Philip and Catherine are eager to get Angelica married. She is going to wed the most honorable Samuel Seabury. This thought comforts Philip as he prepares for the day ahead.
When he goes downstairs, all the servants are working at their usual tasks. At his entrance, they all stand at attention until he waves his hands to allow them to continue their tasks. At the site of him, Philip's footman, Alexander, steps forward to serve breakfast.
"Very good, Alexander." Philip says, once Alexander has brought up the breakfast from the kitchens. Hercules, the other footman, places the tray on the table.
Alexander nods, and retreats downstairs, finishing up the needed tasks related to breakfast.
He must get up to his task of manning the door. Without him, the Schuylers will not know who has arrived.
Alexander is greeted with a bit of a surprise on his return upstairs. Ladies Angelica, Eliza, Peggy, and Catherine are crying quietly, as Lord Philip holds the newspaper.
It seems Samuel and dear Peggy's betrothed as well have been killed during an attack on a colonial ship. General Washington has written to them so, and the same is written in the paper.
Alexander knows war is brewing between the British and the colonists. He hopes to put it off as much as possible.
But now, certainly, Lady Angelica does not have a husband. What on Earth will they do?
Alexander shakes his head. He has other tasks. He clears the plates from the table and brings them to Ms. Frances in the kitchen downstairs.
Ms. Frances smiles at him as he places the tray down. He has a suspicion she fancies him, but it is a lost cause.
He pulls his lips into a tight smile, collecting the next tray and quickly climbing the stairs.
When he comes back down, James looks extremely suspicious. James moves to ask Alexander a question.
"All the inheritance was set to go to Samuel. Who will have the inheritance now? I heard someone upstairs saying there's an estranged cousin set to inherit. I believe his name is John Barker Church. Do you think they'll let him have it, or break the entail?"
Alexander has been thinking the same thing. He realizes he has a very important letter he needs to send.
X
Everything runs smoothly until an afternoon several days later.
The bell for the front door rings, and Alexander moves to answer it. When he opens the door, he is surprised to see the King.
When the King lays eyes on Alexander, he smiles. Alexander tries not to look at him for fear of color rushing to his cheeks.
Lord Philip comes out of the house. "Welcome, dear King. What an honor to have you."
"Thank you for having me. It's very generous." The King says politely.
Before going inside, he turns to Alexander.
"Lord Philip, my valet left me just before we boarded the train, so I have come without one." He addresses the head-of-house.
"Do not worry. Alexander will look after you." Lord Philip offers generously.
Alexander knows fully well that the King is looking for an excuse to spend time with him.
He pretends not to notice, staring straight ahead. When the suitcases and unloaded, Alexander picks them up and takes them upstairs to the King's room.
Then, he hurries downstairs to do his duties as a footman, since the guests have already been called into the dining room.
As he bends over (King) George to offer him the roast beef that Maria has prepared, George slips a small piece of paper into Alexander's breast pocket.
After dinner, Alexander retreats downstairs to have a smoke with Maria. Maria is an odd character, even though he's the closest she'll ever have to a friend, she always seems to be scheming against everyone.
He pulls out the tiny slip of paper, trying to hide it from Maria's prying eyes, and reads:
Join me in my bedroom tonight.
Alexander thinks that is exactly like George, to never bother with any kind of formality or appreciation, not even the word "please."
Maria tries to read the paper, but Alexander keeps it successfully out of her sight. Alexander knows that George wants to tell him what happened with the inheritance.
X
Upstairs, George tries to gauge Lord Philip's willingness to break the entail.
"Lord Philip, I hear there is another estranged heir, held by the entail. Is it your intention to break the entail and keep the inheritance to Angelica?"
"No. I intend to leave the entail intact." Lord Philip replies.
There is a disruption by the door, and both gentleman look to see what happened. It is one of the servants coming in to clear the table.
"Oh, I am extremely sorry. I thought you had gone through, m'lord." The servant bows his head.
"We will, in just a moment. Thank you." Lord Philip tells him.
"I wish you luck in courting Angelica." Lord Philip tells George.
"I am sorry, sir. That is what I came to make clear. Lady Angelica is a lovely woman, and whoever marries her will be very lucky. But it will not be me." George says, upset about the entail.
X
Downstairs, Maria remarks, "He gave her up, only wanting her money. I'm not surprised."
Alexander smiles inside. "Serves her right. Jumped-up fancy lady."
"Silence!" Mr. Washington, the butler, insists. "I will not hear a word against Lady Angelica."
X
"I am sorry I couldn't hear your pronouncement." Lady Angelica catches up to George as he climbs the stairs. "Tomorrow, we can-."
"I am leaving in the morning." George says curtly. "You might tell that footman…"
"Alexander." Lady Angelica provides helpfully.
"Alexander, that I have gone upstairs." George tells her.
Eliza comes into the entrance hall as George reaches the top of the stairs.
"Looks like someone left you. How does that feel?" Eliza accuses.
"At least I'm not fishing without any bait." Angelica says rudely before walking away.
Alexander hears the guest bedroom bell ring. He knows George has called for him. He stands and heads quickly upstairs.
"Good evening, George. I don't believe it." Alexander greets George informally.
"Believe what you want. He won't break the entail." George tells him, obviously annoyed.
"So what will you do?"
"You know how I am fixed, Alexander. I have to get an heiress, no matter how far I am required to journey." George answers.
"What about me?"
"You will wish me well, Alexander."
"You said you'd find me a job if I wanted to leave." Alexander accuses.
"And do you?"
"I want to be a valet. I'm sick of being a footman."
"Alexander, I don't need a valet. I thought you were getting rid of the new one here."
"I've done it. But I don't think Washington's going to let me take over."
Alexander settles on the bed. He cups George's face gently.
George does not struggle as Alexander kisses him carefully.
"I just can't see it working, can you?" He whispers.
"You came here to be with me." Alexander insists, moving on to kissing George's fingers.
"Among other reasons. And...one evening won't make my life." George says brusquely.
Alexander stops kissing George's fingers and looks at him in surprise. When George makes no motion to take back the sentence, Alexander stands up and drinks from his glass, which is still on the side table.
"I think you are forgetting something." Alexander says, with his back still turned.
"Do you mean these?" George pulls a handful of letters out of a drawer, which Alexander recognizes immediately.
He rushes toward George as George drops the letters into the burning fire.
"How did you get those, you damned poltroon?" Alexander whispers.
"Don't be a bad loser, Alexander. Thanks to you, I'll never put anything in writing again. You should go to bed. Unless you want to stay here." George teases.
Alexander straightens his uniform and shrugs on his jacket as he heads into the passage, trying to get away from George's room.
It meant nothing to George that Alexander was in love. Damn George. Alexander thinks as he hurries toward his quarters, trying his best not to be caught.
It is about to be a difficult journey. Alexander knows, he's been through hardship once.
This story is based on Downton Abbey, and it's centered around Alexander as the equivalent of Thomas. Also, the time period is the same time as the musical, so the war being discussed is the Revolutionary War. I said I would probably write one around DowntonAbbey, and I watched the show focused entirely on Thomas, so here is the "Hamilton" equivalent.
Please review!
-HamiltonAsparagus ;)