1,119Chapter One
1876, England
Briswood Manor
Lord Theodore James Fallows II leaned back on his leather chair, grateful for the comfortable silence after having coldly dismissed his granddaughter's string of suitors. The aspirant young bachelors were coming more often—and in more numbers—lately for his granddaughter's hand in marriage, and it only added to the miseries of an old man who wanted nothing but peace in his final days. He had once considered hiring hounds to ward off fortune hunters conspiring for their hefty title but was heavily dissuaded by his little jewel: who preferred to be very courteous in refusing proposals—too courteous, in fact, for his taste. But he grudgingly obliged to have it her way.
In the silence of his office, the Earl of Briswood picked up a letter lying on his table. It had been delivered late that morning when he didn't have time to read as he was too irritated by the hopeless serenading of a suitor. Seeing the neat script at the back of the letter instantly made him forget of the whole afternoon ordeal. With a chuckle, he opened the letter of a dear old friend.
As he read, a spark ignited in the pale blue orbs of his eyes and without wasting another minute, began writing a reply to a marvelous plan.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Harlington Estate
Lady Alexandria Nicolette Knightly Cradwell laughed heartily, making her look younger than her seventy-some years. It alarmed some of the servants who were doing their morning cleaning in the parlor where the Duchess took her daily letters with tea.
Struggling to keep her amusement to herself, Alexandria gestured for someone to deliver her freshly written letter back to the Earl. It's been so long since something interesting happened to their dreadfully dull lives, but now they finally have something in their hands to devote their long hours to—just as it had been back in the good old days.
"Are you alright, my lady?" A concerned maid courteously inquired.
The Duchess of Norton laughed all the more then replied with much cheer. "Of course, dear girl, I've never been better!" With that, she took the rest of the day laughing at regular intervals.
A/N: Okay, this is incredibly short, but this will be the last chapter with such a short span of words (promise!) Thank you for the helpful reviews. Hopefully you'll continue in your support for the sake of this insecure's writer esteem! Even one worded reviews will be helpful, thank you very much. (FYI, the Duke will come into the picture soon!)
-Lenah C.