Florence and Mr. Belmont

Chapter 1

"Do you have it?" Florence impatiently asked her maid as she entered the room. Mary, her maid, smiled sheepishly as she lifted her bag.

"It wasn't easy." Mary said, while she was trying to steady her breath. Florence scurried over and practically snatched the bag from Mary's hands. She looked inside and took out a slim green book.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you" Florence wanted to hug Mary. She was so excited to read the book that lay in her hands. Her fingers traced along the title - "The women's new Age". It was not the first time that Mary bought for her a controversial book from a controversial library from a controversial part of London. Florence made a mental note to give Mary some extra money to spend.

"Miss Alberton" Mary interrupted her thoughts "I shall remind you that Lord Mackelbury is coming this afternoon. We need to get you ready." Ah yes, Lord Mackelbury. Henry. She promised to call him Henry. Henry. Her fiance.

"All right. Begin with my hair, please" Florence sat down and Mary started to fix her hair. As Mary brushed, braided and again brushed her hair, she fought about the first time she and Henry met. It was one of her first balls. She was a bit nervous, but she did her best to hide it. She had already danced with a few gentlemens. Florence was sipping her lemonade, as she noticed Lord Mackelbury. He was tall with dark brown hair. He was definitely handsome. Then he looked up and saw Florence looking curiously at him. Florence immediately blushed and instantly turned her head away. Oh God, she was not supposed to gape at some gentlemen, she didn't even know. Slowly she turned her head back, just to see if he was still watching her. And to her surprise he was watching her. He smiled gently. She smiled back.

Henry came over to her, introduced himself and asked her for a dance. From there on everything went quickly. The following day Henry called on her. Then the next day and then the next day and so on. Henry was charming, strong and, as her mother pointed out, filthy rich. Henry was the next in the line for the earldom. Not that the Alberton's needed money. Lord Alberton was an Earl himself. They had more than enough money. It was simply for the fact that her parents wanted her to be happy. And that meant for them to never worry about money.

Two weeks after they met, Henry proposed to Florence at a family dinner. At first, Florence just stared at him. It was definitely too soon. She could not precisely imagine a life with him. She did of course like him. Maybe even love. But was love enough? She looked at her mother, who was happily in tears and nodding. She looked at Henry. His eyes were pleading. And before she knew she said "yes". Since that night he insisted on calling him Henry.

Mary finished fixing her hair and dreamily sighed "You must be the happiest girl in England". Florence fought about it for a moment. Was she happy? Wasn't Henry everything she ever dreamed of? Blast, it was too early to think about such questions.

"Yes I am." She answered, because what else could she have said?