yours, truly | lord tewksbury

chapter two: chance encounter

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*Chapter Two: Chance Encounter*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

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Annalise counted her way along the compartments until she found the third one, smiling nervously as she spotted a figure sitting looking out the window. Knocking lightly, she opened the door and politely bowed her head.

"Hello, is this seat taken? It is just that all the other compartments are full." Annalise asked politely as the figure turned to look at her, sending her a curious look as Annalise mirrored that look once she gave the figure a once over - for sitting before did not look to be Viscount Tewkesbury, it did not seem to be any sort of boy she'd ever laid eyes upon before.

"It's tak-" The person began to reply when a sneeze was heard overhead. Sharing a concerned look with the figure, Annalise sat next to them as she glanced up at the large bag in the overhead baggage area, concluding that this must be the bag holding her future husband.

Suddenly feeling overcome with a sick feeling in her stomach, Annalise began to kick herself internally, deciding that this adventure was preposterous. This man had literally abandoned his home at the idea of marrying her and she had followed him. She needed to leave.

Annalise began to stand when the figure she'd sat next to pulled her back into her seat, saving her from being crumpled by the large bag which had started to fall from the baggage hold. A yelp left her mouth as she narrowly avoided being hit. "Thank you, but I really should be going-" Annalise began, only to feel her breath catch in her throat as the man she assumed to be her supposed fiance removed himself from the bag and sat himself in the seat opposite.

"Hello." He offered with a smile that had Annalise feeling quite faint. She'd never seen a man quite like him before. His eyes warm, filled with excitement and wonder, so innocent and care-free; so kind. His smile, she was sure would melt butter, or at least make it bubble. It offered a promise, Annalise just wasn't sure what that promise was just yet. All she knew was that she was unable to drag her feet out of that compartment now that she'd met his eye. He was divine. And she had to know him.

"Please get out of this carriage." The unknown figure politely instructed as Annalise looked between the two, unaware that the Viscount sitting across from her had yet to take his eyes off her.

"Me? Him? Us?" Annalise asked as the person next to her sent a bored look to the pair.

"I'm in hiding. Bit of a to-do. Bribed a porter to put me in this and get me on board. Very daring." The Viscount announced proudly, finally taking his eyes off of Annalise who finally felt brave enough to glance back at him, sending him a small smile.

"Get out of this carriage right now." The stranger demanded as Annalise began to pick at her gloved hands, feeling suddenly very awkward. She wasn't familiar with the feeling of being unwelcome and yet she faced that feeling not once but twice today.

"You're a..." trailed off the Viscount, "a strange-looking gentleman." He finished, glancing at the stranger wearing a paper-boys hat opposite him, feeling the eyes of the lady sitting in the pale lilac dress, bore into him. He fought the urge to stare back, her beauty the magnetic kind.

"You think you look normal?" The stranger replied with a certain undertone in their voice that had Annalise giggling, before she quickly hid her smile behind her hand, flushing at the smile the Viscount sent her before turning his curious gaze back to the peculiar looking character opposite him.

"You're not a boy at all." The Viscount surmised.

"I might be a boy." The stranger replied defiantly as Annalise let out a sigh with a smile, deciding to involve herself.