Too Gracious to Reject

Prologue

June, 1814

He was in love. Jack Charters, the Earl himself, would never forget this date. It was the first day of June and for him it was the beginning of an eternity. He knew the minute he saw her that she would be his wife. Soon after that, he had started planning the names of their children.

He knew that not knowing the mother's name was a hindrance, but he would amend that right away.

Or maybe in a few minutes for The Woman of his dreams, that is what he was going to refer to her from now on, was surrounded by two other ladies and another one was just joining the assembly.

Okay so he could wait a little. After all, The Woman would be his for eternity and so what were a few minutes?

Minutes turned to hours and hours into days and she was always surrounded by a flock of ladies. It is not as if he was afraid of them. He even knew two of them, by name at least, but he just kept picturing their first meeting and it definitely didn't include three additional sets of eyes staring at them.

He would wait and maybe get to know a little about her first. Maybe then he would devise a plan to accidently, purposefully run into her on Oxford Street.

Renditia was having a marvellous summer. The season was extremely entertaining especially with the company of her best friends; she knew calling them that was an eccentric idea amongst their ton but they've known each other since their adolescence and these ladies were her salient companions and the reason for her sanity in an unfair world.

Renditia was seated in her mother's rose salon passing time until one of the girls passed by and she was sure they would, as they did every other day; one of them would decide that she was too bored and would pass by the others, pick them up and head to Oxford Street.

Her mind was rushing with all the ideas of how lonely she was, yet how grateful for having those ladies in her life. She remembered all those times they stood by her side especially when her father passed away and she was barely sixteen. The memories were like dim shadows looming in her mind. The fever, the hallucinations, the hate, the regret and then submission to death were all part of her previous life and the ladies along with her mother, made her life worth continuing.

She almost always became extremely morose during June because she knew it was when her father caught the fever which later on led to his demise.

Renditia had to get out of the room and do something. It did her no good to sit around and reminisce; she was going to take the initiative today. She would pass by Prudence first and then Ophelia and Elizabeth, and she did just that.

The minute Elizabeth came into the carriage and noticed that it was Renditia's, she knew that something was amiss especially since it is never her who initiates an outing.

"How was your day my dear? Is everything alright?" Elizabeth asked Renditia while looking at both Prudence and Ophelia's faces for some answers.

"Yes, all is wonderful. I just needed to get out of the house and thought maybe you would like to visit some shops on Oxford Street with me and I was right wasn't I?" Renditia said with all the positive attitude she could muster but the girls of course knew something was wrong and had a very good idea of what might cause those unshed tears in her eyes.

None of them, however, wanted to say anything and provoke those tears and so they moved to lighter subjects like the next ball and the season's gossip.

Jack wasn't eager to visit the tailor for the third time that week but he has been coerced to doing just that since his own tailor had decided to retire and he was left with no options but to find a new one. He hated nothing more than to go to Oxford Street and into those shops. It was just too ladylike, and he'd rather spend his time in White's or going over the household accounts.

He was wrong. There was nothing more beautiful than him being on that street at that exact moment. The Woman was there, albeit surrounded with the flock again but she was there looking as perfect as could be.

He would do it, he thought to himself. Today would be the day that he would go up to her and introduce himself. He knew enough about her by now to; recite her family's history and know that she is neither engaged nor had a male prospect in the horizon. He will do it.

He half galloped over to their side of the street and just before he reached their side pretended to be busy talking to his valet.

"Lady Silliner," Jack said thankfully remembering that one of them was the Earl of Silliner's daughter.

"Lord Charters," Prudence said cautiously. She was sure that was his name, yet she wouldn't bet her life on it since she had only met the man twice before and she was also vaguely curious as to why he was still lurking around them as if waiting for something.

Prudence saw the way he was staring at the face to her left and her question was answered. She hastily introduced him to the ladies keeping Renditia till the end so he would grab the opportunity if he so wished and undoubtedly he did.

"How do you do Lady Grisley?"

"How do you do?" Renditia became very uncomfortable under the constant stare of the earl and began to nudge Ophelia to interfere. Ophelia of course chose to ignore her friend's plea for help and instead turned to Elizabeth and launched a conversation about the hat that was on display in the shop next to them and even Prudence became interested in that hat and joined their little conversation. That left Renditia staring back at Lord Charters.

Two minutes passed and then Renditia being who she was said, "Are you going to say something my lord?" She tried to sound as polite as possible but wasn't sure she achieved the feat.

"Uhhh, mmmm, well yes of course. I... well. I do believe I shall see you at the next ball. Have a good day." Lord Charters excused himself and left the flock the same way he met them, surprised and curious.

"Well, ummm, that was peculiar," Elizabeth announced trying to imitate the Earl's voice.

The girls laughed and Prudence couldn't but comment with, "Well I shall be darned if he wasn't so infatuated with you," and looked at Renditia.

Renditia was still looking at that silly hat in the shop window trying to know why the girls were previously obsessed by it and so didn't notice that Prudence was talking to her. The minute she did, however, she answered with, "Oh no!"

(I hope you like the prologue of my story. I am really excited about writing it though I haven't written the first chapter, so any suggestions?)