I looked and felt stupid.

I had packed only what I needed and had in front of me, and one of those things was the only dress that I owned, and now that I'm wearing it in this house, surrounded by all these beautiful things, I felt cheap.

I even looked cheap, from the makeup I wore to the shoes on my feet.

I really didn't see how I could fit in here, or even at this stranger's party.

A knock at the door startles me as I move away from the mirror and answer the door, when I open it, I see James standing there, looking good in casual suit and trousers, with his hair styled and a smile that was slowly fading on his face.

"Is this ok?" I ask, already knowing it's not by his expression. "It's the only dress I brought with me..."

He shook off his frown and smiled. "It will do for tonight, come on the cars outside waiting." He said, before moving behind me and pushing me out of the bedroom.

Going down the stairs to the front door, I notice the 'house' was quiet. "Where is um... everyone?" I ask James.

"William left and told me to 'look after you' and my mother and Donald had prior engagements in London." He simply said, before he opened the front door for me, like a gentleman but with a boyish expression.

"Oh."

I had only been here a few hours and so far, William had not said another word to me since I left for my room, only James had really taken time out of his day to make me feel 'at home' here.

Once again, I see a limo parked out front waiting for us as James hinted for me to get in first, and once again the insides still amazed me, it felt and smelled different inside an expensive car, compared to what I was used to back in the states, driving with my friends.

The car begun driving and James cleared his throat to catch my attention, making me look at him and not outside the window.

"I should warn you before we get there." He starts, making me nervous. "It's nothing too bad, I just noticed that you felt uncomfortable with everything so I should just warn you that if you thought William was living it high, you haven't seen Rowan's estate."

"I shouldn't have said anything, Rowan's a mystery to me sometimes but he's a good guy, he wouldn't mind if you accidently broke something." He joked, making me pale.

How wealthy was this guy? "Is he a close friend of yours?" The way James spoke of him was almost like he feared him, but also admired him, which worried me.

"I don't even think he has friends." He laughed out before turning to face me. "From what I hear he moves around a lot, bought the Von Strauss estate a few years ago until he eventually moved in last year."

"Guy spent millions on rebuilding the place, made William furious because he outbid him."

Woah, he sounded impressive for someone who was turning 30. "That's... crazy."

Wait- Von Strauss, I've heard that name before in history class years ago while I was still in school, there was a famous painter by that name... if only I could remember what he was called.

"Von Strauss... who were they?" I ask James, as he looked at me, shocked and amused I didn't know.

"Only the most influential families in British history, they were deeply related to royalty but don't ask me how, they were also fabulously wealthy from being famous painters in the 1800's, but that's not all the estate is famous for."

"Surely you were taught about Charles Rowan Von Strauss in school?" He asked, a raised brow.

Charles... Rowan... yes! I thought I knew the name. "I thought so, wait-" Was he?

"Is this Rowan guy related to the painter?" I asked, considering his name.

"Nope, it's a total coincidence, Rowan's an orphan whose parents fortune he inherited, he's also quite the painter, teaches a class at night at the institute of art, apart from that I figure he's just a fan of the Von Strauss's." He shrugged, before looking out the window.

"Oh, we've arrived." He said, just as the car comes to a stop.

"Enough boring history crap, let's go in, I'm dying for a drink." He said before the he opens the side of the car door.

Getting out of the limo with James, I see just what he was trying to tell me about in the car before we left- holy fricking hell was this guy loaded to live in a place like this.

This 'estate' James was talking about wasn't just an estate, it was more like a freaking large castle in the middle of the country, and what more, I had seen it before in a black and white photo from history.

Only now it looks even more beautiful than it did in the photo, the guy- Rowan had clearly put a ton of effort and money into keeping the history of the house alive, I don't even want to think about how much it would've cost to restore such a piece of history.

What more was as I walked down the path to the manor, I couldn't help but get an eerie feeling as the hair on my arms began to stand, even though it wasn't cold outside and there was no wind, I felt a shiver run through me.

James had rang the doorbell and within seconds the door opens and a man with white hair dressed in what I could tell was a butler's uniform welcomed us inside, before greeting James.

"Sir James, welcome and a pleasure to see you tonight." The butler guy said, as James patted him on the shoulder and he passed him, coming inside.

I followed silently behind him hoping he wouldn't notice me, but he did as his dark eyes went straight to mine, James noticed and then put his arm around my shoulder, bringing me closer to him.

"This is my little cousin, Eloise, she's staying with us for a while, Rowan won't mind would he Lenard?" James asks, his boyish smirk on his face.

"Of-course not Sir, more the merrier." He said before smiling gently at me.

"Welcome Miss Eloise, enjoy your night."

I felt so out of place, but I smiled politely despite how awkward I felt. "Thank you."

"Let's go baby cousin." James says, pulling me further into the house.

The inside of the house was just as beautiful as the outside of the house, I couldn't stop my eyes from moving from left to right as I looked at how many paintings this guy owned, not to mention how disturbing some of them were.

Yet I got the feeling that each piece of art was chosen carefully as the closer you looked, the less disturbing they were, but because of the colours used it looked quite depressive, not to mention they blended well with everything around them.

It was quite dark inside each room I saw into, only the dimmed light of each candlelight on the wall lit up the hallways and rooms, the curtains were closed and blocking all light from the outside.

It seemed gothic and creepy, but then again, it somewhat felt homier here than it did at William's house, that felt more like a show house then an actual family home.

"Ah here we are." James said before leading me through two large double doors that opened into a large room where people were laughing, drinking and smoking whilst someone played a very expensive piano in the corner of the room.

Everyone here looked different, there were some older people dressed in fine clothes, suits and dresses and then there were beautiful women and men that looked like they belonged on a catwalk rather than inside this strange yet beautiful place.

"I'm going to grab a drink and say hello to a few people, would you like anything?" James asks beside me as I stand and look around in awe.

"Uh no thank you, I'll be fine." I said as James looked at me for a moment before nodding his head.

"Well, the bar is down there and if you need me, I'm not far." He winked, before turning around and catching the attention of another man well dressed and good looking before he hugged them.

Ok so I was here... now what?

Everyone knew each other, and nobody even paid me any attention so... I guess that was a good thing, they hadn't noticed how much I didn't fit in here.

I just got here but now I wanted to leave, I don't even know why I wanted to come, maybe to annoy William and prove a point... but what for? I had nothing to prove.

Ugh, I'm so uncomfortable.

I stand by the door next to a large bookshelf filled with books I couldn't even read while I look around the room- or should I say 'people watch' as I looked at each and everyone's faces, and what they wore.

I didn't fit in here, everyone was so beautifully put together, good looking and wealthy, and then there was me... I was wearing a dress I found on sale in a charity shop with shoes that I had since I was 18.

That's when I saw a man by the bar catch my attention, he was talking to another man with blond hair who was equally good looking to every other man here, but the guy with dark brown hair and paler skin was something else...

He must've been the most attractive man I have ever seen, everything I saw about him made my heartbeat faster in my chest, his face was perfect, and his body was even more so as he stood taller than the blond man.

I watched as the other man put a drink in his hand and I saw just how much it annoyed him, it was funny because for some reason he didn't look like the type to drink a martini, he was more of a... red wine kind of guy.

I knew I had to stop staring at the man, if he had caught me, I'd come off as creepy, so I looked away and focused on the pianist playing a classic tune, it was a song I had never heard before, but I couldn't help myself from liking how it relaxed me.

Then a voice pulls me back, and shocks me completely when I see who it was.

"What are you doing here?" A deep yet alluring voice asks me.

I froze once my eyes meet his dark brown ones, staring at me so intensely that I was sure I was shaking from just how close he stood to me, with a stoic face and unwavering eyes.

"Excuse me?" I asked, now scared I was in trouble, so I looked for James in the room, but I didn't see him anywhere.

Where the hell did he go? "Sorry... I meant I've not seen you before." He said, making my eyes snap back to his.

"Who are you here with? I only ask because you look quite lost."

"Is it really that obvious?" I laughed nervously, avoiding his intense staring. "I was hoping I'd blend in and avoid all attention." But clearly, I caught his by standing here all by myself.

"What exactly is your crowd?" He asked, somewhat amused as he turned and looked at the people in the room.

"Not old people." I said without thinking, as I felt heat rush to my face.

What the hell am I saying? I'm so embarrassed.

"I find that hard to believe, you'd never find this many brilliant minds in once place again, surely not in London unless you provide the right free drinks and small sandwiches." He joked, making me smile.

"I suppose you're right, I should feel lucky to be here." I sigh out and look around the beautiful dark room. "This place is beautiful, I'm still processing that I'm actually inside a real castle in England."

If only mum was alive to see this, she'd love this.

"It was a real shame how badly I found it in, I'm afraid that if I never bought and restored it to its former glory then you'd be standing in a pile of ruins right now."

When he finished talking and I processed what he had just said, I didn't realize I was gaping at him with my mouth open like I was catching flies until he looked at me strangely.

"Oh." Fuck...

This is probably Rowan, and I had most obviously insulted him and his guests, oh my god.

"I'm so sorry, oh my god I'm so embarrassed, this is your birthday party, and you own this castle..." I cringe, just wanting to leave now, knowing this embarrassment will haunt me for life knowing that I will never meet such a handsome good-looking guy like him again.

"It's my first week in London, I don't know anybody yet, I was really dragged here by my stupid cousin, if I had known... I never would've said those things about your friends." I spoke quietly, ashamed. "I'm so sorry."

"You're not exactly who I was expecting." He bluntly said, making me look at him confused.

What exactly was he expecting me to be? Did he know me or something?

"You're here with James Ruthenvolt?" He asked and I nodded my head, realizing that's where he must've heard about me from.

"I'm sorry, that must be... challenging."

I couldn't help but laugh, I didn't expect that. "I know... they're not the easiest people be around, but they're family, so what can I do?"

"I'm technically not an Ruthenvolt, I'm an Anderby, I never knew my father until recently." I tell him, thankful for the fact.

"Why's that?"

"Do tell me to mind my own business if you think I'm overstepping at any point." He adds.

"What a classic British gentleman." I chuckled out, feeling butterflies in the pit of my stomach as he stood to stand next to me.

"I try to be."

"You have yet to tell me your name, I feel like I should know since you crashed my party." He said, making me pale that I didn't even tell him my name, despite crashing his birthday party.

"I'm so sorry, that as rude of me." I say apologetically. "I'm Eloise Anderby, and you are...?" I asked, just to be sure he was who I thought he was as I held out my hand for him to shake.

"Pleasure to meet you Lady Eloise, my name is Rowan Grant." Rowan said, although he didn't shake my hand, he leaned down and took my hand in his and kissed me on hand, causing my body to overheat and my heart to beat extremely fast.

What the- what- what was he doing!?

Suddenly, out of the blue James comes up to us with his arm around a beautiful girl in a tight skinned dress and sparkly jewellery that looked real.

"Grant, I see you've met my lovely, estranged cousin... I do hope you don't mind I brought her tonight." James slurred out, obviously drunk as the woman giggled beside him.

"Not at all." Rowan said to James, but looked directly at me, making my head all fuzzy.

How could he be so perfect? Even his voice was attractive, I felt overly shy whenever he looked at me, he made me feel strange, but I knew he wasn't flirting with me, there were far more beautiful women here than me.

Wait- was he flirting? "We'll be leaving now great party as always, I especially enjoyed this one." James said, before smiling at me to follow him.

I was surprised when I looked at Rowan as I stood beside James, he looked... annoyed, like he had enjoyed talking to me, but that's crazy... right?

"It was nice to meet you." He said to me, a smile on his face as I noticed James has whispered something disgusting in the woman's ear that I really wish I didn't hear.

I hope Rowan didn't hear it, I've suffered enough humiliation tonight...

"Do get home safe."

With that, I smiled at Rowan and waved awkwardly as we walked down the dark gloomy lit hallway, he was still watching me and I was sure that when I turned around to follow behind James that I could still feel his eyes on me.

My heart was beating out of my chest and my face felt so hot, but that wasn't all... his voice... his voice had made me experience something I've never experienced before.

My underwear was soaking wet just from talking to him... and with each step I took the more I heard his deep voice in my ears, making it worser for me.

He was so mysterious and calm but attentive in his questions, but he was never rude or intruding... it was strange and addictive the way he spoke, like nothing he said wasn't sexy to me.

I wonder if I'll see him again... he was easy to talk to... and kind, and God... I think he might've totally stolen my heart, him simply looking at me made my heart skip a beat, more than once.

I must be going crazy... I don't even know him... but...

I really hope I see him again then maybe... maybe being in London wouldn't be so bad.