• CHAPTER TWO

    Willow searched through the old chest with her mother's clothes. She was looking for a dress that her mother wore at a dinner with the former priest. Mrs. Miller had been an attractive woman, very smart too. Several men had proposed to her before she had found Mr. Miller, including the priest's son, who was now the priest.
    The dress was a fair blue decorated with floral patterns, and was a beautiful sight. Willow's grandmother had made it herself for that occasion, and now Willow wanted to wear it for the ball. She planned on redoing it a bit, because she was not as tall as her mother used to be. One of the maids were to do her hair, and Alexander was supposed to pick her up in a chariot.
    There it was. The pretty dress was hidden almost at the bottom of the chest, and Willow had to dig past many gowns to find it. She carried it carefully to her chamber and tried it on. It fit her perfectly, except that it was a little long. She cut it up and tried it again, this time it was really great. Alexander wasn't supposed to pick her up before in two hours, but she called for the maid who was supposed to do her hair.
    After 10 minutes, Willow walked down to her father. “Oh, Willow, you look stunning!” Mr. Miller seemed touched to see his daughter so grown up and beautiful as she was at that moment. They spent the next hour and a half in front of the fire, exchanging memories about their wife and mother. She used to take her four daughters down to the river when she did the laundry. She was not fond of letting the maids do laundry, she said it was to personal. When she cleaned their clothes, Willow and her sisters used to play in the water, and there had never been an accident.
    After a while talking and laughing, the maid came in, announcing that Alexander had arrived.
    By the time she got into the chariot, her father had wished her a good trip three times. He almost started to cry, but managed to keep it in, at least until they left.
    “Good day, Willow. You look as beautiful as always.” Alexander's face lit up when she sat next to him, and they barely stopped talking the entire ride. They discussed how she was, Alexander had always cared. She told him about her father's job, which didn't get them much money, and he comforted her. He almost convinced her that everything would be okay before the chariot stopped. Then Alexander carefully kissed her hand and her cheek. She blushed, and held his hand as they walked inside.