"I do not understand the man," Victoria said to her brother Malcolm. They were in the parlor of his estate because the weather had changed from a happy sun to light drizzle. "He is kind and charming, but very odd as well."

"You are also odd," Malcolm noted, but Victoria ignored him.

"You would expect him to avoid me because of the rumour, but he visits me more now. Does he want the rumour to blow up?"

Malcolm laughed and looked at his sister with a smile. "Mayhap he has found your charm and wishes to have more of it."

"I would be inclined to believe you, Malcolm, if only I had charm."

"You do, Vicky. More than you think. If only you would go out there for other people to see, you might find it as well."

Victoria sighed, and complained: "Malcolm, you know my opinion. You ought to be happy I go to some balls."

"I do not want you to go because of me. I wish for you to enjoy them like I would. But that will never happen if you hide in the shadows of every corner of every ball."

Victoria squared her shoulders and looked at her brother. "You know that will never happen."

Malcolm shrugged with one shoulder. "You might be surprised. A friend could do a lot."

"I do not have a friend. And I do not wish for one, either. Now can we talk of something else?"

Malcolm seemed ready to argue more, but he closed his mouth and kept his quiet about the subject. After a while, he asked: "so what will you do of the rumour?"

Victoria sighed - again. "Malcolm, I wish to talk of something very different from balls and lords and rumours."

"And I wish to know what you will do of the rumour."

"Then you ought to keep wishing for I am not talking about it anymore."

Malcolm laughed and shook his head. "You are so stubborn. I do hope you keep these witty remarks to yourself when someone who is not me is around you."

"I try," she answered honestly. "But I mostly fail. Not that it is a problem, for I do not have friends that are not you."

Malcolm raised his hands in defence. "I did not start about it this time."

Victoria shook her head, laughing. O how she missed her brother now that she lived in London. She was used to seeing him every day, but now she had to travel an hour on horseback if she wished to visit him. With a carriage, she would be slowed down to almost two hours. Twas not extremely long, but it did prevent her from visiting him every day.

"What does lord Brompton think of your remarks?" Malcolm asked.

"What makes you think he has heard them?"

"You have been around him for the last two days. I am quite certain he has heard them. You speak your words before you think of them."

Victoria let out a dramatic sigh. Then she looked at her brother who seemed awfully serious about his question. "I do not know what he thinks of my remarks. He does not express his opinion over them."

"And would you admit it if you read his dismay?"

Victoria raised her eyebrows. "Whyever are you wondering about these things?"

Malcolm shrugged. "Tis not like you to have someone to talk about. It makes me quite hopeful you have found a friend."

"Spending time with someone does not mean we are friends. And he has come by only twice, the second of which was not supposed to be a long visit."

"But it was long anyway," Malcolm said. "And you are correct, two visits do not mean you are friends, but two meetings within two days must mean more than being mere acquaintances."

"Yet that is all we are. Acquaintances who are in a rumour together."

Malcolm sighed in defeat. "If that is what you say..."

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When Victoria finally arrived home, the darkness was starting to settle, announcing the beginning of the night. She had stayed at Blackburn the whole day, waiting for the rain to stop. Malcolm had already stopped trying to convince her to take a carriage instead of riding on horseback, but that day he did so yet again. Eventually, Victoria had had enough of his complaining and she left in the pouring rain. She was soaking wet before she reached the forest, so she did not mind that the trees did not cover the streams of rain.

How many ladies could say they got soaking wet while riding horseback? Not many, and Victoria was glad that she could. The rain was cold, but not too cold as the sun had heated up the air for days. She was happy for the drops streaming down her face.

When she arrived home, the stable boys were waiting for her and her horse. The children were brothers, the sons of the cook and her husband, a traveling merchant. Victoria allowed them to stay at her estate, for she had enough space in the house that was left empty if they did not. Melany only agreed to it when working was the pay for her two boys, and Victoria did not mind the ruckus the two caused.

"Milady, are you alright?" the oldest boy, Sam, asked.

"You ought to go inside, milady, b'fore you get ill," the other, Theo, added.

Victoria smiled at the two boys. "Then you ought to go inside as well."

"We cannot, milady," Sam said while Theo had a considering look on his face. "We must take care of yer horse first."

Victoria stepped off the white animal and handed the reins to Sam. "Then do it quickly. The sun won't come out to heat you anymore."

The boys nodded and took the horse inside the stables. Victoria did not stay to watch them like she sometimes would, for the rain was pouring down too hard now. All she wanted was a warm bath and then some dry clothes. Mayhap a cup of tea and some food before she crawled in bed with a book until she was too tired to keep her eyes open.

She entered the house through the side door, where Mr. Lennard was waiting for her. He smiled kindly at her, and held out his hand to take her bonnet.

"How was your day, my lady?"

"It was very nice, Mr. Lennard," she answered, returning his smile with one of her own. "Though my brother does not understand I cannot be persuaded to love balls."

"I am afraid I must agree with lord Blackburn," the butler said. She knew the man wanted her to have more fun and more social interaction, but he also saw how the curious gossipmongers knocking on her door were rather a burden than an opportunity.

"How many calling cards did I get today? And how many ladies stumbled upon an empty estate?"

"Four calling cards, my lady. And three curious ladies coming in at the same time." He took a pile of letters from the table and gave them to Victoria. She looked at them without taking them, then told Mr. Lennard to throw them away.

"My lady, there is one calling card that you might want to read," the butler said as Victoria was ready to walk out of the room.

"There is?" she asked incredible. "Who is it from?"

"Lord Brompton, my lady."

"Lord Brompton?" she repeated while shifting through the letters to find the one he send. "This is the first time he bothered to send a calling card."

Mr. Lennard chuckled, trying to hide it with a cough. Victoria smiled at him, then opened the letter. Lord Andrew's handwriting was surprisingly elegant, not what she had expected from a man.

The butler, impatiently waiting in front of Victoria, cleared his throat. "What does the lord say, if I may ask, my lady?"

Victoria nodded while keeping her eyes on the paper. "He invited me for a walk through Hyde Park as he has something to offer me." She snapped her head at Mr. Lennard. "What could lord Andrew offer me?"

"Lord Andrew?" the butler asked.

"Lord Brompton, the lord of Duncan..." she brushed off, "Lord Andrew. However you call him. What could he have to offer me?"

"I believe you must ask er...," he cleared his throat, "lord Andrew during this walk through the park."

Victoria threw him a mean look. "Do not mock me, George. I am merely curious. But I cannot accept his invitation now."

"Whyever not?"

"Tis dark outside, of course. And I am wet."

Mr. Lennard smiled, a mischievous curling of his lips. "Of course, my lady."

Victoria ignored it, her own curiosity overwhelming her straight line if thoughts. Whatever could lord Andrew have to offer her? And why would he bother?

Something inside her told her that this did not have much to do with the rumour he wished to erase. But what did it have to do with?

While her mind moved her through endless possibilities of reasons and offers, she ordered for a warm bath and for a cup of tea to be at the ready.