Alice Kingsleigh
It was the first question that appeared in Tarrant's head, for when he looked at her, he had a strange feeling that he had seen her before. Somewhere in his memory, the familiar face was nagging to break free, hopefully with a name, if he was lucky. But it didn't, and Tarrant was just left staring blankly at her, his mouth open to form a small 'o'. He may not remember who she was, but there was one thing he could say about her: she was absolutely beautiful.
He couldn't remember any other women in order to compare her to, but he just knew it. Her golden blonde locks cascaded down over her shoulders, waving like the tidal movements on a sunlit shore; her eyes were a beautiful hazel colour, glistening in the sunlight, the orbs being enough to captivate him into complete stillness; and then there was her face. Her oh so beautiful face, smooth and pale, and her skin looking so soft he could just reach out and stroke it. But he didn't, of course. That would just be a very forwards thing to do.
The young woman, of about twenty-four years of age, stared back at him, equally shocked. He seemed very...familiar, although she couldn't remember where she had seen a man like him before. Certainly not in China; he didn't look Chinese. But he was certainly odd. She liked odd.
They just stood there, staring at each other silently with confused, startled looks upon their faces, unsure of what to say to each other. Both seemed to have this feeling, deep down inside of them, that something should happen. They needed to say something to each other, but it was just finding those right words to say. It was only after a couple of minutes did the woman realize that she had yet to answer the man's question.
"Um...I don't think so?" she admitted quite honestly. "Although, you do seem familiar. Different, but familiar. May I ask for your name?"
"It's...Tarrant Hightopp," Tarrant replied, after pausing for a moment to remember; the memories in his head were already getting very confusing, despite there only being a few which he could recall.
The woman blinked in surprise. Even more familiar. A look of recognition seemed to show up in her eyes, but it soon dismissed, and she shook her head. She thought she had remembered, but she must have been mistaken.
"And what might your name be?" Tarrant enquired. "Perhaps if you told me yours, then I might remember, even if you don't."
"Oh, my name's Alice Kingsleigh," she introduced herself.
It was Tarrant's turn to blink in surprise. That name...it sounded so familiar, and what was the word for it? It sounded very...muchy. Yes, that's it. Muchness. Tarrant didn't understand where such a word had come from, and why he had been complied to use it, but he had, and it summed this woman up quite nicely. Although, he could tell that whatever this 'muchness' was, some of it was missing from her. He could see it in her eyes, and he didn't even know her. At least, he thought he didn't?
"Familiar, but I can't put my finger on where I've heard your name before," Tarrant admitted. "Or where I've seen you before. I am certain that I have."
"Maybe, maybe not," Alice said, shrugging. "But I wouldn't be surprised if you have heard of me; I've been making quite a name for myself these past five years."
"How so?" Tarrant asked, interested.
"Well, I turned down a proposal from Hamish Ascot, which caused a lot of gossip around London," Alice explained. "And then I assisted his father, Lord Ascot, with setting up a trading post in China. We were the first to trade with that country, you know. It was something I had to do; the company used to belong to my father, you see, and Lord Ascot purchased it when he died."
"You certainly have been making a name for yourself, haven't you?" Tarrant complimented her. "It's nice to see that you're happy doing it, though. I would hate to see a pretty young woman like yourself living a life she does not wish to live."
Then, for some reason or other, he reached out and placed a light kiss upon her hand, like a proper gentleman. This made Alice suspicious.
"You are very kind, sir, but please be honest with me," she told him. "Are you one of my mother's suitors?"
"Suitor?" Tarrant question. "What on earth...?"
"Ever since I got back from China, a few weeks ago, my mother has been pushing suitor after suitor in my face," Alice explained. "I've already told her that I do not wish to marry quite yet, and that I would find a husband in my own time, but she would have none of it. "You'll die a spinster", she says. "You'll end up like your Mad Aunt Imogene", she says."
She even did an impression of her mother, which caused Tarrant to chuckle.
"No, you do not have to worry about that," he assured her. "I'm not one of those 'suitors', as you call them. At least, I don't think I am?"
"You don't think?"
"Well, I don't remember," he began, scratching the back of his head. "I think I tripped and fell down a rabbit hole nearby. The last thing I can remember is climbing back out again, all covered in dirt. I can't remember anything else; my life, where I live, or anything like that. All I can remember is that my name is Tarrant Hightopp, and that I'm a milliner."
Alice allowed herself to sigh in relief. At least this concluded that he wasn't; she knew her mother, and prim and proper as she was, she would never approve of a man who was below them in status. Unless she was desperate.
"Don't worry, I don't think you are," she assured him, since he was getting himself in a confused muddle. "You're too nice; all the suitors I've had have all been stuck up snobs who do not care for me or the company. All they want is a wife who's pretty and will keep silent, and I'm certain they want the money I've made, too."
"Now, that's just slurvish."
Alice looked up at him in surprise. She had never heard that word before, but at the same time, it sounded familiar.
"Pardon?"
Tarrant looked equally as confused as he repeated the word in his head. What had made him say such a thing? He didn't even know what it meant.
"I don't know," he admitted. "The word just slipped out. My mind has been very, very slippery since I seemed to slip into that hole, and I can't say that I'm surprised, since the slip seems to have made my memories slip as well, so you could say, that I am in a very slippery state of mind today, and-"
"Tarrant?"
Tarrant blinked, shaking his head as his ramble came to a sudden stop. Well, that had been...peculiar.
"Thank you," he thanked Alice. "I'm fine."
Alice couldn't help but smile at the man she had met, or had met before...whichever. He was different compared to most men she had met, and despite only really knowing him for a few minutes, she already liked him. He had that quality which was similar to hers, whatever that quality was. Slight madness? She wasn't sure, but she liked him all the same.
"That's all right," she said finally. "And don't worry, you're not the first to fall down a rabbit hole. In fact, if it's the one I'm thinking about, I think I fell down the same one, five years before."
"Really?" Tarrant questioned. "How?"
"Well, Hamish had just asked me to marry him, and even though I wanted to say no, everyone was watching us," Alice explained. "They all expected me to, and I didn't know what would happen if I turned him down. So I ran, knowing that I needed time to think. But I must have tripped and fallen into the hole, hitting my head in the process. It was the strangest thing, though, when I climbed out. I felt like something had happened, and that there was more of...me, inside of me. And it was that which gave me the determination to stand up for myself."
"I think...what your talking about is muchness," he spoke up.
"Yes, I think you're right," Alice agreed. "But I think you have a bad case of amnesia; don't worry, though. I can find someone to help you. Here, come inside with me. I'm sure Lord Ascot will do all he can, as well."
She took a hold of Tarrant's hand, and a warm feeling seemed to pass through both of them, causing them to freeze. They stared into each others eyes, and for a moment, the world melted away and it was just them, alone. The moment was gone again as quickly as it had come, and Alice gave Tarrant a warm smile before she began to lead him towards the house.
They had become friends, unaware that they already were.
