Oh, gosh!! I can't believe I forgot to mention when I first published this chapter!!! I changed Marie's name to Irene, because it was so similar to Lady Antrucha's name—Maria. I hope that makes sense and no one is too confused!!!!

"Honestly, you can't think of going off and leaving me now, Livy! I've gotten far to used to your company, and Charlie and Ethan have plenty to do to keep them busy." Irene bit her lip, her eyes pleading.

"We can't stay here forever." Lavinia laughed. "We're not that far away, if you care to recall."

"I don't care to recall, because I like to have you here, just a room away. Tell her, Cassie!"

Cassandra raised a brow at her friend. "Look, if you knew Lavinia as well as I, I don't expect you'd be arguing with her right now." She smiled indulgently at her sister.

"At least stay until Saturday. Charlie says he needs Ethan'a help with some estate management issues. It'd be ever so much easier for them to work together in closer quarters."

"I do want to take another ride." Cassandra kept her eyes fixed pointedly on her embroidery as she spoke.

She knew that Lavinia wanted to stay at Ferguson Manor, but she also knew that it felt like an intrusion to ever-caring Lavinia. Even at the Fergus' insistence that they were no trouble, that they actually enjoyed the company, she hated to be a burden on anyone. Only last evening, she had begged Cassandra to be a supporter in this, but Cassandra couldn't support her in doing something that would cause her discomfort.

At Fergus Manor, all of their needs were provided for before they really knew they'd been needs. There were servants to cook and clean, and the lack of work was putting the spark back into Lavinia's eyes.

"Oh, yes, you must!" Irene latched onto the argument immediately. "There's so much you should see of the countryside. It really is lovely! And hearing Graham talk about it, I'm almost tempted to go out myself."

Cassandra's hands stilled at the mention of Graham. A full day had passed since their meeting in the library, and she still couldn't understand the apparent change that had come over him behind those closed doors. For one single, solitary moment, it had been like he cared about something. There had been no mockery in his tone or face.

She couldn't understand him, and that enraged her. He was difficult, annoyingly so, and yet, she couldn't help but wonder who he was beneath his layers of arrogance.

"Cassie? Cassandra?" She looked up with a start, realizing her work had fallen idle in her lap, and she was staring off into space. "Is everything all right?" Lavinia's brows drew together.

"Perfectly." Cassandra smiled at her sister. "Just got lost in thought for a moment, I suppose."

"I'm going up to take a nap. If Ethan asks where I am, tell him for me." Lavinia rose and stretched. "I don't want to interrupt him and Charlie. They're elbow deep in their work."

"Of course," Cassandra stood up to help her sister.

"I'm capable of managing myself, Cassie." Lavinia said wryly. "You don't have to worry about me. Take that ride you've been wanting." She slipped out of the room with a last smile.

"How about we get some air?" Cassandra smiled at Irene. "I'm frightfully bored getting shut up inside all day."

"Shall I have Maybelle send for Graham and have some horses saddled?" Irene put up her embroidery.

"No!" Cassandra said quickly. Too quickly. She closed her eyes for a moment. "Let's just walk in the garden."

"I knew it!" Irene sounded triumphant.

"Knew what?" Cassandra wrinkled her brow in confusion.

"I was right. I just knew it!" A giggle escape Irene's lips.

"What are you talking about?" Cassandra frowned.

"You like him, don't you?" Irene said.

"What? Who?" Cassandra's cheeks flooded with heat.

"Graham." Irene's smile reminded Cassandra of a schoolgirl who has mentioned a forbidden subject.

"What?! No! Definitely not!" Cassandra shot a quick glance around the room. Graham had a way of randomly popping up when least expected, and she most certainly didn't want him to hear this conversation. He was insufferable enough already.

"Don't try to deny it." Irene turned lofty as though she were in possession of the greatest secret of all time. "It's all right. Most women fall all over him. We had a party right after he came, and you should have seen them lined up to talk to him. They flock to him like vultures coming in for the kill. Oh, but he can take it, every bit of it!"

Cassandra heaved an exasperated sigh, refusing to look at her friend. Her face was red. She'd been accused of liking men before but not like this. Plus, she was blushing like a little girl! If Irene had thought there were any feelings between her and Graham before, she would be sure of them now.

Fairly leaping off her couch, Cassandra grabbed Irene's arm and pulled her out of the room as fast as she could. Ignoring Irene's protests, she ran down the long hall. There's as no way she was going to discuss this inside. There were far too many ears to overhear the conversation.

"I do not like him, Irene." She panted as they burst into the garden. "Not like that—not at all. He's arrogant and annoying, and there is most certainly nothing between us. Whatever gave you the idea that there was?"

Irene didn't look contrite. There was a smile on her lips. "You don't have to tell me." She said slowly. "Just don't lie to me. I saw you looking at him at dinner last night. Perhaps I took it the wrong way. . ."

"I can assure you that you did!" Cassandra spoke a little more forcefully than she'd meant to. "I didn't realize that I was staring at him. I just. . .can't seem to make him out. The minute I think I know what he's going to do next, he does the opposite. I've never met someone that I couldn't understand before, and it infuriates me. There's something about him that demands I figure him out, but it's proving more difficult than I'd imagined." She sank down onto a nearby bench, her brows drawn together.

Admitting that he intrigued her made her peevish. It was exactly what he wanted, and she was enraged that she couldn't resist the temptation to solve the mystery of Graham McRoberts. The battle within herself had turned into outright war, and that further incited her wrath.

"I know exactly what you mean." Irene had positioned herself next to Cassandra, and when Cassandra looked at her, her face had gone sober, and she was studying her hands in her lap.

"You mean—" She began.

Irene looked up, and there was a somber smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "What? Did you think I was immune to the wiles of love?" A spark of her old merriment rose and died in the depths of her eyes in the span of less than half a second.

"You can't mean you and Graham are—" Cassandra didn't even know how to finish the sentence.

"Oh! Dear me, no!" That was enough to make Irene laugh. "He and I are far too different to find attraction in one another."

"Irene!" It was Cassandra's turn to tease, and she took full advantage of the moment. "What mysterious gentleman has taken ahold of your affections, and why have I never heard of him before now?"

Irene blushed profusely and ducked her head, but the sparkle had returned to her eyes, and she was smiling. "It just never came up." She shrugged. "He isn't exactly a gentleman."

"Now, you really must explain, because I'm imagining all sorts of horrors at the moment." Cassandra raised a brow.

Irene laughed melodically. "He's not a gentleman by society's terms. Meaning that he simply doesn't have a title. He has no inheritance, no grand estate. But when I'm with him, none of that matters. Not to me." She shrugged, toeing the earth glumly.

"Well, what's so wrong with that?" Cassandra raised a brow. "In my experience, those society calls gentlemen very rarely live up to the full meaning of the word. Why haven't I met him already? You should have brought him around long since!"

"If only I could have introduced him to you. I know you would like him, Cassie. He is so wonderful." Irene's smile faded. "Wonderful and far away. You see, my great-aunt took me on a tour last year. I think she was trying to find a husband for me, but that doesn't really matter. We went to so many places, and while I was grateful for her kindness, I've never felt so alone when I'm surrounded by people.

"Our last stop was in London where my aunt threw an enormous party at her town house. By coincidence, he was staying with a friend while studying for his medical degree and somehow got convinced to attend the party with them. That's where we met." Irene paused for a moment. "I've never had a more eventful and happy two weeks in all my life. He was so good and kind, and when I was with him, I could talk without fear of misunderstanding, because he always seemed to know what I was talking about. He's the first person I've met that didn't make me feel like I had to fill the silence. We could just sit together, enjoying each other's company without filling the air with words."

"What happened?" Cassandra prompted as Irene fell silent.

"My aunt discovered the attachment. Our London visit was cut short, and she whisked me away. I never even got to properly tell him goodbye." A pained expression crossed her features. "I've started to write to him so many times, but something always stops me. How can we pick up where we left off after such a bad ending?"

"Honestly, I don't know him at all, but from my point of view, if he liked you—and I mean really liked—then he'd be only too glad to hear from you. With a short explanation of the circumstances, you can be right back on track with your old. . .friendship." Cassandra smiled. "If, however, you don't write to him, you'll never know what might have become of it. You'll have to spend the rest of your life wondering, and I don't know about you, but I hate to be kept in the dark. Besides, you can't let your great- aunt win without a fight! You have to stand up for what you want, even if it's hard."

Irene's face lit up with a smile. "Thank you, Cassie! You don't mind if I go now? You've given me courage, and if I wait, I might lose my nerve." She bit down on her lip.

"Of course not! Go!" Cassandra laughed.

"Thank you!" Irene drew her into a quick hug before bolting for the indoors as fast as her legs would carry her.

"Encouragement to defy social standings. Interesting." The masculine voice sliced through the sudden quiet.

___________

Nope, not Saturday. I spent most of Saturday being totally crazy and doing spontaneous things. And I loved it. That sort of thing doesn't happen very often.

All right, y'all. How'd you like this chapter? I know, it's a bit slow, but I'm planning to update again soon. I've already finished the next chapter, and I'm working on the one after that. I'm pretty excited, because I've never been this ahead before. I just need to keep at it ;P. Until next time!