Rowena smiled pleasantly and kindly to Lacey and nodded politely in acknowledgement of her statement. Her words where laced with thinly veiled disappointment Rowena expected to be sat next to some dreadful bore.  She knew there would be at least one at her side with her aunt as her guest and chaperon for the evening.<em>“Quite so I expect Miss MacAllister,  thank you for the time and I hope to observe your study later do enjoy the dinner.” </em><br/><br/>Rowena sighed slightly behind her fan which she used deftly to hide her expression and the building tension she felt within, she softly fanned herself actually feeling the need for the accessory for once.  Rowena had tried to forget and push the dread she had felt since entering this night away, but there was no mistaking these feelings they where real not the conjured superstitions of paranoia and atmosphere. The ringing of the bell echoed within Rowena's mind like a grim foreboding toll of the nights fate, she slowly made her way back to her aunt to accompany her to the dinner table.<br/><br/>As her and the bothersome aunt found the places at dinner she too to her seat quietly thanking her footman with a nod as he pulled out her and aunties chair.  Rowena glanced about the table politely offering smile and acknowledgement to those opposite and around her, she looked noticeably paler than before as the dread in her overcame her barriers of control and measure.  Rowena was more than capable of looking into the unknown fearlessly, but this was quite unlike anything she had felt before and as exciting as it was to her mind she knew in her heart the outcome would be horrifying.    Rowena was grateful for her place then for she knew none would likely expect her to strike up conversation, no that could be left to the men and so she would listen and only comment on things relevant to her.<br/><br/>She wished that Barnabas was sat next to her now, he was always a silent comfort she had known him from an early age and he knew how to calm her, he knew her as well as her father almost did. But Barnabas had not been the same since the accident that had nearly cost his life,  he was but a shadow of the man he used to be and had become a specter in her life a watchful guardian and companion a spy for her father.  He would not join them at dinner however, would not reveal or even suggest the nature of his disfigurements, even though Rowena would tell him they where not as bad as he imagined. No he would not impose himself upon others no more, he would not expect such from others and would not do so to them it was all he could do to be a gentleman now.  And so  Barnabas stood alone quietly to himself out of sight with a simple drink which he enjoyed sparingly.