Chapter 3:

Catherine stood tall at the window watching as the sun disappeared below the horizon, turning the sky dark before she slowly turned away and made her way back over to her vanity dresser and mirror where she then took a seat. She then reached her hands out to her small jewelry box that sat in the far right corner before she pulled it close and opened it up. Inside, she picked out a pair of dangly diamond earrings and gently inserted them into her earlobes.

"You look very beautiful." Came her father's voice from the doorway. He too was all dressed up in his special military uniform for tonight's formal event. Catherine smiled softly at his compliment before she looked down to her lap and listened as her father walked further into her room. She glanced back up when she felt his warm hands place themselves on her bare shoulders from behind and in response she raised both her hands up to cover his. "Catherine…" he began, "I do hope you know that I'm simply thinking…"

"In my best interests." Catherine finished for him before she turned about in her small backless chair, "I get it." She assured though she still didn't like the idea. Andrew Jones nodded once before he drew his hands back and reached inside his coat pocket to pull something out. Before Catherine could blink twice, her father quickly did the clasp of the necklace he had brought about her bare neck. Catherine gasped softly at its simple beauty; hanging on a silver chain was a white crystal cut in the shape of a rose with a tiny sapphire glistening in its center. Catherine raised a hand up to tenderly touch it as it dangled right in between her breasts.

"This was your mothers." He father informed. "She was wearing it on the night we had first met….so I figured you might like to wear it to incase you do meet someone tonight."

Catherine playfully rolled her eyes before she rose from her chair and turned about to embrace her father, "I love it Papa, thank you."

When the two pulled away, he father reached down into his waist coat and pulled out a silver pocket watch, "Oh…we best get going. Or else we'll be late." He stated while he turned away and quickly crossed the room and headed over to Catherine's closet door. He opened it up and quickly scanned through its contents before he pulled out a black velvet cloak for his daughter. On his way back over to Catherine, he had also collected her gloves that were still lying on the top of her bed. He then swiftly draped the cloak around her shoulders while she tied it in place about her neck before accepting the gloves that he held out for her.

"Ready?" he asked. Catherine nodded,

"Sure." She answered. Her father smiled before he turned about and led the way out of Catherine's room. Catherine started to follow behind but stopped after taking a few steps and turned her head towards her bed where her abandoned book still rested. Biting a smile back, Catherine swiftly crossed the room and collected her book before she hid it within the folds of cloak before she left her bedroom. To catch up with her father, Catherine lifted her skirts a few inches above the ground and lightly jogged down the hallway before she reached the top of the stairs. Then with the grace of a young, English woman Catherine smoothly descended down the stairs where her father stood waiting for her at the front door. Her father then politely waited for her to leave the house first before following behind as they stepped out into the cooling night air together and walked over to their carriage that was parked right in front of them. Their footman respectfully opened the door up as they approached before Andrew Jones stood off to the side and offered his daughter a hand as he helped her step up into the coach. Once she had seated herself inside, he climbed in as well and signaled for the driver to go. As the carriage gently lurched forward at the sudden movement of the horses, Catherine, while she stared out of the window, spoke up,

"So where is this….event being held at again?" she asked curiously.

"Do you remember Frank Parker?" He returned, "You had met him I believe when you were 11." He reminded.

"Ah…"Catherine murmured in recognition of the name, "Yes I remember him." She added.

"Its being held at his estate. We've been there before; it's the same place where you first met him." He answered. Catherine nodded her head slowly recalling the distant memory of his grand manor,

"And…what's the point of this again?" she inquired curiously. Her father turned his warm gaze upon her and chuckled,

"It's just a social event, sweetheart; a way for people to get together and have a good time." He answered.

Catherine softly smirked then lightly rolled her eyes before she reached down to her lap where her gloves were resting and picked one up, "You know you always say that and in the end I hardly find them entertaining." She stated as she slipped one hand into the silk glove before she pulled it up to where it would stop at her elbow.

"Perhaps this one will be different." He father replied with a quick wink. Catherine laughed at the thought as she finished pulling on the last glove,

"I highly doubt it, papa." She answered in a sweet singsong voice.

"We'll see." He mumbled under his breath playfully causing Catherine to once again roll her eyes before she turned her head to look out the window. The carriage ride lasted for about 20 minuets before they pulled into a long driveway that took them up to a familiar looking stone manor. When their coach came to a stop, the door was opened up almost instantly for them. Catherine's father left the carriage first like always before he turned back around to help Catherine out next. Then Catherine, after accepting her father's open hand, smoothly stepped down from the carriage and silently stood beside him for a couple of seconds to take in the sight of the manor before them,

"I cannot believe I'm doing this again." She softly groaned while she and her father began their walk up the front steps into the grand hall.

"Catherine." Her father jumped in, "….the last time I had brought you to one of these things was like what…..6-7 years ago?" he stated.

Catherine nodded her head, "Yeah….. not long enough if you ask me." She replied in peevish voice. Andrew Jones shook his head while laughing quietly at his daughter.

"Oh Catherine…" he murmured in an amused voice.

The two walked down a fairly long hallway before they found themselves approaching the announcer who Catherine recognized as being the same one from 9 years ago.

"Papa…" Catherine whispered causing Andrew Jones to turn his head to glance over at his daughter,

"Mmm?" he replied.

"…do we have to be announced?" she asked.

Andrew Jones was about to reply but stopped when the announcer spoke up asking his usual question,

"Your name sir?" he asked curiously.

Catherine closed her eyes for a brief second when her father answered and gave him her name as well. Then once the announcer had started to walk off to lead them to the ballroom, Catherine glared over at her father, who smirked and shrugged his shoulder,

"Sorry sweetheart." He replied before he linked arms with his only child and led her right to the doorway of the ballroom. Catherine got a quick glance inside and noted that there was a smaller crowd tonight then there was the last time she had been here before her and her father's names were thrown out into the room.

Only this time, it seemed more people turned to stare as her father swept her into the room. Even with music being played in the background, Catherine could here all the whispers and murmurings of everyone she passed on by. Restraining the urge to groan out loud, Catherine kept her face composed and even forced a small smile onto her face while her father directed her towards the back of the ballroom where a couple of round tables draped with white lace table cloths were set up. As her father politely pulled out a chair for her sit in, her hands came up to the tie of her cloak; with a gentle tug, the tie came loose. Her father then came up behind her and removed the cloak from her shoulders before he draped it over the back of her chair which she then sat down in. Once she was settled, her father joined her in a chair right beside her own.

"See?" he began, "...not so bad." He lightly stated. Catherine's teal eyes narrowed softly at him before a tiny smile started pulling at her lips,

"I wish people wouldn't stare." She confessed in a calm tone though inside she was anything but calm as she felt many eyes upon her back at once.

"Can you blame them?" he father returned.

"Yes." She quickly and bluntly answered. Andrew Jones raised a hand up to cover his mouth which was starting to crack with the laughter he was trying to contain.

"Catherine, you might just be the most beautiful young woman here tonight." He informed proudly, "…of course people's heads are going to turn." He explained.

Catherine sighed softly in response before she looked down at her gloved hands which she had clasped gracefully in her lap. Next thing she knew, her father was at her side, offering his hand,

"Will you honor me with this dance?" he asked. Catherine glanced up and smiled softly before she hesitantly placed her hand in his. She silently rose up from her chair and allowed her father to escort her over to the dance floor where a few couples were already dancing. With a soft encouraging smile, her father gently began leading her in a faster version of the waltz. As they moved on the dance floor, Catherine nervously laughed and felt a tiny blush come to her cheeks. When the music slowed to a stop, so did their dance before her father bowed like a gentleman while she performed a small, graceful curtsey. The two then walked arm in arm back to their table.

"So?" her father inquired as they reached their table. Catherine smirked softly before she nodded her head,

"Okay….I'll admit that….the dancing can be entertaining." She confessed, "….but that's only if you're with the right person." She added.

Her father's brown eyes narrowed softly as he considered her words, "Hmm…well that's a start. But just so you know, I am determined to make sure that you enjoy yourself tonight." He stated with a mischievous grin. Catherine opened her mouth to reply but found her eyes traveling over to a group of older men who looked to be staring over at their table.

"Uh…papa..." Catherine began with a tiny laugh, "I believe you're being summoned."

When Andrew Jones followed his daughter gaze towards the group of men, a smile came across his face while he nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"Why don't you go on over there?" she suggested. Andrew Jones raised an eyebrow at his daughter,

"You want me to leave you alone?" he asked in disbelief.

Catherine shrugged a shoulder, "You've got friends over there…besides I was going to get a drink anyways. I'll be alright by myself for a little while." She assured with a quick wink. Her father eyed her suspiciously before she turned on her heel and carefully made her way across the ballroom floor. After weaving her way through the groups of people in the room, she managed to find a server with a tray filled with Champaign glasses. As she took up a glass she offered a smile to the server before walking away. On her way back to her table, she was caught in her tracks as she heard the announcer make a new introduction. Curiosity got the better of her and she found herself turning to face the ballroom's open entrance way to see who had arrived.

"…Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer began, "…..may I present Lord Nelson Rathbone."

When the announcer politely stepped aside, Catherine's teal eyes landed on familiar looking black hair, handsome chiseled features, and incredibly dark eyes. As he stepped into the room, Lord Rathbone nodded politely to the staring crowd before he began making his way around the ballroom. And from the way his feet seemed to be walking, it looked like he was heading in Catherine's direction.