From far away her eyes appeared emerald but from up close I could see that they were much more hazel.

The closer I got the more intrigued I was by this girl, firstly she had yet to notice me coming up to her and secondly, she had a very distinct smell about her.

I wouldn't lie, I found it intoxicating.

What was she wearing? Perhaps I'd ask her, unless that would be too creepy.

What was I thinking? If I had smelled her and asked what she was wearing, I'd be a bad host, and a prude.

Coming up towards her, those hazel eyes found me and widened in what I thought was surprise,  then shock when she finally realized it was her I was looking at, and coming towards.

The poor girl looked terrified, but I wonder why?

Surely I wasn't that hard to look at, I've been told I was charming, with 'dashing and handsome good looks'.

But I never could trust the word of a woman after my wealth.

"What are you doing here?"

The words came right out of my mouth, initially it was the question solely on my mind, I didn't realize I said it out loud before it was too late.

"Excuse me?" She asked quietly, looking around the room with clear panic in her hazel eyes.

Damn, I needed to save this before I scared her off.

"Sorry." I licked my bottom lip. "I meant, I've not seen you before."

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

She chuckled and the lovely sound was like music to my ears, I hadn't scared her off yet, but there was time.

"Is it really that obvious? I was hoping I'd blend in and avoid all attention." She mumbles, shifting uncomfortably.

"This isn't exactly my crowd..."

Oh really? Interesting, I had to know more.

"What exactly is your crowd?"

"Not old people." She simply said, without missing a beat.

Ouch, I'd admit, that one hurt, but she's not wrong, there were more older academics from the university here than my actual 'friends'.

I'd admit, my list of friends has always been quite short, so I made do with what I had, but it's never bothered me until now.

Until you, Eloise.

"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." I joke lightly.

She looked at me then laughed out, it was a soft laugh, almost a giggle, if not for the way her tone raised slightly.

"I suppose you're right, I should feel lucky to be here." She said, pulling her eyes away from mine to focus on random objects around the room.

"This place is beautiful, I'm still processing that I'm actually inside a real castle in England."

I hum, wondering if it was beautiful, I had never thought of it as beautiful before, it was always just an empty house whenever I was a child growing up.

It was cold, lonely and insufferable,  but beautiful? Perhaps it has it's positive sides to the negative.

"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 that you'd be standing in ruins right now."

I was talking a lot tonight, yet for some reason I didn't hate it, I could tell the girl was intrigued with what I had to say, like she was genuinely interested.

"Oh." Her face then dropped.

Did I say something off putting? No, surely not, then did I upset her?

"I'm so sorry, oh my god I'm so embarrassed,  this is your birthday party and you own this castle..." She slapped her forehead with a cringe on her mouth.

"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." She said quietly, panic in her eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"You're not exactly who I was expecting."

I didn't need to ask what exactly she was expecting, at her age would think the same every time I visited family friends, and 90% of the time, the lord of the manor was indeed old, so her shock is understandable.

Her rambling was interesting, and her reactions were adorable, even if she thought she insulted me, I never felt that way, if anything I'm amused.

Wait- before I get lost, did she just say cousin? 

"You're here with James Ruthenvolt?" This is an interesting development indeed.

She nodded her head and looked away shyly from me, perhaps there's something there, maybe embarrassment,  which I totally understand.

"I'm sorry, that must be... challenging." I said moving to stand next to her, getting a clear view of the room.

Christ, never thought I'd say it but, I might actually tolerate this Ruthenvolt, when all others make me want to step into the sunlight on a hot summers day.

"I know... they're not the easiest people be be around, but they're family, so what can I do?" She chuckled lightly.

This angel, she was too good to be born inside that family.

"I'm technically not an Ruthenvolt, I'm an Anderby, I never knew my father until recently."

Oh really now? Do tell me more. "Why's that?"

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

"What a classic British gentleman." She chuckled, making me actually smile.

"I try to be."

After a long and painful few moments, waiters make their way towards us with a tray of drinks, to which I grab one and so does she.

Which begs the question, just who are you?

"You have yet to tell me your name, I feel like I should know since you crashed my party." I joke, making me smile guilty at me.

"Sorry, that was rude of me." She said, then cleared her throat.

She held out her hand towards me and smiled. "I'm Eloise Anderby, please to meet you...?"

Eloise, it suited her delicate and bubbly personality, I decided I liked it.

Although I couldn't revel my real name, which annoyed me to no ends for some reason, I introduced myself the only way I knew best.

Bowing my head, with one arm to my back and the other holding her hand, this was how it was done when I was alive.

I pressed my lips ever so gently to her hand and held my breath as a lovely scent came from Eloise.

"Pleasure to meet you Lady Eloise, my name is Rowan Grant." 

When I raised my head and released her hand, I saw the light pink blush that was now covering her beautiful features, all the way to the tip of her ears.

Intriguing, she's a shy one for someone who is holding eye contact with me without looking away.

On que, James Ruthenvolt appeared in front of us, sporting an arm around the woman I couldn't remember the name of for the life of me, but worked with me at the University.

"Grant, I see you've met my lovely estranged cousin, I do hope you don't mind I brought her tonight." He ever so snobbish said.

Oh poor Eloise, I could kill him for you, just say the word and I'd do it, without so much as breaking a sweat or a blink of the eye.

No- I can't, this wasn't the plan, I can't get attached, that never ends up well, and certainly not with this woman, who is connected to the man I detest most in London.

I'm here for the long haul, and getting involved with this girl could only bring nothing but trouble, trouble I didn't need.

"Not at all."

James stepped forward and suddenly wrapped his arms around me and forced me into a 'bro' hug, which I detested the moment his hand touched me, to the moment he let go of me.

"We'll be leaving now, great party as always, I especially enjoyed this one." He said, sending me a wink as he squeezes the butt of the woman he put his arm around again.

How very charming of him, I wonder what women see in this man? If he didn't have that personality I'd see the charm, but something tells me I'd still find him exhausting to be around even if he was tolerable.

Still, they were leaving so soon, and I still wanted to know more about this girl, as much as it annoyed me to no ends, she was making my night less dreadful.

"It was nice to meet you." Eloise said to me, before a quick look of disgust made it's way to her face as she looked as James.

Like I said, she amused me.

"Do get home safe." I said to them, looking solely at Eloise.

I watched them leave out the door behind me and walk down the hall, Eloise had turned around and looked at me and waved at me farewell, a shy expression on her face.

Sadly, I wasn't the only one seeing this as Liam came and stood beside me.

"I think that went well, don't you?"

I thought it did too, it could've been a lot worse, considering how my day started, but here we were.

Things were starting to look up, perhaps this wasn't just another terrible birthday, perhaps this could be the start of something new.

Or the start of something dangerous.

Guess I'd just have to be patient and find out, turns out I'm pretty good at waiting.

Eloise Anderby,  we'd be meeting again, I'm sure of it.