This short story is a bit longer than my usual ones. But to take away events of the story to make it shorter, would take the integrity and true power of this story. Please read it careful and you wont regret it, this story means alot to me...it took me 6 months to write it, because I wanted it to be just right. thank you.
London, England
May 1785,
Standing alone on the Stanhope terrace, Lady Georgia Kent watched, as the first ball of the season was in full swing.
This was her coming out season, but Georgia was in no way enjoying herself. Her sister Lana and their cousin Bethany were the obvious belles of the ball. Both being considered fair beauties of the classical sense; having their considerable share of attentive beaux.
Forever being compared to her sister and cousin, with heir fair beauty and slender form, Georgia felt out of place, not feeling dainty by no means.
Georgia possessed an exotic beauty; dark curly chestnut hair with a hint of fire in those locks. She is petite in height, and too well-endowed for her liking. Many men preferred the fragile slenderness of the under-fed. Georgia is voluptuous without being plump. To her, she has very few saving graces; her honey-hued complexion and her midnight violet eyes, which she inherited all from her father.
Though Georgia was Lana's junior by two years, she felt awkward and unsophisticated compared to her sister. Oftentimes, when Lana was entertaining a suitor in the drawing room, she would feign any reason to send Georgia on an errand of some sort. It felt as though Lana was ashamed of her. The suitor would stare at Georgia in an odd sort of way. Almost as though his throat was parched as she walked by, Lana would hiss at her to leave.
So lost in her own thoughts, Georgia had the distinct feeling that she was being watched. she looked up from her wringing hands to stare into the most glorious grey eyes she's ever seen. Silver grey eyes gore into her violet ones with such intensity, that she looked away or risk being scorched in the process.
"Good evening my Lady Georgia, may I introduce myself?" The Dark stranger asked, but she had the impression that he usually did as he pleased anyway.
"H...how did you know my name, my lord?" Georgia stammered.
"I inquired of our hostess of the ball, who the intriguing woman with the violet eyes was" The stranger announced with amusement.
"But, why? Why would you want to know my name?"
"Can you not guess, my lady?"
"Please my lord, do not speak in such riddles. Who are you?"
"Forgive my lapse in manners. I am Lord Devon, Duke of Withermoor, at your service my lady".
"I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Your Grace." Georgia gave him her hand. A tingling sensation crept up her arm, as his lips gently touched her fingers. To Georgia's mortification, she blushed a bright red.
"It is very rare indeed, to see a natural blush on a woman. You are quite refreshing." Normally Devon was a man of few words, but this voluptuous little woman had him acting like a boy still in leading strings.
"I...I am pleased to meet you, but I must return inside. For my lady mother will be most concerned of my whereabouts. I am sure we will meet again. Good eve my lord." After a quick but graceful curtsy of respect to Lord Devon, Georgia then glides across the terrace, through the french doors, disappearing inside.
"Aye my beauty, we will meet again...soon".
* * *
"Georgia, where have you been , my darling?" Her mother, Lady Sophia asked with concern. Meanwhile, smiling with pride at her eldest daughter, surrounded by prospective suitors. Lady Sophia loves Georgia, but with her eldest daughter's pale beauty, her chances of landing a wealthy son-in-law are greater than with Georgia. Her younger daughter was pretty in an exotic sort of way, but not in the classical sense, as her sister Lana.
"I needed some fresh air, this ballroom is filled to the rafters, and the perfumes are becoming cloying."
"Are you not enjoying yourself? Your sister seems unaware of anyone else but her beaux. You would do well to do as your sister does so naturally, and surround yourself with potential suitors. Although you do not possess the classical beauty as your sister, you are pretty enough to land yourself at least an Earl's second son." Lady Sophia stated, unaware of how the words annoyed her daughter at the comparison of Lana and Georgia.
Georgia knew that her mother meant no harm, but her words stung nonetheless. Another reminder how effortlessly her sister attracted most of the men in the room. Even though most of them are fops and dandies, hoping to land the very marriageable daughter of the powerful Earl of Kent.
"Mother, what can you tell me about the Duke of Withermoor? He insisted on introducing himself to me, earlier in the evening."
"What did you say? The Duke of Withermoor? He has introduced himself to you, did he mention wanting to court Lana? This is most unusual, but he is rumored to be even richer than the King. Well child, what did he say to you?" Her mother finally stopped for air, long enough for Georgia to answer her questions. She tried to keep the amusement from her eyes as she watched her mother's face turning different shades, in her earnestness to know what the Duke wanted.
"When I was on the terrace, his Grace introduced himself to me. He already knew my name, he stated that he asked Lady Stanhope who I was. He looked at me intensely, though I cannot fathom why. what do you think this means, mother?"
Lady Sophia sat silently assessing her daughter for the first time. She was so engrossed most of the time with her other daughter Lana, that she missed how her daughter, Georgia, has really grown up. She felt a twinge of guilt. Georgia was the spitting image of her husband's mother, the legendary beauty of her time. Lady Sophia realized how much her youngest daughter resembled her paternal grandmother Eliza. She also possessed her uncanny intelligence as well. Could it be that the Duke of Withermoor has taken a fancy to her Georgia? Lady Sophia looked at Georgia with new eyes, of course it is possible that his Grace prefers her violet eyed daughter. This matter bears more thinking...
"He is one of the most sought-after bachelors in Christiandom." Her father startled her mother from her thoughts.
"Hello my princess. Are you enjoying yourself?" Lord Garrett of Kent smiled fondly at his beloved daughter. In his heart, she was his most precious child, reminding him of his mother, who he still dotes upon.
"Hello father. Aye, I am enjoying myself well enough. The architecture is splendid. I would simply love a tour one of these days. The statues in the gardens are divinely magnificent!" Georgia exclaimed excitedly. Her eyes sparkling with vitality and keen intelligence.
Lord Garrett laughed down at his daughter's upturned young face with delight. This girl has the wit of his mother, and her vibrancy as well. Though, most of all, she sees beauty around her instead of what she is wearing, or how to attract a man. His lovely daughter is refreshing without any artifice whatsoever.
"What is so amusing father?" His wife and daughter looked at him with confusion.
"Unlike your sister, you are totally unaware of yourself Georgia. Methinks you have attracted the attention of the very unattainable Duke of Withermoor. Lord Stanhope has discreetly told me of how he has been questioned by his Grace about you. Be careful of him, Georgia. He is honorable but he is somber and his said to be able to seduce a woman by his very essence. He possesses a magnetism that most women find alluring, but no one has ever been able to win his heart. He lost his wife and their infant along with her, in a carriage accident. He is a hard man, Georgia, for some reason, he is seeking you out. He does not give up until he retrieves what he desires." Her father left them to speak to his friend, Lord Stanhope.
"I have never seen father look so solemn before. How does he know so much about Lord Devon?" Georgia was beginning to feel a tingling sensation creeping up her back.
Georgia watches as a shadow passed across her mother's lovely face as she begins to speak. " Your father was the one that discovered his wife's body along with their son. Both fatally wounded on their way home from London. Your father was the one who had to break to news to his Grace."
* * *
Across the aristocratic-filled ball room, Lana was trying her best to attract the Duke of Withermoor's attention. She blatantly ignored the swains around her. Lana was on the prowl for a wealthy husband and she chose Lord Devon. Lifting her chin with arrogance, Lana muses that a handsome husband doesn’t hurt either. She was so sure of her beauty, that she thought, all she had to do was flirt with him thus casting him a come-hither look.
Lord Devon glanced briefly at the pale debutante who tried in vain to catch his eye. It took everything not to roll his eyes heavenward at this obvious ploy. He was on a direct mission to seek out a lovely pair of violet eyes that has haunted his thoughts, ever since he saw her standing on the terrace, seeming so woebegone.
Finally, he spotted her amongst her parents and Lady Derby. He made his way across the crowded ballroom floor, ignoring all women's stares that were forever following his every move.
For a moment, Lana thought The Duke was heading her way, so she smiled smugly. Though, to her horror, he bypassed her and went straight towards her father. Oh well, must be business she thought. I will be somewhat patient, she thought. Though, to her astonishment, his Grace was bowing over the hand of her plain-Jane sister Georgia. "I cant believe it. Why would he be interested in Georgia instead of me?" A genuine frown creased her light brow.
"May I have the honor of this dance, fair lady?" The Duke asked politely but his stance demanded no denial of his request. Standing still, his silver eyes boldly held Lady Georgia's violet ones.
