Heartsong [open]

[Laurel Wayland]

Laurel jerked awake as her carriage wobbled over cobblestone streets, pulling into the grand property of St. Augustine's School for Young Ladies. Her mother had banished her here after discovering Laurel and Eric in the stable lounge, Laurel's skirts bunched around her thighs and Eric's hands all over her. Laurel was not the least bit surprised that her mother had been angry, even that Anne Marie had wanted to send her away. Her shock and despair came from the fact that her father did nothing to keep her at home. Laurel felt betrayed.

Her brothers, at least, had protested, and James, the eldest, had agreed to accompany her to St. Augustine's to see her off. "Glad to see you've awoken," James said with a little grin. "You'll want to straighten yourself up before you meet everyone." He squeezed her hand, knowing she was nervous and quite upset.

"Blast," Laurel muttered under her breath upon seeing the huge school.

"Don't say blast, it's slang."

Laurel shot her brother a look. Oh, James, always so proper. Well, usually. She happened to know that he himself had been in trouble with their mother for the very same thing Laurel was being sent away for, but being that James was a man, there was no real punishment for him. He was considered a rogue, while Laurel was considered a harlot. It wasn't fair.

The carriage rattled to a halt in the front drive, and a footman came around to open Laurel's door. She stepped out into the gray daylight, looking up at the school with trepidation. "What I would give to go home," she thought.

"So I'm to be shut away from the world until who knows when, then?" She asked her brother. "Build up walls around me, change the locks, change the scenery. I'll be with him," she promised James. She was, of course, referring to Eric Calder, her handsome detective. She didn't know how she'd ever see him again, and even though they'd only met the one time, he had succeeded in stealing her heart.

James pushed open the heavy oak front door of the academy, and held it open for his sister. Laurel walked inside, her heart pounding so loudly in her chest that she was sure she could hear it echoing throughout the high-ceilinged entryway.

[Tara Calder]

((I'm just going to post as both Mercy and Tara in one post))

A woman had been waiting in the entryway for the newest student to arrive, two girls flanking her on each side. She was a stern looking woman, dressed all in black and standing straighter than a board. She didn't look like one you would want to cross. When the girl came through the doors, the maid rushed to help with her things, avoiding the eyes of headmistress Nicolette Beauregard.

"Miss Wayland I presume?" said the headmistress, chin held high. One of the girl's behind the headmistress rolled her eyes, looking to her friend who smiled in return. "I trust your ride across town was a pleasant one." She obviously didn't care if it was or not. "Beatrice here will take your things to your room while these two girls show you about the grounds and school."

The headmistress barely even said another word, leaving the girls to introduce themselves. "She's not always like this," said the girl who had rolled her eyes, smiling somewhat. "Just on days like today when she's anticipating her bottle of sherry she keeps in her office." She was a gorgeous girl with brilliant brown curls and the most amazing ocean blue eyes. Her dress was a pretty shade of blue. "I'm Mercy by the way, Mercy Scarborough." You would have to have your head buried in the sand to not know that last name and to have lived for even a day in Devil's Hollow. Christopher Scarborough was the richest man in town and Mercy, well, Mercy was his daughter.

The other girl beside Mercy wore a pretty green dress, her hair also brown and in curls, much like her friend's. Her eyes were a very deep shade of hazel. Apparently, Laurel just couldn't escape the Calder children. "Don't mind Mercy, she's a troublemaker-" "So are you. Mrs. Beauregard picked the worst students to show about the new person." Tara shook her head at her friend... though she was completely right. Tara and Mercy were perhaps the biggest troublemakers in the school. "Anyway, my name is Tara Calder." She gave the girl a friendly smile, not having had any idea about this girl's experience with her older brother.

[Laurel Wayland]

Laurel looked at the headmistress with the same trepidation that she had when looking at the school. She was a dark, foreboding woman with about as much cheer on her as a frosted mop bucket. Laurel thanked her politely for the welcome and was about to follow Beatrice when the two pretty girls stepped forward and introduced themselves.

Laurel had indeed heard of the Scarborough family. Their wealth was legendary. She smiled and made a polite, shallow curtsy to the girls, but she nearly fell over sideways when Tara Calder introduced herself. Calder? Could this be Eric's sister? It must be - How many Tara Calders could Devil's Hollow boast?

"Laurel Wayland," Laurel said by way of an introduction. "And I have no aversion to causing trouble, I assure you. Hence why I have been sent away to this cheery place." She smiled, her wit evident in the grin. She already felt these girls would be her fastest friends here, and she was grateful for their presence already.

James bowed his way out, kissing his little sister on the cheek as he left. "Farewell, dear brother," Laurel said, a little sullenly. She turned back to her new companions and asked, "So shall we convene in my room? I should really unpack, and we can plot away up there. I believe I have a suite to myself, so we simply must make my chamber our hide away." She grinned conspiratorially at the other girls.

[Tara Calder]

The two girls could tell right away that they would certainly get along with this new comer. "Right this way," Mercy said, a wicked smile crossing her face. Most of the other girls were in class, but since Tara and Mercy were showing about a new student, the two had been excused from the rest of their classes for the day.

They led the way up the steps, all the way to the third floor where they turned down the hall and stopped near the end. Pushing open the door, Tara stepped in, followed by Mercy. "This is it," Mercy said, turning back to the girl. "Now quick, shut the door so nobody can hear our evil plans." Tara looked at the room and then turned back to Laurel. "My room is two doors down and Mercy's is on the other side of the hall in case you ever need us." "Which I'm sure you will," Mercy said, looking out the window. "So what do you think?" One thing was for sure, the rooms at St. Augustine's were certainly nice.

[Laurel Wayland]

Laurel followed the other girls up the stairs and down the hall to her room, where Beatrice the maid had already deposited Laurel's belongings. Laurel shut the door behind them and laughed at the girls' comments about evil plans. "First, we must plot a way to get decent food into our rooms," Laurel said darkly, and though she were suggesting they make human sacrifices. "Secondly, and most secret of all things we will do here, you girls must help me write a letter to someone very special." She grinned, unable to suppress feelings of great excitement just to think of Eric.

Laurel sat down on the bed, patting the coverlet to invite the girls to come sit there with her. "You mustn't tell anyone, but there's a reason I was sent here," she confided in her new friends. "My mother found out... but no, I can't tell," she said with a girlish laugh. "It's too scandalous. You'd be shocked."

[Tara Calder]

"Tell," Tara said, immediately sitting on the bed, Mercy hopping on as well. "You have to. You can't mention something like that and then not tell us, it's against the rules of being friends," Mercy said, encouraging Laurel to continue. Tara nodded her head in agreement. "It would be more scandalous for you not to tell your new friends," Mercy continued.

"Who's this someone special?" Tara asked, suspiciously cocking an eyebrow. It was as if she had some kind of superhuman intuition. "Who is he? What did you do, you naughty girl?" She smiled and shook her head... though she had no idea it was her BROTHER. Both girls were eagerly awaiting her response, dying to know what she was getting at.

[Laurel Wayland]

Laurel smiled wickedly. "No, I think I'd best not say his name. I wouldn't want him to be labeled a Rogue, you know," she said with a wink. "You know how young men are about their reputations these days..." She began to laugh uncontrollably at her little joke. Men had no reputations to worry about- it was all the women who had to do the worrying. "My mother walked in on us," she continued, as though telling a scary story. "He was lying on top of me, touching my leg!" It was almost too much. She giggled again before going on, more sorrowful now. "I fear I shall never see him again."

[Tara Calder]

((It's been that long since I answered this? Damn, I have my times screwed up, sorry. lol!))

Mercy gasped and Tara clapped her hands over her mouth in excitement. "You naughty girl," Mercy said, though a wide smile crossed her face. "You're one to talk," Tara said to her friend, rolling her eyes. She looked to Laurel, tilting her head in Mercy's direction. "This one here has fallen for a worker in the shipyard. She's head over heels for him." She laughed and Mercy sighed, shaking her head. She couldn't deny it though...

"Alright Tara, how is Markos by the way?" she asked her, raising her brows. A blush crossed Tara's face and she tried to hide the smile that always came over her at the mention of the name. "Mr. Harper is fine," she said, acting as though it was no big deal. "Oh don't you play innocent Tara, I saw you, completely smitten with him at the party." She looked back to Laurel, shaking her head. "I'm sure you'll see him again. If he has even the slightest feelings for you, he'll come for you..." she smiled. They were all a bunch of love struck young women apparently.

[Laurel Wayland]

"Laurel laughed. "We are a silly lot, aren't we?" She said gaily. "A worker in a shipyard, though? That's quite the scandal," she added in mock seriousness, but clearly enjoying the conversation. "I met a young man in the shipyards not long ago. He was kind enough to give me a ride back to my estate in his cab. Nice enough fellow," she said without much thought, not realizing this was the same gentleman to whom Tara was referring.

"So," she continued. "Am I the only delinquent who is here because her mother sent her away to be properly lady-fied, or are we all here as a punishment for some crime of passion?" She grinned wickedly. "Because we all seem to be quite the little criminals."