Choosing Love Over Honor [Agents of the Crown #2]

Chapter 1 - Picture of Lionel

6 years ago
Avondale Townhouse Ballroom
Debut Ball of Charlotte Eliza Rothesay, age 17

Twenty four year old Fabian Rothesay jostled his best friend, scowling at the eager eyes of young but brilliant owner of the infamous and rakish gambling hell in London, the Museum of Money - otherwise just simply known as the Museum - Lionel Chadwick, or as he calls him, Leo. The two have been best friends ever since Leo had met Fabian in detention in Eton, and more or less grew up together. They often laughed, joked and ogled the other gender together as they grew up, but for tonight, the young Viscount of Falborough and heir apparent to the dukedom of Avondale, had busier things on his list.

Namely, watching his sister like a hawk.

"Charlie would kill you if she knew you were stalking her like this, Fabes. C'mon, loosen up!" Leo jostled back, rolling his eyes even as he dutifully fulfilled his role as best friend by dogging Fabian's steps. In all honesty though, he had been distracted by the young but beautifully buxom newly widowed Countess of Derby, and had barely turned to look ever since Charlie's entrance had been announced. 

He had practically seen her grow up, what was there to see anyway! Leo thought, as Fabian skulked behind a pillar of his family's townhouse ballroom. But Fabian seemed to think otherwise, scowling further at his friend's words.

"I will not have all of these people pawing all over her, just look at them!" Fabian growled, grumbling. "And Mother told me I'm not to go for her till she's had at least five dances. I mean -"

As the grumbling heir continued, Leo finally conceded and turned towards the ballroom, finally searching the area to find the young Charlotte Eliza Rothesay, yet was met with a tangle of humans right at the foot of the steps of which Charlie had descended upon her entrance. With her small stature, it didn't take long for Leo to deduce that she was somewhere in the middle of the throngs of male bodies there. From a small window, he could see the pale ivory gown that Charlie was presumably wearing, but otherwise he couldn't see neither hair nor head of her.

"Look," he piped up in the middle of Fabian's grumbling, a sudden curiosity for Charlie sparking within him. "If it bother's you that much, I'll go and ask her for a dance okay? And probably vet through her dance card to see if she's with any douchebags, and slot you in for the fifth and sixth dance. Happy?" He laughed when Fabian grinned, and proceeded to head towards the group, with no explanation for his sudden curiosity.

"Excuse me," he murmured, as he gently nudged his way past. "I have a missive from Lady Charlotte's brother to-"

As the crowd parted, for the first time in his twenty seven years of life, Lionel Chadwick could only describe himself as starstruck. When she turned to him, her golden and brunette streaked hair piled in soft curls on top of her head and held together by numerous pins. The soft curls were left to hang behind her neck, some framing her face and giving her a soft look. Charlie had always been vivacious and loud, boisterous even to Leo, yet tonight something about her smile was impish as she grinned up at him, leaving him suddenly breatheless.

"Leo? Fabian told you to come to me for...?" Her question jolted him out of his sudden loss for words.

"Oh, um... I... May I have this dance, Lady Charlotte?" Instinct made Leo bend slightly at the waist as he offered his hand, missing the flush and surprise in her eyes before she smiled and laid her palms on his.

"Of course."

"That isn't fair! I was just about to-"

"I believe I beat you to the punch then, ol' fellow. Catch up." Leo couldn't help but cutting in to the Earl of Newbury's protests, winking before strolling off to the dance floor with Charlie on his arm.