Chapter Four:

"Why can't I come!" Amy's voice floated through the main living quarters as Meg flopped into a chair trying to tie her shoe. "I'll behave, I promise. I shall act like a proper lady! I've been practicing—"

"Begging is not lady like." Jo appeared on the staircase, wearing a simple red dress. It looked very nice on her.

"You are one to talk, Jo!" Amy retorted, crossing her arms.

Meg stood up, brushing off invisible dust on her beautiful purple dress. The skirt was very puffy, giving her the look of a princess. Her hair was pulled away from her face, showing off her clear skin and dark eyes.

"Are we ready?" Meg questioned.

Elouise looked down at her borrowed dress, much more out there than what she usually wore. The skirt was full, with a corset cutting off her breathing capacity. The dress was a wonderful baby blue colour, a colour she failed to see often. Meg offered her new shoes as well, but Elouise declined, saying the dress was already to much. Instead, Meg helped fix up her hair. It was lightly curled at the ends, seeming to be the only place a curl would hold.

"Can I please come, Meg?" Amy followed her sisters to the door, staring at them with big eyes. Elouise trailed behind, slipping out the door.

"Don't wait up!" Jo shouted, slamming the door.

Meg whispered something to Jo, who in turn only rolled her eyes and linked their arms together. "Are you really not excited?" Meg asked Jo, "This will be fun."

"I disagree."

Meg sighed, "You need to let yourself have fun, Jo! You always close yourself off—"

"I'll try. Is that satisfactory?"

Her sister grinned, nodding her head. "Elouise, promise you will have fun as well."

"I'll give it my best shot."

"You'll hate it." Jo said, "I promise you."

Meg nudged her sister, "Stop steering her in the wrong direction. You're both going to enjoy yourselves."

Elouise chuckled, walking beside them. The sun was setting, casting a beautiful set of colours across the sky. She thought of herself as an outdoor person, it was something about feeling the wind on your face, the sun warming your skin and all the wonderful smells. Elouise loved that everyplace she visited has a different smell, indicating the hundreds of stories that went along with them. She loved meeting new people, hearing stories that they loved so dearly. Even though she loved traveling, it was quite difficult with her lack of funds. Elouise had a good chunk of change back home, with her father making a swift amount of money. However, she did not want to live off of her father, so she saved all her pennies for the longest time. In the end, her father did fund her journey before landing at her grandmothers little home. That's when she learned her grandmother wasn't well liked by her father, and everything she had was stripped away. Elouise was left with nothing, her father explaining in a long winded letter that she was not welcomed back home. All she had was her two bags and the shoes on her feet, with a few coins left to try to find food. A year ago she was left with nothing, another reason men had to much power. Perhaps Jo was right, and being alone was better than anything.

"Elouise?"

She blinked, eyes landing on Meg who looked at her with worry, Jo sharing the same expression. "My apologies. Trapped in my thoughts, not to worry."

Jo frowned, "You seem awfully glum."

"My mind wandered to my father back home, a wicked thing he is."

"Is he not fighting in the war?" Meg questioned, "Our father has been gone far to long and his letters are far and short between."

Elouise sighed, "I knew money could buy a lot but I did not think it could buy you a way out of the war."

Meg gasped, "Are you certain?" while Jo only looked intrigued, "You come from money?"

Jo received another shove from her sister, "How many times do I have to remind you to watch your tongue, Josephine?"

"You sound like Marmee, Margaret."

Elouise nodded slowly, moving past their little scrabble. "Very old money. That's how I purchased my travel here, with my father funding me. I traveled across my home country, you see, I wanted to see all of my home before traveling elsewhere. That's when I found out my grandmother was ill." Elouise explained, the other women being unbelievably silent. "Upon a few weeks of my arrival, my father got wind of where I was and who I was staying with, it turns out my father despised grandmother Mabel. He cut the funding and told me I was no longer welcomed home, to stay with her if that was what I was so desperately wanted. I never got to explain my own self, and was left with my two bags and the clothes on my back."

"It's been just over a year, and I've managed to make a few coins for food and what not, but without Mabel knitting her quilts for a charge, I literally have nothing. I hope I do not sound ungrateful, but I am quite glad I am not chained to his image no longer. I can do whatever I please, and any money I make shall be spent without any word from anyone else because it is I who worked for it."

Meg pursed her thin lips, "That must have been difficult, to be left stranded in a small town."

"At first, as I had only been with Mabel a few weeks. After the next, I learned she was a wonderful and very humorous woman. I am certainly glad I arrived and even more so that I can be whoever I want now. No arranged marriage and no living off of my fathers money. It's as if the world is now at my finger tips, and I can be the crown."

"Arranged marriage?" Jo gagged, "I would rather be buried six feet under than be forced to marry. This way is better for you, Elouise. You are your own person now, enjoy it."

Elouise could not help but smile, "I am very thankful your Marmee stumbled upon me only those few days ago. You are all so lovely, I cannot wait to learn more about you March sisters."

Music echoed in the distance, as lights glowed over the grass. "Oh!" Meg squealed, releasing her sisters arm. "It already sounds wonderful!"

Jo rolled her eyes at Elouise, causing her to giggle lightly. "Come!" Meg exclaimed when she realized they were in no hurry to move. The eldest March sister grabbed a hold of Jo and Elousie's hand as she dragged them towards the large house. She was nudged into a crowded space, remaining close to Jo as Meg ventured deeper into the house.

"She'll be dancing with a man in no time." Jo sighed, "Watch."

Elousie clasped her hands together in front of her, gazing into the crowd. Women and men danced to the beat, all smiling happily. They were all well dressed, most woman wore the biggest dresses Elouise had ever seen, while other's wore-- no, they were all quite large.

"Look." Jo nudged her side, pointing at where Meg was seen, spinning in delicate circles at the hand of a man. "A shame, I should've put a wager on it."

Elouise tried to laugh, but her nerves were to strong. Her hands felt clammy, and the room seemed to sway ever so slightly. She hadn't noticed Jo slowly move them towards the other side of the room, where the large table of food was located.

"Miss." A man appeared in front of Elouise, a rather older man to be exact. Nausea bubbled in her stomach, the tight corset not being of any help. He held out a hand, "Would you care for a dance."

Elouise stared like a deer in headlights before she scurried away, out towards the front door. She heard Jo shout her name over the slow music but she never wavered, swinging open the door and stumbling outside. The music drifting out and the fresh air to comfort her.