The Duke and the Debutante (Completed)

Chapter 2. 1815 

Priscilla. "Are you ready yet Cassandra? We don't have all night!"
Cassandra rolled her eyes. She was wanting to take as much time as possible. It was the evening of her debut, 17 April. The evening that she would make her escape from her old life and find her new one. "I am almost ready."
Priscilla. "Good, because the carriage is waiting."
Cassandra gazed at her reflection in her mirror. The gown she was wearing wasn't magnificent by any means. It was a plain cream silk gown with off the shoulder sleeves and a square neckline. The back of the gown was composed of a corset, and her hair was fixed into an elegant braided chignon. Cream silk gloves and matching slippers completed her ensemble.
Priscilla. "Cassandra we must leave now!"
Taking a breath, Cassandra turned away from the bedroom she had occupied for the last 13 years and stepped out. Finally, after several long years of darkness and pain, she was going to be free. She was no longer going to be at the mercy of Gregory Priscilla and Deirdre. She was going to be living a new life, among her own people.
***
Three hours into the ball, after making a perfect presentation to the queen, Cassandra found herself against the far wall of the very crowded ballroom of Kensington Palace. Three gentlemen had asked to dance with her, and she had excepted gladly. Unfortunately, none of them had been able to dance well, much less have a pleasant conversation with her.
Cassandra sighed. She was no longer enjoying her debut. She was anxious to get away from everything she knew. She glanced up at the chandelier hanging on the ceiling, watching as the distorted crystals sparkled brilliantly. Glancing to her left, she saw Priscilla and Gregory speaking to a group of acquaintances. Glancing to her right, she saw Deirdre dancing with her husband, Charles Parker.
This could be my chance to escape, Cassandra thought. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching her, she slowly edged her way toward the doors leading out onto the courtyard. However, as she did so, her gloved fingertips came into contact with a door knob. How odd. She hadn't remembered a door being against the wall three years prior when Deirdre had entered her social season.
Taking a breath, Cassandra slowly turned the Phoenix shaped door knob to the right, feeling it open automatically. Her heart was pounding as she stepped through the threshold, becoming engulfed in a brilliant golden light. Moments later, she found herself on the other side of the door, against another wall of another ballroom. But this one was very different.
Glancing around her, Cassandra noticed, through her distorted and blurry vision, that the ballroom she had entered had a much more vibrant color palette than the Kensington Palace ballroom. The chandelier, for one matter, was composed of deep red gold blue and silver crystals that glittered like flames. Tall glowing candles were placed around every space of the room, providing warmth and vibrancy. The floor was composed of dark red and gold marble. The quartet of musicians were playing a lovely waltz in the corner of the room.
Cassandra noticed that every couple was staring at her, but she didn't feel overly skittish. A bit nervous, to be sure. However, she could sense that every gentleman and lady before her was a phoenix like she was. With shaking fingers, she reached behind her, but found that the magical door was gone. Her heart started pounding with excitement. At last, she was home.
A lovely young lady with dark red hair and green eyes stepped forward. She was wearing a cream silk gown with off the shoulder sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. The bodice had small dark red gold and blue gemstones. Her voice was soft as she spoke. "Hello."
Cassandra smiled at her. "Hello. Where exactly am I? I know I am in a ballroom of course, but which palace or castle?"
The young lady giggled. "I'm afraid you are not in either place."
Cassandra was confused. "Then who does this ballroom belong to?"
The young lady smiled. "You are in the ballroom of the Duke of York."
Cassandra gasped quietly. "The Duke of York? Well, please tell him that he has quite the lovely ballroom."
The young lady smiled, reaching out and taking her hand. "Come with me, I will introduce you to him."
Cassandra smiled as she followed her companion toward the other side of the ballroom. "Thank you, may I ask your name?"
Her companion smiled. "My name is Lady Genevieve Stratford."
Cassandra smiled back. "It's a pleasure to meet you my lady. I am Cassandra Grafton."
Genevieve. "Likewise Miss Grafton. Oh, here he is. Anthony, I would like you to meet someone."
Cassandra caught her breath as she saw the magnificent gentleman standing before her. He was a few inches taller than she was, possessing the same dark red hair and green eyes as Genevieve. He was wearing a dark blue velvet jacket over a white button up shirt cravat black trousers and black boots.
Genevieve. "Anthony, I would like you to meet Miss Cassandra Grafton. Miss Grafton, I would like you to meet my older brother, Lord Anthony Stratford, the Duke of York."