Two

Sara could feel the gaze on people’s faces. She even heard them asking each other who she was. She was going to lose it and bail on the ball.

      “Thank you all for attending this ball. It was a late invitation and I am grateful to all of you who made it. Without saying more, I would like to introduce you all to my niece, Sara Adams,” He spoke and brought her forward.

Sara was the eye of all the men present. They all wanted her, the left their gathering to have a spot on her dance card.

She smiled as she remembered those lessons Aunt Mary force her to take long ago and declined.

   “May I be excused, Aunt Mary?” She sought her aunt’s permission.

An older lady appeared before her and smiled widely.

    “You have not introduced us yet, Lady Mary,” The woman smiled.

“This is Sara Adams. My husband’s niece. Sara, greet the Duchess,” She spoke quickly.

Sara curtsied slightly.

   “Your grace, lovely to make your acquaintance,” Sara managed a smile.

The Duchess was impressed.

   “I never knew the Marquis had such a lovely niece. Did you arrive in London?” The duchess asked.

Sara turned to her aunt, watching her eyes to tell her if she was to talk more.

    “I have been here since I was six. I just turned eighteen, so my uncle thought it was right to introduce me,” She replied.

  The duchess smiled.

   “Well, that was a good choice. So Lady Mary, were you planning on hiding this beauty away from London?” She asked her Aunt.

Aunt Mary laughed.

 “Of course not, your grace. Her parents wanted her to be of age first and I was only keeping their wishes. As you know, both her parents are dead. We can only do our best and support her in every way we can,” Aunt Mary smiled.

Sara was disgusted by how easily her aunt could lie.

“You are a very interesting young lady and I am sure you will find your match very soon,” She held her hand and turned to make an announcement.

Sara left the room. She felt her skin trickle with deep disgust. She hated the city and wanted to live small, maybe in the countryside that was not filled with hypocrites and ignorant who only attended these parties to seek financial or title connection through the easiest way, Marriage.

She went downstairs to the garden. The only place she could have her private time. She lifted her gown and brought out the cigarettes she had snuck from her uncle’s study.

    “I don’t think a lady should be smoking. Especially not a well-bred one,” She heard a voice behind her. She was terrified and quickly smashed the cigarettes on the floor and got up.

William wondered who she was and why she would flaunt rules.

    “Why are you here? No one knows this place,” She panicked. “A woman should not be alone with a man unchaperoned,” She made an excuse to leave.

William smiled and blocked her path.

    “What do you want and who are you?” Her words came out disheveled.

No woman in London did not know William and there was no young lady who he wasn’t acquainted with, but he had no idea who this young woman was.

      “Please leave my path, immediately. I must not be seen with a man,” She yelled at the top of her voice.

   “Do you want to cause a scene? I can do that if you want. I have nothing to lose,” He held her face. “But you, young lady, have plenty to lose. How would you explain the cigarette smell?”

Sara pulled his hand away from her face. She was disgusted, maybe he was one of those men who dressed up fancy and came to a party to harass a woman. There were many of those in London.

      “I do not want to engage in a scuffle. Please let me pass,” She tried to speak as calmly as she could.

William was normally the type to see and ignore but he found her interesting. It was very irregular to find a young girl of her age smoking in London. Even if they did, it was not done so openly.

    “I will see you again some other time, Miss,” He bowed and left her.

Sara threw away the remaining cigarettes that were left and quickly returned inside.

      “I want to announce, that my son, the Duke of Mayfield will be finding a wife this season,” The duchess spoke and smiled as she heard the crowd murmur.

Every family wanted their da; acc; according; accordingd,ing to Wil,liam he only needed a pretty wife.

The duchess walked behind him.

  “Have you taken interest in that particular, young lady? She is Sara Adams, you remember your father and yours were good friends. You cannot take interest in her because she is just a child,” She told him.

      William watched Sara enter inside and take her place behind her uncle and aunt.

“She was six years old when her father died right, mother?” He asked.

She nodded.

  “According to my calculations, she is eighteen. Do you consider it as young? Mother, do not select a lady whose body is not good enough to bear me off-springs. I will talk to you later,” He smiled and left her.

The music began and William went to take Sara’s hand for the first dance. Sara watched him coming over to his side.

   “Please, do not do this,” She wanted to leave.

  “May I take this dnce?” ,He asked him.

“No, you may not. I have no interest in dancing with you. I am tired and I want to retire early,” She slapped his hand away and went upstairs.

Everyone present noticed what had just happened, he had been rejected. William did not expect her to embarrass him in front of the entire guests.

Sara ran to her room and locked the door behind him. She was gasping for air, she could not breathe. Staying inside without interactions with others was good for her, or so she thought.

     “Are you alright, miss Sara?” Rose rushed and loosened her tight gown.

She drank water and calmed down.

    “I do not know what just happened. I should not have left the way I did. Aunt Mary will kill me for leaving like that,” She was most worried about what her aunt would think. If she were to be kicked out, there was no other place she could go to.

Rose hugged her to calm her down.

    “It is fine. You are fine. Just take deep breaths and everything will be fine,” Rose repeated calmly.

William was ashamed. No woman dared to refuse him.

   “Do you care for a dance?” He asked Geraldine, one of the twins who was standing next to him.

Aunt Mary smiled contentedly, just dancing alone was proof that the duke was interested in one of her daughters. Their family never had a duke in their family, and Geraldine marrying the Duke was going to raise their family’s title and influence.

    “Miss Geraldine, right?” He asked.

 “Yes, your grace. I am delighted to be dancing with you,” She smiled, only increasing the disgust on William’s face.

William always tried to pull off a show, whenever one was needed. He was smiling and dancing, looking directly into his eyes and all he could think of was the little girl’s insolence.

    “So why are you in town, Your Grace?” She asked him.

Geraldine did not want to be boring, she had other plans. The duke was going to be the perfect match for her cousin.

    “I came to find a wife. I believe it is time I sired heirs that will take over from me after I am gone,” He replied.

     Geraldine smiled.

 “So what are you looking for? Any prospect?” She asked him.

Sara had finally come downstairs, after the long persuasion of her maids. Immediately he saw her, she left Geraldine.

A familiar face walked towards her. She was already, drunk. To muster the courage to come downstairs, she had to take a few shots of the whisky she had in her room—another prize possession of her uncle.

       “Sarah,” The man walked towards her.

“Stevie…” She could not believe her eyes.