Chapter Text
Which One?
Part 1
There wasn’t a plan of action, not really, but Alexander knew that he should – no, would – leave this ball having made an impression on at least one woman worthy of marriage. He had debated this, letters back and forth between him and John when the latter was away. He had picked apart a woman that he would settle with. Of course, there were letters finished in the late of night, sealed and sent in the early morning dawn that admitted a lot more than that – admitted, love and reluctance to actually marry, when his heart, his love was already harboured for someone else. But this is not a story about that. (Not this time.)
There were soldiers and women everywhere. Upon entering the room, he found his eyes drifting to a woman who, although standing lone in the dance floor, her knowing smirk captured him for a moment. He moved towards her, pushing Lafayette away, allowing her eyes to meet his own. Quickly taking her hand in his, he placed a kiss on the back of it, smoothing his thumb over the spot before standing straight, smiling at her shocked expression.
“You strike me as a woman who has never been satisfied,” his words were firm, and in taking a step back, affronted, he knew he had her pegged.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” she paused, tilting her head slightly, “you forget yourself.” With her words he took a step closer.
“You’re like me,” he started again, “I’ll never be satisfied.”
“Is that right?”
“I’ve never been satisfied,” and wasn’t that an understatement. The man he was, he doubted even a woman as beautiful as this would actually be able to satisfy him, but even if only for tonight…
Licking her lips, taking a step closer, “My name is Angelica Schuyler.” Resisting the urge to throw a punch in the air, he instead allowed his eyes to drift to her lips.
“Alexander Hamilton,” a look of confusion crossed her face, as he had seen times before. That was not a name that was known, and he wanted to cringe but kept his gaze steady.
“Where’s your family from?” another question was poised on her lips, along with a part-knowing smirk, but he took a quick step back from her… he needed a few seconds, to regroup, to get the taste of wine or ale, something to give him the courage to seal the deal.
“Unimportant,” moving to walk away a plan beginning to form, “There’s a million things I haven’t done yet, Angelica but just you wait.” He smiled again, before turning away, his face falling for a moment wondering if truly, he could do this.
Really, he knew, he had no option. Walking to where Burr stood talking to John he caught the end of the conversation, “if you can marry a sister, you’re rich, son.” Smugly, pushing in between he got closer to Aaron and grinned.
“Is it a question of if, Burr, or which one?”
--
Alexander hadn’t spoken again to Angelica but he had spotted her through the crowd, smiling or more likely dismissing some of the many gentlemen that came up to her. Could she really afford to be so choosy? A Schuyler sister, he supposed, really could.
His eyes scanned the crowd and he spotted Burr with a woman, wealthy he bet, her black hair straight and silken down her back, a dark contrast to the light blue of her dress. It caught his interest for a moment, he wanted to see the face for some uncontrollable reason, maybe it was the obvious fidgeting of the woman in question, like she had somewhere else to be and afraid that if she waited any longer she would miss it. Smirking, Alexander understood that that could be the case when talking to Burr, the man was terrible at flirting.
“Mr Hamilton,” a now-familiar voice spoke to the side of him,” I have yet to see you return to the dance floor.”
“I have yet to find the right partner, Miss Schuyler,” he returned, smiling at her, noticing that her smile did not reach her eyes, that spark that interested him so had dimmed to a resigned glitter.
“Is that not always the case,” she replied, biting at her bottom lip, he dropped down a step that he had been standing upon, whilst still taller than her he could now gauge her reaction more closely, “I myself, have been less interested in dancing this evening.”
“Any reason in particular? I am sure that you would be a most graceful dancer,” his eyes skimmed down her, a smile on his face that he knew, had caused enough women (and men) to get a little weak at the knees.
“Oh, I am, but I have been distracted,” she shakes her head looking out to the crowd, for a moment Alexander studies her face, a sad mask on it, before turning at looking out to the floor, he spotted Burr again, still talking to the woman from before but this time they both stood facing the crowd. Her dress, he realises now, is more of a green colour, she smiled out at the crowd, briefly her eyes flick up to where he stands, before she turns away suddenly as if shy. He is caught, intrigued for a moment, before she laughs at something Burr said and he hears Angelica call to him softly.
“Do you have a longing to dance, Alexander?” she asks gently, he steps down again, his thoughts returning to her, he ends closer to her, a rose sent enchants him and he wishes if maybe for a moment they could be alone. Her question is heavy, filled with a whole different meaning that he can’t understand but he smiles again.
“Do you?” he returns the question, hoping that he will get a reaction out of her, she tilts her head, placing her hand on his arm.
“Always, but not tonight,” she took a deep breath linking her arm with his and pulling at him, “come.”
“Where are you taking me?” he stopped, suddenly feeling as though he was out of his depths.
“I’m about to change your life,” a sincerity to her words, a truth that she believed wholeheartedly that he found his mouth going a little dry.
“By all means, lead the way,” allowing himself to be moved through the crowd. His heartbeat started picking up slightly, moving closer to the young woman with whom he caught eyes with earlier. Stopping in front of her, she flicked her eyes to Angelica before settling on his. The dry mouth was back, he noticed the blush on her pale cheeks, as she obviously waited for something.
“This is Alexander Hamilton,” Angelica spoke from beside him, his own cheeks started to colour. How thoughtless, not even introducing himself to the lady before him.
“Elizabeth Schuyler. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” giving him a slight curtsey, her words were delicate and soft, and it took a moment before he registered what she said.
“Schuyler?” touching his ear awkwardly he turned to face Angelica.
“My sister,” she smiled gently, a more genuine smile from her slightly reconciled one from earlier, he turned back to Elizabeth. She smiled more openly at him, licking her lips.
“Thank you for all your service,” her words caught, as if she thought it the most ridiculous thing to say. He realised, she was nervous. Worst still as he thought of a reply, so was he.
“If it takes fighting a war for us to meet,” he brings out his hand, palm up, for her to place hers atop, which she does and he finds himself already almost bowing to kiss it before he’s finished speaking, “it will have been worth it.” Placing his lips there, closing his eyes and tightening his hold on her hand, he heard a strong ‘I’ll leave you to it’ from the side, but found himself unable to look away from Elizabeth as he stood, “would you like to dance?” She nodded in reply, moving easily with him to the centre of the floor.
--
Later that evening, he encountered the younger Schuyler sister Peggy, in her attempts at trying to steal Elizabeth away from him. It worked, only for a brief interlude, where she placed a kiss upon his cheek that felt times more intimate than it was.
“I will return,” her nosed brush against his as she pulled back, dark eyes meeting his brighter ones. Gods, he hoped she would sooner rather than later. The night was getting late and while his blood thrummed with adrenaline, he was worried about how his time, in this moment with her, was fleeting.
“I shall eagerly await your return,” resisting the urge to press his lips to hers, he pulled back slightly, “I will not dare move a muscle in fear I’ll miss you.” She let out a small giggle, before being pulled away by Peggy, obvious in her desire to extract as much information as possible.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Burr sat down on the chair that Elizabeth had just evacuated moments before, and Alexander side-eyed him, he hoped his friend wasn’t planning on staying there.
“Burr, sir, how are you finding the festivities?”
“Hot,” Burr replied, “and I imagine not as well as you are finding them.”
Smiling he caught sight of Elizabeth placing her hands on her stomach taking a deep shaking breath, as if taken over by a sheer force of feeling – that he could understand, “Mm.”
“I must be imagining that Alexander Hamilton, scholar extraordinaire, could not manage to give more than a noise in reply?” turning to face his friend, a small smile on his face he let out a little shrug.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I am a little preoccupied.”
“Oh, I sure noticed,” taking a pause and carefully choosing his next words, “Angelica at the beginning of the eve, now Eliza, I’m assuming young Peggy will round the night off?”
“Wait, what?” completely insulted – and maybe slightly guiltily – he pulls back to give an incredulous expression.
“All I am saying, Hamilton, is it did not escape peoples notice how you’ve spent the night lingering around two thirds of the Schuyler sisters,” lowering his voice, “when you said ‘which one?’ I did not realise that you were going to test out each before making a decision.”
“Firstly, how else is someone to make a decision?” he answered harshly before shaking his head, “Regardless, despite what you may…what anyone may think, it is not that…” a dawning arose on his face, “Eliza? Is that what this is about, Burr?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” looking down before shooting his gaze up, “she and I have had friendly conversations throughout the years, she’s always polite…sweet.” His eyes flicked over to where she looked over at them, smiling at Burr before focussing on the back of Alexander’s head, her smile softer and Burr frowned.
“I agree,” He smiled, “I swear to you Burr, I cannot explain what it is I feel, but it is not… I have no intentions of pursuing any other sister than one we share a mutual interest.”
It was at that moment Peggy and Elizabeth returned, laughter in the air around them, placing her had on the shoulder of Burr, Elizabeth smiled at her sister.
“Dearest, I’ve not seen our friend Aaron dancing nearly enough this beautiful eve, you should bring awe with your moves,” Peggy let out a dramatic sigh before smiling at Burr holding out her hand to him in some role reversal that almost made Alexander laugh, but Burr left after that and next to him returned the company he really wanted to share.
“So, Burr called you Eliza,” he left the statement hanging.
Taking both of his hands in hers and bringing them to rest in her lap she tilted her head, “Are you asking if I hold an affection for Mr Burr, or if you too can use such a name?”
Alexander was pretty sure it was both, and decided to let her know as such, much to her delight.
“Oh, don’t you know?” looking down at their joint hands, “you may call me by whatever name you see fitting.” Pulling one hand from her lap he moved to cup her cheek.
“I have such a longing to kiss you, Eliza,” looking around the room, “even here, with the world as an audience, I have such an improper craving to show you…”
“Show me?”
“That what I feel for you tonight, is not solely for tonight,” dropping his hand from her face and pulling his other from his grasp he stood, “meet me soon in the gardens, the privacy of nightfall we shall talk until it is time for you to leave me.” He bowed to her, making his way out of the dancehall, and to the gardens.