Free HF - 05 - Sunset by Christopher Nicole

finally emerged.
    'That will do, my good woman,' Oriole said severely, seizing Meg by the elbow to usher her into the drawing room. 'If only you would overcome this dreadful desire to allow the servants to be familiar. It really is disgusting. Now, smile, girl. These people are your guests.'
    All the book-keepers and their wives were present, as well as several people from town. 'Meg, you look magnificent.' She hadn't seen much of Billy this last year, and he didn't seem to have changed at all. 'May I kiss you?'
    'Certainly not,' Oriole said. 'You may kiss her hand.'
    Meg extended her hand, discovered she still held her fan.
    Billy's li ps touched her flesh. 'Oh, Meg,' he said. 'How lovely you are. Meg ...' He was staring at her de colletage, where her breasts were compressed by the corset to make a deep valley descending into her gown. 'Meg ...'
    'I must see to my other guests,' she said, and turned away. He was quite ridiculous. At once in his absurd adoration, and in his forwardness.
    'Good afternoon, Miss Hilton.'
    She frowned at Alan, who wore what was obviously a new suit. Now, how had the McAvoys afforded that? And he had also allowed himself to grow a little moustache, which was quite becoming. She had only seen him from a distance this last year, as he had left school and undertaken his duties as an overseer, which meant he spent most of his time aback, and on the rare occasion when they might possibly have met he had carefully steered his mule the other way.
    'Miss Hilton?' she inquired.
    'Well, I imagine that is what I should call you. Here you are, a great lady, sixteen years old ... and you look like a great lady, too.'
    'Why, thank you, sir,' she said. 'You are looking very well yourself.'
    '1 am leaving tonight,' he explained.
    'Leaving?' she cried, and heads turned. 'Leaving?' she said, more quietly.
    'Didn't your father tell you? I suppose he felt it would be of no interest. I have decided that overseeing is not for me.'
    'Oh. But ...' She wanted to say, what shall we do without you ? Instead she said 'What will you do ?'
    'I am going to sea. Papa has found me a berth on one of the steamers trading with Kingston, as apprentice. I shall study to be an officer.' He gave a half smile. 'Perhaps one day I shall be a master. And then, perhaps, I may call upon you as an equal.'
    'An equal?' she cried, and again heads turned. 'Why, Alan, how absurd can you be. There can be no inequality between us.'
    'There is already inequality between us, Miss Hilton,' he pointed out. 'We were born unequal, and as there can be no prospect of your lowering yourself to my level, I must endeavour to raise myself to yours. Supposing, of course, that after the passage of time I still wish to do so.'
    'Why, you ...' She felt her cheeks burning with a mixture of misery and anger. 'You are being absolutely absurd. If you are leaving Hilltop because of me, then I do wish you would reconsider. So one day I will be Mistress of Hilltop. We have always known that. But when I am Mistress of Hilltop, I would like to be surrounded by my friends.'
    'Mistress of Hilltop,' he said. 'How easily you say that. And how well it trips off your tongue. The Mistress of Hilltop can have no friends, Miss Hilton, save amongst others of equal rank.'
    'Oh, nonsense,' she insisted. 'I choose my friends where I may.'
    'Then perhaps,' he said, 'as this room is very close, and outside it is a pleasant afternoon, you would walk with me? Perhaps we could walk up to the Grandstand? Perhaps we could even run up to the Grandstand.'
    She flicked her fan shut as Oriole had taught her.
    'Ah,' he said. 'There are limits to your friendship, I see. At least with inferiors.'
    'Of course not,' she said angrily. 'But ... we are older now, Alan. I am the hostess. I cannot abandon my own party.'
    'You would not, even if you could.' He bowed. 'I came to say goodbye, and I now say goodbye. I shall remember my boyhood on Hilltop with much pleasure.' He turned and left the room, which