The Runaway Groom (Tewkesbury X OC)

Chapter 1

Shocked is the only word Florence had left to use. When Florence arrived at the Basilweather Estate with her parents Lord and Lady Spencer they had found a displeased grandmother, an angrily pacing uncle and a distraught mother. 

The family explained that the young Viscount had ran away from home. Florence was shocked, her luxurious fairy tale life was falling apart in front of her very eyes and there was nothing she could do about it. 

Well nothing she could do, her parents on the other hand made a fuss over the situation. 

"This is unacceptable, we had an agreement that our daughter was to marry your son." Florence's father exclaimed. To make an even bigger fuss mother held her daughter closely as she accused "Is she not pretty enough for the Viscount? Is her position in society not good enough for the Viscount? Look you've stunned the poor girl" 

With a quick pinch from her mother Florence began to tear up and fan herself rather dramatically but not overly so to make her unbelievable. "Oh mother" Florence cried "He does not want me! I shall never live through the shame" 

She swooned and a member of the Basilweather staff brought her a glass of water. Before pulling the Viscount's Uncle to the side briefly. 

The Viscount's mother merely shook her head and walked down to Florence "No my dear, of course he wants you, you are the perfect match for my son. He just is just rather ambitious and he prefers solitude to think, I'm sure that's why he's left"

The uncle jumped in "There's news that he was taken to the train station by carriage. We must go and find him at once."

Lord Spencer spoke up "Actually I think that my wife and daughter have had enough shock for one day and clearly do not feel well. It is with their best interest that I believe we should return to London until the young Viscount has been found"

"Alright" his mother agreed "But we will escort you to the station and when we find my son we shall return to this estate" 

After a very brief ride to the train station the train to London was delayed as the Basilweather's had every member of staff searching the train. 

"No sign of him anywhere, sir." The conductor explained heavily to the uncle.  The Viscount smother spoke up in a rage "I want an assurance that my son is not..."

"He's not on this train." the conductor insisted. 

"Of course he's on the train! You simply haven't looked properly." the Uncle scolded. At this point the Spencer family had had quite enough. 

"Sir, I've had my officers search this train from top to bottom." The police commander explained. "Darling," the Grandmother ushered softly "Perhaps we should just..."

"Quiet, Mother." The Marchioness yelled in a composed voice. She carried on explaining "He had the carriage drop him here this morning. He must be here somewhere."

"Well, we're not even sure the darling boy's on the train." The Grandmother continued. 

Alright I'm so sorry but I've had enough." Lord Spencer put simply "This is such a fuss. When you find the Viscount send word ,until then me and my family will be boarding this train and returning to London, Good Day" he gathered their luggage and left for the train. 

The conductor carried on explaining to the Basilweather family that "This train must leave. We're running extremely late."

"You don't understand. This is my son." The Marchioness insisted desperately. Shaking his head he blew the whistle "It leaves now."

"Don't let this train leave without someone on it!" The Viscounts mother screamed but the train was already moving. 

Once on the train Florence and her family found a solitary compartment, where they discussed what had just happened. Knowing her parents were angry with her, for reasons she did not understand she asked to be pardoned from the carriage.  Begrudgingly they agreed and she left quickly. 

Strolling through the compartments fan up signalling she was not to be disturbed she came across a carriage with someone who resembled a girl but she was dressed like a boy. Curiously she walked in about to inquire ,when a bag on the rack overhead started moving. 

Suddenly a knife sprung out of the bag and revealed a boy clambering out, he was in a cream three piece suit, he had gorgeous brown eyes and long brown hair. He was quite handsome. Florence pushed theses thoughts out of her head, she was engaged she could not think these things, no matter how handsome he was. 

"Hello." He said flashing his perfect teeth. Looking between Florence and the boy ,the girl who was dressed like a boy said "Please can you both get out of this carriage."

"I can't. I'm in hiding." the brown haired boy said smugly "Bit of a to-do. Bribed a porter to put me in this and get me on board." he looked at Florence who glared at him from behind her fan "Very daring."

"Get out of this carriage right now." the girl dressed as a boy demanded. 

"You're a...a strange-looking gentleman."  Florence commented turning towards the girl dressed as a boy "If I didn't know any better I would say that your a girl"

"You think you look normal? Waving that stupid fan around while you have fancy hair with a stupid frilly dress. I'm sure your probably wearing a corset under there as well"

"You're not a boy at all." Florence concluded "Only an uneducated poor girl would talk about such finery in such a manner" she huffed.

"I might be a boy." the girl argued but the triumphant glare in Florence's eyes was enough to see through the lie.  With a huff the girl asked "Who are you?"

"What are you?" Florence retorted before they both paused in a trance seeing who would give in first. Florence was not unaccustomed to such battles, young ladies could be very vicious when provoked. 

Noticing the tension the boy cut in "I'm Viscount Tewkesbury, the Marquess of Basilweather."

Florence nearly dropped her fan, her eyes widening in surprise "Your the Viscount?" with a scoff the other girl retorted "He's a nincompoop"

"I'll have you know, I have just undertaken a particularly daring escape..." the Viscount tried to defend himself. 

"You have not escaped." the mysterious girl informed him "There is a man in a brown bowler hat currently on this train searching for you, and once he finds you, he will think I helped hide you, and I will be endangered by this. Therefore, I ask you to get out of this carriage." with a pointed look at Florence she added "Both of you"

"You remind me of my uncle." he said to the girl "I've left him at the station. He's bossy too. Left them all: my mother, my grandmother my useless fiancé and her family." 

"Your fiancé?" Florence said practically speechless. How dare he speak about her like that. She needed to tell her parents at once. 

"Yeah it was an arranged marriage but I'm fine. I'm free." The Viscount stretched as though a huge weight had left him. 

"Good. Get out of the carriage, then." the girl insisted. 

"A man in a brown bowler hat?" the Viscount muttered to himself then shrugged "It'll be fine." and he left the carriage with Florence following behind.