Chapter 5

"Isabella, Alessandra, we are

nearly there," Alessandra's father said to his wife and daughter.

They were nearing the estate they expected to be guests in over the

following three weeks.

Alessandra had

experienced so much excitement in previous days, she hadn't thought

she could become any more anxious. When she heard her father

explain how close they were to the man who might become her

husband, she felt a new level of nerves appear. Inside of her was

so much self-doubt about what the young man would think of her,

that she hadn't given any thought to whether she would like him.

She hoped that he wasn't expecting someone beautiful or pretty.

They were expectations that, in her mind, would most certainly

result in his disappointment when he saw her.

"Look, Alessandra," she heard

her mother say.

They both looked over the land

to see the large home that looked as though it was getting closer.

Alessandra was in awe, never having seen a home quite so big. The

front fa?ade alone looked like it would be four times the size of

the small home she had grown up in. She found herself wondering how

she would ever be able to find her way around it.

When they finally arrived

in front of the manor house, they were greeted by strangers that

none of them had ever laid eyes on. Fortunately, with there being

only three family members on the doorstep of the home, it was easy

to identify who was who.

The first

person Alessandra noticed was the young man. At first sight, she

didn't see any handsomeness at all. In fact, there was something

about him that was very unattractive . That

contributed to Alessandra's heart sinking. At that moment, she

realised she'd been assuming he would be the most handsome man she

would have ever seen - perhaps even more handsome than Tom

Missinger. The year before, Tom had indeed swept her heart away

with his good looks.

Catching her

mind wandering, s he cursed

herself inwardly for being so silly. She only had a moment to think

such thoughts before Edward's parents were moving forward toward

her own. They both held out their hands, and gave a customary kiss

on each cheek.

"And here is our son,

Edward," Edward heard his mother say, breaking him out of his

thoughts. He'd been looking at the young woman who was intended to

be his wife. On seeing her, he instantly had similar thoughts about

her as she'd just had about him.

At the prompting from his

parents, he stepped forward and greeted Alessandra's mother and

father. He then moved right up to Alessandra, gently took her hand,

and raised it to his lips.

Alessandra was

momentarily stunned before remembering her manners and giving a

small curtsey to Edward and his parents. They took some time for

introductions and friendly greetings, all the while subtly looking

at each other and assessing each other. Soon they were all ushered

inside the great home, and Alessandra and her parents were shown to

their rooms.

Inside the bedchamber

that would be hers for the following three weeks, Alessandra sat on

the bed and looked around before going to stand at the window. As

she looked out, she felt her breath catch as she realised she was

facing a view more beautiful than she had ever seen. For as far as

she could see lay different shades of green, orange, red and

yellow, over flat land and a tall hill. From her angle, the hill

looked like it might almost reach the sky.

After she'd stood like

that for a time, taking in the land's beauty, she heard a light

knocking at her door. When she opened it, she saw an older woman

deliver her a friendly smile.

"Miss, the mistress has asked

me to invite you down to the drawing room, where the family is

assembling before their evening meal. Is there any way I can be of

assistance to you?"

Alessandra was taken

aback, wondering if there was something she was supposed to be

doing, or to have done. She was pleased when the woman in front of

her looked at her kindly, and then spoke again.

"The

family is relaxed this evening," she

said. "You will fit right in."

"Thank you," Alessandra

said, smiling. "I would appreciate if you could show me the

way."

Walking into the drawing

room, Alessandra felt a new set of nerves begin. This time, it

wasn't because of Edward but, rather, the uncertainty of how she

was supposed to act in the great house, with such grand people. She

desperately tried to remember all the rules of etiquette she had

been taught growing up. She wanted so much to not put her parents

to shame.

She was still deep in

thought when she realised Edward was in front of her, saying

something. She looked at him, flustered at not having been giving

him her attention.

"Oh, I am so sorry," she

stammered. "What were you saying?"

She could feel herself falling

deep into blush, knowing her face would become deep red in her

flustered state.

"Would you like to sit

with me?" Edward asked, finding her blush in one way endearing, but

also a little uncomfortable.

"Yes," Alessandra

stammered again, feeling like she had been reduced to mumbling at a

level that he probably wouldn't even understand. She felt the blush

grow deeper and deeper. Despite her discomfort increasing, she

pushed herself to follow him and sit down near him.

Edward looked at her,

remembering his mother's words from the night before, about making

a young lady try and feel at ease. He was uncertain what was the

best way to approach the young woman in front of him, given that

she was looking so terrified.

On the other side of the

room, the two of them could both see their parents talking amongst

themselves. Now and then, one or more of them would glance at

Edward and Alessandra. They seemed to be talking about them. That

realisation compounded the distress Alessandra felt even

more.

Edward was dumbfounded

about what he should do. Should he keep trying to talk to her, to

draw her out and relax her, or would that make her feel even more

uncomfortable? Would it be better to not speak, and let her have

more time to relax instead?

Alessandra could not

raise her eyes to look at the man she was intended to marry. It had

all seemed so easy, and even a little bit romantic, when she'd

thought about it in her mind. Being in his presence, she couldn't

summon even the smallest amount of confidence in herself. She heard

Edward try to ask questions about her, and show an interest in her.

Alessandra found herself answering automatically, but without

thinking enough to provide any additional information to her

answers.

Soon, dinner was

announced, and both young people were relieved. They would be

separated as both families gathered around the dining table and

everyone talked together.

It wasn't an easy evening

for anyone. When Alessandra retired that night, she was overwhelmed

with emotion. She wasn't unhappy to be in the grand home, but she

did feel like she'd let her mother down by not being anywhere near

as eloquent as she'd been taught to be.

In another part of the

house, Edward also was thinking about the evening, and the young

woman who could become his wife. He knew he wasn't a handsome man,

but the way she hadn't wanted to talk to him made him feel even

more unattractive and unwanted. In his heart, he knew the most

important thing was that he wanted to make his mother happy. If the

marriage was what she felt was best for him, he would do his best

to make it work.