A/N: For the purpose of this story, Robert and Cora are just married and a little older than Rosamund. Rosamund's age is never given in canon so I've chosen to make her younger so I can write about her (which I've always wanted to do) while also including Robert and Cora as I love them too. I hope you enjoy!

1890

Patrick enters the drawing room of Grantham House to find his family assembled for tea. Violet is sitting beside Robert on one sofa, while Rosamund and Cora sit on another talking quietly.

"I've just received a letter," Patrick announces, stopping before everyone. The room falls silent as all eyes turn to Patrick. "Lord Warrington has returned from France! He wrote to inform me and says he looks forward to seeing us at the Aynor Ball this evening."

Violet and Robert raise their eyebrows but Cora looks confused. "I'm sorry, who is Lord Warrington?"

"The Marquess of Warrington," Violet answers, in a sharp tone that suggests Cora should know this already. "We expect him to marry Rosamund, although no formal agreement has ever been made."

Cora looks at Rosamund in surprise but Rosamund avoids her gaze, taking a sip of tea nonchalantly.

The butler opens the door and a footman enters with the tea, putting a temporary pause on the conversation.

Once everyone has received a cup of tea, Robert brings up Lord Warrington again. "I wonder why Lord Warrington has decided to return from Europe now. He's been there for years, he seemed pretty settled."

Violet frowns. "I think it's fairly obvious. Rosamund has been presented and he will want to see if they will suit. He has spent more than enough time abroad." Violet shakes her head disapprovingly as she speaks. "I feel for his mother, left in Scotland in that large castle."

Rosamund narrows her eyes. "And that's where you wish to send me."

Violet mirrors her daughter's expression. "You won't get a better offer. There's not one duke looking to settle down this season, and only one marquess besides Lord Warrington, but he seems pretty attached to Lady Alice. You wouldn't be alone either - he would be with you, and you would have his mother."

Rosamund opens her mouth but shuts it again, her brow furrowed in irritation.

"Well, I haven't seen Warrington since he left for France," Robert remarks, tactfully diffusing a potential argument. "It will be nice to see him again."

Rosamund doesn't share the same sentiment and ignores Robert's comment. She only met Lord Warrington a handful of times when they were much younger and has no memories on which to build an impression of him. In her head, Rosamund has painted him as a Prince Charming with whom she'll live happily ever after. In reality, she knows such a dream is highly unlikely. But she doesn't want to meet him and ruin her happy imaginings.

—

The Aynor Ball is an annual affair, always conducted a few weeks into the London season and hosted by the Earl and Countess of Aynor. It's usually a large ball and this year will be no exception. The venue of the event is Aynor House - a large townhouse where the earl and his family reside during the London Season - which is situated a few blocks away from Grantham House. The townhouse boasts a large ballroom that comfortably holds over a hundred guests.

Rosamund greets the hostess with Cora and her mother before splitting off to greet her friends, Lady Katherine, Lady Isabella and Lady Margaret. The three are each from respectable families and were often placed in nurseries around the country with Rosamund as their parents visited each other or mutual friends, so the four have been friends for many years.

"You look beautiful," Katherine tells Rosamund, taking in her dress. Rosamund decided to wear a new green gauze tonight, as the colour complemented both her hair and eyes, and she's glad someone noticed. "This colour is lovely."

Isabella and Margaret nod their agreement and Rosamund blushes and thanks them.

Katherine links arms with Rosamund as Rosamund catches up with her friends, detailing her week so far. Rosamund's tale finishes with a summary of her conversation with her family this afternoon regarding Lord Warrington.

"Have you seen Lord Warrington yet?" Isabella asks.

Rosamund shakes her head and subtly scans the room. "Has he arrived?"

"Yes," Katherine says. "When I arrived with my brother, he greeted us and my brother introduced me to him."

Margaret grins. "Is he handsome?"

Katherine grins back, delighted at having possession of valuable information. Katherine's description, as Rosamund later discovers, is flattering and makes the true appearance of Lord Warrington more disappointing. As Rosamund stands with her friends, her dance card - which is attached to her wrist with a pretty green ribbon - begins to fill up with the names of gentlemen who wish to dance with her later in the evening.

Katherine distracts Rosamund from a story Isabella is telling by subtly gesturing at the other side of the room. "Look!" Katherine whispers. "Lord Warrington is over there."

Rosamund leans close to her to see where she's looking. There's a group of men talking on the other side of the room. Her brother is standing near the middle with a glass of whisky in his hand. Rosamund frowns as she scans the group. Her gaze lands on the man at the edge of the group. A devastatingly handsome man. He's almost identical to Rosamund's imaginings of a dashing gentleman, with strong, sharp features and ebony black hair. He wears a grin which makes his appear good-natured as he tells the group a story. The men around him seem absorbed by his tale, all of them nodding along and smiling. Rosamund's breath hitches as she watches him. "Oh, my."

"The man second from the right?" Katherine clarifies.

Rosamund's gaze drifts the smaller, fair man to the side of the handsome gentleman. "Oh."

Katherine giggles at Rosamund's disappointed tone. "Who were you looking at?"

"The one talking." Rosamund looks back at the man. She can't study him properly from afar but even from across her room, she can see that he's much more handsome than most of the men present. He's no longer talking, but laughing as he listens to one of the other men. "Who is he?"

Katherine shrugs. "I'm not sure. My brother only introduced me to Lord Warrington."

"He seems rather tanned for England."

"Well, he must have travelled. Perhaps with Lord Warrington, they look quite friendly." Katherine speaks louder for the benefit of Isabella and Margaret. "I would love to live in France for five years."

Margaret disagrees. "You'd get scandalously freckled."

"My mother would not approve," Isabella adds.

Rosamund grins. "It sounds heavenly."

"Your mother certainly wouldn't approve."

"All the more reason to go," Rosamund replies. Isabella grins back at her.

—

Robert is enjoying his evening thoroughly. He is standing with an assortment of men from different backgrounds; some buisnessmen, a few wealthy heirs and a number of aristocrats. Robert is standing near Lord Warrington, Rosamund's... intended?

Warrington downs his drink and turns to Robert. "Would you introduce me to your sister, Downton? I'd like to request a dance with her this evening."

Robert nods, pleased by the idea. "Now?"

"If you don't mind."

Robert smiles and scans the room to find his sister. He recognises her on the other side of the room, standing with her friends. "She's just across the ballroom."

Warrington nods. "Lead the way."

Robert slowly makes his way through the crowd of guests, politely greeting those he recognises and nodding to those he doesn't. He passes his wife, who is sitting patiently beside his mother, and grins. Cora smiles back as he passes, looking at Lord Warrington interestedly, as she has placed who he is.

"Rosamund!" Robert calls as he approaches. Isabella and Margaret part, so Rosamund can walk forward to meet her brother. Robert comes to a halt in front of Rosamund and makes the necessary introductions. "Warrington, my sister, Lady Rosamund. Rosamund, Lord Warrington."

Rosamund takes the opportunity to study Lord Warrington. His features are unremarkable and his hair is a dull blond, already showing patches of white. He's a little plump and his clothes don't fit him well, making him seem paunchier than he is. However, he seems friendly as he smiles at her.

Warrington has instantly taken to Rosamund. She's much prettier than he remembered. He had never given her the time of day when they were children, she was much too young to be interesting to him. But they're both adults now and he's looking for a wife. Suddenly the arrangement his father made with Lord Grantham seems much less an obligation and more a blessing.

"Lady Rosamund," Warrington says, brushing his lips against her knuckles.

Rosamund bows her head. "Lord Warrington."

"I hope you will afford me the pleasure of one of your dances this evening?"

"The pleasure would be mine," Rosamund answers, passing him her dance card. Lord Warrington looks delighted as he writes his name in one of the two remaining spaces. "Until then," he says, returning the card to her. Warrington straightens and turns to Robert. "It was good to see you, Downton."

"Warrington," Robert replies, nodding as Warrington takes his leave. Rosamund watches as Lord Warrington moves away through the crowd. So much for Prince Charming, she thinks. At least he seems affable.

"Well, what do you think of him?" Robert asks, interrupting Rosamund's reflection.

Rosamund shrugs. "He seems pleasant." Robert grins. "Can I ask, who is the man you were talking to before you came over?"

Robert's eyebrows draw together in confusion. "Which one?"

Rosamund looks at the handsome man she was studying earlier with Katherine. "The man on Sir John's left."

Robert glances back at the group from which he came to see which man his sister is talking about. "Oh, that's Mr Marmaduke Painswick! He spent some time with Lord Warrington in France. He's very interesting. He's been all over Europe on business, he's got some terrific stories."

Rosamund raises her eyebrows. "What are his prospects?"

Robert shrugs. "I'm not entirely sure. I gather he's extremely wealthy but he hasn't a highly respectable birth. I believe his father was a businessman."

"As is Cora's father," Rosamund comments, sounding amused.

Robert grins again. "Yes. Why are you so interested?"

"It's no matter."

"Alright, well, I'll see you later."

-

A/N: I was hesitant to add the Prince Charming reference here as I wasn't sure it was relevant to the time period. I found conflicting answers about the origination of the character on Google, some claimed he was created by Disney's Cinderella in 1950 and others date him back to 1697.

I hope you enjoyed this story and reviews are very appreciated!