Author's Note- Hey everybody! Told ya I'd get this up. It feels good to be able to write again. I am sooooooooooooo sorry it took me so long. My explanation is in the post before this, so I won't go into detail, but thank you for sticking around! I hope you guys enjoy this and it was worth the wait. I promise I will be continuing this story. Anyways, enjoy and tell me what you think by reviewing!
Amelia took a deep, fortifying breath of the night air, trying to muster her courage. She would need every ounce of it for what she was going to do next. Her fingers still clasped the letter from Lord and Lady Greyson in her pocket. There was a reason for what she was doing. She began to make her way back through the rose garden and towards the patio and the double doors that would lead her back into the ballroom and the party that was continuing on without its guest of honor.
From the shadows, Devon Greyson watched the little chameleon touch every rose that she passed on her back to the party. Her fingertips cherished their petals like they meant a great deal to her. He wondered why that was so.
As she reached the steps the little chameleon twirled around as if she could sense someone watching her. Devon was sure he couldn't be seen where he was and kept watching. He had the vague sense that this could be construed as creepy, but was only intent on trying to discover more about this woman who had so easily and quickly entranced him. That didn't happen and it irked Devon. That, and he knew she was about to do something scandalous and he wanted to be sure he was there when it happened.
Amelia's heart raced as she turned around and continued to climb the stairs. She was sure someone else was out there. Whoever it was didn't seem to want to make a fuss. For that she was thankful. There would be enough fuss made tonight. With that thought she almost had to run to the edge to empty her stomach, but she managed to hold it in. Good lord¸ she thought, if this is how I react before I even make the announcement how am I going to actually go through with this? She was, in point of fact, a coward, more than she would like to admit to herself, but she knew she needed to do this. It was the only way that she would ever be free and freedom was what she craved right now more than anything. With that thought she opened the doors and slipped inside.
Greyson gave her a moment and followed her in. There was no way he was going to miss whatever this little minx had up her sleeve.
Amelia wove her way around the dance floor until she got to where she wanted to be, the bottom of the stairs. She snatched a glass of champagne off of a tray from a circulating waiter, chugged it, and dropped on the tray of the next waiter she passed.
When she got to the stairs, she looked out at all of the couples dancing gracefully across the floors that she had learned to crawl on, walk on, dance on. The floors that belonged to the house that her parents had lived in, that she had been born in, that had been in her father's family for generations and, lord willing, she would be able to convince the government to let her keep as she was the sole living heir. The last Clayton of Greystoke Manor. She quietly and deliberately made eye contact with her grandpapa from across the ballroom and smiled a gentle, apologetic smile before she turned and deliberately and in a way that ensured by the time she reached her destination, half way up the stair, the entire collection of guests were looking at her.
From across the way her grandpapa, Delaney, muttered to himself, "What are you up to Melly?"
Amelia took a deep breath, touched her cameo necklace and began.
"Ladies and gentleman," she said, "Firstly, I would like to thank each and every one of you for attending." She made a point of looking at Lady Burke. "As most of you now, I am the daughter of the late Lord and Lady Greystoke, Amelia Clayton." Here, she made a point of finding Devon Greyson in the crowd and winked at him. The champagne was making her brave. She had the passing thought that she was an absolute lightweight and she chuckled before continuing.
Greyson shook his head from across the room. He should have known it would be Delaney's granddaughter that would be the first girl that sparked his interest. Damn. He looked over at the old goat to see if he had noticed. Based on the cheeky grin on his face, he had noticed more than his granddaughter's subtle jibe to him. Double Damn.
"Tonight, by society's rules, marks the first night of my womanhood and my debut onto the marriage mart."
The crowd began to mumble at this. Everyone knew it existed, but no one dared actually speak of it. Even Greyson lifted his eyebrows at that, impressed by her gumption.
"However, that will not be the case with me. I will not be joining that horde of anxious debutantes, eager for any sort of attention as long as it is within the bounds of propriety. No, I will be embarking on a different journey."
Across the room, Emmaline was waving her handkerchief, signaling that everything was in order and ready to go. Time to wrap this up, Amelia thought.
"Tonight, I will be doing something that is far outside the bonds of this society. I, a single woman, am embarking on a journey across the world. To travel, meet new people, experience the world. I refuse to be held down by silly rules put in place by old goats who are afraid of a woman who can think for herself." With that, Amelia did a most unladylike thing. She hiked up her skirt, mounted the bannister side-saddle style and, for the first time since before her parents had died, she slid down the bannister of the stairwell. When she landed everyone around her scurried back, forming a semi-circle around her.
As she looked up at everyone, she smiled and made her way across the room to Emmaline where she grabbed the offered hat and pinned it to her head. Amelia, however, was not done. She had one last thing to say to the crowd.
"Again, thank you, ladies and gentleman. Have a wonderful evening, enjoy the food and drink. If I am at all lucky, I shall never see any of you again." With that, she blew a kiss to the crowd and flounced out the door, down the front steps, and into the waiting and already packed coach. Finally, she was free.
Inside, the guests were quiet for all of two seconds before the rumors and gossip started flying at lightning speed. Greyson, shocked, but not entirely surprised, made his way over to his friend, Delaney. The older gentleman had a look on his face that took a moment for Greyson to place and when he did, he was more than a little surprised, for what was on his friends face was the fiercest look of pride he had ever seen.
"Did you expect this than, Delaney?" Greyson asked.
Delaney chuckled, "Not that exactly, but something like it. I could see it in her, her mother was the same way. Refused to be tied down and willing to go to drastic measures to achieve that goal, even ruining her reputation. Ah, well," Delaney sighed with a sad smile on his face. He covertly gave Wilson the signal to start clearing people out, "She will be back. One day. She will travel the world and find out who she is without having to worry about the ton or me or anything getting in her way. But she is just one girl and a maid. I am afraid she has not thought this as far through as she may have." At this he turned to Greyson. "Follow her for me? Keep her safe. From a distance of course, she needs to feel like she is doing this on her own, but I cannot bear to lose her like I did her mother."
Greyson nodded solemnly, "Of course I will. You have my word."
With that, he walked out the front door, Wilson handed him his hat and coat on the way out, and followed the girl that he had a feeling would change his life forever.
