Love at first sight!
"Frannie tell me! Do I look pretty in this dress?"
" Very adorable Meredith"
"Frannie will you help me with the bow?"
"Sure Susan, give me the brush honey." Fran turns to the little girl and ties the bow in her hair. The mother of the two girls enters the room. She wears a very elegant gown.
"Miss Fine are the girls ready? The guests will be here any minute!"
"Yes of course Mrs. Kent" Fran takes the girls by the hand and heads downstairs with them where everything is set for the party.
Since a month now 19 year old Fran Fine works as an Au pair girl for the Kent family in London. She just graduated from High School and she had been overjoyed when she was offered the job. This way she has the opportunity to discover a new country and earn some money at the same time.
The Kent family is also an absolute godsend. From the first momen they got along very well and even after this short period of time Fran feels already like part of the family. The two girls adore and love Fran and follow her wherever she goes. Mrs. Kent is satisfied she found a reliable girl. She often admires Fran's patient handling with the girls.
For tonight Mr. and Mrs. Kent invited some friends to a soiree. Fran feels still a little uncomfortable in the higher society. She grew up in very loving but humble family in Queens and this world was completely new to her. She sits down with the children a little bit apart from the happening and observes the arriving guests. Some brought their children with them. They join Fran and the girls.
As Fran looks around again her eyes catches a family who just arrived and are about to greet the Kents. The couple looks terribly elegant, but also a little stiff and aloof. Three young adults follow them. The young lady is very graceful and seems to know exactly how to behave at such an event. The one young man seems very youthful and looks rather bored. Fran's gaze drifts to the older one and she freezes. There stands the man of her dreams: tall charming dark hair. Her heart races and she feels a heat that spreads through her entire body. He radiates sovereignty and a seriousness but yet he has a loving little smile. This is exactly how Fran always imagined a true gentleman.
Maxwell Sheffield sighs secretly as he and his family are greeted by the Kent couple. He doesn't like these kinds of evenings at all. But he keeps up his facade. He knows what is expected of him. He glances around the room, always the same boring faces.
Then he hears some joyful children's laughter from a table further away. Several children are gathered around a young girl. He can't see much of her, only her mighty dark long curly hair. Then she looks briefly in his direction. He sees a beautiful face with wonderful dark eyes. When she notices his gaze she quickly turns away.
Throughout the rest of the evening he keeps looking at her direction. He is fascinated by her. In addition he is touched by her loving interaction with the children. She is so much different than the other young ladies in the room. She has a soul and a liveliness. A few hours later all the children got picked up and Fran just put Meredith and Susan to bed. She searches everywhere for Mrs. Kent to say good night. Suddenly she steps on the hem of her dress and threatens to fall down when two arms rescue her safely.
"Thank you so much..."
Fran stares into her rescuer's face and blushes. Right there standing in front of her is the gentleman. She can't talk furthermore. Maxwell is captured by her eyes and freezes unable to react. He can't say anything, can't move. They just stand there looking at each other. Both are hit with full force by Cupid's arrow.