It had been a week since Eli had seen Mary. They had communicated through letters, but he preferred seeing her in person.

Despite that urge, he had not had the time to invite her or find a plan to escape the house. He had been writing with Ada, and he believed they were finally on the right track. They might have to consider giving up if lord George did not like this writing.

So before they gave it to him, they wanted to finish it completely, so that their father could not discourage them before they had even finished.

He was sitting behind his desk in the second study, writing a few drafts for a scene he had made up with Ada. His sister was not home, but he heard the front door open and knew she had just arrived.

"Ada," he shouted, "come here!"

Not much later, the door opened and Ada came in indeed. But just when he was about to give her the paper to show her his drafts, he saw his sister had not come in alone.

"Mary," he said, surprised by her presence. She smiled at him, and it lit up the entire room.

"I hope I do not come at an inconvenient time," she said.

Eli stood up and shook his head. "No, of course not. But what are you doing here?"

She shrugged and took off her bonnet. She laid it – including the pins – casually on his desk. "Ada invited me, and I agreed, for I was wondering about your next bet."

"I have been quite busy," he admitted. He picked up a paper form his desk and waved it at her. "With the play writing."

"May I read it?" she asked with a curious glimmer in her eyes.

"No," Ada said sternly before he could open his mouth. "Tis a secret. But you are invited to our first play."

Suddenly the door opened, and Ivy and Cora casually walked in.

"O how crowded it is in here," Ivy said.

"Mary, we did not know you were here to visit Eli," Cora added.

Eli rolled his eyes, for it was obvious they were lying. It made him wonder how long they had kept their ears on the door.

"Twas Ada who invited me," Mary corrected them, not hearing the lying tone in their voice. "And I fear we are interrupting Eli's work."

"No," Ada said, obviously lying as well, "he is not working anymore. I am certain we are not bothering."

She joined her sister near the window of the study, while Eli doubted about contradicting her. they were indeed bothering him, for he was quite busy working on the play. And he would not be bothered to send his sisters away. But sending them away in front of Mary's eyes, would make him feel like a rude person. And he most certainly did not want to send the lady away.

So he sighed and shook his head. "No, indeed. I can use a pause."

"So, Eli" Ivy said, "I believe it is your turn for a bet. May we be witnesses?"

"What?" Eli said, startled. "You know of the bets?"

"You did not think we would not notice your disappearing acts, did you?" Cora asked.

"Or that we would not ask Ada what it was about?" Ivy added.

"And you told them?" Eli blamed his twin sister.

She shrugged and raised her hands in defence. "Twas not difficult for them to find that out."

"No, because you told them."

"No, because you are foolish."

"I am not foolish!"

"Eli, watch your tone," Cora interrupted. "There is a lady in our presence."

"Tis quite alright," Mary laughed. "I used to argue with my brother in a similar manner."

"Used to?" Ivy asked.

"He went to live alone," she told her. "And now he is married and has five children."

Thomas, Eli remembered, the brother with many children who started out hating his wife. But he did not know they had five together. And had Mary not said that her brother had not attended the Birmingham and Morris ball because his wife was pregnant?

"You have many nieces and nephew, then," Cora concluded.

Mary nodded. "Thirteen so far."

"So far?" Eli asked with a frown.

"Madilyn is pregnant, and she believes it will be a twin," she told him. "And Elizabeth announced yesterday that she is pregnant too."

"Congratulations to them," Ada said with a smile.

"And when will you start?" Ivy asked.

Eli curiously turned his head toward Mary, wanting to know her answer. She had spoken of her siblings and her nephews and nieces, but never of her own dreams of the future.

He saw her laugh nervously and fidget with her fingers. Then she looked up at the three Byron daughter. "I would first need a husband for that." The smile she gave them looked like a confident one, but Eli knew it was not real.

So she had dreams of the future. She wanted a husband and children, people she could love like she saw her siblings love their families.

"Why do you not have one yet?" Eli asked. "I assume you have been to enough balls to find yourself a kind lord."

"Kind they are, indeed," she answered. "But I want a husband who can love for who I am, and not for my money."

Eli nodded, understanding what she meant for she had expressed it enough to him. "A man who can see you as an equal."

She nodded, and a kind look appeared on her face. She appreciated that he understood her. That finally there was a man in the world who could see Mary for who she truly was – a kind, beautiful and brave woman – and not a rich lady who was soon too old to be considered marriageable.

"You know her well," Ada said with a meaningful look to Eli.

He saw Ivy and Cora nod in agreement, so quickly turned to Mary and said: "my bet." Changing the subject was the best thing he could do now, before his sister would get their way and embarrass him.

Mary frowned, obviously surprised by his sudden change of topic. He was not very subtle, tis true. But twas the best he could.

"I challenge you to an arm wrestling competition."

Her frown deepened as she looked at him. "Right now?"

"Yes."

She looked around the room, trying to find out what Ada, Ivy and Cora were thinking. They had a surprised look on their face, but their enthusiasm was greater than the surprise.

Eventually, Mary's head turned back toward Eli, and she confidently said: "alright."

To his – and everyone else's – surprise, she suddenly unbuttoned the bodice of her gown and handed it to Ada, leaving her to stand in her corset cover. While the three women near the window had a open mouth, Eli did not flinch. He had seen her in less clothing.

With a confident raise of his eyebrows, he challenged her to the maximum. He put his elbow on the desk, his upper arm up right. With a challenging look in her eyes, she did the same and held on to his hand.

Hers were so soft. They were also warm, and had a gentle touch. He might have seen her in her undergarments, he had never held her hand like this before.

"Ready?" he asked. She nodded. "Three, two, one."

He started pushing his arm in the direction of hers, while she pushed in the other direction. She was quite strong, but certainly not stronger than Eli. He saw her face become red as she gave all the strength she had to push down his arm, but slowly, her arm came closer and closer to the table.

And when Eli could almost not hold it anymore, her hand touched the table. The sound of her hand touching the wood was the sound of his victory.

While she let out an irritated sigh, he gave her a victorious smile. He had won, which he had expected. If he believed she was stronger than him, he would have never suggested this challenge.

Her face showed the hate she felt for her defeat, making him gloat.

She suddenly turned back to him and laid her elbow on the table. "Best of three," she told him. He smiled, knowing she would not win anyway. And with that confidence, he took her hand and brought his arm in position.

"Three, two, one," he counted, then pushed her arm. Though he was more tired than during the first game, she was too. Twas easier to win this time, and in only a few seconds, her hand touched the wood again.

His smile grew, the pride of winning not easily hidden. Her face of defeat also grew more intense, as her cheek tightened and she took a deep breath.

Again she turned to him and put her elbow on the table. She looked up at him, wondering why he did not take her hand. But he raised his eyebrow, silently asking why they should play another round if he had already won two of the three matches. Did she like the defeat?

"For the honour," she answered his unasked question.

He shrugged. "Alright, then. If you wish to lose again."

He took her hand and gave her another challenging look. Her face was close, he realized. And it became more obvious when she told him: "do not hold back," and he could feel her breath on his skin.

He titled his head. "I was not planning on it."

"Three," Mary started counting, "two, one."

He started pushing, and so did she. But suddenly her free arm raised and came down on top of their hands. She pushed with both her hands to her direction, until Eli's hand hit the table.

Ada, Ivy and Cora started cheering, and Mary gave him a victorious smile, while Eli subtly massaged his knuckles.

"I won," Mary told him.

"You cheated," he corrected.

"There were no rules."

She walked to Ada and took her bodice, then put it on.

"I still won. Best of three, your words."

"I believe the last game counts," Ada interfered.

He looked at Mary, and she seemed to be debating what to say. But eventually she gave him a kind smile. "Best of three," she admitted.

As Ada, Ivy and Cora started arguing, Mary ignored them and walked to Eli with her hand raised. "Congratulations," she told him.

Eli looked at her outstretched hand, but did not trust that if he would take it and shake it, she would not do something worse. So he raised his hand and pointed at her dress. "You did not button it right."

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Mary had stayed for many hours after that. She had always been around at least one of his sister, so Eli had not been able to speak to her alone. That was sad, but he tried not to be too sad over it. How pathetic would that be?

"So," Ada said as she entered his bedroom. Eli had to suppress a sigh, for he did not want his sister to start talking about Mary. He knew what she was going to say, and he knew he was going to deny it.

"You are Mary are quite friendly," she said.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, she is friendly. And so am I."

"Not like that," she sighed and lowered herself on a chair. "You are both kind, yes. But you are also quite close to each other."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, knowing exactly what it meant.

"That you like her," she said like it was obvious. "A lot. And as more than a friend."

He sighed and rolled his eyes again, but did not know what to say. He felt like he could not deny it, but he also did not want to admit to. Again – how pathetic would that be?

"I have seen the way you look at her," she continued. "So do not try to deny it. I know you, and those looks were as obvious as it could get."

He wiped his hands over his face, then looked at her. "Get out."

Her smile widened as she jumped up. "So you do? You love her?"

"I said, get out."

She gave him a childish smile, then said: "I will take that as a yes," before she finally left Eli alone.

Why did he admit that?