Chapter 1

Elizabeth Davenport stared at the gilded vanity mirror in front of her blankly as her chambermaid, Lucille, ran a golden backed brush through her wavy golden hair. Her friend, Chantal Duquesne was chatting away but Elizabeth paid no attention to her. She was only thinking of him.

William Carstairs.

She was thinking about how his pale blue eyes would shine everytime he looked at her. She was thinking about how his jet black hair looked so silvery in the moonlight. She was thinking about-

'Elizabeth Davenport!' Chantal exclaimed. ' Are you even listening to me?' She sounded annoyed that Elizabeth didn't listen to her ten minute tiring ranting, whatever it was about.

' Sorry, Chantal. I blanked out,' Elizabeth apologised but no sooner were those words out of her mouth, Chantal had started to talk again. Now, Elizabeth tried to pick up the gist of the gossip, in case Chantal caught her not listening again. Apparently, this time, it was about how hideous and positively scandalous Lady Malfrey's dress looked last night.

' Shall I help you into your dress now, miss?' Lucille asked, bowing slightly.

' No, it's all right. I'll do it myself,' Elizabeth replied, already moving towards her dress draped on her bed. ' You may go.' Chantal was now moving on to a new topic, about how boring tonight's ball would be.

Elizabeth pretended to listen and offered short responses when needed when actually she was admiring her dress.

The dress was made of a silky ivory material ; colour was considered inappropriate for ball's like these. It boasted Elizabeth's slender figure and the skirt flowed into a full and elegant skirt that swept the floor. She slipped into the dress slowly, careful not to ruin her blonde hair arranged in a sophisticated chignon and adorned with small pearls that Lucille had spent four hours to perfect.

' And I said to her, I thought I saw you wear that dress twice last week,' Chantal continued, breaking through Elizabeth's thoughts. ' And that girl slapped me! The nerve of her! Can you believe it, Lizzie?'

Elizabeth sighed. ' Yes, I can actually,' she muttered under her breath.

The door to her colossal room opened and her mother, looking somewhat younger than ever, strode in with the air of a woman used to attention. ' Are you decent, girls?' Lady Davenport asked.

Elizabeth picked up her fan from the bed and linked her arm with Chantal, who had finally stopped talking.

' Yes, we are,' she replied and walked out of the room.

' And you know what she told everyone at Ascots?' Chantal continued, apparently not done with her story. ' She told everyone that I was the one who broke the Duchess's favourite vase! How ridiculous is that?'

Elizabeth paused. ' But it was you who broke the vase?'

Chantal stopped too but waved a dismissive a hand. 'Yes, but you're missing the point, Lizzie, darling.'

' What is your point then?'

' I haven't made one yet but I'm not finished yet.' Chantal continued to talk again and Elizabeth suppressed an exasperated sigh. She had a feeling that this was going to be a long night.




' And did you see how she just sauntered past us?' Chantal whispered from behind her diamond studded stiff chiffon fan. ' Who does she think she is?'

Elizabeth nodded absently and stared at the big double doors. It has been opening and closing and countless numbers of guests have been pouring in but she couldn't see the one she was expecting. Taking a long swig from her drink, Elizabeth felt suddenly awake.

Because she just spotted a certain someone walk in. A certain someone with tousled black hair.

' Will's here,' Chantal said, sounding surprised.

Elizabeth simply nodded, not knowing what to say.

' I suppose you're going to go know,' Chantal stated dryly. ' Fine, go. I'll go see if Will's grandfather is around for a dance.'

Elizabeth laughed and got up from the stuffed chaise longue, nervously fixing her hair. Chantal was already off, taking two more glasses as she passed by the waiters. Then, Elizabeth realised that a strand of hair had escaped from her chignon. Quickly, she tried to put it back in place when a warm and strong hand stopped her. Her heart started doubling their pace.

' You look nice already,' he whispered.

Elizabeth turned around and tried to control the flush of heat coloring her cheeks. ' William.'

He regarded her curiously for a moment and stroked her cheeks. ' I missed that,' he said, staring straight at her with those sharp, incisive pale blue eyes.

Quickly, Elizabeth took his hand and led him towards the dance floor, aware of her parents' watching eyes. ' Why, I'd love to dance.'

' Pardon?' he asked her, looking very confused.

' Our parents are watching,' she whispered and understanding dawned over his face.

' How was France?' she asked him as they twirled about the room.

' France was...France.'

She narrowed her eyes at him and asked,' Comment étaient les femmes de la France ?'

He laughed. ' The women of France? Tous très beaux et sophistiqués.'

Elizabeth gasped and immediately wrenched her hand away from his but his grip was strong around her. She looked away from him and focused on staring at the wall opposite her.

' Come on, Miss Davenport,' he teased her, pulling her slightly towards him but she kept looking away. ' Est-ce que vous êtes jaloux?'

' No,' she snapped at him indignantly.

He stared at her for a long time and Elizabeth began to feel uneasy. ' Come on,' he said suddenly and pulled her towards the balcony by the French double doors. She had to run a little to keep up with him as he pulled her along.

Outside, the night air was cool and smelled of roses and fresh grasses. Elizabeth felt warm despite the cool air. Turning around to face William, she glared at him.

' Why am I here?' she asked him, crossing her arms on her chest.

He suddenly looked uncomfortable and ran a hand through his black hair, now shining familiarly in the moonlight. Elizabeth knew the gesture too well; it meant that he was nervous about something.

' I wasn't sure if I wanted to ask you this tonight,' he began, his voice losing their usual confidence.

' Ask me what?' Elizabeth asked him slowly, but her heart was already beating fast.

He rummaged in the pocket of his black waistcoat and pulled out a small blue box. Slowly, he knelt down on one knee and placed the now opened box on his palm, holding it out to her.

Elizabeth heard a gasp escape her own lips but she was barely aware of anything. Her head suddenly felt light and dizzy. Dizzy with happiness.

' Will you marry me, Elizabeth Davenport?' William whispered and Elizabeth simply nodded, speechless. He smiled, a bright smile that showed his emotions right now. Slowly, he slid the diamond encrusted ring onto her fourth finger and-

A loud commotion could be heard from inside the ballroom. Elizabeth looked up, annoyed that her romantic moment by the moonlight was ruined but William apparently felt differently. On his face was an expression of shock followed by fury.

' I have to go now. I'll see you tomorrow,' he suddenly said, his voice seething with anger.

' Will! Wait! Where are you going?' Elizabeth demanded and grabbed his arm. Was he going to go in there?

' I have to...go help them in there,' he replied, staring straight at the ballroom. Roughly, he shrugged off her arm and walked in briskly.

Hurt, Elizabeth tried to make light of the situation. ' Well, come back here,' she said, faking happiness. William stopped right in his tracks as he heard her and immediately turned around, heading straight for her.

' I need you to go away from here. Go back to your house,' he ordered her in a low voice. The loud commotion in the ballroom was becoming louder and nearer.

'What-'

He tore something from his neck. ' And take this,' he continued placing something cold and heavy onto her palm. With that, he walked out, leaving her cold and alone on the balcony.

Elizabeth had no idea what just happened. One minute, William was the familiar and happy Will. The next, he was a furious and foreign Will.

' And what is this?' she whispered and looked at the necklace in her hands. She was about to inspect it when everything suddenly went black.




Elizabeth Davenport slowly opened her eyes. As soon as she opened them, she closed her eyes again because the sun was as bright as...well, the sun. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she stood up slowly and almost stumbled on the hem of her dress.

Well, what looked like her dress at least.

The silk ivory material was streaked with soot and dirt, ripped in some parts and strands of her golden hair had escaped from their bun. The double strand of pearls that hung from her neck was still there, also caked with dirt and soot.

Dazed and disoriented, Elizabeth looked up and saw a completely unfamiliar sight. Large coloured metal boxes in different shapes zoomed past her, blowing dust into her eyes. Many people passed her, all staring at her oddly. Their clothes were different and...well...inappropriate. Their clothes exposed their skin and some wore very tight clothes, so tight that her old fashioned mother would faint if she saw it.

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth crossed the road to many honking noises. Some even shouted at her, yelling at her to get off the road. Quickly, she ran across and tried to look for shelter when she saw someone familiar.

William.

The very William Carstairs walking towards her right now.

' Will?' she whispered and he stopped in his tracks. His clothes were odd too, a multicoloured shirt and a pair of blue pants. ' Will!' she yelled louder now and ran towards him. Once she was close enough, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

Something didn't seem right to Elizabeth when William didn't hug her back or even show any reaction. Slowly, she looked up and stared at him.

His pale blue eyes were staring straight at her but something she didn't like was in his eyes. Hate. Pure undisguised hate.

' Will!' someone else yelled and Elizabeth looked behind him to see a very beautiful girl with long wavy red hair running towards him. Elizabeth felt as if she had been doused with cold water when the girl hugged him tightly and he actually hugged her back. Her heart felt as if they splintered spears were stuck into them. That's how painful it felt.

The girl released him finally and looked at Elizabeth, her hazel eyes sharp and incisive like Will's. ' Who is this?' she finally asked him. ' Do you know her?'

There was a momentary pause. Then, with eyes cold as ice, he said slowly,' No. I don't.'

Elizabeth stared at him, feeling as if she was slapped. ' Will, don't you remember me?'

' You know him?' the girl asked, looking interested.

' No, she doesn't,' William cut in, his voice sharp like razors.

The girl looked at him strangely for a while and then as of deciding something finally, she stuck a hand out and said,' I'm Heather. You are?'

Composing herself quickly, Elizabeth took her hand and said,' Lady Elizabeth Davenport.' Primly, she curtseyed. Heather looked bewildered for a while and suddenly released her hand from Elizabeth's as if if was covered with sharp spines. Understanding dawned on her face.

Glancing up at William, a knowing smile started to form on Heather's face. ' And here I thought we were the only ones with secrets.'

Another look of anger and hate crossed William's face and he fixed Heather with a burning glare. They glared at each other for a while, apparently conversing silently, until Heather finally looked away.

' Elizabeth, would you like to come to our house?'



Elizabeth stared at Heather and William sitting across her, her eyes wide.

' I don't think I possess any special abilities...to do things,' she said slowly, wondering if they were sane.

' I shook hands with you just now,' Heather explained,' an I swear, it was like you were killing me!'

William said nothing and stood up abruptly, walking out of the room.

' Will!' Heather yelled suddenly.

' What?' came his reply. Elizabeth felt a familiar tug in her heart at the sound of his voice but an image of the hate and anger on his face earlier banished all loving thoughts.

' I need you to touch Elizabeth,' Heather said when he walked back into the spacious room.

Silence followed her words before a string of harsh words- in Elizabeth's opinion- poured out of his mouth.

' Just shake hands with her,' Heather simply said. ' If you die then we'll know for sure if Elizabeth is like us.'

' She isn't like us,' he growled under his breath.

Sighing, Heather rolled her eyes at Elizabeth and pulled William towards her. ' Now, shake hands,' she ordered.

' Heather..' he groaned. Elizabeth said nothing because her heart was already beating hard, a normal reaction everytime Will was near her. Huffing, he took her hand in his and immediately released it, shaking it as if the touch burnt his hand.

'Well..' Heather murmured, pursing her lips.

' Well, what?' William asked, sounding annoyed.

' She is one of us,' she replied.