Chapter Three: Transaction, Paid in Full.

After spending her morning under the trees, Alice came back inside, no closer to an answer then she was earlier.

"Mr. Hamish Ascot to see you, Miss Alice." a maid informed her, handing her Hamish's calling card. "He's in the front parlor."

Alice glanced at the card and nodded. What did he want? Wasn't telling him that he was the wrong man for her enough? "I need to wash up, tell Mr. Ascot that I'll be down shortly." Alice set the card down and quickly went upstairs to clean herself up. Her dress was fine, although she needed a quick change of shoes. She also brushed her hair; all that pacing had made it come loose, and washed her hands. A peak in the mirror told her she looked presentable, so Alice headed back downstairs and into the front parlor.

"Hello Hamish." She entered the parlor cautiously. "Please sit down."

Hamish shook his head, looking even more like a dog to Alice. It was mainly in the jowls the poor man had, so droopy, just like a bloodhound's.

"Thank you, but no."

"Then at least tell me why you're here."

"You never replied to Mother's card. Surely there must be a reason for you saying no."

Alice gave a sigh of frustration, not this again.

"I didn't reply because I saw no need to. We are not well matched; even you must be able to see that." Why was everyone intent on seeing her married off to the first man that asked, even a boorish one such as Hamish? It was her life after all.

"Alice, everything is already set, the contract has been written between our families since before you were born. It has to be done, all you need to do is say yes and show up on the appointed day."

Alice's eyes flashed. "Appointed day? I don't even get to pick what day I'm to be married? Do I get to decided anything about my future, or do I just spend it smiling and looking pretty?"

Hamish blanched at this very unladylike outburst and stammered. "Well now Alice, no one has said you couldn't help pick a date or anything of that nature, but the date had been set for the first nice Sunday in July. And the seamstress has already started work on your dress."

She couldn't even pick out her own dress...

Upon hearing this, she could have sworn she saw red. Alice was sure that whatever the seamstress made for her would have been lovely; lovely and confining. Hamish must have seen something in her eyes because he hastily backed away from her. Alice watched Hamish's reaction, feeling a headache coming on. "For the last time, the answer is no, Hamish."

"Is there someone else?" Hamish demanded. "Is that why you keep saying no?"

Alice just looked at him in disbelief. Apparently the fact that she didn't want to and that they were unsuitable for each other really wasn't sinking in. According to Hamish's thinking, every girl really wanted to marry a lord. Therefore, in order for Miss Kingsleigh to say no, there must be another man (someone unapproved of by her mother).

The whole thing confused him greatly and this was the only answer that made any sense.

Alice choked back a laugh. The last thing she needed was Hamish thinking she was laughing at him. "No, there isn't. Now if that's all you came for, I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Really Miss Kingsleigh? Because I have yet to get a satisfactory answer from you."

Hamish knew there was someone else. He could feel it. Whomever this other man was, Hamish was one hundred percent certain that he was superior in every way and the sooner Alice saw that, the sooner things could proceed and the better it would be for her as well. He did not think well of her spirited ways and thinking, best to be done with it and be the proper woman that was expected of her. Hamish would see to that himself, Alice would either bend to his will or break in the process; he didn't really care which as long as she produced an heir or more. He smirked at this thought, women were meant to be guided by men, what they thought was of little consequence. Needs would have to be taken into account, but only enough to make things work out for him in the long run.

Alice didn't like the look on Hamish's face. There was something about that smirk that made her skin crawl and feel oily. It set off the same type of alarm bells in her mind that Stayne did. It was time to get Hamish out of the house.

"For the last time, no I will not marry you. We would not make a good match and there is no one else. Now you are being told: Get Out. You. Are. Not. Welcome. Here."

"Very well Miss Kingsleigh. Good day." Hamish growled out, doing his best to not show his anger. How dare she rebuke him again, it would need to be rectified soon. With as much dignity as he could muster, Hamish walked out of the room.

Alice dropped into one of the awaiting chairs, hands clammy. She wasn't quite sure what would happen next, she supposed that the marriage contract would be looked over, a clause or two met, and a debt paid by her family for going back on a transaction.

She was nothing but a transaction, something to be bartered off.

She was sure Hamish and his family saw it as thus. Her mother would see it as securing Alice's place in society and ensuring that she was taken care of. But the look just now on Hamish's face, like she was a new horse to be broken in, made Alice shudder a bit. Certainly the same feeling as Stayne, though the worst Alice thought Hamish could do, was to spread a vicious rumor as to why she wouldn't marry him.