Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I don't own.
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Chapter One
"Oh, drat this!" Alanna Thetcher said, the annoyance clear in her voice. "Why must we spend so much time doing such a worthless task?" With a huff, she tossed her sampler pattern onto the chair beside her and brushed her silky chestnut hair off her shoulders.
On the other side of Alanna, Sara Montgomery looked up from her own pattern and grinned. "You know very well why, Lanna."
Alanna slumped down in her chair. "Of course I do. Mother has made sure to tell me at least once a day." She impersonated her mother. "Sewing and embroidery tests your patience and housekeeping skills."
Sara burst out laughing. "You sound just like her!"
"I know," Alanna said wryly, her emerald green eyes twinkling.
She glanced out the nearby window. In the distance she could just spot the large mansion up on the hill. Seeing the manor brought a question to Alanna's mind.
"Have you heard anything new about the family moving into the Bentworth mansion?" She asked, turning to face her best friend.
Sara looked up, her eyes lit. "Oh yes, I've been meaning to tell you! On the way here this morning, I met Leila on her way home."
Alanna made a face at the mention of Leila Dontabar. She, like Sara and Alanna, was seventeen, but that was were the similarities ended.
Leila was the only child of a wealthy landowner and was spoiled tremendously. With her long blonde hair, blue eyes, and attractive figure, she was undeniably pretty, and despite her snobbery, she was quite popular with the other young folk of Bentworth.
Sara giggled at Alanna's face. "Yes, I know how you feel about her, but we really should try to be kind."
"I have tried," Alanna grumbled.
Sara shook her head, grinning. "Where was I? Oh, right. I was talking to Leila and told me that just yesterday afternoon, she was walking along the road by Bentworth Mansion. She said, and I quote, that she spotted 'the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on.'"
"Well, what did he look like?" Alanna asked curiously.
"She didn't seem too willing to talk about that, actually. Probably wants to keep him for herself."
Alanna chuckled. "Too true."
"But she did tell me this," Sara continued. "He looked to be about nineteen or twenty and had the most dreamy blue eyes."
"Blue eyes?" Alanna asked suspiciously. "Exactly how close was she, to be able to tell that?"
Sara shrugged, her curly blonde hair bouncing off her shoulders. "I have no idea. Maybe he was just one of the movers or something."
Both girls looked up as the door to the sitting room opened and Annette Thetcher, Alanna's mother, stepped into the room.
"Hello, ladies. How are you doing on your embroidery?" Lady Thetcher asked, closing the door behind her and seating herself daintily on a chair beside her daughter.
Sara and Alanna exchanged amused glances.
"Very well, Mother," Alanna replied, hiding a smile.
"Wonderful," her mother answered, oblivious to the less than truthful statement. She turned to Sara.
"Will you be staying for tea, Sara? Mrs. Gotarm has prepared her special scones."
"I'm sorry, but I promised mother I'd be home before tea time," Sara answered reluctantly. She glanced at the clock. "Actually I'd better be leaving now."
Lady Thetcher smiled pleasantly. "Well, perhaps another time then. You're always welcome here."
Sara smiled, "Thank you." She began folding up the pattern she had been working on.
"I'll see you to the door," Alanna said, and went to help her friend gather her embroidery materials.
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Soon after Sara left, Alanna entered the parlor for tea. Immediately, she spotted her father, the Earl of Demby, who had been gone on a business trip for the past few days, seated at the head of the small dining table.
"Oh, hello Father," Alanna said politely. She hardly knew her father, as he was away much of the time. He did make an effort to be with his family, but nothing much had ever come of it.
As she had expected, Father looked up and smiled to acknowledge her presence.
"Ah, Alanna dear, there you are! And how is young Sally?"
"Sara."
"Right, Sara."
Alanna sighed. He could never keep the names of her friends straight, no matter how many times they visited. "She's fine."
"Good, good," he said absentmindedly, no doubt having already forgotten his question.
Alanna frowned, only to smile again with surprise as she saw her older brother also seated at the table.
"Nicolas! I didn't know you were going to be in town today," Alanna exclaimed happily as she took her seat next him and gave him a small hug. Nicolas was a new knight, and had been kept busy lately, by patrolling the boundaries of Kyrria.
"He just wants to see Rebecca," eleven-year old Devin slyly piped up from the other side of the table as he reached for a plate of biscuits.
Nicolas blushed, making his dark hair stand out. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Brown-haired Devin looked at Alanna, and rolled his eyes. Alanna giggled as she took the plate of scones Nicolas passed her. It was quite obvious that Nicolas was interested in eighteen-year old Rebecca Stows, who lived next door.
"So how long will you be in Bentworth?" Nicolas asked his father, quickly changing the subject.
The Earl looked up. "A few days, at least. That shipment of wool will take some time to document."
As their conversation turned to business, Alanna glanced around the table.
"Well, hello, little Miss Leah!" she teased her four-year-old sister. "What have you been up to today?"
The small girl giggled. "Me and Grace had a tea party. But then she got tired and had to go to sleep."
Alanna hid a smile. "That's too bad." Grace was Leah's prized doll, one she had gotten from her parents only the week before.
Leah frowned. "No, it's okay. I went sleepy too."
Alanna leaned over and ruffled her sister's hair. Good than perhaps later we can have another tea party."
Leah's eyes widened with delight. "Okay!"
Alanna grinned, and turned back to her food.
A few minutes later, Alanna excused herself from the table. She immediately went upstairs to her room and changed her dress, from the heavy, ornate one her mother insisted she wear to a simple and pretty green gown that matched her eyes.
She returned downstairs and donned her shawl, as it was the end of summer and cooler breezes were beginning to blow. She might have to end this ritual of afternoon walks once winter came, but for now Alanna cherished this time to be by herself.
Quietly, she opened the heavy front door and slipped outside.
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Tyson McConty, the new Duke of Worthington, stood on one of the many balconies of Bentworth manor. He closed his eyes and felt the soothing wind on his face, something he needed desperately. Since his father, the former Duke, had passed away four months ago, nothing had felt quite right.
As he was the oldest child of Evan McConty, Tyson had immediately inherited his father's title and fortune. For a time, he had been quite lost, with grief and an enormous responsibility heaped on him all at once.
Quite before he was ready, many young women were openly flirting with the handsome young Duke, trying to attract his attention. Tyson soon grew disgusted with the conspiring vixens. He knew they were only after his money. This was one of the main reasons for his decision to leave Frell.
The other was that he couldn't bear living in a city that had so many memories of his father. Everywhere he turned, something reminded him of Evan McConty.
Finally, with the help of his mother, Tyson had succeeded in selling their wonderful manor in Frell and purchasing this new home in Bentworth, his mother's childhood town.
Tyson let his mind drift back to a conversation he had overheard just before leaving Frell. It had been at a small ball held at the home of one of his mother's friends. He had been escaping the company, a.k.a. flirty girls, when he had passed a group of older women.
"...never even been there. What kind of renegade leaves his childhood home to go somewhere he's never been?"
Tyson had rightly assumed they had been talking about him. But a renegade? He supposed he could be counted as one. He had, after all, given up everything he had grown up with and moved here to Bentworth, hadn't he?
It was just what they all needed, he decided. A breath of fresh air, away from the stifling Frellan society.
Opening his eyes, Tyson noticed his seven-year old brother Nolan, his only sibling, sidling along the wall that surrounded the manor. Obviously he was attempting to sneak away.
Well, he wasn't going to get away with it. They had far too much work to do. Tyson opened his mouth to call him back.
And paused. Perhaps Nolan had a good idea. They had all been unpacking unstop for nearly two days. His mother was tired. Maybe it was time for a break.
Tyson grinned as Nolan succeeded in slipping past the gate. He could clearly tell where the boy was headed. In his arms was a small raft made from branches the boy had probably found around the estate. A small lake was only a quarter of a mile away. But he shouldn't go alone.
Tyson turned and left the balcony smiling. He would be back before supper.
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Well, that's chapter one!! Now Please Review and um, I'll...I'll buy you a kangaroo! Yeah! I've always wanted one! If you happen to have one already let me know and I'll get you something else! (But you have to tell me where you bought yours)
Cheers!
P.S. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!