"What the hell happened to your bike?!" "Nothing. I'll get it fixed next week," Edwina had just come in through the front door while I exited my little hole of a room. My precious little sister had an eager look on her face. Uh oh.

"Guess what?!" "Please don't tell me," I flashed her a playful smile, holding my bedroom door open for me. Edwina rushed inside, grabbing my hand to pull me in along the way. She made me sit down on the bed beside her, giving me the most cunning of smiles. That sinking feeling gnawed harder and harder in the pit of my stomach. "What?" I asked with more than a hint of hesitation.

She shrieked a little, clutching my hands tightly in hers. "We're going to a ball!" "A ball?" "At Buckingham Palace!" "Oh dear lord…." My eyes trailed off to the side in disgust. I HATED things like these. I was an Oxford girl; libraries and museums were my type of things. Not galas and dances and clubs. And I know that sounds like your typical "I'm not like other girls" rhetoric that you'd see online, but I don't care. I did NOT like balls of any kind, and this was no exception. Edwina, on the other hand…

"Isn't it great?! It's this Saturday so what have some time to go dress-shopping and get our hair and makeup done." "Uh, you do. I'm not going." "Oh, yes you are. I've already gotten us tickets," she said, and I blinked at her astonished. "You have? How much did those cost?!" "Don't worry about it. It'll be worth it; think of it as an investment into our future." I have never facepalmed so hard in my life, feeling the colour drain from my cheeks. "Edwina, I love you more than air, but would you STOP spending all of my tuition?! I have to write them a cheque this fall!"

"Pfft, you'll have plenty of money by then. Oh, I haven't told you the best part!" "The tickets are refundable?" "No! Anthony will be there!" "Anthony? Your fiancé, Anthony?" She squealed again animatedly. "Yes! We're finally going to meet him! It'll have to look like a chance encounter for my followers; a meet-cute situation." "There's nothing "cute" about this," my head leaned forward to rest in both my palms totally exasperated.

Edwina gave me a light slap on the back. "Cheer up, sis. I know these sorts of things aren't your cup of tea, but your sister's marrying a billionaire. Can't you try to act a little interested in my life, at least while we're out in public?" "Edwina, I am very interested in your life. It's the rest of the scenario I could care less about." "Kate…." She begged but I threw up my arms, having enough of this nonsense finally. I'll move to London for the summer, I'll stay in this tiny room, and I'll support Edwina in her relationship, but I put my foot down at attending mindless balls with a bunch of strangers. No, thank you; I was too old for these sorts of parties, and had no desire to open up that chapter of my life. Edwina watched as I fervently shook my head.

"No way, Edwina; I'm not going. I'll meet Anthony later; somewhere private, where we can really talk. Besides, you don't want me there; I'll just embarrass you with my lack of small-talk and bad dancing skills. You don't want me to go- trust me." "But I do! Anthony needs to see that I come from a good family and we fully support each other!" Her hands took hold of mine again, making me roll my eyes. "Wouldn't he believe that, seeing as I moved from Vienna to be here in London with you?" "No, I mean in-person! Come on, Kate; this is really important to me. I want you to be there when I meet him; I want to get your approval right away." "You already have my approval, Edwina. All I ask is that he treats you right, remember?"

She hesitated a little, lowering her eyes slightly. "Yeah….. But I'd still like you to meet him. Please, Kate; do this for me. I really, REALLY want you there; I'd feel so much better if you are." After looking at her for a long minute, I let out a frustrated sigh, slinking my shoulders in defeat. "You really want me to come?" "Yes! And if you do, I won't ask you to go to another ball again, just this one." "You promise?" My eyebrow raised. She nodded resolutely. "Promise!"

I let out the world's longest, most unimpressed sigh. "Fine…" "Yay!" Edwina threw her arms around me in a fit of joy. I grinned, hugging her back. "You're lucky I'm such a good sister." "And you're lucky I'm about to become very rich very soon. Can you imagine, me, a Viscountess?" Drawing back, she placed the back of her right hand over her forehead in a dramatic fashion. "It's supposed to look like a love match, remember? Try to at least surprised when you meet him." "Oh, I will! If he looks half as good in real life as he does in his pictures, I'll be swooning for sure. He's tall, very pale, and has lovely brown hair." "Mmmmmmm, well if he's anything like the other Chelsea men I've seen, you won't be disappointed."

Edwina giggled, leaning back and using her arms to prop her up in a casual, happy manner. "I don't mean the old rich geezers we've seen strolling around Hyde Park. Anthony is one of those rare, wealthy, young people you barely see out in nature; heh, here meaning among us plebians." And I smiled back at her keenly. "Believe me, I've seen all sorts since we got here. If he's half as handsome as a particular stranger I'm thinking of…

You'll certainly be a lucky woman indeed, Edwina."