If the duke desires

"This is spurious. I'm twenty-three and already under pressure from father to find the lass with the right breeding. Who talks like that nowadays?" Emery says poking at his baked beans and crisp toast.

"I hear you Knipschild. I thought being the next Baron of Chesterfield meant hot desperate lasses wanting to please me, use me and abuse me; but old Baron Chesterfield wills none of that." Koen grunts into his sunny side up.

I sit back and look at my friends

"Knipschild, your father had you in his mid thirties and you're his first." I point out

"I know!" He exclaims agitatedly

"That's some attractive twaddle right there. He ought to be taken up by the devil." Hilliard announces passionately

"Hodge, hold your horses, perhaps old Lord Knipschild has a point in his intentions for Emery." Leigh says

"I'll none of it! He had his fun in his youth and wants to deny his son any. That's blasphemy and treachery sliced maliciously and malevolently by the very green hands of self intent." Hilliard preaches prudently

"I second that." Emery announces with a nod and a salute of his glass of orange

"And I join the wagon baron Hadley." Koen concurs fully

"I say to Hades with those bureaucrats, we have minds of our own. We ought not be told what to do with titles we didn't ask for at the origins! In fact what we should do is teach those old chums a lesson in modern society." Hilliard declares, flaring his red head of hair like he was already in the House of Lords making a speech on pressing issues.

"And what lesson might this be?" I inquire hiding my smile behind a cup of tea

"We ought to break their backs in a match of polo where we will cast lots on our independent minds." He announces.

And therein the fault in his highness the next Baron of Hadley lies. Hilliard cut a tall figure in his coat. I'd be the first to admit he had too many pints of charisma in his blood, but all that seemed to do was place ideas of grandeur in his head, make him ignite fires he couldnt feed as you have just witnessed.

"You barely play." I point out

"Must you be so wet a blanket duke Angelford?" he passionately inquires

"I must be the sense in your fiery endeavours Baron Hadley." I reply

"I second the duke." Leigh announces

"Thank you baron Burlington." I nod at him appreciatively

"I do however understand Hadleys distaste. His mother is at the moment chatting up Lady Harris." Leigh adds

"I fear were back in the eighteenth century and not the twenty first." Emery dramatically announces making a house of his crisp toast

"I may have a ploy to get us out of this." Koen brightly announces, flashing his aqua eyes at us.

This ought to be interesting!

"And what could it possibly be?" Hilliard encourages him

"Charlton's impact." Koen divulges saucily.

I sit back, the tension of hope that for once something cheerily intelligent would spew from the rose-lipped next Baron of Chesterfield dying away like a rose in old water.

"Chesterfield you have the sensational intelligence of a headless spring chicken." Hilliard says glaring his hazel eyes at him.

"Perchance there is a connection twixt the dethroned Baron and our situation if Chesterfield was but given the pulpit to explain." Emery says flashing a smile at the auburn haired Baron to be.

I sense this is more from desperation than endearment.

"Charlton, like us, was under pressure to wed at a morosely early age was he not?" Koen points out indeed.

Leigh seconds him "and thus he went for the worst possible match he could find; Gloria Durante." He adds

"She was glorious indeed!" Emery chuckles dipping the roof of his crisp house into the beans

"Marvelously sculpted." Hilliard agrees with a smile

"But she was so badly bred his parents would never have approved if she had been finished." Leigh states in distaste. That was slightly exaggerated.

Lady Haris' finishing school taught many a future duchess how to be a lady and would have done the same for Gloria Durante. But something told me Charlton was not into ladies. Leigh must be the only real blue blood at this table, the rest of us would have had a go at Gloria if she as much as liked teenage boys back then!

"As a result his parents lowered the standards of expectation allowing him to mingle with any woman in the ton he wished as long as it wasn't Gloria; which is what we want to happen is it not?" Koen arrives at his point

"You want us to court ill mannered seductresses such as Gloria in order to gain access to whichever dame we deem fit among the ton?" Hilliard investigates.

By Jove! Hes got it! The lad's got it!

Koen lies back on his seat like the very intelligence of him had been placed entirely into his explanation of the Charlton impact. He runs his hand through his auburn hair and smiles.

"Was he not overwhelmed by Glorias seduction of him such that he was bound by her charms and chose to wed her against his parents will?" Leigh confirms

"The end is immaterial, it is the impact we seek. If we can keep our hearts out of the matter and use only our heads we should be in for quite the ride noble men." Koen decides. I smile at him; quite the ride indeed

"we have a few weeks to the Rollins summer open. I suggest we get us company." Emery announces, his slate eyes widening like he was viewing the cafeteria for the first time.

I watch the heads around our table crane in unison, the blond curls of Baron Burlington turning last before mine does. Am I partaking in this misindustry? I should think so!

"Do we hope to find someone for ourselves this way?" Leigh asks smoothing his glasses over his peridot eyes

"I should hope so." Koen announces

"I like the one in the blue three tables down." Hilliard decides

"Her dress is but too tight and too short!" Leigh exclaims

"Exactly what I like." Hilliard decides with a firm nod like this was but a shop and the assistant would deliver the missus to his apartment later on this evening

"I have her! In a floral get up seven tables down to the right!" Emery declares proudly.

I smile at his choice, he had to pick out the most absurd of matches, and I had to outdo him! She had skin like the distinct brown of Saharan sand at sunset, short nutmeg hued curly hair cut close to her head in an asymmetry and a tattoo that peeked out of her left shoulder blade.

"You'll kill the old man!" Koen proudly says with a wink of his aqua eyes

"Pick one Leigh. Go ahead." Hilliard urges like we were at the horse races and betting

"To be exact by the window three tables to your left." Leigh says with a tinge of rose on his cheek.

I turn to a blond with long straight hair like sable, her eyes aqua in contrast. I doubt his parents would disapprove seeing Emery's choice!

"By Jove! If she had but Auburn hair she would be Koen" Hilliard whispers proudly

"I lack feminine looks as such!" Koen protests as we laugh

"I know not why you lament. Leigh obviously thinks you quite attractive!" I chuckle

"Chesterfield and her bare no similitude save for the hue of their eyes!" Leigh defends himself

"I'd watch myself around Burlington if I were you Chesterfield. He might attempt to kiss you in a corner!" Emery chortles as Leigh rouges

"Angelford? Shall you go last?" Koen pries changing the subject

"Indeed I shall." I announce not seeing any one I would do the honour of scaring my parents with.

He smiles triumphantly, as though he had seen someone he expected me to pick and was going to swipe her from under my arms

"Four tables up to the left, beside the window." He proclaims.

I turn around counting the tables and looking for the girl, all I see is a curly haired man

"I am going to pretend I am gay." He announces in elucidation as the door to the cafeteria opens.

I hadn't expected this to be a war of egos as it had turned out to be, but everything with us always turned into one such thing or another, a race, a challenge, a competition or contest, and here was Koen Broughton, the next Baron of chesterfield, pushing the bars up even higher for me to jump. And that's when she walked in as if to save the day for me...

The graffiti of her sport shoe must have been the first thing that caught my eyes, colourful things my mother would cry over! And then the sporty exactness of the lengthy deep earth coloured leg being exposed in confident gait as she swung her hips past table after table in that golden print pair of shorts, the blue jacket swinging side to side half rested on a backside that I was frankly surprised the high waisted shorts could handle. A glove in her hand and a blue scarf of love heart prints tied as a choker on her neck whispered excitedly to me that maybe she was a biker or something. My mind went instantly into calculation; how many things would my parents dislike about my new-found girlfriendjQuery214039496589106804025_1516799904468

The list wrote itself out, the seductive walk that made a weaponry of those hips, the gum she was chewing and the particular red of that lipstick on those full delicious looking lips, her sense of style, the way she filled her bra cups so immodestly, her over-sized cat eyed sunglasses in a room, her vogue afro hair style, the deep chocolate of her skin, the chutzpah and attitude I could tell she has a lot of, the motor bike riding, the way she filled the room with her presence, the way those shorts fit her extraordinarily, the way she just walked up to Emery's choice and picked up both her butt cheeks in her palm! To cut a descriptive story short; she was the one for me!

"She's worse than Gloria!" Leigh announces.

She is rather delicious isn't she?! I was getting uncomfortable in my slacks just looking at her. She smiles and pulls in Emery's choice for a hug then turns around back for the door. I turn to look for my butler then sigh. I have to do this on my own! Gratefully she's looking at her phone when I push Emery's leg out from under the table. She somehow misses it, but the talking lass behind her doesn't, driving the sharp heel of her leopard print shoes right into a toe of his. He yelps in pain, spewing out some choice words as she gasps and lifts her foot

"I'm so sorry!" she cries as my choice walks on by on the phone

"Jesus Christ on a bicycle to Bond street!" he growls in pain turning into a myriad of colours as she apologizes profusely, the lads around the table taking interest in the situation as I look out after my choice who stops at the door and turns around, finally having found out that her friend was not following her out.

I smile and turn around to the unfortunate event that has befallen the future baron of Knipschild.

"It seems his foot was in the way." I contribute.

The least I can do to get on her good side is defend her friends honour.

"She ought to have been cautious of where she walks." Hilliard announces as my choice arrives at the scene still on the phone.

"Thank you." She says on the phone summoning her friend to be quiet

"I assure you your excitement wont be for nothing." She says, her voice is something smooth and seductive as well as she stares at the whingeing Emery and shakes her head in disbelief that all that noise was coming from someone his size. She rolls her eyes at him

"I look forward to seeing you as well." She says reaching for his lips and pursing them for him, trapping them between her index and thumb

"I should see you then; have a nice flight in and let me know when you can be a wonderful inconvenience to me." she says with a bright smile that lights her dark eyes then hangs up turning to Emery and releasing his lips

"Sorry, I don't like to be distracted when I'm talking." She apologizes curtly.

He seems to have forgotten the pain he was in

"Whats wrong here?" she asks turning to her friend

"I might have stepped on his foot." Her friend reports

"Is anything broken?" she turns to Emery who seems to be regaining his lips.

"We cant be sure." I announce, her gaze briefly turning to me before she sighs

"Does anyone have a piece of paper I can leave our contacts on if she has to pay for damages?" she inquires removing a pen

"Don't be silly, we wouldn't let you pay." Leigh says as I remove my phone and hand it to her

"That was Ambrose by the way. He liked the ideas and is flying in on Wednesday to run us through some songs he wants." She reports to her friend, keying in her contacts.

Seems like I have what I wanted!

"Ambrose?? That was Ambrose??" her friend exclaims.

She smiles and hands me my phone, sticking her behind out for her friend to spank.

"You have nice lips by the way." She says to Emery as she swings her waist so that her friend misses the behind she was going to spank

"And I hope your leg's fine." She adds as Emery smiles at her

"How come he called you and not me??" her friend exclaims completely having forgotten the foot incident!

"I don't know! Ask him!" she says as they walk away...

I turn to Emery with a smile

"You used me to get her number! It ought to be mine!" he announces

"I didn't use you. I gave you an opportunity to approach your Gloria and you declined, so I approached my Gloria." I argue out

"She likes my lips." He contests

"She gave me her number." I shrug looking into my phone book for the new number

"He's right." Hilliard admits. I smile; indeed I am.

"Wait! There are two of them!" I grunt looking at the numbers

"One must be mine and the other yours." Emery says as I stare at the two numbers.

"But which is she? Sadie or Viola?" I wonder staring at the two numbers

"This gives the both of you fair ground. You injured Knipschild to get her number so you must give him leave to pick the first." Leigh announces. I turn to Emery, considering it.

I hope he picks the wrong one, but then I won't know which the wrong one is! Isn't it unfair? He picked the milk chocolate-skinned girl who stepped on his foot thanks to me!

"Don't be such an ingrate Knipschild. I helped you gain the contacts of the lass you picked out; the least you can do is let me keep mine." I state

He looks around the table

"None of them have made any step to gain their damsels. Its just you and I. Are you really going to listen to what they have to say?" I probe maliciously.

He turns to me with a sigh

"At ease duke Angelford. At ease." He succumbs, his finger going to his lips absently.

Now to figure out which she was and where she hid herself. Three years on this campus and I had seen none of her before today! My companion to the summer open was going to open sore wounds among the ton! Wounds that had been bandaged after Charlton and Gloria had been dethroned! This was going to be quite the sensation!

Hughes, I suppose I may call him my devout butler and not what he truly was, my right hand in crime, had found out for me which faculties Viola and Sadie study in. One was in engineering and the other in law; she seemed capable of both fetes so that did not help in my quest for her. I decided instead on this route, prowling the halls of the faculties so I may chance upon her.

My plan this time was simple; I was going to bump into her, slip my wallet into her pocket or her bag and walk away before she would have to track me down, failure to which I will report her to the necessary authorities for pick pocketing and she will have to please me with her company to the summer open. My plan was full proof but as of one thing; which faculty to prowl about!

"Her name is Dionne and she would love to come to the summer open with me." Hilliard says flashing the hazel eyes behind the thick copper lashes. I can't believe he's the first to get a date!

"He's not gay." Koen comically announces with a little muffled chuckle in his voice

"mate I could really use that number." Emery says pointedly at me

"I don't know which one she is yet." I reveal

"Pray God you are only fixated on getting your freedom and not becoming the next Charlton duke Angelford!" Leigh says

"No need for such extremities Burlington. My intent is simple." I assure him with a smile before Hughes walks up to me

"Duke, your timing." He reminds me.

"I'll be back." I state placing my napkin on the table and walking to the waiting car.

I have to make my rounds in the law faculty in search of my dear companion to the summer open. I have the suit fitting later this week and can't afford to delay any longer.

I walk up the halls expectantly, thinking that perhaps I should take on another plan seeing the unfruitfulness of this one! I sigh and walk down the halls, maybe if I spoke to the dean... but if I did he would be sure to tell my parents I was displaying interest in an unseemly lass and that would flay me off my chance for courting freedom at a premature stage. I sigh and turn around, deciding I was taking one last stroll up and down these halls before I get back to reassess my planning. Just then I walk right into someone, who lands on the floor from the unexpected change in inertia.

"My apologies." I announce reaching down to the very girl I was looking for

"It's not your fault; some people need to have been born with indicators attached to their ears." She announces as I help her up. She looks at her watch and sighs

"It's going to take a miracle for me to pull this one out!" she decides bending over like she wasn't wearing superbly fitting jeans.

"Where are you off to?" I pry helping pick up a few of the papers in the file she threw when she fell

"I need to be in town in the next fifteen minutes and I can't just show up like this!" she says taking the papers I hold in my hands without as much of a thank you.

She is going to be perfect for this! She's walked out of a class that isn't through! Told me I need indicators attached to my ears and doesn't even thank me for picking her papers up! Sadie! Her name is Sadie!

"What's wrong with how you look? I think it's fetching." I announce as she starts to walk away.

"I feel really bad about bumping into you like that. Maybe I should drop you in town. I have an appointment there too." I announce as she stares at her elbow like she is about to do something eccentric like slap the wits out of me.

I hold my turf though. It should be worth it! She looks from my hand clutching at her elbow to my face, her temper a tad doused by the dominance of my height I suppose, or maybe the irritating tanzanite of my eyes; I'm not sure which.

"What do you drive?" she inquires as if to gauge her response from my own

"A Bentley." I announce.

She smiles

"A car?' she pries

"A car.' I confirm

"I guess that's as good as anything." She shrugs freeing her elbow

"Is that disappointment or a punishment for my bumping into you so ungraciously?" I inquire lightly, finding it intriguing that she hadn't flinched at the sound of Bentley as most women had before

"are those the terms for having an opinion?" she replies handing me her files like I was Hughes!

"I'm Hervé by the way." I introduce myself

"Sadie." She says with a smile

"Mind if I inquire as to why you're dashing out of an incomplete lesson?" I ask leading her to the bullet where the very patient Hughes is standing

"Mind if I ask you why you were pacing up and down the law halls like that?" she retorts. I smile at the little spitfire that will bring my parents to tears

"I was looking for the dean." I lie

"He has an office." She points out as Hughes opens the door for her

"And you have a chauffeur." She adds condescendingly as she slides into the back of the car head first; most entertaining isn't she?!

"To town; I have an appointment there." I whisper to Hughes before I slide in after her.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" she wonders studying me closely.

Very few people I knew looked like me in DroughFox. I hadn't had the opportunity of meeting lads with eyes the indigo of mine and hair the jet-black of mine. I smile

"If I remember correctly, it didn't matter because I was neither Prince William nor Harry." I teasingly recompense. She smiles

"How's your toe?" she inquires with a naughty smile

"It was my friend's toe and it is faring quite well I should think." I divulge

"Great. So you came looking for me with the bill I suppose." She concludes

"On the contrary I was looking for the dean." I reiterate

"You shouldn't have let me stop you then. I'm sure if you paced down the halls again it would have been him you bump into." She comically obliges me. I smile at her

"If you must know I changed my mind about seeing him when I bumped into you." I announce

"Why? Were you going to snitch on me for my offences towards your friend and his toe?" she lightly probes

"At the very least I was going to have you arrested." I flippantly agree

"It's a good thing you bumped into me then. Now I can counter-sue you if you attempt it." She decides frivolously

"There'll be no need for that now." I decide with a smile

"I'm glad we agree on that." She says, her gaze diverting to the colourful purple watch that matches the t-shirt.

She has a way with clothes doesn't she? She has a way of making them look way better than they ought to, filling them with things that made them amazing when they were but ordinary!

She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone with a sigh, looking out the window as she calls someone

"Don't flip out on me." she states in opening. What niceties she will have to say to the who's who at the open!

"I know. I couldn't get out of class as early as I thought but I'm on my way. I should be there in five or ten." She promises

"Is he still at the plaza?" she inquires

"Then we can do this. Just take in a deep breath and put on your brightest smile; everything will be fine I promise. I'm really sorry I'm late." She says into the phone.

I bet she's talking to Viola! I look at my watch; she said something about someone flying in today didn't she?

"I'll be there. Relax." She swears again before she hangs up, diving into a pensive mood I suspect has something to do with 'him'.

"Where do we drop you?" I investigate

"The plaza would be great thanks." She says

"The plaza Hughes." I instruct

"You don't think he heard me?" she teasingly pries with a wide smile

"I wanted to be sure he did." I chuckle softly.

She shakes her head in disbelief and turns to the window again

"Was that your boyfriend?" I pry shamelessly.

She turns back to me with a wide smile

"You're forward." She notes pleasantly

"I am." I shrug prudently

"Like leaving the dean in favour of a girl you don't know." She says

"Perhaps to seek remuneration in showing her the way when she thought I ought to have been born with indicators attached to my ears." I point out brightly

"I clearly stated that it wasn't your fault." She retorts with a smile.

"I took it otherwise." I conclude as Hughes pulls into the plaza

"Thanks for the ride. I have to run." She says opening the door for herself to the bedevilment of Hughes who was getting out of the car to do her the honours. I turn to him

"I want you to find out for me who she's meeting." I announce

"Yes sir." He says with a bow

"And don't let her witness you." I add settling into the back seat and removing my phone.

So she was Sadie! That means her friend is Viola, the engineer! I smile and text the number to Emery

"Do with it what you may." I announce having once again won the competition of egos at the expense of him.

I had the most outrageous date to the summer open. She didn't know it yet, but she was going with me...