Hey, sorry for the very long wait for an update- I just have too many exams! Anyway, this is Chapter Two (ooooooohhhhh) and I hope you enjoy it.

Also, I have corrected the mistake where I called Maria, Jane!

P.S. These are Mary Hooper's characters etc.

P.P.S Pleeeeease R & R!

Chapter 2

A few days later Eliza found herself riding through the gates of London in the plush family carriage with her mother and sisters. She felt a large lump grow in her throat- the first time she had entered through these gates, she had nothing but the clothes on her back to her name. She had been lonely, hungry and confused, for her stepmother had turned her out of her own home; and she had set off to London to seek her father who'd recently gone there to rebuild churches destroyed in the Great Fire. When she had entered the great city, she had been so hungry that she stole a pasty, got caught, and subsequently been thrown in the Clink prison.

There was no chance of that now; she travelled on a belly full of her new-found favourites, kippers, and a carriage full of possessions following behind their own, and as the carriage trundled through the surprisingly snow-free streets, she smiled at the thought of what was to come.

In a short time the narrow medieval streets widened out into more spacious modern ones, and it was on these streets that the tall grey townhouse that was the Monteagles' London residence came into view. A short plump housekeeper bustled out to greet them, opening the doors of the carriages and helping the ladies out. Eliza had to fight to keep a very unladylike grin off her face; she was glad to see Mistress Rudge- or 'Rudgie', as she was affectionately known, had shown her great kindness when Eliza had first found out her true parentage. She clucked and fussed over the girls, even though it had been less than three weeks since she had last seen them, nattering on about whether they were to dine on goose or turkey that Christmas, all the while ushering them through the holly-wreathed doors into the foyer. "My Lady, I expect you would like something to dine on," she glanced at the large grandfather clock (also, as Eliza was amused to see, bedecked with holly) "'Tis nearly five of the clock." Indeed, in the ten minutes since they had arrived the sky had seemed to turn pitch black. "Goodness," said Lady Monteagle, slightly wearily. "Yes Mistress, I think we must have a light supper, and then retire."

The next morning Eliza awoke late, around eleven of the clock. She winced as she reached over to the bedside cabinet to ring the bell for breakfast- she could feel large bruises starting to bloom on what felt like every part of her body, and all her muscles ached; Damn carriage she thought. As she waited for breakfast to be brought up she contemplated what she was to do that day. Surely it was too late to do anything- it would be at least another hour until she was ready, and that would only leave about five hours of the day left until it got dark. But then she stopped thinking. She had realised how ungrateful she was being- in her old life she would have never had the luxury of a lie-in; many people across the world still did not have that luxury! You must be careful, she chided herself, Otherwise you'll end up a spoilt little rich girl with no compassion for the less fortunate- and believe me, you know what it's like to be one of the 'less fortunate'.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Mistress Rudge bustling in with a plate of kippers and some ale, and said, "Now, my Lady, you must eat and dress quickly for you need to be in the parlour at half past eleven."Eliza glanced at the small carriage clock that resided on the mantelpiece above the fireplace- half past the hour of eleven was only fifteen minutes away! She had started to gulp down her kippers when a thought occurred to her; she caught Mistress Rudge just as she was about to leave the room, "But Mistress, why do I have to be down there, who is visiting?"

Rudgie's eyes twinkled. "I am under strict orders not to say, so you will just have to wait and see, my Lady."

Fifteen minutes later Eliza, dressed plainly with her hair slightly askew, walked down to the parlour. As she entered her mother smiled and said, "Ah Eliza, here at last. As you can see we have company." She turned round and saw two middle-aged women of the middling sort, each with large baskets, the contents of which Eliza could not see. As she turned to them they bobbed curtsies, "This is Mistress Woolsey, and Mistress Lamb." Seeing Eliza look of confusion she added, "They are the Monteagle womens' seamstresses and their company in the Pall Mall has serviced our family for many years."

"We are to have new dresses then?" Eliza asked excitedly. She had not yet had a fine dress made for her. So far she had just borrowed dresses form her sisters- they had not had time to hire a seamstress while they were in Somerset. "Yes," said Katherine, the oldest of her sisters. "Next week there is to be a Yuletide Ball at Whitehall Palace! The King himself is to be there!"

"And all of his mistresses!" added Maria (the middle sister of the three Monteagle girls) mischievously. Eliza grinned wherever the King was Nelly Gwynn, her old friend and employer, was sure to be. While they had been talking Mistresses Woolsey and Lamb had been measuring them. They were now showing Lady Monteagle swatches of material, which Eliza could not see even if she craned her neck. Eliza was just about to ask to see them, when Katherine beat her to it, "Mother can we actually see what our dresses will be made of, or do we just have to imagine that we will be wearing gowns made of tarpaulin?"

"If I am spoken to like that again, maybe yours will!" retorted Lady Monteagle, smirking.

Katherine rolled her eyes as her mother passed her the swatches and Jane giggled. Eliza waited patiently while Maria and Katherine pored over the swatches, arguing which colour they were to have. "No Maria, you cannot have the purple, it's much too regal for somebody of the age of seventeen!"

"Yes, but you can't have it either Katherine; it will completely clash with your eyes!" (This was rather ironic seeing as they had the same colour eyes). Eventually Maria settled on deep red velvet, which would complement her black hair and brown eyes very well, while Katherine chose a dark shade of midnight blue velvet.

Finally the swatches were passed to Eliza. He found herself at a loss until she came to a particularly gorgeous shade of deep emerald green. Peering over her shoulder, Maria squealed, "Oh Eliza, you have to have that one! It will go beautifully with your eyes!" (Which, unlike her sisters' were green). She held up the soft velvet to Eliza's arm. "Yes, yes, you must choose this! It looks perfect on your skin too!"

"Seeing as you are so insistent, and because I do like it, I shall have it." She laughed, while her sister again squealed. Mistress Lamb wrote down what the sisters had chosen in a small leather bound notebook, and quietly discussed what the cost was to be with their mother. When she had handed over a large wad of money, the two seamstresses left, and the Monteagle ladies were alone once again. "So mother, what did you choose for your gown?" asked Jane.

"Ah girls...you will see next week..." she said mysteriously.

That evening Eliza stayed awake, excited thoughts about the ball rushing through her head. What dances would she do? What wines and food would she taste? Who would see? As the latter thought crossed her mind, an image of a smiling youth with blue eyes weaved its way in and pushed all other thoughts out the way. With this comforting image in her mind, Eliza stretched, smiled and drifted off to sleep.