ege　in　Oxford。　She’d　pictured　herself　living　in　one　of　the　Gothic　buildings　near　campus；　surrounded　by　posh　classmates　who　kept　flats　in　Sloane　Square；　attending　thought…provoking　lectures　given　by　aged　professors　who　drank　scotch　throughout　their　insightful　monologues。　But　as　had　so　often　happened　in　Blair’s　life；　things　hadn’t　quite　turned　out　as　she　planned。　She’d　been　assigned　to　live　in　the　basement　of　a　dorm；　where　her　hall　mates　were　shrill　girls　from　Mount　Holyoke。　Blair　hated　the　weather；　hated　the　snooty　Oxford　students　who　considered　her　a　second…class　citizen　because　she　was　American；　and　hated　the　fact　that　most　of　the　pubs　in　Oxford　closed　at　11　p。m。

It　was　almost　like　fate　intervening　one　cold　and　rainy　afternoon　in　mid…October。　She’d　been　riding　a　bike　to　the　library；　the　idea　of　which　she’d　thought　seemed　cute　and　quaint。　What　she　hadn’t　anticipated　was　how　difficult　it　was　to　bike　on　cobblestone。　She　wound　up　falling　in　the　center　of　town。　She　was　sitting　there　miserably；　soaked　from　the　rain；　knees　skinned；　when　like　a　knight　in　shining　armor；　he　appeared；　just　as　he　always　had；　she’d　just　never　noticed　him　before…。

“These　cookies　are　just　delicious；　Harold。”　Chuck　Bass　ambled　in　from　the　kitchen；　nibbling　on　one　of　the　snowman…shaped　sugar　cookies　Harold　had　baked　with　the　twins。　He　eased　down　onto　the　sofa　next　to　Blair。

Blair　smiled　and　squeezed　Chuck’s　hand。　It　was　Chuck　who　had　rescued　her　that　day；　except　instead　of　shining　armor　he　wore　Thomas　Pink；　and　instead　of　a　knight；　he　was　an　Oxford　University　scholar。　He’d　transferred　there　after　pleting　two　years　at　Deep　Springs；　and　ever　since　their　paths　crossed　that　fateful　day；　they’d　been　practically　inseparable。

“I’ll　give　you　the　recipe；”　Harold　offered；　smiling　at　t