Viscount (Steve Rogers AU) 18+

21

The guests had begun arriving some time ago for the party, the Dowager choosing to throw it at Brooklyn House as usual. It could accommodate most of the town and now as Jocelyn looked out of the window to the gardens below, she could see the amount of people that had turned up.

A lot.

And again they would most likely stare or shake their heads with disapproval. Whisper about her, how they may have thought she should have been expecting by now.

She did not want to go down there.

Perhaps she could tell a servant to deliver a message to her mother in law to tell her that she was unwell.

Steve wants to see you in your dress. He had it specially made for you, for the occasion. You cannot disappoint him.

She looked down at the lilac garment. It was one of the finest dresses she'd ever worn, and still there were some in her wardrobe that had yet to debut.

Pushing her nerves down, she held her head high and went downstairs. "Viscountess! What a wonderful turnout, and the flowers? The decor? Just beautiful". Someone said while another commented on the drinks.

"It is the dowager's party, I simply advised".

"That's not what it said on the invitations? Plus she has told us you organised it all, that you are now taking over throwing it annually - she did say you would be modest about it all".

Jocelyn just smiled and moved on, receiving compliment after compliment. All eyes were on her, and for different reason so it seemed. Eventually she found Steve who was talking to Bucky, Natasha, Sam and Yelena. "Hiiii". Nat now embraced her. "You look amazing".

"Like a pretty little flower in bloom". Yelena added as she drank her wine. "Nice party Jocelyn Rogers. I like the wine".

"So we can tell". Bucky muttered and hugged Jocelyn. "Sarah says you organised it all"

"Apparently so". Jocelyn raised a brow to Steve who threw his hands up with innocence.

"I knew nothing about her plan".

Jocelyn looked around, seeing the dowager talking to some friends, and then approached her. "And here she is, Viscountess! What a wonderful party, it'll be the talk of the town for weeks". One of the women praised her.

"Thank you, I actually came to speak with my mother in law if that's ok?"

Sarah nodded and the pair walked to a more quieter area of the gardens. "Did you put my name on the invitations?"

"I might have had a sleight of hand". The dowager smirked. "After all you were the one to plan most of it - I simply used my money to pay". She saw Jocelyn's face, "oh don't look at me like that, I could see your hesitation and decided that it was high time people respected you".

"And throwing a garden party is the way?"

"Apparently so, you've had everyone bending over backwards to talk to you. Praise you. Have you never had that before?"

Only from her husband in the bedroom...

"No. I have not".

"Well now is the time to be respected, you've been been looked down upon for too long in my opinion, you need to be seen".

Jocelyn glanced down at the rose bush they were stood next to, not wanting to look at Sarah. "Perhaps I don't want to be. I know Steve doesn't exactly enjoy these events, but he knows he has to be present at some point". As she now looked back to the party, she saw four people now walking down the terrace steps, greeting a few people.

It was her aunt and uncle, along with Peggy and her new husband. Sarah now looked in their direction. "And even with your name on the invite, they still showed their faces..."

"I'm not sure whether I should feel pleased or not".

Sarah nudged her. "Go and greet your guests, and show them you are far above them".

Jocelyn headed back in the direction of the party, stopping by Steve. "My aunt and uncle are here, along with Peggy and Lord Sousa - will you come with me to greet them?"

"I can feel myself coming out in hives already". Steve replied. "Alright, a simple 'hello' would cut it, wouldn't it?"

"Steven". Jocelyn warned.

"Ah yeah...maybe not. I can still gloat about having you for a wife right?"

At this point she was more than happy for him to say anything if it meant that perhaps it would put her family in their place. They walked across the lawn, finally coming to a stop in front of Lord and Lady Carter. "Lord Rogers, thank you for the invitation". Amanda now spoke.

"It came from my wife, who apparently felt the need to still feel some sympathy". Steve spoke flatly.

Jocelyn threw him a cautious look before she addressed her aunt and uncle. "Thank you for coming", and then looked to Peggy. "I didn't think you'd accept".

Peggy said nothing, however it was her husband who now smiled. "We wouldn't have missed it Lady Rogers, it's a pleasure to finally meet you and the Viscount".

Jocelyn liked him already.

Steve nodded. "And yourself".

"I would've thought that we would've seen you at the wedding as you're Peggy's cousin?" Daniel now looked to Jocelyn.

"We took an extended honeymoon", Steve now swooped in to spare his wife any embarrassment. Over his dead body was Peggy going to make her feel inferior in her own home. "We would've been there otherwise".

Sousa looked around the gardens. "It's a good turnout, is it something you do every year?"

Jocelyn nodded. "The dowager viscountess put me in charge this year".

Peggy stifled a small laugh. "I can tell".

"I'm so glad that you can. A lot of hard work went into the planning - were you planning on throwing something as big as this in the future?" Jocelyn now tactfully asked.

Sousa smiled kindly. "Maybe a ball or two - however I doubt it will surpass this. You should come, it'd be nice to get to know you both".

"Well you do have a few new dresses that need an outing, don't you sweetheart?" Steve looked to Jocelyn, enjoying every moment of this. He liked Lord Sousa.

"I do, thank you my lord, it would be nice to attend whatever event you may throw". She gestured to the servants carrying the drinks tray, "go and help yourself, there's plenty".

"Don't mind if we do, come along Peg".

Jocelyn turned to her aunt and uncle. "If you'll excuse us". She simply smiled and led Steve away. "You were purposely looking to provoke".

"Was I?" He smirked, and then kissed her deeply. "You were sensational, Viscountess" . He wasn't lying - his wife's words had left Peggy truly gagged.

He had chosen well. Very well indeed.

"I tried. I'm going to get a drink, do you want one?"

"Could you bring me at least five?"

"Steven..."

He pulled her back as she went to walk away. "Oooor, we could escape up to our bedroom for an hour or two and have no one to bother us".

"They'll notice we are gone".

"And if they're lucky they might hear that we are too..." he uttered quietly into her ear, then coaxing her back into the house and upstairs.