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The next morning just like promised Nicholas was hard at work teaching his beloved sister how to dance. “You’re doing a great job my dear Julia; it would seem you were born dancing. Are I not right cousin Howard?” Nicholas asked as he continued to dance with his sister.

“Yes indeed cousin. Julia you do it with such natural moves it amazes me to know you still had not dance till now. Does my cousin Elizabeth dance?” Howard asked his other cousin who quietly was just watching.

“I do sir but I must be honest and say I am not quite fond of it like Roberta or Nicholas. I just like to listen to the music.” Elizabeth told her cousin blushing for the sudden attention on her. Elizabeth was the eldest yet she was considered plain and too quiet. But she liked it that way and rarely cared what others thought including her mother.

“Well you must oblige to my request to have the first two dances cousin?” Howard told her.

“If you insist cousin I could not say no,” Elizabeth told him.

“Well then it’s settled, I will dance with Julia and you cousin with Elizabeth. But what about Sir Alexander? Who will he dance with, I am afraid Roberta is comprised to only dance with Mr. Crawford from Barton.” Nicholas said as he stopped dancing and joined in the conversation.

“Oh, do not worry about me Sir Nicholas; I am sure you remember that your father has invited my cousin Leighanne and her husband Sir Brian Littrell to the ball. It so happens that my dear sister Caroline is staying with them for the fall and she will most certainly let me dance with her.” Alexander said to all the questioning eyes that stared him in wonder.

“Yes indeed I do remember you mentioning that to me, where did you say Sir Littrell had his estate?” Nicholas asked him.

“Only five miles past Whitlock in Augusta, my cousin has just recently married Sir Brian. She was staying with us in London then right before our family left to France she was married. She had no other relatives after her mother and my uncle died of consumption. My mother being the only relative to my uncle took her in and I of course also inherited what my poor uncle had, not much to begin with.” Alexander explained.

“I see, well they will be just as welcomed.” Nicholas told him. “Now back to dancing my Julia.”

********

Later that afternoon while the men played cards, Julia had taken a nice walk into the woods. She just loved nature little did she know what she was in for. “You know Percy I do not know why but I have weird feeling about that certain friend of my cousins.” It had come to her habit to talk to her dog.

Sir Alexander was not into cards and since there was no other man to play billiards with him he decided on a much well needed walk. He wanted to explore the Bayshore court and its vast land. He was well into the woods when he saw Lady Julia picking wild flowers and playing with her dog. She was the most beautiful of all three sisters. She was also the only one from the sisters who did not have the golden locks instead they were dark. He became crossed when he heard her tell her dog that she did not like him. “May I ask why you feel that way about me?” he asked her as he finally approached her.

“I am sorry I do not know what you are talking about sir?” Julia told the man that stood in front of her now. “I must head back I am sure Lady Sudbury is looking for me, come along Percy.”

Alexander extended his hand to block her from leaving, “No Miss Carter you know well what I am talking about. If I recollect well you said that you had a certain weird feeling about me.” he stared at her.

Julia was a little scared by his forwardness then she saw his piercing brown eyes staring at her for an answer, “fine if you must know. I think you feel you are better than other people and I just do not believe that at all Sir. I believe everyone is equal in the world!”

“Is that your opinion of me? By just what I said earlier? Aren’t you being a little prejudice there Miss Carter?” he smiled at her as she stared at him intently trying to see what his rebuttal to her comment would be. “Well then I should elaborate more on that comment then, I love my dear cousin Leighanne and even before her parents died we had grown up with her. My mother and father had taken her in as there own child. It was not till she turned fifteen that she was sent back to her home at my aunt’s request. After that we only heard of her by letter my sister would visit her a few times. Then tragedy hit them when both her parents contracted consumption…now being that my uncle had no man to inherit what little he had I automatically got it. But never in mind did I feel like it belonged to me and I even told Leighanne she was welcome to stay at her cottage I would not take it away from her. Yet she chose to join us in London, I believe the same as you Miss Carter everyone should be treated equal to bad not all the people do not in this society.”

Her stare soften as she heard him explain more about himself, “I do not know what to say Mr. Mclean but that I apologize for my early opinion of you.” she curtsied and walked away without another word. She was appalled at herself for allowing such comment be heard by anyone else but Percy. But most of all because she had been caught by the man himself. Still as she reached the confines of her room she sighed as she remembered the slight shiver she got when he stared at her intently. His eyes were beautiful.

********

That night at the dinner table it was just Julia’s luck to be sitting in front of Sir Alexander. She could feel his stare on her and could not eat, she only moved her food around in her plate.

“So Sir Alexander how do you like the country side compare to London?” Sir William asked.

Sir William’s question brought him back from his thoughts. “I like it very much; I want to see how the ball will be also.”

“Well that’s great I hope you do enjoy your stay here.” Sir William told him as he looked around the table. He liked Sir McLean and he would make a great match for Elizabeth and he had great fortune. Maybe he would have Mrs. Carter talk about maybe getting Mr. McLean a little more interested in Elizabeth. Elizabeth could be a good wife and even though she did not have beauty like Roberta or Julia she had a great heart.

*******

As the week passed and the ball got closer Julia became even better at dancing. She also became closer to Sir McLean, he was right they had a lot in common. Romeo and Juliet being there favorite book from Shakespeare, he also loved pets and Percy seemed to like him. Of course she had also noticed her parent’s intentions to get him to marry Elizabeth.

Poor Elizabeth she didn’t seem too happy about that, she actually had caught her smiling often when she spoke to there Cousin Howard. Julia didn’t understand why but she was beginning to like her talks with Sir Alexander and any subject he spoke of with anyone always caught her attention. She did not understand just what was happening to her…yet.