Being new in town Alice had been subjected to quite a few introductory dinners in the past fer nights she'd been in Lindebo. She'd met the Honorable John Doyle, she'd met a few prominent merchants, a general in the army and a few heiresses. Everyone was buzzing about a ball that was to be held at the Lindebo theatre and was supposed to be magnificent. When she'd arrived people had also been buzzing about a murder that had taken place in town square but people seemed more excited about it than frightened.

Alice had awoken that morning at the crack of dawn with a burst of energy in her. Her mourning period was finally complete so she'd put on a pretty white dress with a yellow sash around the waist. After grabbing a hat she'd dashed down the stairs (no one had been watching) and found one of the lower ranking butlers, Shames, to accompany her to the park. He gave her a begrudging smile which was met with a sunny one by Alice, choosing not to notice that he probably would've liked to have slept a few more hours.

It was a very beautiful day outside. There were a few wisps of white cotton clouds spread throughout the sky that cast surreal, dreamlike shadows over the monsterous hedges and the smooth brick path. Alice walked at a leisurely pace towards the great pond at the center of the park. She let out a sigh at the sight of picturesque body of water before her. THe sky was reflected in the pond as if it was a mirror. She took a seat on the bench and pulled out a small book by Jane Austen. She was a few pages in when she turned to see Shames standing a few feet behind her rather awkwardly.

"Shames...feel free to sit," she said timidly.

"No Miss Alexander...It's just...erm..."

"Shames, it's really quite alright...what is it?" she asked sweetly.

"Might I leave you for a moment to releive myself,"

Alice's face turned a slight shade of pink, "Oh! Of course, don't hesitate to ask in the future Shames," she said quickly as he trotted off.

She was about to return to the book when she saw a water drop land on it. She looked up and saw that the wisps of cotton seemed to have turned into unattractive grey blobs. It only took one crack of thunder and Alice jumped up to walk over to a tree, book held over her head. She'd just wait until Shames got back and then they'd go home.

The day had started out very sunny and pleasurable indeed. Jack had woken promptly at 11, just as he had planned. (Exactly two hours after his regiment was to start a bit of 'training'.) That whole marching at one solid tempo, and lugging around those heavy rifles was not for him. No, not at all. With a large yawn, Jack blinked at his bedroom window and smiled sleepily. Today had promise, no doubt about it.

He rose slowly, and got to cleaning himself up, before dawning his usual apparel. A soldier's uniform, mostly deep blue, with his white shirt underneath. Jack's military hat needed a bit of dusting, since he insisted that the thing made him look utterly rediculous, but after a most unpleasant conversation with his superior, Jack learned just why the hate was essential. He placed it upon his head, and gave himself a handsome smiel in the nearest mirror. (There had to be about 3 in his bedroom alone).

Padding slowly down the stairs, Jack gave a nod to the wife of the family he was staying with, tilting his hand to her, then stepped right out the door, ignoring her calls to have a bit of late morning tea. As he stepped out into the street, Jack offered a pair of women a 'look' and a tilt of his hat, and carried on his merry way towards the park; one of his very favorite places to spend him 'Jack' time.

The pond was beautiful at any time of day, and Jack had a knack for finding the beautiful things around Lindebo. It was when he saw a young girl yards from him, that he felt a cool drop of water hit his hand. With a puzzled sort of look up at the once merry sky, Jack realized that it had begun to rain. His lips twitched in distaste, as he stepped hastily towards whatever shelter he could find. To his delight, the same girl he had seen moments before was currently seeking shelter on the other side.

Shyly (for once) he peeked around the trunk of the tree, just to get a glimpse of her. What a girl she was.. Jack felt his stomach drop. He saw the wisps of blonde blowing out from under hat, and her delicate bone-structure. His lips parted involuntarily as he stupidly stepped forth. "E-excellent day to get stuck in the rain," He said softly, coming to stand nearly in front of her, tipping his hat, as he found her eyes. Large, blue, and even more beautiful than that pond he loved so very much. With a little smile, and the tilt of hat, Jack knew that this afternoon was far from over.

Alice glanced up through the branches of the tree and listened as the rain fall noticably increased. She decided to take the book off her head. It made her look quite foolish and it was a shame to ruin a good book when it really did no good in keeping her dry. The rain was starting to seep through her dress and her hair was very quickly going to be soaking wet. She'd always loved the rain but had never got caught in it. She leaned against the tree and was almost entirely resigned to letting the rain fall down without any effort to stop it when she felt a presence behind her.

Her eyes widened and she made a very adamant decision not to turn and look at whoever was behind her. It was right back to the childhood theory that if she didn't look at something it wouldn't exist.

"E-excellent day to get stuck in the rain,"

Alice jumped, which really was more of a twitch, when he spoke. Somehow she'd been expecting an old frightening man with a jagged dagger in his hands and fowl teeth. Well...This man certainly didn't have a dagger and there didn't seem to be anything fowl about him. Forgetting her manners completely she scanned his face before glancing back up to meet his eyes. It was then that her body somehow reminded itself of the situation and brought a whisper of a blush to her face.

"Oh...Erm..." she said uneasily, desparately wishing she could have half of the charisma and presence that he did, "Hello...I mean...erm...Yes it is..." she said with a small smile. Realizing how close they were, her blush deepened but somehow she couldn't make herself step away.

"Um..Alice..." she said awkwardly. SHe'd never really had to actually introduce herself to someone. Generally someone did it for her.

Jack subconsciously realized how close he'd gotten to her, and stepped to the side slightly so she wouldn't feel cornered. If she had been anyone else, by now, he might have stolen a kiss, or a simple touch of the hand.. which scared him a little bit. The rain continued to fall, and Jack slowly removed his hat, and held it under his arm. He didn't necessarily care that his beloved hair was slowly getting wetter and wetter.

"Um..Alice..."

Shifting from foot to foot, Jack spoke, "Well, yes it is raining. But I'm sure I've never heard the weather referred to as 'Alice' before I had the pleasure today." Jack knew the statement was.. a bit too playful for the likes of such a stunning girl he'd just met moments ago. Dropping his suave little swagger, and confident smile, Jack held out his hand to her, "You have a lovely name, miss. Unfortunately, mine is not so beautiful, but it will have to do. Jack Bristol at your service, madam."

Eyeing her again, Jack grimaced slightly. She looked absolutely soaking, not to mention freezing aswell. "Are you cold?" He asked her, already knowing the answer. Why did he ask such a rediculously obvious question? Simply to hear her speak.

"Well, yes it is raining. But I'm sure I've never heard the weather referred to as 'Alice' before I had the pleasure today."

Alice was about to start profusely apologizing before she realized he wasn't serious.

"Oh...No...I mean," she said before it dawned on her, "Sir, are you teasing me?" she asked in a half annoyed half amused voice. She was doing her very best to look annoyed and uninterested but was failing miserably.

"You have a lovely name, miss. Unfortunately, mine is not so beautiful, but it will have to do. Jack Bristol at your service, madam."

Judging by his attire he was in the military. Somehow she'd never expected a soldier to be half as handsome as Mr. Bristol. She blushed when he said her name was beautiful, this of course meant that the look of agitation was erased from her face.

"Well, it's lovely to make your acquaintance," she said for some reason giggling a bit. She averted her eyes mostly because of the absurdity of the situation.

"Are you cold?"

"Ye-No Mr. Bristol I am not, I am perfectly comfortable," she said, wrapping her arms around her body to keep from shaking. She glanced at him from under eyeslashes that had been darkened from being wet, "Thank you for asking Mr. Bristol," she said in an uncommonly sweet and genuine way.

"Oh...No...I mean," she said before it dawned on her, "Sir, are you teasing me?"

Jack's face suddenly took on an immediate and pretend look of absolute shock. "I would never dream of it, Miss Alice!" He assured her, a hand over his heart as he fought off a smile.

"Well, it's lovely to make your acquaintance,"

"Yes, indeed it is. You shall have to forgive me, I am no good in serious situations. Goodness," He suddenly looked up, as though in thought, and plucked a leaf off of the tree they were standing under, "That must make me an atrocious soldier." This time, his smile broke loose, and happened to turn out quite handsomely.

"Ye-No Mr. Bristol I am not, I am perfectly comfortable," she said, wrapping her arms around her body to keep from shaking. She glanced at him from under eyeslashes that had been darkened from being wet, "Thank you for asking Mr. Bristol," she said in an uncommonly sweet and genuine way.

"If it is not too bold to say, Miss, you look absolutely freezing. What honor would I be doing myself by letting such a girl freeze to death? Might I have the pleasure of escorting you somewhere much more dry, and warm? Do you live near here by any chance?" Jack thought about it a moment, and realized that he knew most of the girls around here by.. well.. some magical form of introduction ;) but he did not know Alice. Nor did he know her last name..

"Yes, indeed it is. You shall have to forgive me, I am no good in serious situations. Goodness, That must make me an atrocious soldier."

"What do your superiors do with you?" she replied cheekily.

Alice was honestly surprised with herself. What on earth had happened to sweet little modest and demure Alice who never said anything that might upset anyone within 10 miles? Apparently she was gone. Some how she hadn't really known people could act like this. It had been very rare for a person to make her smile and to be frank she didn't really know anyone who smiled during a conversation nearly as much as herself and Mr. Bristol.

"If it is not too bold to say, Miss, you look absolutely freezing. What honor would I be doing myself by letting such a girl freeze to death? Might I have the pleasure of escorting you somewhere much more dry, and warm? Do you live near here by any chance?"

"You're to kind," she accused, "My escort went to find a lavatory," she contemplated, biting her bottom lip, "I live over there," she said, nodding towards Lindeboshire Castle, hoping that if she didn't explicitly point that he wouldn't look towards the great hill and castle she was nodding towards, "but I wouldn't think it very polite to desert him. Perhaps we could find somewhere more accommodating where he'd be able to find us," she mused.

It would probably create some gossip if she wandered home with a completely handsome stranger even if he was kind and a soldier.

"What do your superiors do with you?" she replied cheekily.

Jack let a little laugh slip through his lips as he reached up to scratch his neck, her humor catching him off guard. It wasn't everyday you met a lovely girl, with a sense of humor. "I'm positive you wouldn't like to find out." He assured her, nodding wisely his face incredibly sure of something he had no idea of.

"You're to kind," she accused, "My escort went to find a lavatory," she contemplated, biting her bottom lip, "I live over there,"

Jack turned his handsome head towards where she pointed, but didn't quite see where it was she had pointed to. Did she perhaps mean Lindeboshire Castle? His mind told him no.. Hopefully she didn't. For if she did, it was in no way proper for a girl of her stature to be speaking toa man of his ranking.

"but I wouldn't think it very polite to desert him. Perhaps we could find somewhere more accommodating where he'd be able to find us," she mused.

"No, not very polite at all." He mused, turning his head to find a place where perhaps her escort had gone. Wait.. Escort.. was she currently being courted? Or was this escort a fiancee.. or husband? Jack swallowed. All he needed was to be hunted down by the Prince Charming she surely was engaged, or married to. He looked at her again, at her warm, and inviting smile. She couldn't be with someone already.. then what would Jack do? She'd already wormed her way into his heart, even if he didn't quite know it yet. The thought of her married.. being courted, or engaged was enough to break his vulnerable heart, and they'd only just met! It was completely crazy.. But he sort of liked the idea of escorting her to somewhere warm and dry.

"Perhaps he stopped to use the lavatory in that small shoppe just over there?" Jack asked, pointing to a flower shoppe just down the way. "If we hurry, I'm sure we won't get too wet.." This was almost laughable.. considering they were both pretty soaking wet. With another little handsome smile he met her gaze, and instantly felt better about the rain.

"I'm positive you wouldn't like to find out."

Alice let out an ungaurded laugh that sounded quite different than the sophisticated, guarded one she usually used.

She saw him look over to where she'd nodded and saw a bit of confusion cloud his eyes. She hoped he wouldn't think of her differently if he knew who she was. She liked the girl who she was at this very moment. The Alice who laughed at soldier's jokes and stood in the rain was far more fun than the one who moped about an old castle and had lengthy conversations with Barons.

"No, not very polite at all. Perhaps he stopped to use the lavatory in that small shoppe just over there? If we hurry, I'm sure we won't get too wet.."

Alice thought for a moment. The flower shoppe was was in clear view of where they were standing so even if Jack's theory wasn't the case, at least Shames would be able to find her.

"Sounds good," she said, meeting his gaze for a moment, "Okay...Three...two..." she started to laugh a bit, "One." she said, stepping out from under the tree and half walking half running over to the flower shop. As she got out of the park and into the completely open street she practically ran over to the awning over the flower shoppe, all the while keeping her had securely on her head.

It was a good thing that normal people weren't outside otherwise there probably would've been strange looks but the streets were oddly deserted. She supposed that he'd followed her and was still trying to get over the shock that she was spending time with an unbeleivably handsome soldier, who apart from all his seemingly wonderful, was obviously far below her rank and she couldn't care less.

As soon as she said one, Jack knew he'd running after her for a long time, and not just today. Call it foreshadowing, but he had a weird feeling about their blossoming relationship. Instantly, as he ran out, he began to get soaked. Laughing as he ran besides her, Jack quickly made sure that he got their first,in order to open the door for her. For as scoundrel-esque as he might have been, ungentlemenly.. he was not.

When the entered the shoppe, the lovely aroma of flowers hit his senses. Looking around, Jack spotted the store owner and gave him a very loveable little smile, "Although we appear very unrulely, and.. wet, we're the neatest of people with only the purest of intentions," He grinned at the older man behind hte counter who was giving them both very odd looks. The man shrugged his shoulders, then shuffled off somewhere into the back.

Jack turned to Alice, "Now my lady," He began, moving his hand around the store, "Do you have a favorite flower?" He asked with all the innocense of a four year old.

When the entered the shop in a most unruley manner Alice couldn't help but laugh. Once again it was the ungaurded one that she'd become so familiar with in the last 20 minutes. She took off her hat upon entering the store and looked around. They seemed to be the only people in the shoppe which made sense seeing as how nobody really bought flowers on rainy days.

She let out a breath and caught his gaze and smiled. She looked behind her to see if Shames was coming back yet even though she really had no desire to see him again. The rain showed no sign of letting up, in fact, if possible the rainfall had increased. It was now pouring down in sheets and all you could see of the park where they'd just been was the rough outline.

The flowers were even fragrant smell due to the rain and Alice made a mental note to visit flower shops in the rain more often, preferably in company even half as good as this.

"Now my lady, Do you have a favorite flower?"

"Yes, white lilacs," she said without thinking, "Mr. Bristol..." she said giving him a half sly half questioning look.

She didn't want to accuse him of anything just yet in case his intention was not what she guessed it was.

Jack shook his head like a wet dog, purposely intending to get her wet. "Excellent!" He concluded, looking around the shop for the white lilacs. "Let's see then.." He began to turn on his heel, trying to find the appropriate flower choice. There were red ones, blue ones, tall ones, small ones, too many to count. With a dumbfounded look upon his face, Jack stopped spinning slowly and came to face her again, "With all the intentions of being valient, I'm not entirey sure just which one that is, Miss." He admitted with a little embarassed sort of smile [OOC: You're good to yo momma? .. yeahh.. EHEHHE!!! *gigglespaz* ]

Alice glanced at Jack for a moment.

"Excellent!"

A few water droplets flew onto Alice when Jack shook his head. Her mouth dropped but smiled at the same time.

"Mr. Bristol!" she admonished, though failing miserably to wipe the smile off her face, "You are...You are the most....That was very childish of you," she said, trying to conceal her laughter.

Never in her life had anyone done anything like that. If anyone had dared do a thing like that at boarding school they would have been expelled. Some how, Alice felt herself torn. The prissy little debutant should have walked away but for some reason she found what he'd done exceedingly charming.

"With all the intentions of being valient, I'm not entirey sure just which one that is, Miss."

Alice laughed yet again.

"Well," she walked a bit more into stoor, walking up an isle of buckets filled with flowers, "Some people, think that hyacinths are lilacs but they mean completely different things," she said, "It's all really boring," she said bashfully, "Anyway..." she walked a bit more, "Here we go," she said, picking up a bunch of lilacs and smelling them, "Nice isn't it?" she asked, holding them out so if he chose to he could smell them.

He couldn't help but let a little laugh escape him as she admonished him, "The most enchanting young lad you've ever had the absolute pleasure of meeting, I am sure," He finished for her, a slightly cocky, but all the more adorable smile upon his face.

Jack watched her as she moved, no, floated, across the store towards the far corner. She fed him some information he hadn't known previously, and so his listening ears were wide open. Extensive knowledge of flowers seemed like just the thing to suit her. "No no, it's actually quite fascinating," [OOC: You're a good dancer. I was terrible! Yeah, you were terrible. AGHAHS!!] He lied, with a convincing and timid little smile, as he walked towards her in order to sniff the flowers.

An aroma almost as sweet as herself filled his senses, and Jack suddenly realized why they were her favorite, "Something as lovely as yourself is hard to come by. You must let me do the honor of purchasing them for you.." He pleaded quietly with her, his blue eyes shining with hope as he looked from her beautiful face to the beautiful bouquet she held.

"With all the intentions of being valient, I'm not entirey sure just which one that is, Miss."

"Oh but of course," she replied, smiling at his little arrogant grin.

She watched his face as she talked about flowers. Either he was a good actor or he was interested in what she was saying.

"No no, it's actually quite fascinating,"

"Please, it's the most dull subject," she said apologetically.

The whole language of flowers was only covering up the fact that people didn't have the guts to say what they actually meant. For some reason it was easier for society to buy eachother flowers with explicit meanings than to actually say it. Alice hated to include herself in that group but being coy and elusive was supposedly a charm that women were supposed to have. She certainly wasn't being coy now and elusive was the last word that could describe at the moment though usually she did such a good job of emmulating these traits.

"Something as lovely as yourself is hard to come by. You must let me do the honor of purchasing them for you.."

Alice looked at him with a very soft expression. She wanted to say yes but what kind of message would that send? Besides, it would be horribly unkind of her to make him spend money on her when he'd just met her.

"Mr. Bristol, you really don't have to," she said kindly.

Jack looked down at his feet, smiling for a moment, "Yes, it is rather dull." He half joked.

As 'dull' as it might have been, to see her interested in it, made it somehow one of hte most interesting things he'd ever heard of. It was a knowledge that hit her so accordingly, Jack found it immensely darling.

"My lady, from this moment on, you are most free to call me Jack. This Mr. Bristol nonsense is much too formal for my lowly ranking." He smiled at her, his smile not large and arrogant, but sincere, hopeful.

"But I am afraid that I do. If it is not too bold, I would very much like to see you again in a much more pleasant circumstance," He looked out at he rain and grinned inspite of himself.

"Yes, it is rather dull."

Alice shot him a slightly amused slightly bashful and slightly annoyed look all at once. She was still getting used to the idea that not everyone treated her as if she was an intricate peice of glass that could break with the slightest touch. Somehow, there'd been a part of her that had expected the same thing and she was surpised that she actually found it quite amusing and refreshing for people not to treat her like the peice of porcelain she was quickly learning she wasn't.

"My lady, from this moment on, you are most free to call me Jack. This Mr. Bristol nonsense is much too formal for my lowly ranking."

"Jack! That would be so improper," she said angrily, but with a hint of playfulness in her eyes.

She could only imagine the talk. Every etiquitte book that had ever been shoved down her throat had told her that a man was not to call a woman by her first name until they were engaged. Technically she wasn't even supposed to be talking to him at the moment.

"But I am afraid that I do. If it is not too bold, I would very much like to see you again in a much more pleasant circumstance,"

Alice nearly joked on the air she was breathing. She'd never really thought about the future of their relationship that she wasn't entirely sure existed. Nothing in the world would make her happier than to see him again.

"Oh-" she started, her eyes full of hope.

"Miss Alexander!,"

Alice cringed and turned to a soaking wet Shames who had just burst into the flower shop.

"Yes Shames?" she asked in a reluctantly sweet voice.

"I think it's best we go back. The Countess'd 'ave my head if she knew I'd let you stay out in the rain...With shoddy folks no less," spoke Shames. He said it as a suggestion but looked as if he'd do something very awful if she refused. At the last few words of his speach he'd looked to Jack with a condescending glare.

"Yes of course," she said primly, her voice devoid of all emotion, "Mr. Bristol, thank you for escorting me accross the street," she said in the same way.

She felt like all her insides were about to explode as she walked out of the shop with Shames holding the umbrella above her. As she stepped into the carriage she let out a sigh. Who knew men could be so kind? She'd never met one that handsome or kind before. Not to mention ungaurded. For the first time in her life Alice had felt what it might be like to live an existence without rules or boundries. Mr. Bristol had shown her that and as the carriage moved futher over down the road she made a conscious wish that she'd never forget that feeling.

Her escort came to retrieve her, and instantly Jack felt guarded again. The man gave him the superior glare Jack was so very used to, and quickly, before he had time to blink, ushered Alice away. Jack's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish for a moment, before he realized he'd reached for the flowers, and currently had them enclosed in his palm. Looking down, feeling quite defeated, Jack looked hopelessly to the man behind the corner who had a very large smirk on his face.

"Serves you right boy," The man sneered. Jack swallowed. What was this feeling? He contemplated it amoment, and decided it was hte worst for of discouragement he'd ever experienced. "I'll er, just take these then." He said quietly, handing the little batch of flowers to the man so that he could charge him the correct amount of money.

The man chuckled ruthlessly. "Oh no, free of charge. Wouldn't want you wasting away that income of yours would we?" He asked with another sneer.

His lips twitched as he took back the flowers, and headed out the door in the rain. It seemed that in the period of a single hour, his life would change for good. Jack secured his hat back on his head, and began to walk back towards his current home, much slower than anyone else on the street who might have been trying to avoid the rain.

[Next Post In: Will edit]