Of Corsets and Gentlemen

London Debut

"Vivianne?! Where are you?"

"In here Aunt Joann!" I called back.

My aunt appeared in the doorway. She gasped when she saw me. I currently lied on my back on a couch in the drawing room but turned on my stomach to look at her.

"Is something wrong?" I asked calmly, while handing the book I was reading to my maid, Annie.

"Vivianne. You must sit more properly. What if your fiancé were to come calling and found you in such a position? Why, I daresay, he would laugh."

I sighed. Even though I was the fourth born, my family depended on me making a successful society debut since my eldest brother, William, ran off to marry a maid. Everyone thought my second eldest brother, Arthur, could have  taken over the family business since my he was next in line, but he'd been studying to be a lawyer so he wasn't really trained for it.

My older sister, Grace, couldn't do it since she was a woman and my youngest brother, Colin, was obviously too young, everything depended on me to marry successfully. Preferably into the peerage to further cement my family's status in society since William nearly ruined it.

"I don't have a fiancé, Aunt Joann."

"Not yet you don't. Once you make a proper debut in London-"

"No! There is no way I can show my face in London. I've been gone for four years. Have you forgotten the humiliation my brother brought on our family? I'm practically living in exile!"

"No one forced you to come here, Vivianne. You did that by yourself. Now. As I was saying; You will debut in London for the Season. You father will finance everything. From dresses to carriages, all right?"

"Yes, ma'am. How is father?"

"He's doing very well."

"And mother?"

"Much better. She's even attended a tea party a few days ago. She told all about it in her letter."

I smiled as I turned my head to the window. "Wonderful."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I studied myself in the mirror. I had already cinched an inch on my waist but perhaps one more....

"Annie?"

"Yes, My Lady?"

"A little tighter."

She looked unsure but nodded. I took in a deep breath before she pulled the strings. When it felt right I told her to stop. I studied myself again. Liking the results I nodded.

An hour and a half later I appeared before my Aunt.

"What do you think?" I asked.

"Beautiful. Simply beautiful," she replied.

I blush and looked away while following her to the carriage. During the month before the Season started my Aunt and I moved from her country estate to my family's mansion not far from London.

"How do you feel?" my Aunt asked.

"I'm not sure. Nervous, excited..." I trailed off and stared at my gloves.

My Aunt took my hand. "You'll do marvelous, my dear."

"Thank you."

After close to an hour's ride we arrived at the mansion where the ball was to take place.

"Ready?"

I inhaled deeply and nodded. After four years of being invisible it felt like someone was saying magic words and I was suddenly appearing again. I ran away and now I was back again for my London debut. How lovely.