to speak unless he had something of importance to impart, while Tatsuki and Orihime restrained much of their natural conversation for his sake. Only Loly talked - loudly and indiscriminately about what she wanted to do on the morrow. Orihime was very nearly blushing at her cousin’s ceaseless chatter, but she comforted herself by glancing at Tatsuki, who was utterly unembarrassed.
After dinner they played at whist for several hours, but Orihime pleaded early release, and went quickly to bed. She was in truth exhausted from the long journey, and though her constitution was strong she felt emotional duress easily. Furthermore, although she had insisted that she had no desire to marry, she could not help some childish dreams, which she had the luxury to indulge as she drifted off.
***
In spite of Orihime’s worries about Loly, the next day was a pleasure for all three young women. Loly was delighted enough with London, and used some of her mother’s parting gift to buy a dress in the latest fashion. Tatsuki considered it to be a particularly vulgar orange, but she said nothing, unwilling to prevent Loly from making a fool of herself. Tatsuki was generous, witty and tasteful, but she had a streak of unkindness in her, and directed it against anyone who hurt Orihime. She mostly enjoyed their trip because it afforded her the opportunity of watching her friend enjoy herself - there was nothing Tatsuki liked better than to be of real use to a friend. Orihime’s joys were the most unalloyed, because she found joy in everything and because she felt herself to be among real friends and compatriots. She had been given less money than Loly but she spent it more wisely, and found herself a beautiful rose coloured dress which displayed her taste and modesty to best effect.
That very night was to be the occasion of Orihime’s first ball, and when it came time to dress her fingers were shaking so much that Tatsuki’s girl was obliged to do nearly all the work. At last she was ready, and having admired herself once in the mirror, descended the stairs to meet with the others.
Loly was waiting impatiently, eager to be gone so that she could flirt with rich society men, and she glanced dismissively at Orihime, but both Tatsuki and Lord Ishida were impressed. Orihime’s glossy auburn hair stood out to best effect against her rose-coloured dress and smooth white skin, and her brown eyes were soft and sweet with excitement. She was stunningly beautiful. Tatsuki herself was dressed more modestly, the better to emphasise her friend’s dress. She smiled, extended an arm and they left together.
***
The ball was to be held at No. 39, Grosvenor St., the home of the baronet Sir Byakuya Kuchiki, his wife Lady Hisana and Sir Byakuya’s younger sister, Ms. Rukia Kuchiki. They were a very grand family in Orihime’s eyes, all young and handsome and elegant. Sir Byakuya was even sterner than Lord Ishida, and rather made her knees tremble, but his sister was sweet and gracious and clasped herself to Orihime at once.
“Oh,” Ms. Kuchiki cried warmly, “you are as pretty and darling as Lady Ishida said you would be. I’m so delighted to be able to be at your first ball. You must ask me if anything or anyone confuses you, and let me chuse your first partners for you, for there are some terrible rogues coming tonight. Lady Kuchiki has invited brother Izuru and his naval friends, and of course they’re all very well but no one you would want to associate with.”
Orihime professed most earnestly that she should very much like to meet them.
“My brother was in the navy before he died, and if there was any chance any of them should have met him, it would make me so happy.”
Rukia smiled indulgently.
“Well, perhaps after your first four dances.”
The hall was filling up, and Orihime’s eye was caught by two gentlemen in fine clothes on the other side of the room. They were particularly striking for their hair, which was in one case bright orange and in the other deep red.
“Who are those two gentlemen?” she asked, leaning in to Rukia. Rukia followed her gaze and laughed.
“You couldn’t have picked a pair of worse rogues. The one on the left is Mr. Abarai,” and here, to Orihime’s surprise, Rukia blushed a little, “and the one on the right is the future Viscount Kurosaki, Mr. Ichigo Kurosaki. They’re worse than the officers.” But her disapproving look was ruined by the pretty sparkle in her eyes as they fixed on Mr. Abarai.
It seemed that Rukia’s gaze was more powerful than she allowed, for Mr. Abarai looked around and spotted her. Tugging Mr. Kurosaki behind him, he crossed to the two women.
“Ms. Kuchiki.” He straightened up, and there was a pause as they looked at each other. “You must introduce me to your new friend.”
“This is Ms. Inoue. She is come to town with Lady Ishida, and this is her first ball.”
Mr. Abarai and Mr. Kurosaki both bowed to her, Mr. Kurosaki a little stiffly. Orihime dropped a curtsey, blushing all the while and hardly knowing what to say to a viscount, however distant that title might be.
“Will you dance the first two with me, Ms. Kuchiki?” Mr. Abarai was smiling down at her, for they were rather ill-matched in height.
“Of course.”
Orihime would never have expected to be asked by Mr. Kurosaki, who frowning brow both intimidated and amused her. He seemed to affect a very lofty and distant air. However, no sooner had Ms. Kuchiki accepted then he turned to her.
“May I request the same honour of you?”
Orihime accepted him at once, with a simplicity of manner that displayed her charms to their best advantage, and having secured a dance, excused herself at once to tell Tatsuki of her good fortune.
As she was looking for Tatsuki she passed Loly, who stopped her at once.
“Dear cousin,” Loly said, “who was that gentleman you were talking to?” She was jealous that Ms. Kuchiki had favoured Orihime over herself, and was looking to make mischief, and to tease her cousin.
“Oh, that was Mr. Kurosaki and Mr. Abarai.” Orihime, unaware of Loly’s feelings, felt her to be as good a recipient of the news as Tatsuki. “Mr. Kurosaki has asked me to dance. Can you believe it?”
Orihime’s pronouncement made Loly furious, but she hid her anger beneath a thin smile and said only, “What luck you have! You shall have to find a partner for me.”
Orihime saw the justice of needing a partner for her cousin, and begged her to go and find Tatsuki. The two women discovered her at the edge of the dance floor, and Orihime imparted her news and her request.
Delighted that Orihime had received an invitation, and from such an eligible young man, Tatsuki would happily have found Loly the partner of her choice, but unfortunately the naval officers were running late, and the party was consequently short of gentlemen. Loly was forced to sit out the first dance, and her anger seethed under her calm countenance. She became determined to ruin Orihime’s night.
Orihime herself could not have been more unaware of her cousin’s thoughts. She was standing with Mr. Kurosaki, only two couples behind Ms. Kuchiki herself, at her very first ball. She could not help glancing at Mr. Kurosaki’s face very frequently, noticing how handsome he was and how well he filled out his fine suit.
“I must thank you very much for the honour,” she said timidly as they began the dance. “I would never have expected it.”
Mr. Kurosaki was rather astonished by this statement. Used to London girls, he had come to
consider most women as expecting to be asked to dance as a matter of course. He looked at Orihime, and was struck by just how beautiful she was. He began to think that he had not made such a bad choice of first partner.
“I have never heard of your people, Ms. Inoue,” he said cautiously. “Whereabouts are you from?”
“I grew up in Portsmouth, Mr. Kurosaki,” she answered, “but my family was from Cheshire. My father and mother were lost at sea when I was a child, and my dear brother followed them six years later, so I was raised by my kind aunt, Mrs. Sanderwicci.”
Orihime’s story, and the tender way she told it, would have moved a heart of stone, and Mr. Kurosaki was not marble. He was conscious of Orihime’s natural manner, and her great simplicity, both in delightful contrast with the more fashionable and polished manners of the London women he knew, and he found himself dancing with more pleasure than he had known in a thousand previous balls.
Orihime and Mr. Kurosaki’s pleasure was not lost on anyone who watched them. Mr. Abarai merely smiled and considered it amusing that his friend had at last become interested in a girl. Ms. Kuchiki was more touched - Mr. Kurosaki was a childhood friend, and she thought it high time he was a little in love. Tatsuki’s happiness was all for Orihime. She was proud of her friend for being beautiful and delighted that Mr. Kurosaki had noticed. A friend of her husband’s, he had been on her chosen list for Orihime prior to their arrival in London. From the edge of the room, Loly watched with very different feelings. She was jealous and angry and she hated Orihime passionately, for daring to be beautiful and happy with the prospect of love and wealth before her. And as she watched, she determined that she would not allow her cousin to escape her life of misfortune so easily.
Any reasonable person looking at the eighteen years of Ms. Orihime Inoue’s life would have been forced to admit that she seemed destined for misfortune from an early age.
Born to wealthy if untitled parents, she was orphaned at only three years old, her parents’ boat sunk on the return voyage from a visit to oversee their interests in Madeira. Bereft of her natural guardians, Orihime was entrusted to her brother’s care, an honest and upright young lad of eighteen. Sora Inoue loved his sister, and his good sense made him determined to do right by her, but he was a young man with a career in the navy, and what youth, burning with all the fires of courage, sensibility and devotion to duty could abandon the seas for a child, no matter how precious? Sora entrusted the upbringing of his sister to a distant cousin, Mrs. Cirucci Sanderwicci, a widow in her middle age with two children, her son Tesla and her daughter Loly.
In the usual circumstances, this might have been considered almost a blessing. To be tossed out of the winds of fortune and sheltered in the lea of a proper family would almost have offset the early tragedy. Sadly, however, Mrs. Sanderwicci was a cold and mercenary woman, who, having married for money only to discover that her husband’s fortune was considerably less than he had implied, had become cold and embittered. She welcomed Orihime at first, hoping to gain the use of her fortune, set at thirty thousand pounds. When Sora made it clear, with the help of his parents’ executor, that Orihime’s fortune was not to be touched until she came of age and that apart from a small monthly stipend on Sora’s behalf Mrs. Sanderwicci was expected to raise the girl from her own fortune, the atmosphere changed. Mrs. Sanderwicci made a habit of dressing Orihime in sewn up and let down clothes, and treating her as though she were lesser and not higher in rank and fortune than her cousins. Had he known what was going on, Sora would have returned to Orihime at once, but his visits were irregular and always short in duration, and he never noticed anything amiss.
Then, when Orihime was but nine years of age, the greatest tragedy of all struck. Sora Inoue was lost at sea, and Orihime was left with no one on whom she could truly depend. As if to deepen the pain of her loss, a stipulation in the will stated that her parent’s estate was half-entailed. Orihime would inherit if she married by the age of twenty-one, but if this did not transpire, the estate would pass to her nearest male relative, Tesla Sanderwicci.
A more noble and upright relative would have done well by Orihime, and ensured her happiness by promoting her in society, but Mrs. Sanderwicci was blinded by the prospect of a fortune for her son, and when Orihime arrived at the age of coming out, Mrs. Sanderwicci was forever finding some excuse to put the day off by a month or two.
With such a background and a history, it would not be amazing if Orihime were lacking in sense and good taste, having never been guided by a guardian with her best interests at heart, but in every way she was as elegant, modest and proper as one could desire. Her open countenance made her friends in every quarter, her beauty was noted at every ball, and yet she never put herself forward, or expected anything. She was almost too modest, having been raised to believe that her aunt Sanderwicci’s perfunctory upbringing had been one of slavish devotion. Orihime’s temperament was one inclined to make the best of every situation, and she would have insisted, no matter the evidence laid before her, that her childhood had been perfectly happy. The only people she could not win over with her sweetness were her own family, for Tesla was older, away at university and so busy with his crowd of friends that he cared nothing for a girl cousin so many years his junior, and Loly had hated Orihime intensely since the day she realised that her cousin’s beauty and fortune far surpassed her own. Loly was her mother and worse, for Mrs. Sanderwicci had never curbed any of her wilful opinions, or taught her even a modicum of good sense. She was spoiled without charm, sloppy without wit, and utterly wanting in modesty. Her sole goal in life was to marry a man of superior standing to her cousin.
***
Orihime had only one respite from the evils around her - her dear friend and childhood companion Lady Tatsuki Ishida. Orihime had known Lady Ishida from her earliest days as Tatsuki Arisawa, and they had grown up closer than many sisters. Tatsuki was the chief intimate of Orihime’s heart, and the only person in Sora’s absence to know her real hopes and desires.
Tatsuki had had the good fortune to marry young, and somewhat above her station, to a sensible and serious young baron. Uryuu Ishida was perhaps somewhat cold, but his kindness to his wife was exemplary, and his chivalry in general impeccable. Her marriage made Tatsuki invaluable to Orihime, who might otherwise never have come out at all. Luckily she was invited, at seventeen, to stay six months with Tatsuki and her husband in London, and she ran to her aunt with the news, in raptures of delight.
Mrs. Sanderwicci was in truth deeply unhappy by the invitation, but outranked and left with no plausible reason for refusal, she at last acceded. Her one restriction was that Orihime should be accompanied by Loly, on the basis that Orihime had never left the family home before, and “might well be frightened, being in a big city with only you, my lady. Loly will see to it that she is kept safe. My daughter knows so much about these matters, I’m sure you are aware.” Loly’s inclusion was no joy to Orihime or Tatsuki, but as Tatsuki said privately to Orihime, “I would much rather you came with her than not at all.”
***
Mrs. Sanderwicci’s scruples settled, Orihime was at leave to pack, to dream and to wait impatiently for the day to arrive. She was even permitted to buy several new gowns, that she might not embarrass Mrs. Sanderwicci by her appearance. When the date of departure at last arrived Orihime and Loly were bid farewell, brusquely in Orihime’s case, with much sobbing and promises to write to mama in Loly’s. They settled in the carriage, Lord Ishida perched on the outside (for he liked to drive, and considered it his one weakness), and were away.
London was like a dream to Orihime. She had never seen so many people, so much life and activity in her life. The Ishidas’ kept a beautiful and well appointed house on Harley Street, recently redecorated by Tatsuki and displaying all her natural taste and elegance.
Orihime was given a sweet room on the top floor, to which Tatsuki shewed her immediately, while Loly was left to the servant and the blue room, considered by Tatsuki to be her one decorating failure.
“I am so glad to have you come, my dear,” Tatsuki said when they were alone. “I only wish that dreadful cousin of yours had stayed at home.”
“You mustn’t be hard on her, Tatsuki,” Orihime said gently. “It’s true that at times she wants discretion, and she lacks moderation, but our aunt loves her so much that she is blind to her faults. I do believe that she will improve marvellously here. After all, with your guidance, who would not?”
“At any rate, I am glad you will be out now,” Tatsuki said, unwilling to argue with her friend about the demerits of her family when they had just reunited. “You have to start looking for a husband, if there is anyone good enough for you.”
“You do me too much praise,” Orihime said, blushing, “but let’s not think on my situation when we have so much of yours to talk over. Tell me truly, do you still love him so very much after six months?”
“Oh Orihime, he’s wonderful,” Tatsuki said, and a sigh passed her lips. She was a woman of great sense, but even very great sense must become sensibility when its bearer had just married well, with every promise of love and fortune. “He attends to my every need. I had a portrait painted, just after the wedding, and when it came time to display a collection he wouldn’t let it out. He said he couldn’t bear that anyone but he should rest their eyes on me for any great length of time.”
Orihime was relieved to be off the subject of her own marriage, for she had been raised by her aunt to consider it the height of forwardness and arrogance to imagine anyone interested in her, and she encouraged Tatsuki to keep talking on the subject of her own happy marriage. It was a conversation pleasing to both of them, and they occupied themselves happily for several hours.
Orihime was aware, as they descended for dinner, that she had very sorely neglected her cousin, but she hoped that Loly would understand her desire to speak with Tatsuki after their six-month separation and would indulge her. In fact Loly was rather angry, but she was determined to be on her best behaviour, for she wanted to be taken shopping the next day, and she was really rather pleased to be in London. She accepted Orihime’s earnest apology with so much graciousness that Tatsuki was astonished and wondered if Orihime’s prediction could possibly be right.
It being their first night, the dinner was just themselves, and rather quiet as a result. Lord Ishida was a quiet man, and hated to speak unless he had something of importance to impart, while Tatsuki and Orihime restrained much of their natural conversation for his sake. Only Loly talked - loudly and indiscriminately about what she wanted to do on the morrow. Orihime was very nearly blushing at her cousin’s ceaseless chatter, but she comforted herself by glancing at Tatsuki, who was utterly unembarrassed.
After dinner they played at whist for several hours, but Orihime pleaded early release, and went quickly to bed. She was in truth exhausted from the long journey, and though her constitution was strong she felt emotional duress easily. Furthermore, although she had insisted that she had no desire to marry, she could not help some childish dreams, which she had the luxury to indulge as she drifted off.
***
In spite of Orihime’s worries about Loly, the next day was a pleasure for all three young women. Loly was delighted enough with London, and used some of her mother’s parting gift to buy a dress in the latest fashion. Tatsuki considered it to be a particularly vulgar orange, but she said nothing, unwilling to prevent Loly from making a fool of herself. Tatsuki was generous, witty and tasteful, but she had a streak of unkindness in her, and directed it against anyone who hurt Orihime. She mostly enjoyed their trip because it afforded her the opportunity of watching her friend enjoy herself - there was nothing Tatsuki liked better than to be of real use to a friend. Orihime’s joys were the most unalloyed, because she found joy in everything and because she felt herself to be among real friends and compatriots. She had been given less money than Loly but she spent it more wisely, and found herself a beautiful rose coloured dress which displayed her taste and modesty to best effect.
That very night was to be the occasion of Orihime’s first ball, and when it came time to dress her fingers were shaking so much that Tatsuki’s girl was obliged to do nearly all the work. At last she was ready, and having admired herself once in the mirror, descended the stairs to meet with the others.
Loly was waiting impatiently, eager to be gone so that she could flirt with rich society men, and she glanced dismissively at Orihime, but both Tatsuki and Lord Ishida were impressed. Orihime’s glossy auburn hair stood out to best effect against her rose-coloured dress and smooth white skin, and her brown eyes were soft and sweet with excitement. She was stunningly beautiful. Tatsuki herself was dressed more modestly, the better to emphasise her friend’s dress. She smiled, extended an arm and they left together.
***
The ball was to be held at No. 39, Grosvenor St., the home of the baronet Sir Byakuya Kuchiki, his wife Lady Hisana and Sir Byakuya’s younger sister, Ms. Rukia Kuchiki. They were a very grand family in Orihime’s eyes, all young and handsome and elegant. Sir Byakuya was even sterner than Lord Ishida, and rather made her knees tremble, but his sister was sweet and gracious and clasped herself to Orihime at once.
“Oh,” Ms. Kuchiki cried warmly, “you are as pretty and darling as Lady Ishida said you would be. I’m so delighted to be able to be at your first ball. You must ask me if anything or anyone confuses you, and let me chuse your first partners for you, for there are some terrible rogues coming tonight. Lady Kuchiki has invited brother Izuru and his naval friends, and of course they’re all very well but no one you would want to associate with.”
Orihime professed most earnestly that she should very much like to meet them.
“My brother was in the navy before he died, and if there was any chance any of them should have met him, it would make me so happy.”
Rukia smiled indulgently.
“Well, perhaps after your first four dances.”
The hall was filling up, and Orihime’s eye was caught by two gentlemen in fine clothes on the other side of the room. They were particularly striking for their hair, which was in one case bright orange and in the other deep red.
“Who are those two gentlemen?” she asked, leaning in to Rukia. Rukia followed her gaze and laughed.
“You couldn’t have picked a pair of worse rogues. The one on the left is Mr. Abarai,” and here, to Orihime’s surprise, Rukia blushed a little, “and the one on the right is the future Viscount Kurosaki, Mr. Ichigo Kurosaki. They’re worse than the officers.” But her disapproving look was ruined by the pretty sparkle in her eyes as they fixed on Mr. Abarai.
It seemed that Rukia’s gaze was more powerful than she allowed, for Mr. Abarai looked around and spotted her. Tugging Mr. Kurosaki behind him, he crossed to the two women.
“Ms. Kuchiki.” He straightened up, and there was a pause as they looked at each other. “You must introduce me to your new friend.”
“This is Ms. Inoue. She is come to town with Lady Ishida, and this is her first ball.”
Mr. Abarai and Mr. Kurosaki both bowed to her, Mr. Kurosaki a little stiffly. Orihime dropped a curtsey, blushing all the while and hardly knowing what to say to a viscount, however distant that title might be.
“Will you dance the first two with me, Ms. Kuchiki?” Mr. Abarai was smiling down at her, for they were rather ill-matched in height.
“Of course.”
Orihime would never have expected to be asked by Mr. Kurosaki, who frowning brow both intimidated and amused her. He seemed to affect a very lofty and distant air. However, no sooner had Ms. Kuchiki accepted then he turned to her.
“May I request the same honour of you?”
Orihime accepted him at once, with a simplicity of manner that displayed her charms to their best advantage, and having secured a dance, excused herself at once to tell Tatsuki of her good fortune.
As she was looking for Tatsuki she passed Loly, who stopped her at once.
“Dear cousin,” Loly said, “who was that gentleman you were talking to?” She was jealous that Ms. Kuchiki had favoured Orihime over herself, and was looking to make mischief, and to tease her cousin.
“Oh, that was Mr. Kurosaki and Mr. Abarai.” Orihime, unaware of Loly’s feelings, felt her to be as good a recipient of the news as Tatsuki. “Mr. Kurosaki has asked me to dance. Can you believe it?”
Orihime’s pronouncement made Loly furious, but she hid her anger beneath a thin smile and said only, “What luck you have! You shall have to find a partner for me.”
Orihime saw the justice of needing a partner for her cousin, and begged her to go and find Tatsuki. The two women discovered her at the edge of the dance floor, and Orihime imparted her news and her request.
Delighted that Orihime had received an invitation, and from such an eligible young man, Tatsuki would happily have found Loly the partner of her choice, but unfortunately the naval officers were running late, and the party was consequently short of gentlemen. Loly was forced to sit out the first dance, and her anger seethed under her calm countenance. She became determined to ruin Orihime’s night.
Orihime herself could not have been more unaware of her cousin’s thoughts. She was standing with Mr. Kurosaki, only two couples behind Ms. Kuchiki herself, at her very first ball. She could not help glancing at Mr. Kurosaki’s face very frequently, noticing how handsome he was and how well he filled out his fine suit.
“I must thank you very much for the honour,” she said timidly as they began the dance. “I would never have expected it.”
Mr. Kurosaki was rather astonished by this statement. Used to London girls, he had come to
consider most women as expecting to be asked to dance as a matter of course. He looked at Orihime, and was struck by just how beautiful she was. He began to think that he had not made such a bad choice of first partner.
“I have never heard of your people, Ms. Inoue,” he said cautiously. “Whereabouts are you from?”
“I grew up in Portsmouth, Mr. Kurosaki,” she answered, “but my family was from Cheshire. My father and mother were lost at sea when I was a child, and my dear brother followed them six years later, so I was raised by my kind aunt, Mrs. Sanderwicci.”
Orihime’s story, and the tender way she told it, would have moved a heart of stone, and Mr. Kurosaki was not marble. He was conscious of Orihime’s natural manner, and her great simplicity, both in delightful contrast with the more fashionable and polished manners of the London women he knew, and he found himself dancing with more pleasure than he had known in a thousand previous balls.
Orihime and Mr. Kurosaki’s pleasure was not lost on anyone who watched them. Mr. Abarai merely smiled and considered it amusing that his friend had at last become interested in a girl. Ms. Kuchiki was more touched - Mr. Kurosaki was a childhood friend, and she thought it high time he was a little in love. Tatsuki’s happiness was all for Orihime. She was proud of her friend for being beautiful and delighted that Mr. Kurosaki had noticed. A friend of her husband’s, he had been on her chosen list for Orihime prior to their arrival in London. From the edge of the room, Loly watched with very different feelings. She was jealous and angry and she hated Orihime passionately, for daring to be beautiful and happy with the prospect of love and wealth before her. And as she watched, she determined that she would not allow her cousin to escape her life of misfortune so easily.