Lady Clarramore, Her Sister and a Fancy Dress Ball
In Dioni, a scant few months after Clarramore Manor secured manufacturing and distribution of a new perfume, a cart was seen loading materials and workers into the manor’s upper level, much to the consternation of Lady Hyacinth. The first to inquire into these goings-on was Eritheyl Skyplume, Execumatrix Magnificus, though soon many others, mostly from Serenwilde and Hallifax, came to make inquiries. They learned that the new perfume’s income served another purpose: funding the conversion of the attic of the Manor into an apartment for Hyacinth’s sister, Lydia Windwhisper. The Clarramores were cagey about the reason for this, though gossip between the servants hinted at a scandal.
The construction was due to be completed two months later, but in the early days of Avechary, just as the completion date was nigh, a terrible crash led to swearing on the part of the grumpy foreman. She soon secured authorizations for overtime from Lord Herbert, and sought people to deliver them to the gardeners. The call was taken up by the Archmage Phoebus Skyplume, and by Orventa T. Onz’Verheu, Professor of the Matrix Research Institute. They made quick work of it, and soon the Clarramores were toasting the opening of the new apartment.
After making more inquiries about the scandal, Phoebus sought Lydia to persuade her to come to the manor. It seemed that, having met a working-class human late of Delport while hiding from a storm, Lydia had become enamoured of the unsuitable man, threatening to bring ruin to the Clarramore and Windwhisper families. It was with considerable regret that Phoebus persuaded Lydia to put family and duty before love.
Lady Hyacinth insisted more must be done, and soon set Phoebus and Orventa to arranging a fancy dress ball. In the end, Orventa was honored at the ball for her efforts, and Lydia, looking somewhat glum, dutifully danced with a variety of suitors, thus putting to rest the gossip of servants. But while the scandal is silenced, Lydia sits forlornly in her garrett, daydreaming about what might have happened had she chosen differently. And in a hut in the mountains, a fur trader’s heart is broken. Might love yet triumph, or is Lydia destined forever to paint gloomy skyscapes in her lonely garrett, while receiving proposals of marriage from single men possessing good fortunes and in want of a wife?
