"I hope our guising efforts will be fruitful." Henry and I takes long strides across the street. He rubs some dust off the old coat we found at the bottom of his closet.

"I assure you it will be more fruitful than having to learn dead languages at Harrow." A shiver runs down my spine at remembering the countless hours wasted at them.

Henry laughs and adjusts his hat.
"Learning Greek and Latin was not that difficult."

"Says the person who can easily switch between five languages in five minutes." I shake my head, while a vendor's last wail of the day makes me jump.
"As for the guise, that is only to make us not look like snobs. Our accents give away that we're not from here."

Henry nods, as my feet stop on their own accord in the middle of the street. Two children go back into their homes after their father calls them out.

Henry looks at me.
"Is this our destination? Because all I see are people fleeing a street that smells pleasanter than your socks."

"Is the Lilliputian already tired?"
I squint an eye at a gap between two houses.

"You're just five inches taller than me. Just five!" Henry grumbles.

Through the gap, music echoes with laughter.
Something that seems like a delightful addition.
There's a turn in the street next to the left house.

"Come on." Turning towards the corner, we walk into a dark corridor before a brightened plot of land greets us.

Both Henry and I look around ourselves.
This plot is only a space left between two houses with darkened grass.

But music from a violin, violoncello and a treble violin strolls about, played by patched musicians sitting on the same grass.

"Well, these people enjoy parties much more than we do." Henry smiles.

I nod, but my gaze notices a person with bright brown eyes and in a dress of a warmer colour than I've seen before. She puts a hand on her face at something her fellow has said, unable to contain her laughter.

A smile comes onto my face, but I look away before staring.
Henry grins at me with a raised brow.

I shake my head, spotting Mrs Penrose sitting with the elders.
She notices me through the crowd and smiles.

Turning to Henry, I gesture to him to follow me. He shrugs but follows me.

Beside Mrs Penrose, two more figures come about.

"Doctor Knightley!" Jacob Trevor waves at me. He says something into his dance partner's ear and she accompanies him to us.
"So glad you could honour us!"
He takes both my hands and jubilantly shakes them.

"Honour's all mine," I say, returning the shake and also nodding to Mrs Penrose.

Jacob Trevor then turns to the woman on his side, a wide smile on his face.
"And this is my fiancé, Susan Weathers."
Miss Weathers bows and says the same formalities as before.
Henry and I return them.

Mrs Penrose looks at Henry and tilts her head,
"Is this your brother, Doctor?"

"Yes and I'm Henry." My brother turns to Jacob Trevor to shake his hand.
"And I am pleasantly surprised that my brother has acquaintances." After the handshake, Henry smiles at Mrs Penrose, bowing a bit.

Mrs Penrose chuckles, while I glare at Henry.

Just as the same woman with bright brown eyes walks over to us, a grin on her features.
"It seems as though the entire party has gravitated towards here."
She looks at Henry and says,
"Mathilda Penrose, sir. Your brother has also aided my mother."

Something about her accent changes, almost fitting into the atmosphere.

After bowing, Henry looks at me and stridently says,
"Pleasure meeting the woman my brother talks so often of."

With that, my ears and Mathilda's cheeks redden. Though, a sudden inclination to stomp someone's foot takes over me.

Jacob Trevor and Miss Weathers glance at each other, grinning.
The coach driver says,
"Mr Henry, will ye join me an' Susan in showing you around?"

Miss Weathers nods and says,
"Yes, I would be honoured to show a new guest around."

My head keeps flicking in between the schemers; a faint redness comes onto Mathilda's cheeks.

Then I look over at Mathilda Penrose, who only keeps looking at the lilacs surrounding the plot.

Mrs Penrose only shakes her head and turns to the elderly woman beside her.

"Why, of course," Henry says and Jacob Trevor nods again.

Before going, Henry hums to himself, glancing at me with it and walks away.

After a while hanging about, Miss Mathilda and I walk away from the chatting elderly, gravitating more towards the sidelines.

Mathilda Penrose stands there, silent, flicking her interlocked fingers about.
"You and your brother seem quite close."

"We all. With our sister Isabelle, as well."
I remove my now drenched gloves and put them in my pocket.
"Do you have anymore siblings, Miss Penrose?" My hand flicks at the rain eaten wood houses nearby.

Please somebody smack me with my school master's cane.

She nods, glancing at me.
"My elder sister, Della, lives in Dover with her family. Mother and I have only ourselves in London." Her fingers sweep across her knuckles-- rubbing them-- as Miss Penrose keeps her gaze straight.

I sigh and fidget about in my position.
"Miss Penrose," she turns to me,
"You don't have to keep me company and make awkward conversation, if you don't want to. I will be fine with my brother."

At that, Mathilda Penrose tilts her head to the side.
"I would have never greeted you myself if that were the case." Mathilda Penrose shrugs, her voice reverting back to the accent I usually hear.

Then it suddenly clicks.

She changes accents according to the person...

"You are very blunt, may I add." A playful brow raises.

"And you are tardy at voicing out observations, may I add."

I pull my lips into a small smile.
"I call that a compensating tendency."

The corner of her lips curl up; Mathilda Penrose looks around at the people dancing. She says,
"Perhaps, we can do something else."

My arms free themselves from their sides, as I say,
"Of course! Would you like to dance with me?"

Mathilda Penrose laughs, a symphony ringing in the air.
"Yes, yes I would."
Her hand slides into mine while the other on my arm.

I hold onto hers and put the other on her waist, trying to keep up with her small feet gliding swiftly across the grass.

Should I ask her about the chapel...

My lips open, forming another sentence, but deciding against any vocabulary at the last moment.
"You came to my office the other day and then left without talking about what was concerning you."

"I should have known you'd ask that," she sighs, glancing at her mother.
"I was worried about her and came to your office on a whim.
Then left after realising I was getting too worried again and didn't want to bother you. Hence the reason why I didn't say goodbye."

Our pace slows down as the music fills in the void left by those words.
"You really are so devoted to your mother..."

She only nods and says,
"How was your day?" Mathilda Penrose asks, as I pull our intertwined hands over her head and twirl her.

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines bright and the wind blows cold," I say, twirling her around.

"When it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade," she finishes the quote.

Only after that, time seems to pass by faster as we talk and dance and my finally being able to match her gait.

My eyes wander to Mrs Penrose talking to the elders of the party.

Mrs Penrose smiles at our direction.

But then the tone of the music changes and the song comes to a halt, asking all the couples for a cast off.

Mathilda Penrose and I take a few steps back, the former giving a curtsey and the latter a bow.

My head turns to the crowd:
Except for the elders, everyone remains standing, making light conversation or changing partners for the next song.

Mathilda Penrose suddenly says,
"I wanted to thank you for not telling Mother about the chapel..." She chews her bottom lip for a few moments, before pulling her lips out.
"And also for the treatment."

I blink, voice softer than before,
"You don't have to thank me. I--" Then an idea with the weight my old school master's cane hits me.
"Actually, may I voice out a request?"

Now she blinks at me.

"There is nothing to worry about," I assure her.
"But please call me Matthew, not Doctor or Mr Knightley.
Though, this exchanging of Christian names may be one-sided, if you wish it."

Mathilda Penrose only stares at me. I try to keep my smile without it resulting into a sweat.

She lets out a small laugh and air becomes my ally again.
"Then I shall oblige, Doc-- Matthew. But that means you call me Mathilda, as well."

How can I object to that?

"Absolutely, Miss--" I shake my head. "Mathilda."

From the corner of my eye, I see Henry standing near the exit, grinning.

"Thank you for your time, Matthew." Giving me a delicate curtsey bow, Mathilda walks over to her mother.

I stay on my spot, till Henry approaches me with crossed arms and playing the devil's advocate.

"Don't dare say anything." I hold up a finger, as the song starts again.

"I'm not the one who didn't cast off for three songs..." Henry says and I roll my eyes.

A few couples come forth again.

One is Jacob Trevor with his fiancé. And one with Mathilda with another man.

Henry hums.
"And I won't say anything else...
But you can't expect Belle to not make puns like Les I'm Miserable."

"Damn you and your puns!"
Before I can catch him, Henry

Despite the reddening of my ears, I look back at Mathilda.

She catches me looking at her, still dancing, and her lips curve upwards.

Coming here was a good decision after all.

Hellloooooo everybody!
I hope y'all are fine ❤️

As for me, I'm just happy BECAUSE MY BOOK ORDER CAME AND I ONLY HAVE TWO MORE EXAMS TO GIVE WHOOP WHOOP

Also, did I mention Against the Current's new single is just fantastic?

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter as I much as I did while writing <3
And somebody's gotten on first name terms ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Oh and this chapter is dedicated to my lovely and badass fren squirrelg who writes some kickass sci-fi and sassy female and male leads *wink wonk*

Don't forget to vote! ❤️

Have a great day!
Love,
MS Zame