Amelia Atwater was one of those young women whose fathers dangled as bait in front of any eligible bachelor possible, hoping to lure in one that could give him the best advantage within the society elite. Or, in his case, could provide him with enough funds to continue his nasty little gambling habit rather than fixing up her crumbling childhood home. The fact that Lord Roxbury was not on the market is probably why her father has forced her to attend tonight's function.

Honestly, that is exactly why she's taken refuge out here in the cold. She'd risk catching pneumonia if it meant not having to smile and simper as he pawed at her. Oh, if she had to marry him, she'd ... throw herself off of a bridge.

If she had the faintest inkling of what was to come for the disgusting man, she might actually try to enjoy herself tonight, especially as it was happening. These people - they think that they have the right to act in any way that they want without any consequence. She'd always found that ... ridiculous. She's got other choice words for her feelings, but they were really rather unladylike.

She hears the comments that the woman and her son make, and since nobody she knows is around to tell her otherwise, she huffs out a displeased breath, rolling her eyes. A man can't even walk up the stairs without getting insulted for it? Running away and living a life as a hermit has never looked like a better life choice than it does now. But she doesn't say anything, and after leveling a glance at them, he doesn't either, and she nods back as she continues her slow path around and around the grounds, just so that she doesn't have to go inside.

Of course, that brings her closer to the pair of them, and she's forced to stumble backwards as they pass. "Terribly sorry, ma'am," she replies, her words dripping with sarcasm.

She wouldn't feel the least bit terrible if the awful woman ... tripped on the long hem of her dress. She wouldn't feel terrible about it at all.