A/N:  Sigh Next chapter- I’m starting to really love this story!

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Alexandria sighed with contentment as she watched little six-year-old Catharine play with her beloved dog. Would this be how she felt if she were raising a daughter? She smiled at the thought, arranging the freshly cut flowers in a large vase to be put inside the house. She could only wish for a child to be as sweet tempered as little Catharine, but unfortunately it seemed as if she was never going to wed nor have children.

The men of society just didn’t fit in her eyes as suitable for a husband. They were only after her beauty or her wealth. Alexandria snorted in disgust. She would never be like the rest of the English women, bowing down to the whims of their husbands and being secluded to the house like some type of slave!

Thank the stars that her father loved her enough not to betroth her again, otherwise, by now at her age of nineteen she would be held down by two children and a husband who she would despise.

Absent-mindedly Alexandria tucked in another stem into the vase.

Exactly who is Catharine? She wondered. It was a rainy day when the little girl had run through the open gates of Durshire Manor and pounded on the door. A servant had let Catharine in and Alexandria had hurried to meet the half drowned pixie in the halls.

They had become immediate friends.

Flash back

“Are you an angel?” The little girl asked her, baby blue eyes wide and in awe.

Alexandria laughed. Who was this adorable little thing?

“Of course not! Unless you are as well.” The little girl shook her head, her golden curls gently swaying.

“My name is Alexandria,” She said softly, “What’s your name?”

The little girl thought a minute before answering, “Catharine.”

“Why did you come here?” Alexandria asked Catharine gently. Tears started welling up in her eyes and the little girl launched herself into Alexandria’s arms, sobbing and mumbling nonsense.

“I-I’m lost! Jennet let me out with Cook today to go to the market because Clara said that I was all done with my lessons! And then John took me in the very big thing that they call a carriage (cook’s knee is bad you know) and we went shopping!” Her eyes cheered up a moment at the memory,

“And then the scary lightning came and rain started to pour down and then a VERY VERY loud noise boomed!” She shivered in Alexandria’s arms, “I ran and now I’m lost... would you take me home?”

Alexandria smiled down at the little girl huddled in her arms, “Of course! Now where do you live?”

Catharine burst out crying again, “I don’t- don’t know!” Her sobs shook her tiny frame.

“Shhh,” Alexandria comforted her, “Don’t worry, I’ll find out somehow. Your parents must be very worried about you.”

The little golden girl shook her head no, “I don’t have any parents,” She whispered, “They died last year when I was four. My uncle takes care of me now, but he’s always away.”

“Hush now. Big girls shouldn’t cry over thunder and a little rain- they’re your friends you know.” Alexandria changed the subject successfully.

“Really?” Catharine rubbed her eyes clear of tears.

“Of course. Now let’s get you dried up and something to eat.”

End Flashback

Alexandria smiled as she remembered how just after they had gotten the distressed Catharine to sleep, the coachman, John came frantically looking for her.

The two had become fast friends. John usually dropped the little girl off every Friday when the cook and him went to the market and Catharine would stay with her for the day. Who was Catharine? She seemed to be from a well off family, but most of the families with small children had daughters and sons that had parents. Catharine was living with her uncle and her parents were dead.

Just then her thoughts were interrupted by a deep mocking voice from the garden gates.

“Well if it isn’t little Alex all grown up,” the deep timber cause shivers to run down her spine, “if I had known that you would steal my niece away from me when I wasn’t looking, I would have dragged you to my own mansion where I could keep an eye on you and my little princess.”

Alexandria stiffened. Turning slowly so that she faced the voice, she began taking deep breaths.

‘No- it can’t be him. I haven’t seen him for the past ten years!’ Unfortunately for her, no matter how much she pleaded with the fates that the person at the gates wasn’t who she thought he was, it didn’t come true.

“James Greystone,” Alexandria’s eyes narrowed to slits, “I don’t suppose that you came to tell me that you’re about to die and therefore have come to apologize for everything?”

“Now Alex,” his grey eyes danced with amusement, “I did nothing to you that you didn’t pay me back for. Can’t we just forget the past and be friends Scarlet?”

‘Opps’ James thought, ‘I suppose calling her by her hated nickname would be a definite no in reconciliation with her.’

“NO!” her cheeks flushed, “My name is Alexandria you bastard, Alexandria! Not Alex, not Scarlet, not RED!”

“Tsk, tsk,” James grinned, his smile almost- ALMOST, melting away her anger, “You know perfectly well who my parents are- you were after all betrothed to my brother. Besides, you shouldn’t use such language around innocent children.” James pointed to Catharine.

The small child, upon hearing her uncle’s familiar voice looked up.

“UNCLE JAMES!! YOU CAME!” she shouted and gleefully threw herself into his arms, “You have to met the angel lady over there,” Catharine stated innocently, pointing at Alexandria, “her name is Alexandria, but” the little girl whispered into her uncle’s ear, “she’s really an angel or fairy! I just haven’t decided which yet.”

“Hmm, is that so?” James asked back seriously, “Well then we’ll just have to ask her won’t we?”

Catharine shook her head, “I already have. She said that if I’m not an angel neither was she. Alexandria must be a fairy then! Fairies are supposed to be beautiful.”

Alexandria meanwhile got suspicious upon hearing her name, “WHAT are you two whispering about?” she asked menacingly, “I heard my name!”

James walked slowly towards her, eyeing her up and down.

“We’re just deciding on whether you’re an angel or wood nymph that has decided to grace us with your lovely self.”

Alexandria blushed. James smirked.

Yes, in ten years she certainly had grown up. Her fiery red hair had darkened into a deeper shade, her eyes, once baby blue, deepened in color and now had a tinge of green. Her skin once impossibly transparent and white now turned a creamy peach color- flawless in every way. Yes, Alexandria had definitely grown up. Was she still tall? Yes, though now James towered over her. His height of six foot was well above her five foot five inches and her frame, which was once gangly and awkwardly thin, had filled out nicely. Even in the simple dress her figure shown through.

In the time that James was unabashedly taking in her appearance, Alexandria looked over him as well, though being more discreet about it.

He definitely was taller. The top of her head would probably only just reach his chin, his chestnut hair, wavy and full. The white linen shirt and black pants only accentuated his fit, broad frame. Grey stormy eyes were the last thing she saw. Alexandria could lose herself in his eyes...

“Like what you see?” he asked smirking.

“Of course not” she scoffed, “but it would be such a shame if that beautiful face of yours was somehow ruined would it not?” She retorted mockingly.

His eyes widened just a bit before he replied, “Come now, Scarlet, you wouldn’t have the nerve to go against me again would you? Ten years, it had been, since we were little children fighting in the mud.”

“Ah,” she sighed sardonically, “Why would I want to soil my delicate hands by touching you? I’ll just ask one of the many gentlemen who court me everyday to dispose of you my dear Lord Greystone.”

James felt a peculiar sensation at the pit of his stomach when Alexandria mentioned her suitors.

‘What the hell are you thinking Greystone? You’re not JEALOUS are you? She means nothing to you remember?’

‘Of course she doesn’t mean anything to me. And why the hell am I arguing with myself?’

‘Because you’re special...’

This inner battle would have gone on, but Catharine, sensing the animosity between her two most beloved people, decided at this moment to speak up.

“Uncle James?” she asked angelically yanking on his shirt for full attention on herself.

James tore his eyes away from his death stare with Alexandria, “Yes?”

“About the ball tonight... I was wondering if you could give me another invitation- a formal one that is. I want to invite a friend of mine.”

“Oh?” James asked amused, “and you would your little friend be?”

“No one,” Alexandria interrupted, “Cathy, I’m sorry but I’m afraid that I can’t go anywhere tonight. I suddenly feel very exhausted you see...”

But Cathy, as the scheming little minion that she was, saw the Angel as someone to be her aunt. Her uncle James and Alexandria were PERFECT for each other- and for her. Now if only they could see that...

“But you PROMISED,” she whined, giving her best pout. Her blue innocent eyes filled with tears, “you PROMISE Alexandria!”

“Oh all right,” Alexandria grabbed Catharine from her uncle’s embrace to try and calm her down.

“But,” Alexandria whispered into Catharine’s ear, “ONLY if James asks me. I will NOT degrade myself by asking HIM” she spat out that word as a curse, “to go to his ball.”

Catharine brightened immediately and walked back over to her uncle. Somehow, in some way of her angelic little self, Catharine managed to do the impossible. Moments after the little girl murmured something into her Uncles, ears James’s eyes widened and he turned pale.

It was actually quite amusing to Alexandria before the devil himself (meaning James of course) walked up to her and took her hand in his.

“Lady Mennley” he softly kissed the back of her hand, “I would be honored if you would come to tonight’s ball with me as my guest.”

Alexandria was about to open her mouth to say no when James encircled his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her towards him.

“PLEASE Scarlet?” He begged, whispering into her ear, “the little twerp has something one me! Do me this favor once huh?”

Smirking, Alexandria murmured back into James’s ears, “Of course BASTARD, and the next time you want me in your arms, you could at least ask me.”

James smiled genuinely and released her, “My carriage will pick you up at eight then milady.” And softly he kissed her hand again. Grabbing Catharine by her hand the two of them promptly left Alexandria’s garden.

Perhaps it was the smile that he gave her, or maybe it was the gentle butterfly kiss that he laid upon her hand. Whatever it was, Alexandria now had butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

‘Stop it’ she scolded herself, ‘He means nothing to you’

‘Even if he is the most gorgeous man that you’ve ever laid eyes upon.’

‘He’s your childhood enemy! You can NOT fall for him.’

“No,” Alexandria whispered into empty garden, “I will not fall for that undeniably handsome bastard.”

A/N: Done! How’s that?

Review! You know you want to...

Angel of Artemis