Poor In Heaven

CHAPTER 8

"You are beautiful tonight.."

The days passed. Felix did not approach Mary-Jane again, but neither did she approach him. Whenever they happened to meet they simply exchanged glances. But surely they couldn't avoid each other at the feast held by the town's church that Sunday. It would be a great celebration, as the people of the surrounding villages would also attend. The girls were excited and prepared to wear their best dresses. The Smiths and Taylors were also the most important guests of the night . In the town, the arrival of young Felix Taylor had leaked out, and everyone was waiting to meet him.

In those days, the daughter of a rich landowner of the area, Miss Lydia Moore, had also come to the town. Her father had died five years ago, and since then she had left the city and went to London. In the town, she would come to visit her uncle, her father's brother, who was also the priest of the church. She was quite a charming woman. In London she had a very good reputation among the male population and had many connections with wealthy gentlemen. She was once married to a wealthy banker, much older than her, but divorced when he left her for another woman. One would say that she was only interested in money and social prestige. And that was the truth.

In fact, the reason she was coming to the town after all these years was to convince her uncle to give her some of his fortune. All that she had inherited from her father she had squandered or spent them to buy expensive clothes and jewelry. If she couldn't get her uncle to give her money, she had decided to find a rich husband and marry him. Learning of Felix Taylor's arrival, she had high hopes of getting close to such a charming, but also rich young man.

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The great day of the celebration had arrived. On Sunday afternoon the whole town was getting ready. The Smiths and Taylors would show up a little later than the rest, so they left their homes much later.

"I feel so happy! Finally something exciting is happening in this city!" Grace said as they headed in the carriage towards the center of town.

"I can't wait to meet someone and dance with him !" Ruth said happily.

"You're still too young! It's mine and Mary-Jane's turn!"

"I am not many years younger than you. Madeleine is only two years ahead of me."

The two girls continued to chat, Felix not participating in the conversation at all. He was looking out the window and thinking about Mary-Jane. He had thought he might ask her to dance so he could talk to her, but he thought she wouldn't accept. This whole situation made him very sad and he didn't know how to react. He had greatly misjudged Mary-Jane, influenced by what he had experienced in the past, causing her to hate him. She didn't even want to hear about him. It made him very sad that he had treated her like this. He wanted very much to get closer to her and get to know her better. She had piqued his interest from the start, and he had found that she was indeed a very beautiful girl.

As soon as they arrived, the two families were welcomed with joy, especially Mr. Smith, since he was also the mayor of the town. Some of those in attendance sat at their tables and ate, while others danced to the rhythm of the music. The room was full of people and there was so much commotion that you could hardly have a conversation with anyone. The Smiths and the Taylors sat at the same table.

Felix noticed Mary-Jane. She looked happier than ever, as if she hadn't let anything that had happened the last few days affect her. He had to admit it to himself, that she was beautiful that night. Her hair was slightly pulled back, she was wearing a beautiful lace dress, and a bracelet on her hand. It might have been a simple outfit, for a lady who had endless dresses in her closet, but at that moment, in his eyes she was the most beautiful girl in the room. It made him wonder if he really liked Mary-Jane, and maybe that was why he wanted to be with her.

"You are very beautiful tonight." Felix told her.

Mary-Jane looked at him in surprise. "Thank you very much Mr. Taylor."

"I think you should stop referring to me in the plural."

"No. It is better to keep the plural between us."
"As you wish, Miss Smith. So, I would like to ask you if you want to dance with me."

"Excuse me Mr. Taylor, but I have promised to dance with someone else tonight. I have many admirers, as you have noticed." Mary-Jane told him ironically.
These words somehow hurt him, but he knew that he was the one who had started this whole misunderstanding.

At their table, the priest of the church, Reverend Moore, came to greet them, accompanied by a rather attractive woman.

"Good evening, it's a great pleasure to have you all here tonight. Today, my beloved niece arrived from London. Do you remember Lydia, my brother's daughter?'

"It is a great honor to meet you again. I had many years to come here. I missed this small town ."

Lydia Moore was tall, with blonde hair pulled back in a bun, and her skin was as white as snow. That night, she wore a red long dress, and red lipstick. She might have been the most impressively dressed there.

"Lydia, you've gotten so much prettier since I last saw you. The climate of London has done you good." Mr. Taylor told her.

"Indeed, you have become a very beautiful woman." said Mr. Smith, observing her.

But Lydia's gaze was on Felix. He was quite a handsome young man, rich, and just right for her. Mr. Smith offered her a seat at their table, so she had the opportunity to sit near him and get to know him. From the moment she sat down with them at the table, she was unable to speak to him, because Grace kept asking her about her life in London and about the dances she went to. She promised her that she would take her to a dance sometime, which made Grace like her even more.

Suddenly, a tall young man with curly blond hair and blue eyes approached their table. He was handsome enough, any girl could be in love with him.

"Mary-Jane, I think you promised me this dance." He said to her. Felix looked at her in surprise. Indeed, she had not lied to him, she had promised to dance with someone else.

"Of course John." Mary-Jane said cheerfully, and rose to dance with him.

The two began to dance. Their faces were full of joy, John's eyes fixed on Mary-Jane's smile. Felix began to feel very strange, as if he was jealous that someone else was dancing with her in his place.

Time had stopped. All he could see in front of him was Mary-Jane, she was like a bright light in the room. She was laughing and looking happy, as if she didn't care what was going on around her. Mary-Jane may not have been as beautiful as Lydia Moore, who sat next to him, but to him, she was the most beautiful of all the young ladies tonight. She was a girl he could love with all his heart. Now, he had confirmed it. He was in love with Mary-Jane.