Chapter One

My first foray into society occurred in the spring of the year I turned fifteen.

When girls from upper-class families reach marriageable age, the time comes for them to dress up beautifully and show themselves off before great numbers of people. Naturally, the primary goal of this is to find a husband. Though marriage is essentially arranged by a girl’s parents, families still need to make it clear which girls are on the market. Society is the place for the contenders to show off all their achievements: their beauty and charm, their refinement and cultivation, and their flair for the art of conversation.

By attending all sorts of social gatherings, people develop new connections and exchange information. This includes discussion of unmarried young ladies, which in turn leads to marriages being arranged. Even if the young man and woman concerned don’t find each other on their own, they’re often introduced by common acquaintances. For this reason, it’s necessary for a young lady to make her existence known to as many people as possible, in order to generate interest.

First impressions are everything, so a debut requires working especially hard to look striking. To that end, everyone at the event where I was making my debut had put a great deal of effort into their appearance. Everywhere I looked, I saw dazzling displays of beauty. Standing in a corner of the opulent ballroom, I was unable to contain my excitement as I took in the stunning scene.

“Oh, there’s Lady Aurelia! It’s been rather a while since I last saw her. She’s even more beautiful now. She already has the bearing of a princess. Her dress is magnificent, too. Any color would suit her, no matter how ostentatious, but she’s purposely chosen that deep shade of blue. Such elegant taste! It sets off her looks and her luscious golden hair so marvelously. How can I describe the faces of the men surrounding her other t