I do apologise for the cliffhanger, heh. Not that I'll stop with those sorts of things. Anyway, here's the next chapter. This one is mostly dialogue. And I hope the bit with them all talking at once actually makes sense who is saying what. If you can't, I apologise in advance.

Alice had expected Francis to fire her after her revelation. If not that, then, at least, send her back to her menial labour. Neither of these options was undertaken, however. Instead, Francis chose to tell her that he would try his best to capture her attention more than her fiancé and kept her by his side.

The only difference was the constant barrage of questions about who her fiancé was. She, of course, refused to tell him. He refused to give in. Alice was sure he was suspicious about her sudden mention of a love interest in her life besides him. Not that she would call her "fiancé" her "love interest".

A week after Valentine's Day, Alice got up and, once again, was intercepted by Antonio as she headed for her breakfast. "Lo siento, Alice," he said. "There is a visitor in the drawing room with Francis. They want to see you.

"'They'?" she asked, confused. "Who's 'they'?"

"Ah, I think you shall find out soon, senorita…"

Alice frowned and followed him. She had a bad feeling about this…

They entered Francis' chambers and Alice immediately knew her bad feeling had been right. There were three men in the room that she immediately recognised – and she wished she didn't.

Firstly, the footman, who was blonde, a strand of hair sticking up in a curl. His violet eyes behind his spectacles were bright even if his expression was one of regret when he saw her. Next was the butler, a man with black hair and dark eyes, his expression unreadable – Alice never knew what he was thinking. Finally, sitting in a chair opposite Francis was a man with blonde hair, a cowlick sticking up. His blue eyes blazed with the same intensity as Francis and he was grinning at her as she appeared.

"A-Alfred!" exclaimed Alice. "What are you doing here?!"

"Alice!" shouted Alfred, jumping up. "You're here! Yay!"

Alice stayed where she was and scowled at him. "You never answered the question, idiot!"

"Ah, I'm here to see you, of course!"

"'See me'?" Alice said in disbelief. "Do you mean 'save me'? Because I don't need saving!"

Alfred laughed loudly at her statement. "HAHAHA! You're very funny, Alice! No, I came here 'cause I've heard that your family have raised enough funds to recover your stuff!"

"Stuff?" asked Antonio who had followed Alice in.

"Yeah! Her parents' mansion and lands and servants and stuff!" exclaimed Alfred.

"Alfred!" Alice cried out.

"Mansion?!" exclaimed Gilbert from across the room. Alice hadn't even realised he was there. She glanced at him, glaring. Gilbert just stared back, a confused look on his face.

"Yeah!" exclaimed Alfred. "Anyway, Alice, I need to ask you something!"

"Huh?" asked Alice who had been purposely avoiding trying to see Francis' reaction. "What is it now?!"

Alfred grinned and dropped down on one knee. "I know the last engagement was cancelled – but will you marry me now?"

Alice gaped at the man on the floor who was still grinning confidently at her. Her face turned red. "Wh-What are you saying?!"

"Well, it's not like my family can make any objections on the subject of status, now, can they?!" said Alfred excitedly, standing up and taking Alice's hands in his. Alice tried to pull away but he was holding on tightly and was a lot stronger than her.

She heard someone clear their throat and she glanced over. Francis had risen from his chair and was making his way towards them. "Excusez-moi, Monsieur Jones. What is going on 'ere? I was under ze impression zat Alice already has a fiancé. Also, what are you meaning with zis talk of mansions and land?"

Alice looked away, guilty, staring into space. She glanced at the two servants Alfred had brought with him. Matthew, the footman, was looking at her apologetically. Kiku, the butler, on the other hand, was watching the scene with a blank expression.

"Huh? What're you talkin' 'bout? Alice is a noble just like you and me! Her family lost a lot of their money and were being stripped of their titles and land. So they've all pitched in to make money in order to buy the stuff back. 'Course, they've pretty much got enough now, or so I heard!"

"She is a noble?!" exclaimed Francis, surprised. His face turned red as if he was embarrassed about something – perhaps the fact that Alice now knew his secrets from the servants' point of view.

"Er, yes," said Alfred, simply. "And, as for the fiancé thing… I wonder if she means me…"

Alice glanced at Alfred who was watching her. She glanced away again, staring at the clock. Dammit! He wasn't supposed to find out!

"Yes, she means me!" Alfred confirmed with a grin.

"Zen… why are you asking her to marry you?"

"Ah," said Alfred, grimacing. "My parents called off the engagement after finding out about their downfall from nobility. But I want to put engagement back on the table! And I can be a hero, too!"

"Hero?!" asked Alice with a grimace, knowing what was coming.

"Yeah, I get to save you from working here and the awful experience of being a servant!"

Alice glanced around the room, at the people who actually were servants and were in the majority. "Alfred, stop being so tactless! And I don't need saved. As you say, my family has enough money. They will send me a letter once they have reacquired our mansion and then I will be going home. And you know I can't agree to marriage without my parents' permission!"

"Ah, so you were being forced, mon cher?" said Francis, who now looked alarmed.

"Forced?" Alice said, confused.

"Oui. To marry 'im. And, as such, I shall be ze one to save you from 'im!"

Alfred pouted. "But I'm not forcing her! It's my parents. Besides, I really do like her, too. I want to marry her. And you want to marry me, too, right, Alice?"

"Well…"

"Non! I will not allow it! I love her, too! I will not back down from zis!"

"Hey, hang on-"

"Ha, no way am I going to leave her here with you!" exclaimed Alfred, looking determined. "You're the bad guy in this situation and I'll definitely save Alice!"

"Oh, come on-"

"Je l'aime!" snapped Francis. "So why would I be the 'bad guy'? Ze villain in this piece is obviously you, trying to take her away with you!"

"Could you please-?"

"I'm not trying to take her away! She doesn't need to if she doesn't want to! But I doubt she loves you, anyway!" said Alfred, his arms folded.

"Well, he's got that ri-"

"Zat is not the issue 'ere!" exclaimed Francis, angrily. "Ze issue is zat you seem to zink zat I will give up on 'er easily! I'll never give up on 'er!"

Alice blushed. "Hey, don't say thing-"

"Well, I won't give up, either! I'll win her over by saving her, just like all those princesses in stories – because she's my princess!"

Alice's blush spread. "Hey, stop doing-"

"Well, zen, I suggest you leave, as I will be the one to win!"

"Would you two-"

"Win?" said Alfred before pausing to think. "That's it! We'll have a contest to see who will win over Alice's affections! The first one to do that will win!"

"Hey, now, wait a min-"

"A contest… What would zat entail?"

"Not you, t-"

"Well, we do things for Alice which we think she'll like and then… Well, she'll have to judge…"

"Stop!" exclaimed Alice, intent on continuing but, once again, she was interrupted.

"Zis certainly sounds interesting… I shall take you up on zis…" Francis held out his hand to Alfred, to seal the deal.

"Now-"

"AHAHAHA! This'll be fun!" exclaimed Alfred as he took the Frenchman's hand and shook it heartily. "Now, I'm hungry! Let's have breakfast!"

Kiku suddenly stepped forward looking alarmed. Alice hoped he was going to say something about the contest. "Alfred-sama, you ate before you left. How can you be hungry again?"

"I just am – AHAHAHAHA!"

"Very well. Please, step zis way."

Antonio opened the door for Francis and Alfred, Kiku following his master. "I hope there are burgers!" exclaimed Alfred as they stepped through. "I love burgers!" Then the door closed behind them and they were gone.

Alice gaped after them. How could they do that?! I was right here! And they ignored me! Those bastards! I'll-

"Kesesese! You look down, Alice!"

Alice spun round to see that Gilbert and Matthew were still in the room. With everything that had happened, she had forgotten they were there. "Tsk! Shut up, Gilbert!" she said, irritably. "And, Matthew, shouldn't you be with Alfred?"

"E-Eh?!" exclaimed Matthew. "Désolé! I-I'll go down right now!" He hurried past Alice, looking troubled. At the door he paused and turned to her. "I really am sorry for my Master's actions…" He grimaced apologetically before opening the door and slipping out of it.

"Kesese!" said Gilbert. Alice glared at him in response. "I vould love to help you, 'cher', but… I can't really force my awesome master to stop, ja?"

Alice glared at him for a moment before realising something. Both of the men had seemed jealous of the other's affections. Perhaps she could use this to her advantage…

"Oh, really?" said Alice, a dangerous smile on her face. "You would love to help me?"

"Er… Ja?" said Gilbert, suddenly looking worried.

"Well, I have just the thing you can help me with, my lovely gardener…" She grinned at him more and Gilbert gulped.

I hope you like who Alice's fiancé is. ;) Aren't I just a horrible person. (Please don't start arguing about which pairing is better. I really don't care too much about them to argue back...)

And, another slight cliffhanger. You'll just have to wait to see what horrible task Alice forces on Gil. Poor Gil! And poor Matthew, too, for both of them were forgotten about! (So was Alice, but she prefers it that way, anyway, at this point...)

And so I leave you with this: La vie est en désordre. L'amour est plus désordonné. :)