It had been a few days since Mary had heard of Eli. He had said it would take him more than one day to prepare everything, but with taking it to three days, he was testing the limits.

"There you are," Adelaide suddenly said, entering the library. Mary had made the room her new favourite place, for Madilyn had said that books made time go by faster. The lady had needed it when she was unhappily married to Thomas because she was expecting a child with him. While now they were finally happy together, she had not forgotten the ways of the past.

And since Madilyn is Adelaide's sister, she often came to visit the Brompton estate – where Adelaide was hiding from her husband and banished Brompton son, Arthur. During one of those visits, she had told Mary about the books, and she had followed up the advice.

And twas true. Time did go faster. But whenever a chapter ended, her mind took her back to the question of when Eli's calling card would arrive.

"Have you found a book that you cannot put down?" Adelaide asked.

"Yes," Mary lied. "Tis a very beautiful story."

"What is it about?" her sister-in-law asked while taking a seat next to her.

"Er... A love story," she replied. She had only read the story with half a mind, so she was not certain if there was anything other than love happening, but the answer seemed to satisfy Adelaide.

"I wish to speak to you," she said, but she sounded uncertain. "I need your opinion over something."

Mary closed the book and turned to her friend. "What is it?"

Adelaide sighed. "You are very kind to me. You and lady Anne. But I feel guilty for living in your estate and eating your food, and not being able to do anything back."

"Tis quite alright," Mary nonchalantly said. "We would do it to anyone who has been wronged by Arthur. And you are nice company. I would not want to be alone with my mother."

"But I cannot deny the guilt I feel over it," she admitted. "And I believe Arthur has left London, for no one has heard of him anymore. So I was thinking that mayhap I should find my own house to live in."

With open mouth, Mary looked at her sister-in-law. "What?" Adelaide had been great company for Mary, and she had dreaded the day Arthur would be caught and she would be safe. It might be selfish, but as long as her brother was still a threat, Mary could count on Adelaide being here.

Yet she also understood how the thirty-one year old woman wanted to live alone, and not in the company of her family-in-law.

"But..." Mary stuttered. "But where would you live? And how would you pay for it?"

"I have not thought of a house yet," Adelaide reassured her. "It would still take a while before I leave. And money I have enough. Arthur's dirty money belongs to me too. He certainly has enough to buy an entire estate. And if I would need more, I can sell clothing, or work."

Mary quickly shook her head. "No. You should not work. You are a lady with a big title and much honour. You living this hidden and secretive is awful, and you deserve more than to live all alone and work to survive."

Adelaide gave her a grateful smile, but it did not reach her eyes. "And here I thought you wanted women to be stronger."

"I do," Mary said. "But you do not."

Adelaide looked at her hands and shook her head. "But I have no other chose. I have been staying here for six years. And I appreciate your family's kindness, but I cannot live the rest of my life like this. I want to truly live, and not hide away. No matter how hideous some balls might be, I want to attend them again. And I want to see my parents and blame them for what happened to me."

"But it might be dangerous," she argued. "Mayhap Arthur is waiting for you to decide this, and once you are out in the open, he will take his revenge." She sighed when Adelaide did not seem to feel the same way she did, then took her hands. "If Arthur has you, he will not only be able to weaken you, but also us. We love you, and you are part of our family. Arthur does not play nice, and when he would use you to blackmail us, he would win."

Adelaide shook her head at Mary. "This is not like your bet with Eli Byron, Mary."

"No, indeed. This is about your life. But that does not mean you cannot lose. And I do not want to lose you."

"Surely it will not be like that," Adelaide reassured her, but Mary refused to believe it.

"You do not know how much my brother has changed since he has been banished. And now he has lost everything again. I am afraid that when he strikes back, it will be harder than ever before."

She smiled. "I appreciate your concern, Mary. And your honesty. But I do not think it will come to death. And I think I will start looking for a house where I can start a new life."

Mary did not want her friend to start a new life. She wished she could have had a great life from the start, for that was what she deserved.

But Mary also understood Adelaide's point of view. Hiding was not a life anyone wanted.

So she nodded to her friend. "I wish you would not. But I will not stop you from starting to live. It is your choice, and I understand it. And though it wish it was different, I wish you a happy and good life."

Adelaide smiled a smile of relief and touched Mary's arm. "Thank you. Your understand means a lot to me. And I-"

She stopped when the door suddenly opened. The butler stepped in with a platter in his hands. "A letter for you, lady Mary."

Mary stood up and took the piece of paper off the platter. With a bow, the butler left the room, but Mary did not watch him. She opened the letter and read it.

"What is it?" Adelaide asked. "Another bet from Eli Byron?"

Mary nodded and walked toward Adelaide while her eyes were glued to the paper. "He invites me to his house this evening." She looked up at Adelaide. "I am not certain it is for a bet, then. He does not seem to want me near his family."

Her sister-in-law shrugged with a meaningful look on her face. "Mayhap it is for another reason."

Mary gave her a look. "We both know that is not true."

"I do not know Mr. Byron, thus I do not know his intentions."

"I do not know them either, it would seem."

"But you will go, yes?" Adelaide asked as if there was no doubt about the question.

Mary looked up at Adelaide. "I must. If it is another bet and I do not show up, he may claim the win." She shook her head. "Of course I will go. But I must lie to Mother again."

"Tell her you will go to Joseph and she will not question it."

Mary stuck out her tongue to Adelaide. "I shall tell her I will go to Grace. She would not doubt that either."

"Of course not," Adelaide agreed. "She believes that when you say you are going to Grace, you are too shy to tell her you are going to Joseph."

"Argh," she brought out while throwing her hands up. "That lie was the worst mistake of my life!"

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Mary did not have to wait long for the door to open when she knocked. She was surprised when it was Eli who opened the door, but did not react to it. Was having a butler only something for families with title?

He allowed her entry, and twas easy for Mary to hear no one was in the house. She assumed that a house with six children would be louder than her house, yet it was quiet.

"Where is your family?" she asked.

"They are to the first performance of my father's newest play," he simply said.

"What? Do you not want to be there?" she asked in disbelieve of his lack of interest. Was he not a lover of the theatre?

He smiled at her. "I had planned to beg them to allow me outside, despite my punishment. But then I realized that if I was home alone, I could invite you without their peeping eyes. And besides, I can watch the play any other time."

"You can watch for free?" she asked, assuming he could since his father was the play writer and director.

He smiled at her. "Would you like to see it? I will probably be allowed to give you a tour behind the curtain."

"I would love to," she said enthusiastically. "But without the tour. Elizabeth says it spoils the magic."

"A free play for lady Mary is coming up."

He guided her to a dining room that was a little smaller than the one at her house. It surprised her, for they were with more children than the Bromptons. And suddenly she hated her title. Why were they so spoiled when there were people out there who needed it more?

He pulled back a chair for her, and she sat down on it. Then he walked to a small box that was placed on the table and brought it closer to her. Then he went to sit down on the chair across from her and proudly smiled at her.

"Open it," he obeyed her.

She did not trust the smile he had on his face, and she was also still doubting if this was a bet or not.

With question in her eyes, she slowly opened the box and looked inside it. Inside it were two bright red fruit-like things. They were crooked like a banana, but much smaller.

She raised her eyebrows and looked at Eli. "What are these?"

"These are hot peppers," he responded. "The spiciest fruits I could find."

She feared she already knew where this was going, yet she asked the question. "Why are you giving them to me?"

"You are in luck," he said while pulling the box closer to him and taking one out. "There is only one for you. This one is mine." He pushed the box back to her.

She took the fruit out and inspected it. It did not weight a lot, but the red colour seemed too bright to be good.

"Do not touch your eyes now," Eli suddenly warned her. "The pepper is so hot, it will hurt your eyes if you wipe them after touching it."

"And what are we supposed to do with this?" she asked.

He smiled a smug smile at her and it made her fear the answer. "Who ever eats the pepper the fastest, may claim the win."

Mary looked at the spicy fruit in her hand. Did she truly have to eat this?

She swallowed, but decided to stretch the moment in hopes she could avoid eating it.

"So you did not break the rules by escaping the house for me," she said," but you did to fetch the peppers. I am not certain if I should be proud of you, or call you dumb."

"I prefer the first," he simply said. Then he gave her a look. "Are you ready?"

She blew out a breath, then nodded. "Ready."

Eli started counting down. "Three, two, one." Upon hearing the last word, Mary took a small bit of the tip of the hot pepper. Within seconds, her mouth felt like it was burning. Her eyes widened as she kept the small piece inside her mouth, and she waved her hand as if it would stop the feeling.

She quickly swallowed and waited for the burning feeling to calm down, but it took very long. Looking over at Eli, she saw he was watching her with a straight face and the pepper in his hand.

For a moment, she feared he had been jesting about his bet. Or that he was willing to lose as long as he could watch her suffer. But then he gave her a victorious smile and threw the entire fruit inside his mouth. With only a few bits, he swallowed the pepper and opened his mouth to prove to Mary he had eaten it all.

Her mouth fell open. How could he eat the whole thing and not feel the burn?! Did he cheat?

But then she saw his face turning red and he slammed his fist on the table. Despite the burning in her own mouth, Mary started laughing at the sight of his suffering. She put the pepper down, for he had won, so she did not need to eat more of the horrid thing.

Suddenly, Eli stood up and ran out of the room. While still laughing, Mary followed him through the service corridor and into the kitchen. He took a glass out of the cupboards and filled it with water, than drank the entire glass in only a few swallows.

For a short while, it seemed like he was relieved of the burning feeling, but then he started shaking his head. "That made it worse," he said, before waving his hand like a fan and breathing in hard. Mary quickly ran to a can of milk and filled his glass. Again he emptied it with just a few swallows, then he gave it make and motioned for the can.

Mary ran to it and filled the glass again, then gave it back to Eli. This time he drank slower, and took a few breaths in between the swallows.

"That helps," he said, and took another sip. Before he could take another one and empty the glass, Mary took it and drank the milk.

She let out a sigh of relief. "That helps a lot."

She shared a look with Eli, and as they both realized each other's miserable state, they started laughing. She laughed so hard, tears fell out of her eyes and her cheeks hurt before her belly did. Before she knew it, Eli was on the floor and wiping away his tears.

Whatever was so hilarious, Mary did not understand. But she was stuck in laughter, and Eli was too. And that fact only was funny enough to keep laughing.

O, and Eli snored when he laughed.

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It took a while – and a lot of milk – before their mouths were calmed down enough to have a proper conversation. The night was starting to fall, so Eli and Mary did not want to go outside anymore. He took her to the parlour where they talked for a few more hours.

"If you have a second estate," Mary said, "why do you live here with your parents?"

Eli shrugged. "I like it here more. The centre of London has many great opportunities and a lot of pubs. And most of my friends live near. And besides, tis lonely at the second house."

"I thought you took your lovers there?" she jested. But apparently, it was not the best jest, for Eli suddenly looked down at his hands and did not respond. Mary bit her lip, wanting for the silence to leave. So she tried her best with the question: "why do you keep the house if you do not go there?"

Eli remained silent for another while, and Mary feared he might not answer anymore. But eventually he said: "Memories."

And with that one word, the conversation had ended.

"I believe you must go now," he said. "My family will arrive home soon."

"Do you not want them to know I was here?" she asked, but stood up and walked toward the front door.

"I do not want to know their fantasies."

She smiled at him trying to jest, but his mood had changed so much, it did not sound like he found it funny. He opened the door, but she did not walk through it. Instead, she turned to him.

"I do not what I said wrong, but I hope it did not hurt too much. I did not mean to make you feel bad."

He shook his head. "Tis alright. Tis merely a memory I was reminded of. I am not proud of it, but it has happened. And I cannot change the past."

"I hope you can forgive me. And if you cannot, then do not come to the Serpentine River tomorrow at night."

He raised his eyebrows. "Is that another bet?"

"Yes. I hope you do not come."

With one last smile, she turned away from him and exited the house.