author's note: Hey everybody! Thank you for all the fan love! 3 It's really kept me going. I work in a newsroom (one of the many reasons I love these characters) and so I'm actually working extra hours right now, so fanfic writing has been super hard to find time for. I am almost done with the next chapter though so you can expect that in a few days! Sorry if there are typos, again not really time for editing. Love you guys so much and thank you again your words of encouragement keep me positive and motivated! keep being amazing, anyway- here's Chapter 6!

6. The Morning After

Golden sun danced through the thin drapes of Sarah's room as she woke with a smile. She touched her hand to her lip, remembering the magic of James's closeness. Letting out a charmed giggle she sank back into the mountain of pillows. Sara hadn't let herself wonder what this might mean for their future. She knew that the conversation would come but for the moment she just wanted to live in the perfect sparkling world where James loved her and they were happy together.

A timid knock sounded at her door. She sat up. The maid, she thought, I better compose myself. But how? James kissed me! The knock came again.

Sarah took a breath, pulling herself out of the blankets and tying her robe as she approached the door. She was surprised when she saw who was on the other side.

"Lottie? What's the matter?" Sarah said, seeing her cousin who was already dressed for the day wearing a large frown.

"I have a terrible secret to tell you," Lottie said, budging into the room. Sarah closed the door behind her.

"You know you can tell me anything." Sarah tried to gauge the seriousness of the matter but had no real information yet.

"It's simply awful. I'm a terrible woman!" Lottie threw herself on to Sarah's bed and covered her face with a pillow.

"Please, Lottie, just tell me. What is the matter?"

"Henri!" Lottie cried though it was muffled by the pillow.

"Yes, I did notice you seemed fond of him," Sarah said. "I still don't see what's wrong." She sat down next to Lottie and removed the pillow from her face.

"He's going to lose interest when he finds out." Lottie then told Sarah a secret she had been keeping for nearly a year. Sarah listened and nodded as Charlotte revealed the story of her first true love and all that went amiss. Through the entire lament, Sarah was nothing but supportive. It was an uncommon situation, to say the least, and rather tragic.

"I'm not going to lie to you Lottie, that is quite a lot, and I don't know how Henri will react when you tell him. All I know is that he has been like a younger brother to me, raised by some of the best men you will ever meet. He is kind and whatever he thinks about all that, I'm sure that you and he will always be the best and dearest of friends." Sarah tried to comfort her cousin-sister, "and you don't have to tell him at breakfast either. Get to know him a little better first and then have a serious talk about the whole thing."

"You're right." Lottie said, "I just don't want to scare him away."

"Henri doesn't scare very easily. He and James have been through a lot with the war and losing their parents. They really are very understanding." Sarah smiled.

"Speaking of James…" Lottie poked Sarah's arm. "Is there something you want to tell me about last night?"

Just then the maid came in and announced breakfast. Sarah relayed the wonderful evening to Lottie as they walked down the hall.

The girls were the last to sit down for breakfast. The boys both smiled and stood as they entered.

During the meal, Lady Phillips kept glancing at Sarah waiting for more information about Lord Wilson and Sarah's thoughts on him. Her daughter, however, seemed to be enjoying the silence. Sarah appeared happy, so that was a good sign.

James too kept looking at Sarah. She was trying hard not to make eye contact with him. She kept smiling which was enough for him. They should've stayed in the garden longer. He just wanted to get her alone again, to confess the extent of his feelings. They belonged together, two halves of one whole.

Finally, unable to bear the quiet, Lady Phillips spoke.

"I heard that our friends the Herringtons are having a ball. It's at the summer house in the country." She said, "I think you girls should go."

"Oh yes, I think it would be good for us." Sarah agreed looking at Lottie. Her cousin had dropped quite the secret on Sarah earlier that morning, but she felt that a break- rather a ball- would help Lottie take her mind of such serious matters.

"I'm sure Lord Wilson will be there." Lady Phillips offered, hoping to get a response.

"Well, we will have to take James and Henri. It would be rude not to bring our guests." Sarah avoided her mother's prod to speak on the subject of Lord Wilson.

"Yes, but did you hear me, Sarah? Lord Wilson will be there," She prodded again, "You better wear the pale dress, with the lace trim."

"I'm glad to hear it will be well attended." Sarah smiled at her mother. "I was thinking of the blue dress. I like it better."

James looked at Henri. They both knew that smile. It was a challenge.

"But it's so plain." Lady Phillips frowned.

"I will just have to draw in suitors with my exciting conversation and wit," Sarah remarked as she sipped her water.

"Well, then you might as well not worry about having a dance card made up." Lady Phillips, who was completely done with the conversation stood and rang a little bell. At the sound of it, the butler entered. "We are done, make arrangements for Monsieur Comtois to come by. I'm sure after all this time in the colonies, Sarah needs all the dance instruction she can get."

"Don't worry, mother I'm not having a dance card made up, remember?" Sarah remarked knowing she'd won the interaction. Her mother scoffed and left.

Lottie stood, ready to follow.

"Lottie," Henri said standing as well, "I'm hoping you can help me with the dances. I'm not much better than Sarah." He joked. This made them all laugh.

"Of course, but there isn't any room here to dance." Lottie held the door open, "Let's go to the parlor." Herni followed her, leaving Sarah and James alone again.

Realizing this they both stood and approached each other.

"Lord Wilson will be disappointed to find my dance-card full." She smiled. James scratched the back of his head, and bit his lip.

"As much as I would love to dance the night away with you," James took her hands, "I only know like one dance. Ben didn't teach me very much about these kinds of things."

"Well then I will reserve one perfect dance for you," She said, "And spend the rest of the evening talking and laughing and-"

James kissed her suddenly, with such force Sarah nearly lost her balance. He wrapped his arms around her and held her firmly.

"Mmm, and that." They both laughed.

"You know that painting in the hall is crooked," James said.

"It has been bothering me since the moment I noticed!" Sarah cried, shaking her head. "Nothing gets by you Mr. Hiller."

"I am a journalist." He puffed up his chest proudly.

"A rather handsome journalist." Sarah blushed. She had never felt so bold. Their eyes met.

"I never knew how much I always wanted you to say that." He smiled mischievously, "my beautiful, perfect-" He kissed her forehead, "British," They both laughed, "Sarah" Their lips met again. There was more passion now and certainty. There was a wonderful excitement in knowing that your partner wanted you just as much as you did them. Sarah found a calming reassurance and a certain kind of freedom in being with James. She could not remember a time when she had ever been so completely happy.

...But then nothing can stay perfect forever. The ball would prove to be a complete nightmare and nothing at all like the fairytale the young lovers imagined it was going to be.