[daikokunyo]

Fawn Posey, called Lady Posey by everybody, sighed into her glass of claret. She could only have one moderately-filled glass and sip it throughout the meal in a dignified manner. Because she was a lady. And that made her sigh.

Although she couldn't have a refill, the food was good, so she made the most of her meal. Once she had eaten her fill, Fawn sighed in contentment.

She excused herself from the table and walked up to her chambers. Fawn sighed again, for a different reason this time: this afternoon, there was going to be a tea party. And because it was hosted by Fawn herself, she was required to attend. She could rest for a while this afternoon, but she'd have to get up again to get ready for tea. It was tiresome, although she had maids to help.

Fawn thought she'd either be bored or attacked by social anxiety during the tea party. Her introversion would ensure it was one or the other. Since being adopted by the Poseys, she had attended a few tea parties and found that everyone was too busy being polite to have any fun. Actually, that described aristocratic life in general, although the luxuries made up for it.

Aurelia Posey, her adoptive mother, had warned her: Fawn might find that people whispered about her and made snide remarks because of her commoner birth. Actually, it was similar to the setup of a heroine in a romance fantasy novel, except this was real life (as far as Fawn knew) and there was no plot, just endless boredom because she had no friends.

Tea parties weren't the way to make friends, Fawn reflected, while her maids fastened her gown (a mass of frills) and did her hair (also in a mass of frills thanks to a curler). Nobody opened up at a tea party. Maybe because of the lack of booze.

She doubted this tea party would be any different. She took her place at the table. As she waited for the ladies she'd invited to arrive, Fawn surveyed the spread: finger sandwiches, fruit tarts, bite-sized cakes, three different kinds of tea and a cold cherry decant.

Well, at least she'd enjoy the food.