Lady Grey #1

Lord James Igenten resided in a grand mansion on top of a little hill that was sprinkled with evergreen flowers in eternal blossom during spring, and pure snow gleaming its white beauty in an ethereal harmony of happiness and exquisiteness during winter. The mansion itself was a proud building, the rich mahogany gently carassing the eastern wind at midnight, where the whole world seemed to stop, bathing in the silver moonlight that seemed so solitude and lonely. Passers by sang in synchronisation about how perfect the mansion, or rather, Igenten Manor was, oddly blending with the silent hill that seated the wooden building. Lord James was praised as a good and honourable man whose grey eyes shone with care, and his wife, who had passed away long ago, was also renowned to have been a caring and considerate lady. Little was known, however, about his young daughter Rose, except that she was said to be more exquisite than a goddess, and that all knew her better as Lady Grey, rather than Lady Rose, as it was her proper title. And that Lord William Everett, son of the duke of Hartfield, desired her.

Perhaps a description of Lord William is required at this point. A young man of sixteen, he was shy, pale and broad, the oldest son of Lord Jonathan. Good looking as William was, it wasn't surprising the number of lasses that was after his shy, but good heart. However, while all the souls in Hartfield were aware of William's burning love for Lady Grey, she herself was perhaps completely ignorant of such things, for she stayed as cold as ever, hidden behind a velvet curtain with only her slender silhouette the evidence that she was there. Hence Lord William's heart quivered with black sorrow; so he was, until at last William found a sliver of concealed courage deep down his timid but good heart, and bestowed himself a challenge-to visit Lady Rose-or Lady Grey, as I must address her as-on a clouded and sunless day, not unlike the waves of his gentle heart...and so our story begins, when William's hand knocked the mahogany door of the magnificent Igenten Manor. Whether this story is tragic or not, I leave you that decision for you to make. While our drivel is taking place, William's knocks have ended.
"May I be of any service to you, Lord William?" William replied.
"I wish to see Lady Rose Igenten if it isn't so much trouble."
"Please come into Lord James's house, m'lord, and may your stay be as pleasing as you wish it to be."

And so William, with his heart beating much like a stallion, made his way to the drawing room, his fate a maze of grey webs, stretching before him like the neatly knitted net of a fisher's, glowing grey with a spark of red glowering at the heart of it all.

The young Lord was escorted to a luxurious room, decorated lavishly with black wallpaper that reflected the heart of William Everett. A leather chair seating him, William turned his trembling gaze towards the person that he had yearned day and night to feast his hungry eyes on.

Lady Grey smiled exquisitely at the youth.