Emily Carstairs was shy, and always had been. Loud noises and enthusiastic people frightened her. She sometimes wanted to be as brave as Cordelia or Josephine, or at least as friendly as her younger sister Phyllis, but she was always more comfortable with small animals and reasonably quiet children than with anyone outside the family. It was strange how her older sisters didn’t bother her. She supposed she was used to them. Jo often helped her with her lessons and never made fun despite her obvious impatience when Emily was slow. She was happy to ferry cold cloths to Josephine when her older sister had yet another headache from excessive reading (though Emily was far too intelligent to mention that reason for them). Cordelia was forever trying to help her stop being afraid of horses, but Emily knew that was hopeless. Gentle mounts who were good as gold for her second older sister became fractious and wild around her, at least till Cordelia noticed. Then they would settle down, only to misbehave the moment Cordelia stopped paying attention.

            But even the wildest beast allowed Emily near if they were sick or injured, while all the smaller animals of the estate adored her.

            That only made Cordelia fume. “If you can stand up to them when they’re so unhappy, why can’t you do it when they’re in health?”

            Emily never had an answer for that. It became a joke how even Phyllis tried to bring her out of her shell. Unfortunately, around her younger sister’s bubbly friends she could never get a word in anyway, so she contented herself with working on her embroidery.

            She wished they would have let her stay in the background tonight. Emily had a good idea why Mama had decided to hold this ball. I’ll only get in the way, she thought, even as old General Willis steered her around the ballroom floor and tried to make conversation. I’m just a duty dance. I wish everyone would just leave me alone.

            At last the music stopped. She mumbled her thanks to the general, and left the floor before anyone could ask her for another. She supposed she could escape to the row of chaperoned young ladies near the plants, or sneak off to the kitchen and visit the latest batch of kittens.

If Emily decides to visit the kitchen, click here.

If Emily decides to retire to Wallflower Row, click here.

If you want to return to the ballroom--please click here.

If you want to exit the game--please click here.