Alexandra

Chapter Two

A/N: Picture to the side is Matt Bomer, who plays Richard Kensington.

Despite herself, Alexandra could feel a growing anticipation bubbling in the pit of her stomach as she wiped her sweaty palms against the front of her gorgeous midnight blue dress.

She was to be introduced as a debutante before the Prince Regent! Unfortunately, His Majesty, King George III was too ill to attend the debutante ball so his son, the Regent, would be attending in his stead. It was certainly bound to be an exciting night.

Her sister, Cassandra, was going to be escorting her. Although Nate would be the likelier candidate, it was customary to be accompanied by a woman and, although Allie adored Emily, Cassie was still her sister and she wouldn't have anyone else do the honour.

The other girls were just as excited, it appeared, but they all kept a bit of a distance from Alexandra for she was older than the rest of them. One in particular, the daughter of some Marquess or the other, had been openly snide about it, which she hadn't appreciated in the least. However, Allie had been able to hold her head high and ignore the other girl, telling herself that she was simply being a shrew to feel better about herself and her chances at everyone's favourite sport— husband catching.

Since Somerhall was one of the most prestigious duchies in England, Alexandra's introduction came very close to the beginning. And, when she was announced, nervousness and glee poured through her simply at the sound of her own name.

"Lady Alexandra Whitlock, youngest daughter of the late Duke of Somerhall and sister of Nathaniel, sitting Duke of Somerhall, escorted by Lady Cassandra Weston, Countess of Hawthorne." The announcer in gilded uniform called and Allie walked to the front, Cassandra wearing a proud, encouraging smile as she accompanied her. They both curtsied deeply to the Prince Regent, Cassandra a step or two behind her so that it was clear who the debutante was. The Prince, appearing entirely disinterested, merely nodded.

It was done.

She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it had certainly been more than that. She felt a quelling sense of disappointment but brushed it off as she decided to enjoy the ball instead. Hopefully, she'd find someone agreeable to dance with and not the usual sort. She'd heard a great deal about the members of the royal court, none of them good. They were rather fond, apparently, of seducing every young lady they happened across and she fully expected something of the sort to be tried on her.

It wasn't her vanity speaking, though Nate would teasingly tell her she had that in abundance, but rather her common sense.

"Lady Alexandra Whitlock and Lady Hawthorne, isn't it?" A voice asked primly at her shoulder, and she turned to see the young lady who'd behaved snidely towards her earlier. She reminded Allie irrevocably of Miss Mary Smithson, an awful woman who had tried repeatedly to steal Nate from Emily little over a year before but had, obviously, failed. Mary had treated Emily with the same belligerence that this girl was now affording Allie.

"Yes, it is." Alexandra replied coolly, keeping a sense of distance in her tone and not showing any outward signs of emotion. "Forgive me, but I was not quite able to grasp your introduction."

That was a complete lie. Allie had heard every word but had simply chosen to allow her name to slip from her mind. After all, she'd been boasting about her parents and their vast stores of wealth along with the favour they held in the Prince Regent's court while they'd all been waiting to be introduced. She'd earned herself multiple admirers there, but all Allie could do was struggle to keep from rolling her eyes.

"Lady Rosaline Gardiner." The other girl answered snobbishly, her nose stuck up in the air as she spoke in a tone that made Alexandra feel as if she thought herself to be better than Allie. Cassie stifled a chortle from beside her, and Allie could only just stop herself from laughing. "I am the daughter of the Marquess and Marchioness of Rutherford. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. I gather from your introduction that your brother is a rather important Duke?"