A/N: Sorry to have left everyone on the cliff like that! I hope this makes up for it. I worked as fast as I could to get it out quickly!

"Alice Kingsleigh. What a surprise to see you here," I heard from behind me.

I cringed at the voice and spun around. "Hamish!"

"I thought you didn't come around anymore," he said with that snobbish tone that always made me want to slap him.

"Oh I do. I just never attempt to see you," I spat at him. I was not in the mood for him. "Besides, I thought Mother said you were out of town."

"I was. I came back early and when my parents said they were coming here for a party, I wanted to join them."

"Yes, well, good for you. Now, if you'll excuse me –"

"What is that in your arms?"

"What is it? Hamish, it's a baby. My baby."

"What an odd color of eyes he has. They're the strangest color I've ever seen."

Just when I thought I could take no more of Hamish Ascot and his idiotic comments, Tarrant returned.

"Here you go, love," he said, holding the drinks. He turned and saw Hamish. "Good God, you must be Hamish."

"Why, yes, I am," he said, sounding oh-so proud that someone recognized him. "Lord Hamish Ascot." He smiled that ridiculous smirk of his and stuck out his hand. Tarrant ignored him.

"How did you know this was Hamish?" I asked.

"He just … looks like a Hamish," Hatter replied disgustedly. He turned from Hamish entirely and handed me my drink.

"Excuse me, sir. I've offered my hand to shake," Hamish said, obviously outraged at Tarrant's behavior.

"Yes, I noticed the offer. Perhaps you noticed that I didn't take it."

"How dare you!"

Just then, Tarrant's demeanor changed. He held the eye color change and accent at bay as best he could, but I knew trouble was brewing.

"Listen, Hamish. Where I come from, ladies are respected. And from what I hear, you never treated my wife with much respect."

"Your wife? Good gracious, Alice, you married this man?" Hamish sneered. "I don't know whether to be insulted or relieved."

"Tarrant, ignore him. Let's go find Charlotte and Mother."

"Those eyes! I understand now. He got them from his father."

I was afraid this was going to turn ugly and fast, when Tarrant spoke.

"I can see that you're upsetting my wife, Ass-cot, so I'm going to leave it at this. I might not look the same as you, but at least I have a wife. A beautiful wife and two amazing children with her. I used to be jealous that you got to propose to her first, but I'm not anymore. I can see why she ran away from you. And because she ran from you, she ran right to me. So, I guess I owe you a word of thanks. But you won't be getting that from me. Yeh don' deserve it."

The accent began to sneak out and we both knew it was time to go. Hamish would make such a scene if he saw Tarrant's eyes change color or heard his accent.

"Tarrant, I see Mother waving to us. Let's go," I said, forcefully dragging him away and completely ignoring Hamish.

"Alice, that man is absolutely horrible. How could anyone think he was a good match for you?"

"Shhh. My mother did at one point," I whispered before we reached her.

"Oh Alice!" she said with a look of worry on her face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think he would be here. He was supposed to be out of town. He looked so…"

"So very Hamish. Don't concern yourself about it, Mother. I'm determined to have a wonderful time despite him. I see Margaret is having a splendid time."

Mother smiled. "Yes, she is. It's been ages since I've seen her smile like that. I feel so terrible that I thought of such terrible husbands for the both of you. At least you got away from yours."

"Don't think on it now," I replied. "Margaret has found someone right for her as have I. Life is good."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Perhaps once the children are in bed, you and Tarrant can take a walk in the gardens. I think you could both use some fresh air."

"That sounds lovely," Tarrant said. "For now, though, I would like to dance with my wife."

He took off his hat and bowed to me. I couldn't help but giggle at him. Mother held her arms out for Will and Tarrant escorted me to the dance floor.

"You know, I don't think I've told you how beautiful you look tonight," Hatter whispered in my ear as we began to step and spin.

"Thank you. You look positively dashing," I replied.

"I'm sorry I got a bit snappish at Hamish," he said, putting a goofy tone to Hamish's name.

"Don't be. He deserved that and more. What a pig he is."

"Makes sense since ham is in his name."

I laughed so hard a few other couples shot me strange looks. I ignored them as usual. We continued to dance and I felt as though I was in heaven. Finally at one of my mother's parties and dancing the way I wanted to, with someone who loved me. It was perfect.

Right before bedtime, Tarrant danced two dances with Charlotte while I swayed with a very sleepy Will in my arms. I caught a glare or two from Hamish and couldn't bring myself to care. Life was good and he would certainly not ruin it.

Once the children were in bed, we went out into the gardens, like Mother suggested.

"These really are lovely gardens," Tarrant said as we strolled hand-in-hand. "Probably the closest I've seen to Underland."

"They are beautiful, but nothing can compare to the flowers in Mamoreal. It probably bothers you to be here because of it."

"Nothing could bother me here, Dearheart, as long as you are with me."

He stopped and placed a hand on my cheek. "The moonlight does you wonders, my sweetness." He put his other hand behind my head and pulled me in for a tender kiss. Eventually, as most of our kisses in private do, it turned a bit more passionate. I didn't mind as I thought we were alone.

"Good Lord! Are you going to defile your mother's gardens?" Hamish's snide voice said from behind Tarrant.

My husband spun around and held me protectively behind him. "'Amish, yeh'll want to get goin' now. I won' 'ave yeh speaking like that teh mah wife."

"Why are you speaking like that? I think you're even crazier than I originally figured! Alice, really. I cannot believe you chose this over me. This … this … I have no word for this."

I stepped out from behind Tarrant. "Are you really that blind or stupid or full of yourself? Perhaps all of them. Tarrant Hightopp is a wonderful man who treats me with love and respect. Is it my fault that someone has to be forced to even consider marriage with you? Really, Hamish, you should be pitied. What woman would want you?"

I heard Tarrant snicker next to me. I had a feeling this was going to be fun.

"How dare you speak to me that way?" Hamish said, turning a strange shade of red in his anger. "I am a Lord!"

"Aye, aye. So am I. I'll assume yeh have a point with tha'?"

"You? You're a Lord?"

"Aye. Only diff'rence is that I don' show it off to e'ryone I meet."

"So that makes you a Lady then, Alice?"

"Indeed. See, I didn't need your title."

"But let me tell yeh that she had the title afore she married me. She dinnae marry me for tha'"

"I'm sure she doesn't behave like a Lady, nonetheless," Hamish said coldly. "Not that it surprises me that this man lets you behave however you please. You need to be reigned in."

That's when Tarrant began to snap. I placed a hand on his arm to keep him from completely losing it.

"Hamish Ascot! Can I assume there's a reason you are troubling my daughter and son-in-law?" I heard my mother call.

"Mrs. Kingsleigh, these two were doing deplorable things in your gardens!"

"I find that hard to believe."

"Then would you believe that he allows her to speak however she wants?"

"You know Hamish, I'm starting to realize that it's a good thing."

"A good thing?" Hamish asked incredulously.

Tarrant's eyes began to change to yellow at that point and I knew we were reaching the point of no return. Mother noticed it to and while I'm sure she was slightly unnerved by it, she realized it was time for this too.

"Go for it," she whispered to Tarrant. He gave her a questioning glance and she nodded.

He smiled.

"'Amish, let me tell yeh what I thin' of yeh and yehr unbelievable ways Yeh don' respect women, so they don' respect yoo. Yeh treat 'em like objects and they hate yeh for it. Yeh're a pig o' a man and it's no wonder Alice ran away from yeh. Yeh've been raised teh be a sissy with yehr digestive problems and yehr thin skinned conduct. Mah wife was righ'. Yeh ough' teh be pitied. But yeh won' get any from me. I have no respect fer yehr type. Yeh've got a right silly name and yeh think yehr much more special than yeh actually are."

"I will not be spoken to like that!" Hamish asked.

His eyes began to head into orange. "I think yeh already 'ave been."

"What the hell is wrong with your eyes?"

"I think they're beautiful," I answered.

"You know, Alice, if this is what you've become, what you've lowered yourself to, then I certainly am glad you ran off. You're married to some sort of freak. I'm lucky to have avoided marriage with you, you mad woman!"

Tarrant's eyes were just a shade away from red at this point. It was a rarity that I saw him like that.

"Yeh'll not be calling me wife tha'. E'en if all th' best folk are mad."

"I'll call her exactly what she is. Completely mad!"

"I warned yeh…" Tarrant turned around and winked at me. Then spun right back around and punched Hamish right in the eye.

Mother and I both gasped as Hamish went down. And then I couldn't help but laugh.

"Tarrant! I can't believe you did that!" I said through my laughs.

"I'm sorry, cricket. Perhaps I shoulnae 'ave…"

"No, no! I'm tickled that you did it. Thrilled, even! He's been deserving that for some time now."

"Alice is right, Tarrant. And for how he was speaking to the two of you!" my mother said.

"'Course, now 'e'll be tellin' ev'ryone abou' this."

"Oh he will, you're right," Mother began. "But there are the three of us, and one of him. I'll vouch that it was self defense. And really, who will believe that someone's eye color will change or that they speak with a Scottish accent when they're angry? At least from this world," she said with a wink.

"Thank yeh," Tarrant said softly.

"You're very welcome, son."

Tarrant looked at her and his eyes flew from red to orange to yellow to a very bright green. "You're the best second mum I could ask for," he told her, accent gone now.

"Anything for the man who takes such wonderful care of my daughter. Now, let's wake up Hamish and get back to the party."

"Mother, how did you know to come out here?" I asked before trying to wake Hamish. I'll admit that I took particular enjoyment in slapping him back into consciousness.

"I thought I saw him heading this way and I had a feeling he would be trying to make trouble." She glanced to Hatter. "Tarrant, are you calmed down now? It won't do for him to wake and find you in that state again."

"No, I'm fine now. Feeling quite well actually," he said with a smirk that made me smile with pride.

Finally we got Hamish awake. We got him back to the house where he, of course, began raving about my lunatic husband. His father came up to me.

"Alice, I'm terribly sorry about Hamish. I fear he's had too much to drink. It's no excuse however for coming after your husband and making such … strange allegations. Lord Hightopp, I can see perfectly well that your eyes are not red and I doubt highly that you have a Scottish accent."

"No Lord Ascot, as you can hear, I certainly do not," Tarrant replied. I was impressed at the straight face he was keeping.

"Right then. Alice, again, very sorry. We're taking him home now to sleep this off. No hard feelings, I hope?"

"None," I told him. "Just see to it that this nonsense goes no further than here."

"Absolutely. Good night."

As the Ascots left, I felt so relieved. Now I could truly enjoy myself!

We spent some more time talking with Margaret and Brandon and I found that I liked him very much. He was friendly and funny and so right for my sister. He got along very well with the children for the few moments that he was with them and he and Tarrant had some very interesting conversations. I just adored the look on my sister's face when she was staring at him so lovingly. Things were finally right in her life.

Sooner than I had liked, it was time to wrap up the party. It felt as though Underland's Time was working against us here too. I made Margaret promise to tell me all about her evening after breakfast. It was good to be close sisters again.

I was so glad we came for the visit. Hamish got what was coming to him, my sister was away from Lowell and found a wonderful man, we were close again and I had a wonderful time at the party. And after all of that, I had never had such a calm feeling when returning to Underland.

End note: Man, it felt good to insult Hamish, the punch was just icing on the cake for me. So mean of me! ;-)