It was another week before Rio came to the house, late at night after his training. As soon as Hannah opened the door, he sprang inside, looking delirious.

“I made it, Hannah,” he announced. “I’m going to be a guard as of the ceremony this Sunday.”

“Ceremony?”

“Captain Tanner showed us the list of names. And I was on it. Felix too, but not Jay. I wonder if he had anything to do with that?”

“Oh. This is good news, Rio. I’m very happy for you.”

“You have to be there, you know. And I hope Captain Droy is back by then, or I’ll be very upset. Alyssa should be there too.”

With Suzanne, no doubt.

“Hopefully, Kurt and Fadden can come too,” Hannah said, cocking a smile.

Her brother stopped, giving her a baffled look. “Kurt and Fadden?”

“Yes, I’ve been wanting to tell you. They’re in Dalen, and they want to see you.”

“Really? Here, now?”

She nodded. “You should go and see them. They might still be awake, in fact. And I’m sure they’ll want to hear your news.”

“They came to Dalen just to see us?”

“It was nice of them, wasn’t it?”

“Strange, though. In my mind ... I was imagining I’d never see them again.”

“They’re still our friends, and we have to remember everything the Averys have done for us.”

“Yes, yes. Well, alright, I’ll go and see them.”

“Over at Magda’s,” she told him. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, it’s late. You should get your rest.”

She said goodbye to him, thinking about the Sunday ceremony and hopeful that Kurt would be able to come. She would have to find something to wear. The blue dress from Da? She drifted into her room, where it lay draped on a chair. The color had gone dull over the years. She felt embarrassed to think about wearing it to such a nice event. If only she had something new, something different. All the rest of her clothes were either farmers’ frocks or work dresses, the ones that held too tight and showed too much chest.

She crawled into bed, dreaming of fluffed-up people at a ball, laughing at her in her old dress. She knew once she woke up she was going to have to buy a dress, or borrow one. And the only person she could go to for help was Alyssa.

She set off after lunchtime, skipping a meal again, in order to visit the Tanner house.

“I’ve never been to an event before,” Hannah found herself explaining awhile after.

“And I too many.”

“I’m not sure I’ll know what to do.”

“Talk. Drink. Dance.”

“I don’t know how to dance. Not really.”

“Would you like me to teach you?” Alyssa asked, showing a smile.

“Oh,” Hannah went, shaking her hands and head. “No.”

“You know, it is the best feeling in the world, to dance freely with the man you love.” She stood in the center of the room, spreading an arm straight to the side. Before Hannah’s eyes, she started to move, slowly, her feet going round each other on the floor. Her light cotton dress moved with her, as water flows, her hair easing across her back. She was so beautiful, Hannah thought. And graceful.

“It’s not hard,” Alyssa told her, as if reading her thoughts.

“Not when you do it.”

“Follow the man. Trust him. You’ll feel it immediately, and the rest will follow.” She slowed, standing straight again. “I should hope to see you dancing with someone that night, Hannah.”

She thought of Kurt then, but then remembered he knew no more about dancing than she did.

“Can you tell me what I should wear?”

“Haven’t you any dresses?”

“Nothing proper.”

“Well, I’m sure I can spare you something, if you like.”

“That’s very kind. But I am afraid I might – ruin one of your dresses.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t care about such things. I have more than enough clothes, honestly. Why don’t we go upstairs? I’ll show you what I have.” She took Hannah’s hand, pulling her out of her seat. As they climbed up, Hannah kept her ears open for sounds of Suzanne, but she didn’t seem to be around. “Is Suzanne not here?” she asked.

“No, she’s gone out this afternoon.”

“But she’s still in Dalen?”

“Oh, yes. She wouldn’t leave before seeing Macks again.”

Hannah nodded stiffly at this. “Are they ... close?”

“Quite close, yes. The three of them were very good friends long before I met any of them.”

“She is widowed, I remember?”

“That’s right. Very sad. They’d only been married about five years when it happened. But she’s a strong woman. I do admire her.”

“Does she have any children?”

“No, none. That’s why I hope she marries again and starts a family soon. I know she wishes to.” Alyssa pushed open a set of tall white doors, striking them with light. Hannah held back, peeking into a room of furred carpets and cream drapes across the walls. This was the bedroom – Alyssa’s and Stefan’s. It looked like it might as well have been a royal's.

“Goodness,” Hannah couldn’t help herself.

Alyssa beckoned her inside, disappearing into some sort of cul-de-sac. Hannah followed, tentative, and saw the open, lolling mouth of Alyssa’s wardrobe. Hats, boots, ribbons, a thousand fabrics and a thousand colors. She watched as Alyssa pawed through it all and took out a few limp, elegant gowns.

“What do you think? Any one of these would suit you, I feel. And you should be able to fit them, you’re only a little taller than me.”

She set the dresses on the bed, and Hannah found her eyes drawn to the one closest to her. It was a silk-and-velvet piece, shimmery blue, with blooming sleeves and a ribbon to tie in the back. It reminded her of the first night she entered Dalen, and couldn’t stop staring into a dressmaker’s window. “They’re too nice for me.”

“What? That’s nonsense.” Alyssa followed her gaze, picking up the blue gown. “Do you like this one?”

She breathed in, reluctant to answer.

“It’s very new. Why don’t you try it for one night? If you like it, you can have it.”

“You would give this to me?”

“Of course. It’s only a dress. I’ll get the girls to put it in a box for you.”

Hannah watched as she passed the dress over to her maids, shaking her head. “You know, I’ll still be a village girl, no matter what you put me in.”

“You mean, you’ll still be Hannah Iver, my friend and Rio’s sister. Isn’t that enough?”

Hannah smiled, and Alyssa came over to finger her hair. “Perhaps you’ll meet someone that night.”

“I don’t want to meet anyone.”

“Why not? There’ll be plenty of guards there.”

Hannah didn’t care. All she cared about was whether Kurt would come.

“Are you afraid to meet someone, Hannah?” Alyssa prodded her. “Are you afraid to fall in love?”

“I don’t believe in love.”

“Neither did I.”

Hannah was surprised to hear this. “Really?”

“I grew up believing people in this world married only for practical reasons. Money, connections. That was all I’d ever seen among the people around me. I never imagined there was anything else. But then I met Stefan, and ... all my views changed. He made me feel things I’d never known before.”

Hannah kept quiet, fascinated despite herself. Was it like those feelings she had when she was around Kurt? “Did you love him from the very first moment?”

“Oh, no. I wouldn’t say from the first moment. But he made me curious. Made me want to really know him. It’s hard to explain.”

“I think I understand.”

“I hope one day, you get to experience it too, Hannah. And when you do, marry that man. No matter what anyone tells you.”

One of the servants emerged then, carrying a flat box all shut up and ribboned. She held it out for Hannah, who took it a little reluctantly.

“I don’t know how I’m going to repay you for this,” she said.

“You don’t,” Alyssa said with a wink.

“I really should go now. I’ll see you at the ceremony, Alyssa.” They headed downstairs, and just as Hannah stepped onto the street, she saw a carriage coming up. That looked like Suzanne inside.

Hannah turned her face away, hurrying on towards Jono’s. She held the box firmly but carefully all the way, and all the girls became curious when they saw her. Although she didn’t want to, she allowed them a quick peek inside, and they all went wild.

“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” Deedee breathed. “You’ll be like a princess, Hannah.”

Sora wrinkled her nose. “Your friend is too generous. Does she really not expect any payment from you?”

“No.”

“You have all the luck in the world,” Deedee said.

“I’d hardly call getting a dress luck.”

“No, but rich friends are,” Jono put in.

Hannah sent him a glare. She would have given up the dress gladly if she could be as close to Alyssa as Suzanne was, if she could be more like them rather than a serving girl in Jono’s.

That night, before going to bed, she tried on the blue dress, a process that took her some time to figure out, what with all the wrappings and tying and things. Her Ma would have probably figured it out much faster.

At last, the dress was on, sort of, and she faced the mirror to look, tilting herself this way and that. The dress was exquisite, hugging her waist and arms, and showed off the smoothness of her neck. She turned, listening to the sound of it, admiring the way the material fell down her back. She did like it. Would it surprise people, Hannah Iver suddenly turning up in something this beautiful? Would it surprise Kurt?

She sat down in her bed, tiredly closing her eyes. The truth was she hated herself for liking him, and in a way, hated him for coming to Dalen and reminding her. If her Ma had known ... she would probably not have approved. Then again Hannah hadn’t approved of many of her choices.

She leaned back, leaving a few candles lit, lying still for a while. Something stuck out under her pillow, and she tugged at it. Macks’ letter. She’d all but forgotten it.

She sighed, opening a drawer next to her and hiding the letter away, as it belonged.