Love, the True Test of Time Chapter 3 by Lady Jane T
All characters in this fan fiction are the property of Miramax. . . this is all in good fun and I hope you enjoy. This is dedicated to all those women out there hoping that their Leopold will come riding in on a white horse, swoop them off their feet and live happily ever after. Keep believing!
"I suppose it is an acceptable request on your part, Uncle Millard, but for me the only thing that is significant is I did meet Kate and we fell in love and I have chosen her for my wife."
He glanced at Kate and she rolled her eyes, about how pathetic he sounded.
"But if you insist on the boring details, I will gladly give them to you."
He was stalling and didn't know where to go to next. How would he make up anything that his Uncle would believe? His Uncle had always been involved in Leopold's life, and kept track of where he was and what he was doing. There had to have been some instance that hadn't been accounted for that he could use. He noticed his Uncle's eyes glaring at him, and he realized he had to think fast. Then it came to him.
"I probably never mentioned Stuart to you, Uncle, but he was a dear friend while I was attending Oxford."
"Stuart...you can't mean Stuart Preston? Honestly, Leopold, I can see why you wouldn't have mentioned him, because he is an unsuitable companion for you or any other English man of nobility.'
"Oh, no, Stuart Besser...like I said I never mentioned him to you and you wouldn't know him, he was an American student studying Physics."
"For god's sake, what kind of name is Besser..."
"I really couldn't say, but I ran into him only awhile ago down by the bridge and we began talking, he invited me to tea at his home. He was ever so hospitable; I believe it was the afternoon you and Aunt Margaret took a drive into the country. I met Kate and Charles there."
"Next thing you are going to tell me, Leopold, is that it was love at first sight, or something else equally absurd."
"No, it was nothing like that." He looked at Kate and remembered their first meeting and how odd he had found her, but in those few days in the future he had found a woman he could truly love. Independent, strong, beautiful and intelligent. She could tell he was thinking about their meeting and placed her hand over his on the table.
"You never mentioned having tea with anyone that afternoon, Leopold. In fact, you were so enthralled with those idiotic contraptions of yours upstairs, you were oblivious to anyone in the room."
"Those idiotic contraptions, as you call them, are experiments, Uncle, and for your information, Otis insisted I get out of the house that afternoon. I had an idea that wasn't working, and it was only frustrating me. Otis felt a walk in the fresh air would do me good. And he was right. It was lovely meeting up with Stuart and meeting his friends. I didn't mention it to you because you would have asked me a million and one questions about these people. Always so concerned about who's company I am keeping. I felt there was no reason to go through one of your inquiries."
"So I take it you've been keeping other secrets from me as well."
"There are no secrets, Uncle, just things I have kept from you so I could live some kind of normal life."
"You are not normal, Leopold."
Margaret took hold of her husband's hand. "Dear, please, you are raising your voice and the servants will hear you and you know what they are like. Please let Leopold continue."
Millard sat back in his chair, "So if it wasn't love at first sight, pray tell, how did this relationship blossom into a marriage proposal? In the last few weeks you have been extremely occupied attending various galas and balls. There was very little time for you to take a breath let alone, rendezvous with this young woman."
Kate had been silent long enough, "He was a complete gentlemen, which I found extremely irritating to begin with. I can't believe all Englishmen are like him, to tell you the truth. Overly polite, standing up every time you leave the table. You cannot believe the American men I have encountered and the way they treat women..."
Millard was appalled by her honesty, "I am sure I don't have any idea what you mean."
"I have never met anyone like Leopold." She looked in his eyes, "I knew he was destined to marry someone from a good family with money, and I don't fall into that description. It wasn't until I had almost lost him that I realized I was in love with him. I came to the party because I had to see if he felt the same way. Leopold didn't have any idea that I would be there, so you see he hadn't planned to choose me as his wife at all. If it wasn't for Charlie and Stuart, who told me to follow my destiny, Leopold would have chosen someone else."
Leopold smiled at her, lifting her hand and kissing the back of it. Margaret smiled at both of them, "Katherine, it takes a very determined woman to go after what she wants and I admire that in you. And Leopold, no matter what my argumentative husband says, I think you have chosen wisely."
"Then we have your blessing, Aunt Margaret", Leopold questioned.
She glared at her husband, "Millard, I think you owe them both an apology for your behavior...as well, as a blessing for them to marry.'
He was silent. Leopold shook his head in frustration. He wasn't going to get a blessing from his uncle. "It is no use, dear Aunt, he is stubborn and set in his ways, and he will have the last word, as he always does." He stood up, "Kate, I think I have had enough of this pleasant family gathering, care to join me in the study?"
But Kate was irritated and wasn't going to allow Uncle Millard to have the last word. She had a hard time accepting the fact that Leopold was related to this unfeeling, bitter man. She knew Leopold wouldn't stand up to him. And she felt it was time someone did.
All references to characters belonging to the X-Men Universe are (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, duplication or distribution of these materials in any form is expressly prohibited. No money is being made from this archive. All images are also (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities; they are not mine. This website, its operators and any content used on this site relating to the X-Men are not authorized by Marvel, Fox, etc. I am not, nor do I claim to be affiliated with any of these entities in any way.