Chapter 4, and I am just letting you go and read! Go! Btw, I read through it and fixed some mistakes but if I missed some, don't judge me!

Following Hamish's instructions Alice and Hatter ended up in front of two large double doors. Behind them, if Alice strained her ears enough to hear, she could hear the soft murmuring of voices behind the wood, but most of them she couldn't recognize.

"Alice?" Hatter asked and she fought not to turn. She was still angry at him, unbelievably angry. "I'm-"

Suddenly the doors were thrown open and a familiar gray haired man was standing in the doorway.

"Alice?" He asked, skeptically.

Alice smiled. "Lord Ascot, I hope I'm not too late for the meeting…"

"Oh no, Alice no." Lord Ascot said and he broke out into an even bigger grin. "In fact, we're still waiting for someone else." He walk towards her and pulled her into a tight hug before he whispered in her ear. "I thought you'd disappeared off the face of the earth, you know."

Alice's smile faltered and she was glad her employer wasn't there to see it, but something told her Hatter had. "I would have to, to miss this meeting."

Lord Ascot pulled back and smiled at her, a warm fatherly smile. "I'm so glad. Now, come along we have much business to discuss." He started walking away when he noticed that there was someone standing next to Alice. "A friend of yours, Alice?"

"Yes sir," Alice replied, taking a step towards Hatter, biting away her anger. "This is my dear friend Tarrant Hightopp; he's visiting me from-"

"Umbridge," Tarrant put in happily, and at this point Alice wanted to strangle him. Why, why had she told them that story one morning over breakfast, Nicholas hadn't let her live it down for weeks when she'd told him on the boat so why had she thought any differently of her friends in Underland. They would love to joke about it with her, but this was not the right time to joke about a place that didn't even exist.

"Umbridge?" Lord Ascot repeated, obviously skeptical and before Alice could try to tell him how Umbridge was….well she didn't even know where she what she was going to tell him, Hatter was already speaking.

"Yes, sir. Umbridge. It's a town very far away from here. This is actually my first time in London and Alice has told me quite a lot about her job so I asked her if I might accompany her to her next business meeting." He gave Alice a soft smile. "Isn't that right, Alice?"

"Uh, yes right." Alice said, shooting Lord Ascot an apologetic glance.

"Very well," He agreed, taking a step back and allowing both to stroll in through the double doors. As Alice passed, he held out as hand to stop her and whisper in her ear. "Where exactly is this town of Umbridge?"

"Scotland." Alice said with a mischievous grin, and the answer seemed to satisfy him enough for him to refrain from asking anymore questions.

. . .

"So," A man with dirty blonde hair and a thick mustache said, leaning towards Alice on a cane a few feet away. "Tell me, Alice. How did you get interested in shipping and trading?"

Alice looked down at her hands. Over all months she's been working with her father's original legacy, this was the hardest question to answer. So, she used the answer she told everyone that was true too. "It was my father's dream to trade with the world, so I'm trying to help realize it, in his memory." Why she never said was that she loved to travel and shared her father's dream. If she told them that, they'd think she was careless and silly, just another frivolous woman with a dream.

"Hmmm," The man replied, as if he were breathing in her answer.

There were six men inside the room where Alice was now. Two of them being Lord Ascot and Hatter, the rest were utterly new faces towards Alice, and not al of them friendly. First there was Mr. Evergreen. He was a nice enough man, with a receding hairline that was nearly black and dark hazel eyes. His build wasn't lean, and he was dressed in gray clothes, looking like he enjoyed nothing else but blending inn wit h the surroundings.

Next was Mr. Dickens, who didn't seem to speak much on any subject. He just seemed to nod and agree with everything else anybody said, his brown eyes never leaving anything but the floor and his blonde curls flopping into his face in an unkempt fashion. And then Mr. Jackson, whom was the man she was talking to. Of all of them, she didn't like him the most. He had short brow hair and bitter blue eyes with a short beard.

And lastly was Mr. Bitters, who ironically enough wasn't bitter at all. When they walked in he stood and gave Alice a sunny smile, gesturing for her to sit next to him and starting a conversation about how nice it was for him to finally meet her.

"Oh, don't taunt the girl, Jackson." Bitters chided, rolling his eyes at the man whom was still staring at Alice with a hard expression. "We should all be so lucky as to have her leading are trading roots around the world, wouldn't you agree Dickens? Evergreen?"

"Of course," Evergreen replied and Dickens just gave them a quick nod.

"Mr. Bitters is right," Lord Ascot agreed. "Alice has proved herself time and time again a valuable asset on out journeys and I'm sure I speak for us all when I say I can't wait to see what other joys she may bring us."

"True," Another voice spoke, from outside the room and everyone turned to the door to see someone standing there, the light behind him casting his face in shadow, but his stance was casual and strong. "But, I believe to side with Mr. Jackson, here. Who knows what Miss. Kingsley may do in the future or what her actions may cause our business?"

"What are you talking about?" Ascot asked, standing up. "Alice Kingsley has done nothing but the best for this company in her short apprentice ship with us, and what proof do you have to say other wise?"

"The proof," The stranger said his voice dark and cold. "Is in an asylum on Jefferson Street."

Everyone stopped then, people becoming quiet as Alice let the words sink into her mind. Jefferson Street was an out of way place, where the only thing on it was an asylum. But why would this man bring t up now? What reason of poof against her best wishes and good work ethic for the company?

"Sir," Hatter sad in a clam tone, and Alice felt herself wince. If he did what he'd done to Hamish, there was no way on earth she would still be working with Lord Ascot. "I don't understand what you're implying. Do enlighten me."

Alice blinked. Hatter had never said anything like that, where had he learned to do it? He spoke just like…well any of the other five men the room, not counting the stranger in the doorway.

"Of course you wouldn't." the man sneered. "But, allow me to explain. That girl," He pointed to Alice. "Is what you want to trust our company with? Her aunt is in the loony bin, and her own mother is in a coma. Who knows what may happen to her if we let her stay in charge."

"I'm not in charge," Alice retorted, but Lord Ascot shook his head.

"Why not come in here then, Doyle?" Lord Ascot asked, in a weary tone. "If you're so dead set against letting us decide for ourselves if Alice Kingsley is a good apprentice and a trustworthy individual."

"Gladly," Mr. Doyle said and took a step into the room and Alice nearly screamed.

Standing a few feet away from her was a stranger with dark black hair. His skin was pale and he had bright green eyes, though Alice could only see one because the other one was hidden by his dark locks. His eyes found Alice's in an instant and a soft and evil smile stretched out onto his lips.

"Alice," Lord Ascot told her, but his voice sounded far away. "This is one of our partners, Nigel Doyle."

Dun, dun, dun. Good news, we found Stayne. Bad news, he's a partner for Alice's trading company. What a twist? Is it a god one? Are you excited? Please tell me! And review!