We're back on track with the main story arc, though I did enjoy writing Gianna's hidden tale. I promise that when I go back through the story in the first revision that there will be more of Gianna. For now, though, I need to get the MC story down... any side story threads are going to have to wait until 2013.
To make sense, place yourself where this one left off:
www.apricotpie.com/marlene-e-schuler/taverner-chronicles-one-summers-ni…
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A few minutes later, Gianna was standing in the gardens. Only, there wasn't any snow (as in the present), and there were actually people in them. Of course it was cold, but it seemed everyone was anxious for a little exercise after the winter snows had subsided. She spotted Grandmother with the gardeners, no doubt discussing how the gardens were to be opened for the spring and how they should be managed.
If there was one person that Gianna could not stand, it had to have been Alex Rawlings. But if she had to pick someone else, the honor would have fallen upon Lord Anthony Lang. At first, she thought that he would have been an interesting person. She didn't know many people of the nobility, and this fellow had rank and money. He also had a singularly slicked-down hair style that was hard to ignore.
And then she ignored him. After that night, she tried to keep away from his very presence; if she saw him coming, she ducked in one of her many hiding places throughout the house and lawns. Though she was successful most of the time, there were times when she couldn't help avoiding him. Such times were meals.
I realized that Gianna has been almost ENTIRELY left out of the story for months now- and this is a serious problem, because she's really important in this tale. To ameliorate the situation, I'm writing just what the title says- 'What Gianna Did'. As what I'm posting is merely a very raw first draft, all the plot holes and such that you've no doubt noticed so far are going to be smoothed over and fixed.
But for now, this is my solution for the Lack-of-Gianna problem. Put yourself just before the first ball (in Midwinter) so that this part makes sense.
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The dancing went well into the night. There were many different dances; waltzing, jigs, bouncing lines and slow, dignified ones that were almost like taking a refined walk. Millie didn't know all of them- but her partners (and there were surprisingly many) were always willing to guide her through them. It was towards the small hours of the morning when Millie noticed that the Doctor was not amongst their number. Though she was enjoying herself immensely, such an observation cast a dim cloud over her fun.
Hello all, and a blessed season of Advent to everyone! I am so sorry for neglecting to post here... the Taverner Chronicles is almost finished, but I've been posting the chapters on my blog, www.charlieandmewrite.blogspot.com
You can finish it there if you can't wait to get to (almost) the end, or you can watch it slowly trickle here. :)
~~~
They were in there again. Dancing... in her ballroom. Millie took a deep breath. She stood in the hall just outside- although the sun had only just set, the dancing was already in full swing. She hadn't danced yet, and didn't feel like it, despite the fact that there were many desirable partners. Somehow, she didn't feel like joining them. Louise would have giggled and said that the absence of a certain Doctor had something to do with her listlessness, and laughingly Millie would have objected. Half-heartedly, of course, because she knew in her heart that was the reason.
There are few moments more awkward or unbearable than that which a young man inquires if a lady should share the saddle with him. Oh odious predicament! Millie and Louise were speechless, and even Anthony started to feel that he had said something out of place. But no, that did not prevent him from extending his hand to help her up into the saddle behind him. Millie was about to blather an excuse when Louise stepped closer to Anthony with a bright look on her face.
There was one place she felt alone. It was a tree; a tree with a seat almost carved into its base. Though it was in the middle of a pasture, no one would think of looking for her there... she couldn't go back to the house. Not now.
She needed to be alone. Alone.
Millie could feel tears slipping out of her eyes and down her cheeks, and before she knew it, there were ragged sobs coming from her lips. Clamping a hand over her mouth, she ran faster towards the tree; she was almost there now. Just a little further...