The bustling town of Wickhurst, its gossipmongers, the quite-more-decent folks and even friends of the Everards were ignorant of the slight mayhem that followed the arrival of Maxwell Everard and his wife. Perhaps the servants had their ears pressed against the walls, hearing the incessant gasps and exclamation coming from their mistresses and masters, but none of them would dare let the story out as it was apparent that the Everards would wish the news be kept a secret—for now, of course.

Maxine could not believe that Maxwell was completely calm, utterly at ease in his chair while his mother fanned herself with her hands.

"I—I—" Lady Alice started once more, looking around the parlor at her seemingly amused children.

Ysabella and Wakefield were seated behind her, keeping quite a good distance from the lady for they knew they were in on the secret that ought not to have been a secret. Emma was studying Maxine with a small smile on her lips. Margaret was gaping at Maxwell with a mixture of amazement and shock, her husband standing behind her with a knowing grin. Nicholas was whistling a happy tune beside the astonished Ralph, pretending that he had known all along.

Maxine was quite certain that she would be seeing Benedict and Levi soon enough the moment her family's arrival could be determined. If she were lucky, their wives might opt to skip the messy meeting.

"Another Tiny Town wedding!" Lady Alice gasped out, gripping Emma's hand. "Maxwell Arthur Everard, you—" she stopped and gave up, shaking her head.

Maxine bowed her head, utterly aware of the woman's disappointment.

"I have always known you are capable of it," Lady Alice said, making Ralph scoff and Nicholas to snicker. Margaret let out a surprised snort as did Emma. "You are the sort to do it, of course—but it is not funny! All of you, stop laughing!"

Maxine flinched and she felt Maxwell's reassuring hand cover her hand. He gave it a squeeze before he dryly stated, "Are you angry, Mother, because I eloped or because you were not invited?"

She could not let the answer pass without witnessing Lady Alice's reaction so Maxine lifted her eyes and found the woman's eyes wide, looking quite scandalous. "Both, of course!" She stood and paced the center of the parlor as her children followed her with their eyes. "I have made your father promise that we are to be the last to elope to Tiny Town. But it seems he perished without relaying such promise to his sons!" Maxine nudged Maxwell's side when her husband chuckled inwardly but he was not the only one for the others were doing the same. "First Levi and then you!" she turned to throw Ralph and Nicholas a murderous look. "Are you to be next?"

"I have already reserved the largest church for my wedding in the future, Mother," Nicholas lied.

"Your gown is already being made by Madam Vernice as we speak," Ralph followed laughingly. "I believe it shall be more beautiful than my future bride's."

Lady Alice's eyes flickered with annoyance. "Dare not mock me!" She whirled to face Maxwell and scowled. "And you sit there completely at ease!"

"I am conserving my energy, Mother," her husband stated. "As you must already realize, I shall soon suffer a rather thorough beating from two very angry brothers."

"One you fully well deserve!" Alice Everard snapped. She was nearly panting with extreme emotions that she had been displaying, ones that ranged from surprise, amazement, fury, joy and then back to fury. She was about to continue her tirade but when her eyes landed on Maxine and their joined hands, she paused and let out a heavy sigh. "Oh, dear lord, a Theobald! Who would have thought!"

"And now the truth just came to her," Maxwell muttered near Maxine's ear. "The worst is over."

"Oh, what do I tell your parents, dear?" Lady Alice uttered, walking over to snatch Maxine's hand from Maxwell's. "I have never met you, but I do know about you."

Maxine stiffened. "You do?"

"Of course! Rachel confides in me all her secrets and she has naught but beautiful things to say about you, dear!" Lady Alice looked at her with eyes glimmering with awe. "I have always feared that Lady Gedge would reveal who you truly are. You do not deserve to be presented to society by means of gossip!"

"Lady Gedge shall not have the chance, Mother," Ysabella said from where she was sitting. "I have made certain of that."

Lady Alice smiled and gently asked, "Now, tell me dear, did my son force you into this marriage?"

"Mother," Maxwell uttered with warning as he snatched Maxine's hand back to his, but his mother ignored him, eyes still on Maxine.

"Tell me, did he? For I shall not have it! Did he drag you to Tiny Town after having comprom—after seduc—after beguiling your innocence?"

Nicholas and Ralph guffawed but suddenly stopped when Maxwell turned his head to glower at them. Margaret and Ysabella were hiding their laughter behind one hand. Emma's face was hidden by her hand as she shook her head in disbelief and embarrassment.

Maxine felt her face flush. "No, he did not, my lady."

"Mother. You call me Mother," said Lady Alice.

"I was there when your son proposed, Mother," said Nicholas in a wicked tone. "Or was that a proposal, Max?"

Lady Alice frowned over Maxwell's scowl. "Whatever do you mean, Nicholas?"

Nicholas shrugged. "If I remember correctly—"

"Nicholas," Maxwell roared in warning.

"If I remember correctly, he did stalk her inside my study like a bloody tiger," Nicholas said. "As they did try to explain earlier, she was working for me as a valet by then."

"Stalked you?" Lady Alice asked, gazing at Maxine.

"And I begged her to marry me," Maxwell said.

"That is not truly how it happened—" Nicholas started but Maxwell had jumped to his feet and he stuttered, saying, "B-but he did beg her, yes. On his knees if you so wish to know."

"I was not forced," Maxine said before Maxwell and Nicholas could ruin everything. It was hard enough to keep everyone as calm as possible when they told them of her identity and her deception toward Nicholas and his household. Of course, the matter of her being a Trilby was yet to be revealed but that was for another day when Lady Alice was ready for more undesirable news. As for now, with the exception of Nicholas, Ysabella and Wakefield, everyone thought she ran away from home to search for her mother whose identity was still unknown. The trip to the bandits was also left unshared for the protection of Alex and the whole village of Meriwether.

Lady Alice was frowning as she looked at Maxine's hand clasped with Maxwell's. "Maxwell, you ought to do better than this."

Maxwell groaned. "What now?"

"That is no wedding ring!" his mother exclaimed, pointing at Maxine's finger.

"One is being made ready, Mother, fret not."

"Then it ought to be ready before the Theobalds arrive!" Lady Alice demanded, straightening to her feet. "And by God I do hope you can survive her brothers!"

"Ah, Samuel would have a fit, I tell you," Ralph said with amusement. "He did ask for your help, did he not? And all along you have been keeping her a secret!"

Maxine warily looked at Maxwell. He did appear calm, but his jaw was tight.

"He deserves whatever punishment Gabriel and Samuel bestows him," Lady Alice snapped.

"I would recommend a fortnight's amount of laudanum, Maxwell," Cole wickedly suggested.

"Have one concocted a day prior to their arrival," added Wakefield. "And do try to not move too much as they throw the blows. It ends faster that way."

Nicholas and Ralph guffawed until they were bent on their waists. Emma sighed and stood to her feet. "I can never stand such cruelty," she said, "but I do hope you get what you have bestowed upon our brothers-in-law." She looked over at Maxine and said, "As for you, dear Maxine, I welcome you to our very own chaos."

"Chaos indeed!" Lady Alice agreed. "Now, I must go and find my writing articles as I have to inform your brothers to come to Wickhurst for another family dinner."

"It was already done," said Maxwell. "My missives must have already arrived in Devonshire and Standbury as we speak." Lady Alice opened her mouth to speak but Maxwell further added, "And the Theobalds must already be packing."

Lady Alice scoffed. "Very well, then, all of you be ready!" She looked at everyone and added, "No mischief!"

*****

"Might I add that you are luckier than I, my dear?" said Victoria, Tori to her intimates, while they were sitting in a much larger drawing room in the Everard estate two days later. "When Levi and I eloped to Tiny Town, we merely had the carriage driver as witness. And you did not have to escape through a window!"

Emma laughed. "I still cannot imagine how you must have felt, Nick."

Nicholas growled from a corner. "I am utterly at a loss as to why I never saw that she is a woman!"

"You are a blind fool as most of us were, brother," Ralph snickered, "but then now that I think of it, I merely encountered Maxine twice. The first time I had my face buried in a spittoon and the second was with her scurrying away in hiding as I was with Samuel."

"You seem awfully quiet than the usual, Maxwell," Benedict noted, his scarred face crinkling at the slight grin on his face. When Benedict and Levi arrived with their families, Maxine found it hard to be accustomed to the eldest brother's character. He was too reserved that the sight of him grinning now seemed more like a dream for Maxine. "Already suffering the imminent beating?" she heard Benedict continue. "I know for a fact that Gabriel has as much skill as you bloody bastards are with swords and pistols." He turned to Levi and asked, "Was it him who knocked the soul out of that fool while you were in Adam's?"

"The very same," said Levi. "And there were other fools, Ben, not merely one."

"He was a senior, I believe and we could have been no match, I must shamefully admit," Wakefield added, pretending to look scared.

Maxine grew uncomfortable. Samuel would likely be more on the forgiving side, but she could not say the same for Gabriel.

"Oh, give Maxwell a moment of rest from your mocking," Agatha, Benedict's wife said as she stood up. "Come, Margaret, I will require your help."

"Where are you going?" Benedict asked.

"To order Charlotte to start heating water, of course," Agatha said, giving Maxine a wink as she passed, "and prepare some salve." Nicholas and Ralph roared in laughter. "As you all very well know, warm water aids with bruises and a concoction of a domestic remedy for wounds is a must in a situation such as this."

Her husband snorted and crossed one leg over the other. "I suggest you bother not, my dear," he said, giving Maxwell a taunting look. "He very well deserves a good beating. Do look after Ayah instead."

"But I do love Max," Margaret said with a smile. "I will assist Agatha with thorough precision."

Margaret pulled the door open just in time for a very angry-looking blonde man stride inside. Eustace Theobald was closely followed by his wife who looked awfully worried and two other gentlemen who appeared to be ready for murder.

Eustace's face roamed around the room and immediately Maxine found herself shifting closer to her husband. She feared that if her father was to take her alone, she would never see him again. Add the fact that her brothers were there, eyes already on their target, there was also the chance that she would never lay eyes on her husband alive.

"Children," Lady Alice said, voice serious, "I believe the parlor has enough tea and biscuits."

Everyone stood as the previous jesting mood completely vanished, leaving naught but an eerie sense of silent panic and dread.

"Forgive me, my lords and lady," Benedict uttered when everyone had left apart from their mother and the Theobalds, "but as head of the family, I opt to stay."

Eustace did not bother, nor did he wait for introductions. He stormed over to where Maxine was and said, "Get up, young lady for you and I need to talk." Without taking his eyes away from his daughter, he asked, "Could we borrow your study, Lady Alice?"

Lady Alice nodded. "Yes, of course. I will escort you."

Maxine slowly stood up as her father gave her a look of warning. Maxwell did to, intending to come along, but Gabriel, in his large built and strikingly rough feature very much the same to that of their father, stepped forward and said, "It is very nice to meet you again, Benedict," he greeted the eldest Everard, "but I wish to talk with one of your brothers." Samuel was standing beside Gabriel, eyes on Benedict.

Maxine stepped forward and opened her mouth to speak, to tell them that there was no need for blood, but Maxwell stopped her by gently pulling her hand back. "Go with your father, Maxie."

Lord Theobald snapped his head toward Maxwell and glowered. "You and I shall have another time to talk."

"Yes," was Maxwell's short and serious reply.

Lady Theobald stepped forward, face filled with worry. "Come, Maxine—"

"You are not coming with us, Rachel," Eustace said.

"I will," Rachel said in a strong voice as she took Maxine's hand. "I could not very well allow you to have a chat with our daughter alone at your state!" She turned and dragged Maxine out the door.

Maxine looked over her shoulder and found Maxwell giving her a reassuring smile before Gabriel's back blocked her view.

As Lady Alice led them to her study, Maxine prayed that this chaos would not turn out as bloody as the other Everard brothers had pictured.

*****

Rachel led Maxine into the study. Eustace waited until Lady Alice exited the room with a worried look.

The very moment the door closed, her father whirled around to face her. "Tell me why, Maxine," he snarled under his breath. "Why!"

Maxine flinched and if it were not for Rachel's comforting hand, she would have crumpled on the ground, crying with guilt.

"You step away from her, Rachel, she does not need to be comforted at the moment!" Eustace ordered. "She has been naught but irresponsible and impetuous!"

Her stepmother's hand tightened around Maxine's shoulder as she said, "And the reason for her actions could not solely be blamed on her, Eustace! She has begged that you tell her the truth for years and yet you—"

"Do not defend her!"

"I will as long as you continue berating your daughter over something you have deprived of her for years, treating her like a child when she is far older enough to understand!" Rachel shouted. "She is yours, Eustace, but she is not wholly yours and she deserves that other part of her!"

Her father fell silent, perhaps because of Rachel's outburst more than the truth behind her words. Finally he sighed and shook his head in disbelief. "No wonder she did what she did. She took after you."

Rachel's brow arched. "She knows how to fight for what she wants, of course she took after me," Rachel uttered with pride.

Maxine dared gaze up and look at her father but her eyes watered when his pale grey eyes mellowed and he asked, "Are you well?"

She could not speak for the lump in her throat was too great. She simply managed a nod as a tear fell from her eye.

"Do you have any inkling of what you have made us go through?" His voice was gentle now, but the anger was still palpable.

She swallowed and said, "Yes and I am sorry, Papa."

Her father scoffed and said to his wife, "How the bloody hell can I scold her with menace if she calls me that?"

Rachel shook with silent laughter beside Maxine. "I taught her that, my lord." And before Eustace could speak another word, Rachel added, "Perhaps it is time you tell your daughter the truth."

"There is no need," Maxine said. "I know the truth." She looked into her father's eyes. "I am a Trilby."

Rachel stiffened beside her but spoke no further.

"I spoke with Amelia Trilby," Maxine continued.

Her father's eyes flickered with anger once more. "You must not have! The Trilbys do—"

"I understand why you found it necessary to hide my true identity from me, but I had to speak to them. I had to know where she is."

Her father's face tightened.

"Where is she?" she asked. "If you know, please tell me," she nearly begged as more tears flowed down her face.

"She was banished as I found out very much later," her father shared. "I honestly do not know where she is."

Rachel pulled her closer toward her in a half embrace.

Maxine blinked. "I am named after her."

Eustace nodded.

"I wish to know more about her then," Maxine demanded.

Her father's eyes narrowed. "If you promise to not disappear again," he bartered.

Her lips twitched into a smile. "My husband would dare not let that happen, I believe. You can be assured that—"

"Then we shall talk more about your mother on a more convenient time," Eustace Theobald interrupted. "For now, it is my utmost desire to speak to this husband of yours."

"Papa, please do not—"

"Do not call me that, Maxine, most especially when I am planning to throttle your husband's neck," her father warned.

"But, Papa, I married him because I wanted to!"

"Or perhaps because you have been tricked!" her father countered. "You ran away from home with a goal, child, and I believe you have not been naïve enough to have included marriage as part of that!"

"For God's sake, Eustace, leave and have your way with her husband if you will," Rachel said, waving her hand. "Go. Leave us for a moment."

"No," Maxine started to protest but Rachel squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

Her father stared at her with warning. "We are not done talking. Dare not think you are utterly forgiven for what you have done."

She nodded helplessly. She would face another wrath from her father so long as she knew she had a husband to go back to. When her father turned and left the study, probably to join his sons inside the drawing room, Maxine turned to Rachel with worry.

"Fret not," Rachel reassured, guiding her toward the sofa. "Your father cannot strike a blow."

"But Gabriel and Samuel must—"

"Let men be men, Maxine," Rachel gently uttered, tenderly studying her face. Her stepmother lifted her hand to smoothen her hair. "Oh, what did you do to your hair?"

Another drop of tear threatened to roll from her eye and Rachel wiped it off with her thumb. "I am sorry," Maxine choked. "Forgive me—"

Her stepmother shook her head. "I must admit that you have worried us to such great extent, Maxine, but I also happen to understand why you did what you did. We have been treating you like a child but you no longer are." Rachel took her hands in hers. "Are you quite satisfied now that you know the truth?"

"Somehow, yes," Maxine admitted.

"How did you discover it?"

She related how she discovered the old articles of the Herald and Rachel's eyes glimmered with awe. "But I would love to find her," Maxine added later.

Rachel nodded and remained quiet. Then a smile curved on her lips. "And you have married, dear. Now, that is one matter I find hard to forgive. I would have loved to be there at the wedding."

Maxine tearfully chuckled.

Rachel cupped her face and peered to look at her eyes. "Do you love him, dear?"

She swallowed. "I might, yes."

Her stepmother sighed. "Perhaps it is better that you are not quite certain, but as you learn to love him, dear, you must also ensure that he loves you in return."

Maxine meekly whispered, "He did confess he is in love with me."

Rachel's smile widened with satisfaction. "That is very good to know! The suffering you get in loving a man who does not love you back is immense, but to have him love you is the most rewarding."

Maxine started to sob once more and Rachel frowned.

"What is the matter now?"

Maxine continued to sob and her stepmother patiently waited until it subsided into hiccups. She flung her arms around Rachel, smelling her scent, realizing how she had missed it. "I have never called you Mother for I always believed I do not deserve you after what father did to you," she choked against the woman's blonde hair. "You must have suffered a lot because of me."

Rachel took hold of her shoulders to gently push her away and her stepmother gave her a stern look. "Your father's sins against me are not yours, Maxine. I suffered not because of you, but because of the choices I have let others make for me. I entered our marriage upon an arrangement by our parents. I married your father knowing he had the potential to hurt me and I faced the consequences. But I also fought for him. I won the battle and gained an extra prize when you came into our lives." Maxine whimpered at her stepmother's words. "You are a daughter I never had and you always will be. Do you understand?" Rachel gave her a gentle shake. "I will always claim you as mine, dear, as I did your father. Anytime you are ready to call me Mother, then I shall be."

"But you are—you always have been," Maxine choked out. "Can I call you Mother now? I have refused to call Lady Alice Mother for I believe you deserve it first and foremost."

Rachel's eyes filled with tears as she nodded. "Very well, then, of course. I would not have forgiven you should you have called Alice that first, my dear."

"But I do plan to call you Mama," Maxine said in jest.

Rachel pulled her closer in an embrace. "Whichever you so choose, Maxine. Whichever you so choose."

*****

Benedict winced as Gabriel sent Maxwell staggering back with one blow, but he dared not move to help his brother.

"Pardon our intrusion, Benedict, but we wish to have our way with this particular brother of yours," Gabriel nonchalantly uttered as Samuel grabbed Maxwell by the collar to straighten him on both feet merely to receive another blow from Gabriel.

"Of course," Benedict said, wincing once more when Maxwell grunted from Gabriel's blow. "I had allowed my brothers do the same to my brothers-in-law. I would not deprive them the chance to be at the receiving end." He watched as Maxwell wiped one corner of his lips with the back of his hand. "So long as you don't murder him, of course. Keep in mind that Cole is a Man of Courts and Ralph a Town Guard. We would not wish this jolly family meeting to end somewhere else other than this estate."

Maxwell wished his brother would stop talking. He did not intend to fight back, but hearing Benedict's words made him wish he could picture Gabriel and Samuel as two Benedicts and have his way with them.

"You have three sisters, Kenward," Gabriel said to Maxwell, hitting him with iron knuckles. "You ought to have recognized the consequences when you chose to debauch the only one we have!"

Maxwell let out another grunt when Gabriel's last blow landed him on the edge of the chair.

"Careful with the furniture, gentlemen, my mother is particularly fond of that one," Benedict warned when Samuel pulled Maxwell off the chair.

"I went to ask for your help, you bloody bastard," Samuel growled.

Maxwell remained silent and concentrated on not losing consciousness, a matter that was surely to happen should the two brothers not cease their attacks.

Gabriel was as large as him, yet the man had a very powerful hand. He hurt in places, but it was nothing to what he had done to their family. Perhaps he deserved more.

The door burst open and Eustace Theobald stormed in. "That is enough," he ordered his two sons. "Your mother and Maxine will be out in a moment."

"The bloody hell I care," Gabriel growled, grabbing Maxwell by his collar.

"And Lady Alice wishes to serve tea in this very room. Do clean up, all of you, and present yourselves in your best behavior."

Gabriel pulled Maxwell closer and uttered under his breath, "She is the only sister we have, Kenward."

"I know," he ruggedly replied, panting.

"She is the only one," Gabriel repeated.

Maxwell nodded.

Maxine's eldest brother needn't further elaborate. Maxine was the only sister they had and if something untoward happened to her in any way under his care, he would have to face them again.

Gabriel shoved him back unto the chair while Samuel continued to glower. "You owe us, Kenward," were the only words the younger brother rustled before he straightened his coat and turned to face their father. "Time for tea then?" he asked.

Eustace Theobald's eyes went to Maxwell as his sons exited the room. "You don't hurt her," he said in a voice far more dangerous than sons'.

Maxwell nodded.

"And you give her everything she deserves," Eustace added.

Maxwell nodded again.

"Even a divorce if she wishes it."

Maxwell refused to nod at that, very much aware of the gut-wrenching feeling the word divorce elicited, but he said, "A request I shall ensure she will never ask."

Father and son-in-law gazed into each other's eyes for a long time. Eustace finally nodded and turned to Benedict. "Your father would have been awfully satisfied if he ever witnessed this day."

"Of course," Benedict said with a smile. "He had always wanted our families to be united."

Maxwell groaned as he slowly stood to his feet, every part of him hurting.

Ah, there was tea and dinner. The worst was yet to come then.

*****

Maxine rushed to find Maxwell and discovered Ralph, Nicholas, Levi, Cole and Wakefield outside the drawing room. "What are you doing here?" she asked. Alarm crept inside her. "What happened?"

Ralph shrugged as he patted a large painting on the wall. "I was tasked to guard this precious thing. The walls were trembling as your brothers pierced the soul out of one of ours."

Nicholas snickered and he motioned with his head. "Your husband, we fear, is still alive, Maxine, fret not."

"Simply here to make certain Gabriel does not escape our mother's attention and find his way back inside," Levi added with a grin.

Three pairs of emerald green eyes were glimmering with mirth and Maxine flickered hers with annoyance, glancing over at Cole and Wakefield.

"Oh, do not mind us, my lady," Wakefield said, "We are simply waiting for the room to be vacated."

"We heard there will be tea," Cole supplied dryly but with a glint of amusement.

"Blood-thirsty devils," she muttered under her breath as she walked past Ralph who exaggeratedly held on to the edge of the painting and burst into the room.

Her husband had his back turned, pouring himself a glass of brandy. Benedict sighed in relief when he saw her and stood to his feet. "Ah, finally," he said. "Excuse me for a moment as I search for my wife. As promised, she has prepared hot water and salve for the wounds and bruises."

Maxine groaned as her brother-in-law walked past her.

"Is no one taking these beatings seriously?" she asked Maxwell whose back was still turned to her. "Maxwell, turn around and have me look at your face."

"I am afraid I do look horrible, love," he said but he did turn and she gasped at the sight of him.

"Oh God," she said, rushing forward. He had a lopsided grin on his face as she carefully cupped his face to turn it left and right. "You do look awful from every angle, I am afraid," she said. His left eye had closed and the other side of his face was starting to swell. Blood was on one corner of his lips and she carefully wiped it away with her thumb.

"Welcome to our own chaos," he said before he gulped down the contents of his glass. She took it from his hand with a stern look.

"No more drinking," she said, putting the glass away.

"Ah, it bloody hurts like hell, Maxie," he groaned as she led him across the room. "I believe I will not survive dinner."

"Of course you can, you fool," she snapped.

"I'd rather sleep," he said. "Take me home."

"We are to sit around the table with everyone for tea and we shall dine with them afterwards." She pushed the door open and the five men guarding outside earlier all jumped to their feet with expectant looks. The very moment they saw Maxwell's face, Nicholas and Ralph shook with chuckles. Levi snickered while Cole and Wakefield had similar satisfied smiles.

"At the very least Wakefield still looked handsome after his beating," Ralph chortled. "You, brother, look like—"

"Speak another word and all of you shall have a taste of the blows I was able to contain earlier," Maxwell snarled at them.

Maxine glared at the five men as she dragged her husband away and up the staircase.

"Where is your old bedchamber?" she asked when they reached the second landing. "I will seek Agatha out while you rest for a bit. We cannot have your face all swollen during dinner. However will you chew your food!"

But Maxwell pulled her back with enough strength that she almost crashed against his chest. His head bent and he gave her a light kiss on the mouth. "It is over, Maxie, need not fret."

She glared at him. "You look horrible, Max. You are a fool to think that I could simply ignore this!"

He kissed her once again. "I may be a fool, love, but I also do love like one." Her heart plummeted at his words and she almost flung her arms around his neck. "Now, off to my bedchamber," he said, pulling her with him. "Ah, bloody hell, it bloody hurts like a devil. And the worst is yet to come with tea and dinner!"