Alice and Lowell were debating which was better: red wine or white, with the crowd of the party all around them in the Ascots' courtyard. Lord Ascot was kind enough to allow Helen to hold Alice's party at their manor. It was larger than the Kinglsey's courtyard and was fenced in by the forest, which gave the illusion of having more privacy.

Small talk wasn't really Alice's thing, but what else was there to talk about with Lowell? Sure, he was a nice and sincere man now, but they had nothing in common, except for the fact that they knew the same people. And Alice wasn't one to gossip like the "Lady Tweedles", as she like to call the Chataway sisters. Or, now she did, that she remembered Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

Which was amazing, by the way! How could she miss a place so much that she had forgotten about for three years? And she was only there for a few days! She desperately wanted to see Hatter again; he was her truest friend.

"Which is healthier, do you know?" Lowell's question brought Alice back to her surroundings.

"Red, I believe," she answered. "But are we discussing whether the taste is better or the health of the drink?"

"Good point. . . To be honest, I think white tastes better."

"Me, too." Oh, goodie. We like the same wine.

Lowell smiled and Alice had to smile back. He thought the conversation was pointless, too!

Alice got a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Hamish grinning, her own smile falling off her face. "Hello, Hamish."

"Hello, Alice. It really is a fine day, isn't it?" Instead of waiting for an answer, Hamish took her arm and linked it with his. "Care to walk with me?"

She was opening her mouth to respond when Lowell interrupted. "Er, Hamish? We were actually discussing something fairly important. Do you mind?" Worry was clear on his face. He knew that Alice didn't care for Hamish. Heck, everyone knew she didn't care for Hamish! She had rejected his request to marry him in front of a crowd of people, right after Alice had returned from Wonderland with all her much-ness.

"Nonsense, Lowell. No need to discuss anything fairly important at a party! Alice's return is definitely something to celebrate, don't you think so?" And with that, Hamish lad Alice away from a sorry-looking Lowell.

They had gone a good distance when Alice pulled away from Hamish, finding it amusing that she was stronger than him, although his hold had been rather tight.

"Do you need something, Hamish? Because I'm suddenly thirsty. Parched, really." She moved to get a drink from a table nearby and narrowed her eyes when she heard Hamish follow along behind her.

"You're not like other women."

Alice spun around. "Pardon?"

Hamish gave her a sad smile, which surprised Alice. He had always seemed so plain to her. Boring. And now here he was, with a clear expression on his not-so-pretty face. "You're different from the other ladies. I'm not one to boast, but," he puffed up his chest. Clearly, he had boasted before. "I am a Lord. I don't know women so well, but I know many who would do a terrible thing or two to get their hands on one. On me. A Lord, I mean."

Alice said nothing.

"And here I am, and there you are, with a declined proposal between us. Why is that, Alice?"

Alice took a deep breath. "You're not right for me, Hamish."

Hamish actually stomped his foot. "Why not?"

She ignored his question. "You said it yourself. There are plenty of other women who would love to have you as their husband. I'm simply not one of them. Okay? So just. . . let it go." She looked at him with hard eyes.

"I just cannot understand you, Alice! Why are you fighting so hard?"

"There's not much to it, Hamish! Are you trying to humiliate yourself? You are not right for me, and I am not right for you."

"So who is, then? Huh?" Hamish's eyes flashed. "If it's not me, then who is the right man for you?"

Alice leaned forward. "That is none of your business."

Alice and Hamish just stood there for a moment or two, glaring at each other. Then Hamish blinked and backed away. "Right." He sighed. "Not my business." Shaking his head, he turned and walked away. What a stupid man.

Alice tried to get herself together. She didn't want to look like an angry brat at her own party. Hamish forgotten, she searched for Margaret and when she found her by a statue of a famous ancestor of the Ascots', she started toward her and greeted her warmly.

"Alice! Are you enjoying the party?"

"Oh, yes. It's lovely. And much better than the last one thrown for me." She smiled coyly.

Margaret gave a little laugh. "So you've forgiven us for that one, have you?"

"I believe it's time to." Now she was really smiling. This isn't turning into the disaster I thought it would. I just need to talk to the right people and stay in the right areas.

"Good!" Her smile faltered and she lowered her voice. "I saw you, er, speaking, with Hamish. Is everything alright?"

She hadn't thought about that. How many people saw us 'speaking'? Wait. Did she care? Alice's in-your-head voice laughed. No. She didn't. "Everything's fine. Hamish was just being his normal pig-headed self."

Margaret snorted. "Shocker."

A friend of Margaret's came and whispered something in her ear. Margaret listened intently, frowning at first. Then she gasped and smiled. "No!" She laughed and looked at Alice. "I'm afraid I must go now, Alice. Do enjoy your party!" Margaret patted Alice's arm before taking off with her friend.

Alice smiled a farewell. She turned around and started walking aimlessly.

It was then that she realized what was happening to her. Again. When Alice walked by a group of women, they'd glance over, see she was coming, and get out of Alice's way. Once she had passed, the whispering would begin. And as predicted, it did.

There were many dancers twirling about, and many men were searching the crowds, looking for a gal to ask to dance. Alice saw one man's gaze catch hers and his mouth opened and closed like a fish's as his eyes widened and looked for someone else.

Alice sighed. She was growing tired of the Avoid Alice game. She had ruined her own reputation that day, up on the gazebo, but she didn't care. Alice was different than the others, just as Hamish had said. She rarely wore her hair up anymore and never dressed with corsets or stockings. They were dreadful! And it wasn't just her appearance that was different. Alice's confidence was so strong that people seemed to feel when she entered a room. She didn't let anyone walk over her anymore. Alice had her much-ness back and wasn't hiding it.

She just couldn't kid herself anymore. Exploring the world as a business man's apprentice had been fun. Thrilling, even. But when it came to reality: where she lived, how she lived, whom she lived with, Alice just didn't belong.

I belong in Underland. . .

The thought crossed her mind fortuitously. But as random as that thought had been, it had promise. Why shouldn't she leave and go to Wonderland? Stay in Wonderland?

She looked around herself. She saw Margaret at the refreshments' table, laughing with friends. Lowell was walking towards her, his wife, with a smile on his face and an admiring look in his eyes. Lord Ascot was talking with Helen at the front of the party with wine glasses. They saw Alice looking their way and waved. Alice waved back.

If I leave them all now, I'll leave them all happy. And besides them, who would miss her? The Chataway Sisters? Alice snorted.

She turned around and having made her decision, was heading for the forest behind her with the hidden magic within it. She was going home.