A dance with destiny

Chapter 2

Tatiana's POV:

The flight from Austria to England was brief. My mother handed me a report on my future husband. Although it lacked photographs, it contained key details. His name is Alexander Montgomery. Born in Bordeaux, France, he and his family moved to England when he was two years old. Now 26, he's set to inherit his father's hotel empire and title of lord. His favorite sport is tennis, which I understand—it's a beautifully elegant game. At least we have that in common. The report mentioned he studied business management at Harvard, but there were no records of past relationships or similar details. Nervous thoughts began to swirl—what if he didn't like me? What if he wasn't a kind person? I tried to push these worries aside and distract myself by admiring the beautiful landscape below.

Before we arrived, Mother made sure I had memorized every detail from the file, quizzing me repeatedly. Once we landed, we checked into the hotel he had arranged for us. It was one of the most stunning and luxurious hotels I had ever seen. After checking in, a few staff members helped with our luggage.

My room was painted a serene powder blue. Besides the bed, there was a wooden nightstand that, though old-fashioned, retained its charm. On the nightstand were fresh fresh white lilies and a small note:

If you need anything, call Isobel at the reception. She is at your disposal. Looking forward to meeting you, Alexander Montgomery.

I smiled at the thoughtful gesture. Perhaps this wouldn't be as daunting as I'd imagined. I rang the reception, curious to meet Isobel. They informed me she would be here shortly, so I began unpacking. Just as I was pulling out a black gala dress, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find a tall brunette with an enchanting smile.

"Hello, I'm Isobel, but everyone calls me Izzy. You must be Miss Tatiana, right?" she said with a high-pitched voice and a distinct British accent.

"Yes, very lovely to meet you, Izzy," I replied, finding her smile quite infectious.

"Let me know how I can assist you, Lady Tatiana," she said.

"If you don't mind, could you help me unpack?" I asked, and she entered the room, chattering away as she got to work.

Izzy's rapid-fire questions were a bit overwhelming, and I found myself losing track of her inquiries.

"What's your favorite color? How many siblings do you have? Favorite food?" she asked until she realized she was bombarding me with questions.

"I'm sorry, Lady Tatiana. When I'm nervous, I tend to talk a lot," she said apologetically.

"Don't worry about it, especially if we're going to be friends. Please, call me Tiana—I prefer less formality," I said with a reassuring smile.

Izzy gave a shy smile in response, and we continued unpacking, chatting more comfortably.

After an hour of organizing with Izzy, Mother came to tell me it was time to go. She had already chosen my outfit for the day—a light pink blouse paired with a cream-colored skirt and matching blazer. Although I wasn't particularly fond of pink, I wore it as instructed, knowing it was part of the image Mother wanted to project.

The hotel was not far from the mansion where my future husband lived. If the hotel was luxurious, the manor was even more so. It featured a grand white facade and an enormous wooden door. We rang the bell, and a servant led us into a drawing room adorned with a deep green sofa and armchairs.

We didn't wait long before Alexander made his entrance. From the moment I saw him, I was struck by his striking handsomeness. His hair gleamed in the afternoon light, and his green eyes locked onto mine. I couldn't help but notice the muscles in his arms as he greeted my parents. When introductions began, I was captivated.

Father introduced us, saying, "Lord Montgomery, this is my daughter, Lady Tatiana."

He offered his hand to me with a polite smile, which I returned.

Alexander invited us to sit and offered tea. Although it wasn't my favorite, I accepted to avoid appearing impolite. My parents started discussing my attributes as if I weren't there, but I didn't mind; I was too absorbed in observing Alexander. He glanced at me once and exchanged a few greetings but otherwise seemed focused on my parents.

The meeting ended quickly, and I was surprised to learn that we were to be married in a mere week. Alexander spoke briefly with my parents before departing, leaving me with little more than a brief nod.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Lady Tatiana."

"The pleasure was all mine, my Lord," I replied.

He smiled briefly.

"I am hosting a ball tomorrow night. We could make it our engagement party, if you'd like, of course," he added awkwardly.

I smiled at this invitation and accepted immediately.

Returning to the hotel, Izzy was waiting eagerly in my room. She wanted to hear every detail, so I shared my impressions of Alexander—how handsome he was but how he hadn't paid much attention to me. She dismissed it as shyness and helped me change for bed. I didn't realize how exhausted I was until I lay down. As I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts were consumed by the ball that would be held in the honor of Alexander and me.