Susie was braiding Alice's hair and was totally absorbed in her thoughts when Alice suddenly said, "Susie, did you note Count Damien's son?"
Startled a little by this interruption of her musings she only said, "What?"
Alice said, "His son, that red haired boy that was out in the stables with the horses earlier." Susie felt the color draining out of her face and then getting red. Alice must have seen this in the mirror and said "Susie? Are you all right? I have never seen anyone change color so quickly."
Susie swallowed and weakly said, "That was his son? Oh no...."
Alice was intrigued, "Why Susie, didn't you know that that was his son?"
Susie said, "No, and I hit him in the face."
Alice was horrified, " Susie, why on earth would you hit someone even if they weren't the son of a count?"
Susie was indignant and retorted, "He was saying the rudest meanest things about you, Quentin, and Quentin's fiance Claudia, and when I confronted him he just basically said it again, so I hit him!"...
____________________________________________________

Susie growled to herself in frustration. Ever since that fatal afternoon when she had slapped Phillip he had given her no peace and no chance to avoid him either!
Everyday he was at the door asking for her and giving her a flower (or sixteen), or a necklace, or some bracelets and behaving perfectly like a gentleman.
But she still didn't like him because he was always saying how graceful that necklace makes her neck look, or telling her how pretty her chocolate hair is, or saying how much he loves her violet eyes, and on top of the fact that he hadn't yet apologized for insulting Quentin, Alice, and Claudia, he was always simply dripping with every simpering flattery that ever was said (and she hated to be flattered).
She suddenly heard someone walking up behind her, and afraid it was Phillip she quickly turned around and with relief saw that it was Christopher.
"Hello Christopher" she said, thankful for something to take her mind off of her predicament. Then he handed her a clumsily wrapped package and said, "Here, happy birthday Susie." For a second she was taken by surprise, and then she took it and said "Thank you Christopher, what is it?" He laughed and his pale green eyes twinkled, and he said, "If I told, then you wouldn't be surprised would you?" She smiled and opened the package and inside was a small dagger with a slim sharp blade about 5" long and set in the hilt was a single purple pebble polished to such an extent that it flashed just like a jewel would.
"Oh Christopher!" She breathed, "It's beautiful!...Thank you so much!" Then partly because she was so happy, partly because he was her best friend, and partly because she didn't know what else to say, she suddenly threw her arms around him and gave him a big hug.
A loud "Ahem!" brought her to her senses and red faced she whipped around and what she saw chilled her.
It was Phillip, but he had undergone an appalling change since the last time she'd seen him. His eyes which were normally wide and blue were almost green, and were slitted with jealousy, but worst of all was the hatred which burned out of them in a clear, steady flame when he looked at Christopher.
"H-hello Master Phillip." Susie could barely comprehend that one single person was even capable of that much hatred. His gaze switched to Susie and the hatred faded out with extraordinary speed. "Here, happy birthday Susie," he said handing her an expensive looking, tightly wrapped package, but his tone, though not lacking in sincerity, was rather cold and had a bitter edge to it. Christopher, who looked about ready to die from embarrassment, walked quickly out of the room,
and Susie who had regained her composure by now said, "Thank you Master Phillip." A flash of annoyance flitted across his face and she noticed with a start that the hatred was gone.
She shuddered at how skillfully he hid his true temperament and he said, "Susie, how many times must I tell you to call me Phillip?" She smiled and opened the package and inside was the most beautiful little box! It was pearl, and just big enough to cover her palm and painted on it was little bouquets of violets!
"Oh..." she gasped in spite of herself, "It's beautiful!" He then reached forward and gently took it out of her hand and said, "But that's not all." Then he opened it and inside was the most beautiful, and least practical ring she had ever seen! It was a thick gold band set with sapphires, but on the top was an amethyst carved into the shape of a swan! He took it out of her hand and said, "Susie, will you be mine?"
She was stunned. Was this boy whom she had known all of a week actually asking her to marry him?
"Uh,ah, what?" was all she could manage to choke out in her shock.
"Yes, Susie, will you marry me?" She looked into those wide blue eyes and finally regaining her powers of speech, she firmly, resolutely, and calmly said, "No."
His eyes got wider than she could have believed possible and the shock that was registering in them caused a tiny deeply buried little spiteful part of herself to be glad. Now it was his turn to sputter and be in shock, and from the look of disbelief and thwarted anger in his eyes she guessed that he'd never been told, nor had expected to be told "No" about anything in pretty much his whole life. She was half afraid to look into those eyes as she expected to see that horrible, poisonous, devouring hatred pouring out onto her, but when she looked she simply saw icy, confused, and angry, disbelief. She wondered how he could be so easily swayed by his emotions: One moment he was simply radiating poison and death, the next kindness and "affection", and then suddenly ice, and confused anger.
He started to say something but his voice caught and he bowed his head and said, "Wh-why?" She had hoped to not have to elaborate on her reasons but she said "Because Mas- I mean Phillip, I have barely known you a week for one thing, and...well, ah that is to say that I don't think that I like you well enough to marry you...or rather at all really..." Then dropping her eyes she almost whispered "I hope you understand" If she were looking up at him she would have seen the look of calculating, stubborn, anger on his face when he hissed, "Maybe you just need a few days to think it over." through gritted teeth. She almost rolled her eyes in disgust at his thick-headedness, but instead she just got up, and as she left the room he handed her the box and ring and said, "Here Susie. Whether you accept me or not, this is your birthday present."
With that he walked out of the room angry, but not at all defeated.