Chapter One
Anna picked up the stick and tossed it a good twenty yards and watched as Kirby fetched it. She smiled at his little white tail wagging as he brought it back, his big, brown eyes smiling up at her. She pulled the stick out of his mouth and tossed it again.
"Anna, darling how are you?" a feminine voice asked from behind her.
Anna turned to see Lady Beth Ashburn walking towards her. "Beth, how lovely it is to see you. I'm doing quite well. And yourself?" she replied with a smile.
Beth Ashburn was a notorious gossip, and had no inkling on what it was like to be quite. It was better to be on her good side, than none at all.
"I am fairing wonderfully. Married life is so blissful. I must get you married soon." Beth said in all seriousness. Her tinny, pink lips curving up into a mischievous smile.
Anna's smile didn't falter. "Well, that is a plan I suppose. But it must be a man of my grandfather's choosing, you know this."
"Oh come now, don't tell me that Annaliese McKenzie, Duchess of Yorkshire, and the most fearless female in all of London, is afraid of marriage." Beth said laughing.
"Don't be ridiculous! I of all people am not afraid of marriage; I just do not want to rush into anything." Anna replied with a hint of warning.
"Alright, no need for you to get all snappy about it. Well, I must be going. Do enjoy the rest of your day with your.dog." She said and laughed as she walked away.
Anna rolled her eyes and knelt down to put Kirby on his leash. "Come now, it's time to go home. Grandmother is probably having a fit." She said with a smile. She patted Kirby's head and stood up, shaking out her skirts. She opened her umbrella and began walking through the park.
In mid-wave to Sir Alexander McCormick and his wife Mary, Kirby jerked away from her, and ran away, barking madly.
"Kirby!" she yelled and hurried after him.
As she rounded a corner she ran straight into somebody, knocking her backwards. Luckily, she was caught and pulled against the person. She looked up and saw the most handsome man she'd ever seen.
"I.I.I'm terribly sorry, I didn't see you there." She stuttered.
'Wow!' she thought to herself as she stared into this man's beautiful green eyes. They were as green as the fields of Ireland. And his hair was the color of honey, with light brown highlights that glinted in the sun. She was to busy looking at him to notice that she was still in his strong hold.
"It was my fault my lady." He said, his voice deep and smooth and giving her goose-bumps.
She took a step back and smiled. She heard a bark and looked down; Kirby was there, his tail wagging madly and his tongue out. "Kirby, you little hellion!" she said looking down at him.
The man looked down and smiled, "Is this little creature yours," he asked.
She smiled and nodded, "Yes, he ran off on me."
Her smile was radiant and made her all the more beautiful, he thought. She was different from many of the women he'd seen. Her hair was dark auburn, with at least ten different shades of brown and red. And her eyes were a deep chocolate brown. Many women here were blonde haired and blue eyed, and it was refreshing to see a different type.
"He ran into me, just as you did." He replied.
Anna blushed. "I am very sorry. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" she said innocently.
"Well, I would like to know your name. If that is appropriate." He offered with an eyebrow raised in question.
"Well, I'm not sure that that is all proper. I.I must be getting home. Thank you for catching Kirby. Good day to you." Anna said quickly and took Kirby's leash. She nodded slightly and hurried off.
'My God, I'm an idiot!' she yelled at herself. She turned back and saw that the man was gone. She wanted to kick herself. Hard. 'Good job not telling him your name! But it would have been inappropriate anyhow.' She argued with herself.
She took a cleansing breath and walked on towards her carriage. "Enjoy your walk ma'am?" her footman, Bart, asked.
"Yes, thank you. We better get home speedily, I think grandmother is already in a fit." She replied and was helped inside, Kirby leaping after her.
The carriage pulled to a halt in front of a massive, two story mansion. Its outside was covered in white brick, with columns that held up an extended roof. The second floor had a wrap around balcony, and she could see her grandmother standing there waiting for her to arrive home.
Anna stepped out of the carriage, and hurried inside, Kirby at her heels.
"Annaliese! Do you have any idea what time it is? We dine with Edward and Eleanor in less than an hour!" her grandmother, Evelyn McKenzie yelped, coming down that grand staircase.
She stopped at the base of it and put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot slightly. Anna looked up at her with an innocent look and pouted a lip.
"I'm so sorry! Kirby ran off on me and I had to go chasing him around the park." She said.
Evelyn rolled her eyes and sighed. "Go upstairs and get changed. Go on, get!" she said, smacking Anna's bottom on the way.
Anna giggled all the way to her room, and ran inside. She quickly bathed and was helped into her gown. It was red and low cut. But according to the town seamstress, it was perfect on her. She clasped a ruby necklace around her neck, and her maid, Molly, brushed her hair.
She hurried back down stairs just in time to see her grandfather wrapping a cloak around her grandmother. He looked up and smiled.
"Anna, you look extraordinary. How was the park my dear?" he asked.
Anna smiled at her grandfather. He was the most elegant man she knew. He was tall and lean, the only sign of his age, was his light hair with gray tid-bits in it.
"It was great, grandfather. Kirby and I had a delightful time there." She replied.
"She was late John. Anna, if you ever want to be somebody in this world, you must learn punctuality." Evelyn said.
"Come now dear. Shall we?" John said motioning for the door. He escorted his wife and helped her inside the carriage. After helping Anna in, he followed, and sat beside his wife.
When they arrived at the royal palace, footmen opened the door and let them out. As they entered, butlers took the ladies cloaks, and showed them into the parlor, where Edward and Eleanor, king and queen of England were seated.
"About bloody time, I thought you would never get here!" Edward jested, clapping John on the back. Edward was a tall man, built like a warrior, because he was one. He was dark, but still handsome. His almost black eyes could tell truth from lies in an instant.
"So good to see you Edward." John replied. As they conversed, Eleanor made her way over to Anna.
"Darling how are you? It has been a while since we have been able to talk." She said sweetly to Anna. Eleanor was the exact opposite of her husband. She was small and bright. Her hair was a light brown, and her eyes, a sunny blue.
"I am wonderful, and you?" Anna replied as they sat down on a plush couch in front of the fire place.
"As well as a pregnant woman should be." She answered laying a hand on her small belly.
Anna smiled brightly, and quickly hugged her. "Oh Eleanor! I'm so very happy for you. When did you find out?"
"About a week ago. Edward is so thrilled. He is already driving me crazy." She said.
"Oh dear, I'm sure you are so excited!" Evelyn piped in.
Eleanor nodded her head bashfully.
A butler appeared at the doorway and announced that dinner was served. The five of them made their way into the dinning room and took their seats. Edward and Eleanor at the feet of the table, John and Evelyn on one side, and Anna opposite them.
"Edward tells me that the church has hired a new vicar to replace Goldstein. A new, young man, fresh out of the seminary." John said between bites of roasted lamb.
"Well, we shall see what he is made of Sunday won't we?" Evelyn said, sipping at her wine.
Anna picked up the stick and tossed it a good twenty yards and watched as Kirby fetched it. She smiled at his little white tail wagging as he brought it back, his big, brown eyes smiling up at her. She pulled the stick out of his mouth and tossed it again.
"Anna, darling how are you?" a feminine voice asked from behind her.
Anna turned to see Lady Beth Ashburn walking towards her. "Beth, how lovely it is to see you. I'm doing quite well. And yourself?" she replied with a smile.
Beth Ashburn was a notorious gossip, and had no inkling on what it was like to be quite. It was better to be on her good side, than none at all.
"I am fairing wonderfully. Married life is so blissful. I must get you married soon." Beth said in all seriousness. Her tinny, pink lips curving up into a mischievous smile.
Anna's smile didn't falter. "Well, that is a plan I suppose. But it must be a man of my grandfather's choosing, you know this."
"Oh come now, don't tell me that Annaliese McKenzie, Duchess of Yorkshire, and the most fearless female in all of London, is afraid of marriage." Beth said laughing.
"Don't be ridiculous! I of all people am not afraid of marriage; I just do not want to rush into anything." Anna replied with a hint of warning.
"Alright, no need for you to get all snappy about it. Well, I must be going. Do enjoy the rest of your day with your.dog." She said and laughed as she walked away.
Anna rolled her eyes and knelt down to put Kirby on his leash. "Come now, it's time to go home. Grandmother is probably having a fit." She said with a smile. She patted Kirby's head and stood up, shaking out her skirts. She opened her umbrella and began walking through the park.
In mid-wave to Sir Alexander McCormick and his wife Mary, Kirby jerked away from her, and ran away, barking madly.
"Kirby!" she yelled and hurried after him.
As she rounded a corner she ran straight into somebody, knocking her backwards. Luckily, she was caught and pulled against the person. She looked up and saw the most handsome man she'd ever seen.
"I.I.I'm terribly sorry, I didn't see you there." She stuttered.
'Wow!' she thought to herself as she stared into this man's beautiful green eyes. They were as green as the fields of Ireland. And his hair was the color of honey, with light brown highlights that glinted in the sun. She was to busy looking at him to notice that she was still in his strong hold.
"It was my fault my lady." He said, his voice deep and smooth and giving her goose-bumps.
She took a step back and smiled. She heard a bark and looked down; Kirby was there, his tail wagging madly and his tongue out. "Kirby, you little hellion!" she said looking down at him.
The man looked down and smiled, "Is this little creature yours," he asked.
She smiled and nodded, "Yes, he ran off on me."
Her smile was radiant and made her all the more beautiful, he thought. She was different from many of the women he'd seen. Her hair was dark auburn, with at least ten different shades of brown and red. And her eyes were a deep chocolate brown. Many women here were blonde haired and blue eyed, and it was refreshing to see a different type.
"He ran into me, just as you did." He replied.
Anna blushed. "I am very sorry. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" she said innocently.
"Well, I would like to know your name. If that is appropriate." He offered with an eyebrow raised in question.
"Well, I'm not sure that that is all proper. I.I must be getting home. Thank you for catching Kirby. Good day to you." Anna said quickly and took Kirby's leash. She nodded slightly and hurried off.
'My God, I'm an idiot!' she yelled at herself. She turned back and saw that the man was gone. She wanted to kick herself. Hard. 'Good job not telling him your name! But it would have been inappropriate anyhow.' She argued with herself.
She took a cleansing breath and walked on towards her carriage. "Enjoy your walk ma'am?" her footman, Bart, asked.
"Yes, thank you. We better get home speedily, I think grandmother is already in a fit." She replied and was helped inside, Kirby leaping after her.
The carriage pulled to a halt in front of a massive, two story mansion. Its outside was covered in white brick, with columns that held up an extended roof. The second floor had a wrap around balcony, and she could see her grandmother standing there waiting for her to arrive home.
Anna stepped out of the carriage, and hurried inside, Kirby at her heels.
"Annaliese! Do you have any idea what time it is? We dine with Edward and Eleanor in less than an hour!" her grandmother, Evelyn McKenzie yelped, coming down that grand staircase.
She stopped at the base of it and put her hands on her hips, tapping her foot slightly. Anna looked up at her with an innocent look and pouted a lip.
"I'm so sorry! Kirby ran off on me and I had to go chasing him around the park." She said.
Evelyn rolled her eyes and sighed. "Go upstairs and get changed. Go on, get!" she said, smacking Anna's bottom on the way.
Anna giggled all the way to her room, and ran inside. She quickly bathed and was helped into her gown. It was red and low cut. But according to the town seamstress, it was perfect on her. She clasped a ruby necklace around her neck, and her maid, Molly, brushed her hair.
She hurried back down stairs just in time to see her grandfather wrapping a cloak around her grandmother. He looked up and smiled.
"Anna, you look extraordinary. How was the park my dear?" he asked.
Anna smiled at her grandfather. He was the most elegant man she knew. He was tall and lean, the only sign of his age, was his light hair with gray tid-bits in it.
"It was great, grandfather. Kirby and I had a delightful time there." She replied.
"She was late John. Anna, if you ever want to be somebody in this world, you must learn punctuality." Evelyn said.
"Come now dear. Shall we?" John said motioning for the door. He escorted his wife and helped her inside the carriage. After helping Anna in, he followed, and sat beside his wife.
When they arrived at the royal palace, footmen opened the door and let them out. As they entered, butlers took the ladies cloaks, and showed them into the parlor, where Edward and Eleanor, king and queen of England were seated.
"About bloody time, I thought you would never get here!" Edward jested, clapping John on the back. Edward was a tall man, built like a warrior, because he was one. He was dark, but still handsome. His almost black eyes could tell truth from lies in an instant.
"So good to see you Edward." John replied. As they conversed, Eleanor made her way over to Anna.
"Darling how are you? It has been a while since we have been able to talk." She said sweetly to Anna. Eleanor was the exact opposite of her husband. She was small and bright. Her hair was a light brown, and her eyes, a sunny blue.
"I am wonderful, and you?" Anna replied as they sat down on a plush couch in front of the fire place.
"As well as a pregnant woman should be." She answered laying a hand on her small belly.
Anna smiled brightly, and quickly hugged her. "Oh Eleanor! I'm so very happy for you. When did you find out?"
"About a week ago. Edward is so thrilled. He is already driving me crazy." She said.
"Oh dear, I'm sure you are so excited!" Evelyn piped in.
Eleanor nodded her head bashfully.
A butler appeared at the doorway and announced that dinner was served. The five of them made their way into the dinning room and took their seats. Edward and Eleanor at the feet of the table, John and Evelyn on one side, and Anna opposite them.
"Edward tells me that the church has hired a new vicar to replace Goldstein. A new, young man, fresh out of the seminary." John said between bites of roasted lamb.
"Well, we shall see what he is made of Sunday won't we?" Evelyn said, sipping at her wine.