Elizabeth had left a few hours after she had arrived. Lady Victoria had perfected the waltz, so there was no reason for her to stay at the Jones House. There was no reason for Andrew to stay either, yet he did.

"You are a great dancer," he told her. They were in the parlour enjoying a cup of tea and delicious treats he was certain she made.

Lady Victoria looked down, pretending to stir her tea. "That was only a waltz. I still have to learn every other dance."

Andrew set down his cup. "I have never known of a lady learning a waltz within the hour."

She shook her head. "It took me longer than an hour."

"I do not think it did." He watched her closely, but she refused to meet his eyes. It was the perfect moment to study her, he figured. Her long blonde hair was up, but messy from dancing, and he liked how it looked. Strands of hair framed her face, accentuating the beauty of it. She was gorgeous, he thought as he saw her bright grey eyes and deep red lips. The hands that held on tight to the cup of tea had long, elegant fingers. He remembered how they held his when they were dancing, and he wanted to reach out and hold them again. Feel their warmth and strength and have them bring that odd but pleasant feeling back to his tummy.

A smile appeared on lady Victoria's lips. A beautiful smile that made her whole face look even more beautiful.

"You are staring, my lord," those gorgeous lips said. Two beautiful eyes met his. "I believe your sister would not be pleased with your lack of decency."

The way her eyebrows moved and her smile turned mischievous made his heart flutter. He did not know where it came from or how she was the only one who could do that to him, but he liked it.

He ignored her statement and brought up a topic he had realized before, but only felt like telling after their previous topic. "You do not quite believe in yourself, do you?"

The lady's eyebrows shot up, but she did not say anything. She seemed to think of his statement, and eventually said: "I do not believe in other people. They easily give you compliments, but say the opposite when they think you cannot hear them anymore."

"True," Andrew admitted, "but I also believe you do not believe in yourself. You are a good dancer, but you do not believe you are."

Victoria bit her lower lip and Andrew wanted her to release it so that he could hold it with his lips.

Shaking the thought away, he said: "you have not gotten enough genuine compliments."

She scoffed. "The only compliments I truly believe in are those my brother gives me."

Andrew smiled, hoping he could one day convince her of the words he spoke. "You ought to believe mine as well."

She laughed while keeping her eyes on him. "I would rather believe your sister than you," she said in a jesting tone. It was a jesting tone, yes?

Andrew raised his eyebrows. "You are more chummy with my sister than me?"

She merely shrugged and took a sip of tea, leaving the answer a mystery.

Andrew decided to change the subject before his ego was bruised completely. He pointed up at the wall above the fireplace. "Tell me about the painting."

Lady Victoria looked at it and smiled. The painting seemed to bring her relief or happiness. She put down her cup. "My brother painted it."

"I did not know lord Blackburn is a painter."

She shook her head. "He is not. He makes furniture out of tree trunks. But before he had found that leisure activity, he tried many things to fill his free time. Painting was one of them, a suggestion by my father."

She stayed silent for a while, probably grieving the man.

"I like the painting," Andrew told her. A smile appeared on her face.

"So do I. As does my brother. I did not want to leave him alone in Blackburn, but he made me come to London. He gave me the only painting he is truly happy with, and promised me that one day he would come to take it back."

Andrew looked at lady Victoria with a question in his eyes. She smiled and responded to his unspoken words: "if he would collect it, it means he is here."

Andrew smiled at the story. She really loved her brother a lot, and she missed him. It was all obvious in her eyes.

"He believes he is not to come out of his house," she said, the love in her eyes replaced by pain and disappointment. "I am afraid he will never come to collect it." She turned to look at it once more. "I would love the empty space, knowing it hung above his fire place."

Andrew stayed silent, watching her watching the painting with longing. He could only imagine how it felt to long for the sibling who was not close by. Of course, he had a brother who was not close by, but he did not long for Arthur. He had missed his older brother when he was just banished, but once he realized the peace and happiness without him, he was glad the man had not stayed.

He was about to open his mouth to change the topic to a much more pleasant one, when there was a knock on the door. Lady Victoria called "come in", after which the door opened and the butler entered.

"My lady," he said, bowing to his mistress, "some ladies were at the door for you. I sent them home."

Lady Victoria smiled. "What did you tell them?"

"That you are not avai-" A noise came from the other side of the door. It sounded like someone was fighting and hit the door. Hard whispering was still heard, but not loud enough to understand it.

The butler took a deep breath and composed himself. "I told the ladies that you are not available at the moment." He had to say the last words louder so that he could still be heard over the shouting in the hallway.

"What is going on, Mr. Lennard?" the mistress of the house asked, eyeing the door.

"The boys wish to see lord Brompton, I am afraid. I suggested they take the window, but they thought the keyhole to be more adventurous."

Lady Victoria laughed, and Andrew chuckled as well, not knowing who the boys were.

She turned to him. "Would you like to meet Sam and Theo?"

How could he deny such a gorgeous, pleading face? He smiled and nodded. Lady Victoria turned to Mr. Lennard and motioned with her hand. "You may let them enter."

The butler turned and opened the door, showing two young boys, surprised by the opening of the door. Both boys had dark brown hair and a similar face. They are obviously brothers, Andrew thought. But who are their parents?

He was quite certain lady Victoria did not have children, nor did she have nephews. Then who's children were these?

The two boys composed themselves and walked into the room, their heads high and their eyes on Andrew.

"Milady," the tallest boy said.

Lady Victoria smiled at them. "Sam, Theo, this is lord Brompton. I have heard you wished to meet him."

"I did not," the smallest boy said.

His brother kicked him with his elbow, severely saying: "Theo!"

Theo looked at his brother. "Tis true. You wanted to see him, for you did not believe me."

Sam turned to his younger brother, eyes wide. "You wanted to look through the keyhole as well! You slammed my head against the door!"

"Yes, because you didn't allow me to have a look at the l-"

The butler cleared his throat, making both boys silent. They eyed the older man and their faces turned apologetic.

Sam turned to Andrew and bowed. "We are very pleased to meet you, milord."

Theo turned to Andrew as well and mimicked his brother's bow. "I have already met you, milord."

"Theo," lady Victoria's stern voice said. The young boy startled and turned to the lady.

"But I have," he silently defended himself. "The lord threw his hat at me face."

Both the butler and Sam stiffened, but Andrew laughed. Now he recognized the boy. He saw lady Victoria close her eyes, as if she regretted letting the boys inside.

"You are the stable boy," Andrew said through his laughs.

"Aye, milord. I kept yer hat safe."

"Language, Theo," his brother harshly whispered.

Theo ignored the boy, and added to Andrew in a beautiful speech: "My brother didn't believe me when I told him about you, so I showed him you are real."

Andrew chuckled. "I am very real, indeed."

"Can you write, milord?" Sam asked in a serious tone.

He was surprised by the question, but did not show it. "Yes, I can. I learned to write and read when I was about your age, I believe."

Sam turned to his brother. "See, Theo, you must practice harder."

Now Andrew could not hide his surprise. Servants were not supposed to know how to write or read, but when they lived with lady Victoria, that unspoken rule must be forgotten along with every other, he assumed.

Lady Victoria saw the surprise on his face, and her cheeks turned red. She gracefully ignored it and told the boys: "yes, you must both practice more. And you also ought to learn your manners."

"But you are only learning them now, milady," Theo said innocently.

While Same and Mr. Lennard stiffened, lady Victoria and Andrew laughed. He understood the boy's way of thinking, and wished the world was truly that easy. But he had learned by doing that it was not at all.

"Then you ought to not make the same mistake I did and learn well now," lady Victoria said once she had finished laughing.

Sam nodded, but Theo did not seem to understand it. Before he could ask another question, Mr. Lennard said to the boys: "I believe we must leave lady Victoria and lord Brompton now."

Sam nodded and pushed his brother to the door while the youngest said: "but I haven't asked him how beautiful Brompton is."

Andrew had to try his hardest not to laugh, and heard the butler say: "it is not a land," before the door closed.

"My apologies," lady Victoria said. "I did not think they would cause such a ruckus."

Andrew smiled at her, a smile he had been wearing the whole time the boys were here. "You do not need to apologise. It was quite pleasant."

She smiled appreciatingly. "Their mother is my cook. They remain here and work as my stable boys, while their father comes and goes how his work permits it."

"They all live in your estate?"

"Yes, of course. I would not want to split a family, simply because I do not want to cook and brush my horse."

Andrew nodded. People nowadays were used to having everything prepared for them. They had people dressing them, cooking for them, cleaning for them, some were sent to shops while other delivered notes. All these things were easily done by the lords and ladies themselves, yet they did not because they were used to being spoiled.

Lady Victoria was not like the norm, and it was proven once again. She treated her stable boys like sons, her cook's husband was allowed to live under her roof, and Andrew was certain she did many more kind things for them.

"You are familiar with everyone from your staff?" Andrew asked.

Lady Victoria nodded. "I am alone, so I do not have many people serving me. I see them as my friends, for they are the only ones who truly know me. Just like me, they are not like the norm, or they are hated by the people of London. I showed them kindness, and it got me more loyal staff than anyone else has, I am certain."

"What do you mean, they are hated by the ton?"

Lady Victoria smiled mischievous. "My cook became pregnant before she got married, and her husband is not the father of Sam. My maid was banished, my chaperone is lady no more after her parents died before she married a lord, and my butler is rumoured to be a nancy."

While Andrew's eyebrows raised with every situation she explained, her smile of pride grew. She truly had accepted people who were hated by others, to work for her.

"Before you say anything," she added with one finger raised, "I found these people on the side of the road, on my doorstep or in the dirt. They had been hated on, bullied and made fun of. People had made them go through the worst a person could go through. They feel like they owe their lives to me, and I do not know what I would do without them. Not because I cannot dress myself, but because I cannot be utterly alone every moment of my life. They are my friends."

Andrew stayed silent. He understood the love the lady felt, for that was what he felt for his family. He did have a harder time understanding how one could feel that way about her staff. But thinking about it long, he realized that she indeed had no one else. Her brother did not come to visit her, the ton had condemned her and her parents had passed away. She was utterly alone without them.

Andrew swallowed. He was glad he did not know how she felt, but he pitied her for having to feel such way. Mayhap having loyal servant friends was better than having gossiping noble friends.