Chapter 16: Debutantes

The next week flew by.

Ty heard that the group from the first ball were often reported as being around town. They also often met up with the other two young men, Lord Karl Westerwood, Lord Mikael Rothberg and Gill’s twin sisters, Pamela & Paula who were coming out this year. They also organised outings for the children.

The Debutantes could pick either the Wednesday or the Saturday to be their first coming-out ball. Ulani, Willow and Gill’s sisters had elected Saturday as Silvia has said it didn’t do to look desperate. Plus they had more than enough activities to keep them entertained until then.

When Willow discovered on one of their earlier outings that Tina was actually a Lords daughter and hadn’t had a coming out, she insisted that she had to be included as well. Prue agreed, and the girls have a lot of fun shopping for Tina.

They all giggled that if Raghu didn’t have the hots for her before, he sure would by the time they were finished.

Willow was very nervous.

She checked her reflection in the huge mirror again. “Prue why do I have to go through with this again?” she asked.

Prue laughed, “Because all young ladies are expected to have a coming out. They need to be presented to society to that young men know you are on the market.”

“Damn meat market if you ask me,” Willow grumbled. Tina agreed she too was very nervous, she hadn’t had to get dressed up like this before and it was very daunting.

Prue laughed, “Well It’s not just young ladies who think that, don’t forget families are expecting their sons to also find suitable brides, so it can be just as hard for them.”

Willow nodded in understanding. City society was a swamp of dos and don’ts she had found. Her young friends had been educating her. She had had fun going out with them. The only problem was Ty wasn’t with them.

She had crawled back into bed with Ty a couple of times simply because she had missed him so much, and she had needed to sleep. Even though he wouldn’t make love to her, he would at least cuddle her. She was happy that he would be with them tonight.

She took pains to make sure she looked presentable. She had found some delightful pieces of jewellery in her mother’s box but couldn’t decide on what went with the silvery-white dress. She hadn’t realised Prue and Tina had left the room, while she was trying to make up her mind.

There was a knock on the door, and she called out for whomever to come in. She turned around to find Ty. Gods he was breathtaking in his dress suit. He’d recently had a haircut as well, and she liked it.

He stood there staring at her. “What? Is something wrong with my dress?” she asked. She turned and looked in the mirror, but she couldn’t see anything wrong.

Ty came up behind her and bent down to her ear, “Yes, you’re in it,” he whispered and kissed her behind her ear.

Willow shivered. She was instantly wet and her nipples pressed hard into the bodice of her dress. Ty glanced up into the mirror and noticed her breasts reaction. He found his hand slipping into her bodice, and his fingers rubbed the hard nipple.

Willow lifted her chest and leant back into him, giving him better access. She wiggled her backside against the front of Ty. She wasn’t surprised to find him hard. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her back into him.

He squeezed her nipple harder, and she moaned for him. Ty pressed into her harder, and she pressed back. Lowering his head, he kissed the side of her neck, and she moved her head to let him. A loud noise out in the parlour caused him to release her reluctantly.

He pulled his hand out of her bodice then reached into his pocket. Ty placed the necklace around her neck He shifted her hair over her shoulder so he could do up the clasp. Once satisfied, he gently he rearranged her hair.

“Why?” Willow asked, looking at the obviously expensive platinum and diamond necklace that complimented her dress.

He turned her and gently pulled her bodice back in place and smoothed his hands over her breasts, before dropping his hands to his sides. “All Debutantes get a coming out gift. You look ravishing Willow, are you ready?”

Willow swallowed and nodded her head. Ty led her out to the group and after some gushing about how beautiful she looked; they all headed down to the carriages to go to the Assembly Ball.

Each young lady had to be presented by a parent or a nominated person. Ty would be presenting Willow as her guardian. Tah would present Ulani as her brother, and they all agreed that Mathew could present Tina. The rest were to wait in the main ballroom to watch the presentations. The King was sitting in full regalia at the end of the red carpet.

The young ladies had to walk down the centre and curtsy to the King as their name, and heritage was read out. Then they were then lead to the side to watch the rest be presented. Once the ceremony was over, they could circulate and dance. They were not allowed to dance with anyone more than twice.

Willow watched as Ulani was presented to the King by her brother. Willow decided he was a handsome man and that she would have to ask Prue what was going on with them. Then it was her turn, as she was the next highest ranking debutante. She was glad when it was all over, and they could relax.

Prue and Tah both had to smile when Raghu saw Tina on Mathew’s arm being presented to the King. He turned to Prue, “Damn Prue that’s not fair. How am I going to convince her to marry me, when she’s going to have every buck in the place chasing her?”

Tah patted his arm. “Sorry old man, them’s the joys of chasing a debutante. I must admit she sure is pretty. Good luck winning her.”

Ty found himself being introduced to Gill’s parents, Earl Oscar and Countess Leanne Evens, as they were here with his sisters. Ty noted the Karlsons were also there. It wasn’t long before the group was all together and Gill’s parents were automatically included.

They picked out a spot to make their own and set up camp for the evening. Willow was surprised how big their group had grown. She didn’t complain as she had found she enjoyed the company of them all.

Ty had to select his dances on Willow’s card when she offered it to him. He was supposed to have the first dance with her as her guardian. He soon found he was added to the Twins and Ulani’s cards as well.

So he also put his name down on Countess Evens, Silvia’s, Tina’s, Gail’s and Prue’s card. He said to the Ladies in jest that the gentlemen should also get a card, so they remembered who was next.

Lady Even told him that was a brilliant idea. It was embarrassing for a young lady to be forgotten. She excused herself and went to speak to some other ladies. The next thing they knew, they came around and handed each gentleman a card and pencil to record who they were dancing with next.

The room was filled with giggles and chuckles, as the gentlemen and ladies happily compared cards to make sure no one was double booked or forgotten. The ladies in their group helped the guys get their cards straight.

“Hey bro, I just realised there are not enough dances. Now I know just how limited I am to spreading myself around,” Vincent said with a crestfallen expression. Everyone laughed at his silliness.

The music started, and the couples were soon whirling around the dance floor. Ty was surprised to find he was enjoying himself. Due to his job and his history, he hadn’t tended to form a lot of close friendships.

Yet for some reason, this group of people were perfectly happy to have him in the group. The spectrum of ages was also interesting. The younger part of the group all got on well with the older ones, and the group was very harmonious.

Towards the end of the evening, he got worried when he hadn’t seen Willow come off the dance floor. He had just returned Silvia to her husband, and according to his card, Willow was next, after a small break.

He saw a flash of the silvery-white dress going out onto the terrace. He followed. He didn’t want rumours of Willow being easy circulating after her Deb-Ball. He stood for a moment wondering where she had gone.

It was very dark in the garden.

He heard her yell, “Get off me, you bastard.”

He headed quickly in the direction of her voice and found Willow struggling with a man who had his arms wrapped around her arms and was trying to kiss her.

He wrapped his left arm around the shorter man’s neck and squeezed as he thumped him in the kidney. The man grunted and let go of Willow. Ty held onto him as he went to struggle and tried to pull Ty’s arm from his throat as Ty was cutting off his airway.