The Marchioness

chapter 3 21st june 1867

Who was this mysterious voice she pondered?

"Are you quite alright my dear?" the warm voice said in a breathy tone.

Aurelia lifted her little head and loosened her grip. As she looked up she was met with the most captivatingly beautiful woman she had ever seen. Such a kind warm face to match her songbird voice. She had skin the colour of a warm cup of tea and her beautiful long cascading Hazelnut locks flowing off her shoulder like a waterfall and her eyes were a breathtaking olive green.

This warm and safe feeling washed over aurelia and each wave that washed over pushed away her feelings of dread and anxiety. The woman crouched down until she was eye to eye with her, at this point Lord Mansfield had noticed the python-like grip had loosened and the feeling was returning to his leg. He turned around to check where the little marchioness had got to when he too was left speechless by the alluring young lady.

"Hello, I do not believe we have met." the Lord beamed extending his hand to the mystery woman

"no I cannot say we have," she replied looking up at him with a flirtatious smile as he took her hand.

Lord Mansfield's cheeks now turned a flushed salmon colour as a smile spread over his face. Aurelia was in shock was she perhaps some kind of a witch-like in the story Mrs Jenkins would tell her before bed? She must be she was so enchanting she almost cast a spell and bewitched everyone who laid eyes on her. She had never seen her father's face this shade nor had she seen such a smile what was happening to him.

He pecked her on the hand as he introduced himself. "I am Lord Charles Mansfield of briallan manor, and you are?"

She gazed at him with a smile growing on her face as well now and the same salmon shade slowly pooled over the apples of her cheeks. "Well it is a pleasure to meet you, Charles, I am iris Elizabeth Morgan. And Who is this darling little thing?" She smiled gesturing to aurelia.

"The pleasure is all mine" he replied in a smooth suave tone with an amorous smile. "this is aurelia Theadora Mansfield she is my daughter," he said picking up the young marchioness.

"and how old are you then little one. " asked iris as she twirled auaurelia's honey-coloured curls.

"I am not a little one, I am almost four " she insisted eagerly to show iris that she was not a baby and was in fact a big girl.

But how can I prove this she thought to herself, she pondered a moment and then in the distance, she could see Idris and Issac playing the bean bag toss with the other children. That's it! That's how I will prove how brave and big I am. I shall not only make new friends but I shall beat Idris and Issac at their own game that should show how big I am they are 11 and I am almost 6... I suppose that would make me bigger than them by winning. Although she was completely wrong in her child-like thought and this would obviously in no way affect her age or the twins in any way, the act of making friends would be a very brave and big girl thing for her to do and would be a new adventure. She had met iris so how hard could it be to make friends.

"father may I go and join Idris and Isacc at the bag toss?" she said excitedly as she planned what she would say to the other children.

"but of course, just be careful and remember where I am. I shall come and get you three when the feast begins". He beamed proudly as she may be outspoken and strong-minded however she was a very quiet girl who kept to herself she enjoyed the company of adults over children her age.

As aurelia toddled off towards her brothers at the bag toss, she left the pair to get to know each other better.

As she approached the bag toss she notice another little girl around a little older than her standing to the side with a little boy who looked to be about her age. This is it she thought I shall try to make friends with those two she took in a deep breath and marched towards the pair eagerly.