《Winter Blooms [BL]》 Prologue Dusk kissed the sun asleep, veiling the field of grass in a bright orange blanket. The fleet of cars rushed past the dirty road way, making the small wildflowers near the road dance with the wind. Lily reached her hand out, playing with the wind. A small smile bloomed on her lips, watching for the first time, a place not grey but green and alive. She knew it wouldn''t last long. Sesscott was a place like that. Rain half the year and snow the other. Even so, the smell of fresh air and dew was welcoming. She remembered that day, when the air was white, each wisp inhaled was like breathing fire. Coal and dust had clung to their clothes as they made their way back from the cemetery. Those were the days of dread and loss. "That sounds absurd even for you," Catherine huffed from beside her, "Even Liz knows ghosts can''t lift an entire recliner." "You choose what you believe," Daniel shrugged from the front seat. Looking at his sisters through the rearview mirror, he tried his hardest to hide his smirk. "Lily, tell him it''s not true!" Catherine turned to Lily, crossing her arms and clearly not pleased with her brother''s attempt at teasing Elizabeth, their youngest, gullible sister. Lily let out a chuckle. The fleet of cars had already reached the front gates of the mansion. She remembered the last time she was here, around nineteen years ago. She was four back then. She only had a vague memory of playing with her grandparents here. How she used to sneak into the kitchen to watch her grandmother bake sweet pastries, and try and steal some later. After all those years, the sprawling mansion had lost its charm. The flowering vines that crept up to the roof had dried up. The faint smell of sugar and roses had been replaced by that of dried grass. The mansion looked unattended, and so it had been, ever since her Grandparents died and her mother inherited the Estate. The accounts and the farming contracts nearby were managed by their local manager, but the mansion in itself was left to rot. It would still have been so, if not for their family doctor advising them of a change of scenery from the Everard Mansion back in London.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it It was indeed a desperate measure. The halls of that mansion had started to look too lonely. Painting the warm memories of childhood a cold grey. "See? Her silence holds testament to my truth," Daniel commented again with an evident strain in his voice, pulling her away from haunting memories. "There are no ghosts in the entire Kelson Estates, Daniel," she chuckled, fixing her black gloves as the car came to a halt, "And even if there were any, I''m sure none would throw a recliner at anybody''s head." Daniel finally lost his struggle and laughed out loud when he heard Liz''s relieved sigh, earning a smack on the back of his head from Catherine. "So much for a mature elder brother," she said, watching him tenderly rub his head, complaining that he''d get no respect whatsoever. They climbed out of their car, watching the sunlight hit the grey stone walls of the mansion. Lily turned back to see her father, Richard Everard, help a frail woman out of the car. She sighed looking at the wilted form of her mother. Will they ever recover? A hand firmly grasped her fingers as if they had read her mind and was almost anxious to assure her that they would. She held the hand just as tightly, making up her mind. "This is it," she whispered, her voice as feeble as the dried creepers on the walls ahead of her. This was it, for their mother. It was their final leap of faith to help their mother, who had refused all medications to forcefully bring her back to health. If she didn''t improve... "This should be it," Daniel said in affirmation. He gently rubbed her hand with his thumb before letting go of her hand and moving to help their father. He reached just in time to hear his mother say, "Would you look at that, honey. It sure is better than I thought." "Oh! what a wonder, the tree still stands!" his mother exclaimed, "I planted it myself when I was half your age, Daniel." His features instantly softened when his mother reached out to him and patted his hair with a smile. "Lots of work to do on the other plants though, a lot of work," she murmured particularly to no one while looking around the garden, "Call Bennie right away, will you?" "You can work on it tomorrow, Anne. Now come, let''s settle in first," Richard said, guiding the little woman to the grand entrance. Inside Benjamin, their head butler was already waiting for them at the foyer, "Master, Lady, allow me to lead you to your bedrooms." He bowed slightly, asking them to follow. "Oh, dear Bennie, I know very well where the bedrooms are," Annabeth laughed, yet followed after him. "It is still my duty regardless, Lady Annabeth," he said with finality as he opened the master chamber. He let them in before making his way to the back kitchens. The rest of the day was uneventful. All of them having worn out from the long journey, they settled simple dinner before heading to their chambers, as allocated by Bennie. It was a surprisingly peaceful day for Bennie and he hoped it would last long Silver Feathers The sun had just started to peek its head over the distant mountain. Overgrown shrubs that shrouded the driveway and native vines that cloaked the entirety of the house bid them a quiet morning which was occasionally disturbed by songbirds and sounds of a creek. The drapes in the eastern chamber were drawn back to let the morning sun in. Emerald green sheets rustled as Daniel sat up on his bed, to glance out the window. His dark brown eyes searched for a familiarity that had evaded him for a minute. He closed his eyes, belatedly realizing that it was officially their first day at Kelson Estates, far away from the Everard manor where they had grown up. He climbed out of his bed and made his way to the window, letting the golden rays fall on his face and colour his eyes a darker honey, contouring his sharp features that still had subtle hints of innocent childhood. He unbolted the stubborn brass latch and leaned against the window sill. Gone were the views of over-embellished grandeur of manors and suburbs, there were nobbut the garden below and a mountain at a far distance. Whilst the constant burble of the creek was a nuisance at night, it did make a pleasant substitute for the hustle of the London streets. The flowering plants and shrubs of the garden were starting to take shape under the newly appointed gardener''s skilful hand to match the taste of their new master. "Master Daniel." Daniel turned round to face Bennie standing in the doorway of the bedchamber as he leaned in to announce, "Breakfast is served" With that, he left to call Lily, who shared the east wing with him. Ever the curt and mannered Bennie. Even in his old age with prominent wrinkles, he had a rod for his back and never bowed to anyone other than his father. Daniel heaved a sigh, running his hands through his dishevelled hair that now fell just below his eyes. He knew he didn''t have much time left before his father would reprimand him for being so uncouth, like their old neighbour he rarely saw. Nay, Sir Everard would rather be scrutinized and feared than seen socializing with the abutting folks. A Conundrum among his fellows, and sometimes his own family, was the life of Lord Everard. A character so noble, revered even among the white beard. His lionized political position made sure he was rarely at home. Yet when he was at leisure, he demanded strict conduct and decorum, ceaselessly, from the family and their attendants. Daniel swiftly changed out of his pyjamas and got ready to greet their first day and he dearly hoped- a changed life. It was established that they were to have an official breakfast that day, so Daniel decided on a pair of navy suspenders and made his way out. The hallway of the east wing was bustling with housemaids, dusting and mopping everything their eyes noticed. The gold and green carpet, which seemed to be a recurring theme in the east wing, was now being changed to a blue and silver alternative, similar to the ones back home. "Niel." "Good morning, Lily." Daniel looked back with a playful smile as he greeted his elder sister, pausing to let his sister join him, "Didn''t know you were all so attached to Blue and silver." "From what I heard," She said, as a matter of fact, adjusting her dress to see the stairs, "Lizzie is already getting homesick, and Bennie advised that we try to bring as much Everard manor to Burton Manor here in Kelson." The painted window panel of the stairway cast a dazzling array of lights on her simple blue swing dress. She had styled her dark brown hair with a simple clip, letting it fall down to her neck in a lush manner. "And here I was in a deception that we were running away from that god-forsaken place." Lily paused at the landing of the grand hall and faced Daniel, who stood with head down knowing he was about to be dressed down, with a light smile, "For what it was, I most truly believe, my dear little brother, that godforsaken place was also our home." Daniel quietly accepted the fact as he let his sister adjust his collar, while he properly took a look around the manor for the first time. The main doors of the grand hall were open to the front garden, giving off a pristine a look through the open windows. A long mahogany table at the centre was filled with vases of freshly picked daisies and chrysanthemums, rendering the space with a waft of a soft pleasant smell. A white marble statue of a stag in the centre complemented the overall fresh and dainty atmosphere of the house. "I presume mummy is yet to take proper charge of the decorations?" Daniel commented, clenching his hands that were inside his pockets while looking at the flower choices. Ever since that fateful day, their mother had rarely ever left her chambers, always enlisting Lily for the supervision of the household. "Yes," Lily softly patted his chest. She gave him a sad smile and began walking again only to have run into a tall man, his tanned skin sweaty and seeming rather out of breath. "Oh! Pardon me, sir," she gasped, not quite understanding who the man dressed in dusty brown slacks and dirty shoes was. "I am no sir, miss." the man laughed, removing his cap to reveal thick dirty blond hair. "I work on a farm around the corner. I came to help with the flowers." "I see." Lily cleared her throat and bowed again. "I have to thank you for your help." The man kept mangling his cap and continued, "Of Course not! I''m glad to be of help. Uhm... Is there any preference from the lady?" "I fear chrysanthemums ought to be the flower for quite some time." "Oh!" he took a step back, "forgive me." "Sir." She bowed, before dragging an amused Daniel, who was quietly at her side all this time, to the dining. Leaving the man standing awkwardly on the hallway for a moment before he too, tore away rather unwillingly. "I am going to pretend that I didn''t bear witness to that pathetic excuse of an exchange to normalize my sense of embarrassment." "It wasn''t pathetic" She slapped his arms feigning offence as they round the corner of the dining and adjusted her gloves. "I beg your reasoning sister, spare me, but you bowed to him three times if I might be so proficient in my counting skills." "Oh shush," she smiled at her brother''s teasing before opening the doors to the dining. "You''re late," Catherine said as she dabbed a spoonful of jam onto the toast, "and I''m starving." "Good to know at least someone in this family is not famished," Lizzie leaned back from the table to smile at her brother and sister who had just arrived. The pair greeted their parents before taking their seat on the table and chuckling over the antics of the younger bunch. "I''ve talked to the Josephine Hope finishing school, they have agreed to let Lizzie and Catherine finish the course next summer," their father announced as he folded the newspaper and removed his gold-rimmed glasses to glance at the table, "and Mr Mathews will be resuming his lessons with Daniel by spring of this year."If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Richie, shouldn''t we consider giving the children time to settle before all this," their mom said worriedly looking at the children. "It''s better if we get on with it, darling." Richard took one final look at the table, eyes lingering on Lizzie, and heaved a sigh, "this is our home now, and it is sooner the better that we start treating it like that." "Yes, father," Daniel said, casting an encouraging smile towards Elizabeth who returned the smile albeit guiltily. Windows completely donned one side of the wall, overlooking the moors, allowing the cool breeze and warm morning light to filter in. The cyan wallpaper added to the relaxing atmosphere of the room. Some semblance of a complete family, which was lost for so long, was trying to manifest itself at the breakfast that day. Something used to be lacking in some form or another in every occasion they had gathered together in the Burton Manor. It was getting increasingly annoying, even though they dearly loved one another and were in the same boat of grief. This change, maybe, was much needed for all of them. "And I also hope that Lily and Neil can visit the nearby farms, Lily can supervise the produce and Niel can look at the conditions of the community," He added in between his sips of morning coffee, "One needs to understand to govern." "Richard, that is certainly not necessary." their mother set her cutlery down. "He won''t be governing anything." "Anne, you know well as I, that as an Everard I am but obliged to leave an heir, well enough, to continue our name for the prosperity of this house." "No more children of mine are obliged to give their life for the sake of your ambition, Richard." "Annabeth." he looked at her, irked. "I have invited the Westers over tomorrow for tea," Annabeth ignored her husband and announced to her children, "I expect all of you to be attending." "The Westers?" Richard questioned, frowning, "You invited them?" "I heard you speaking to the governor yesterday. I hope I didn''t overstep." "No, dear, not at all," Richard continued quite pleased, "Thank you." "I expect all in your best behaviours." He told the youngsters before he stood up to leave. Finishing his morning coffee, he cast a glance at Daniel before leaving for his study. ~ It was well over mid-day when Bennie knocked on the young master''s study before letting himself in. "Master Daniel, I would advise otherwise." Master Daniel, who stood frozen near the back window, wearing a simple grey dress shirt and navy pants with one outdoor shoe on and the other still poorly hidden behind him, heaved a relieved sigh and continued to put on his shoe, "Oh Bennie, you gave me a freight." "Might I point out how reckless a choice this is?" Bennie said as he set the dusty grey book he was holding on the table beside the window and sighed seeing the room in chaos. "You might not." Daniel frowned as he looked down the open window of his chamber. There seemed to be not enough safe ways to climb down, but he was set on leaving. Whatever might be the price. "You don''t know this town just yet. Besides, Sir Everard had asked that you read about Miss Wester before their arrival tomo-" Bennie turned from tidying up the bed to witness Daniel ready to all but hurl himself out the window, "The rightmost window on the hallway has a safe landing!" Daniel halted, looking rather impressed with Bennie as he pulled back the leg that was dangling out the second floor of the mansion, "My, my Look at you, my fellow adventurer!" "Must you do this, master?" "Be it a town or a Lady, I have to walk the path to discovery myself. Is it not, my dearest?" Daniel cocked his head seemingly innocent in his question before stuffing the grey book into a well-worn rucksack."You know what to do Ben-Ben," he exclaimed, strutting towards the hallways of the eastern wing and vanishing out of sight. "I''m afraid I will run out of excuses at this pace," Bennie mumbled before going on his way. ~ "Hurry up!" a young boy rushed past Daniel with a little girl trailing behind him as he entered the buzzing town of Sesscott. Daniel twirled a wildflower that he picked up on the way as he walked through the wide streets filled with dusty old buildings. Small artisans were busy calling out to customers, youngsters carrying loads of produce through the alleys, and old shopkeepers peered through the glass-panned shops. With a slight smile playing on his lips, he steered through the crowds of people flitting in and out of the shops, walking around, talking about their woes and their joys. He moved from one shop to another, a twinkle slowly forming in his eye. From cordwainers and tailors to carpenters and florists, everything piqued his interest. All things new were a mystery to unveil. An unexplored treasure itching to be discovered. One such place that he unveiled was an old writing supply store. A distinct silver feather had caught his attention as he waddled through the alleyways and upon being discovered by a grey-haired old shopkeeper, he entered the shop to get a closer look. "Ye have quite an eye, haven''t ya?" the old man said standing near the display, watching Daniel as he made his way to him.? "Got it from my mother, I hear, sir." Daniel smiled, he lowered himself to the display to look at the feather that was shimmering under the sunlight, "Silver?" "Y''bet it is. Cast on Swan''s feather, this one," he commented as he picked up the pen and held it at eye level, "bronze nib, lightweight, smooth flow." "Exquisite." Taking the pen from his grip, Daniel could see each barb, distinct and craftily placed to look natural, "How much?" "7 sterlings." "Pardon?" "Is old goods, boy," the shopkeeper sighed, "Who''d want ter write in an ink pen these days? No, they''ve those ''retched shiny new pens over der with ever-lasting inks. They do." "Ballpoints? I wouldn''t call it wretched, sir." Daniel frowned as he looked at the old man walking behind the counter to pack the pen. "It''s convenience." "Convenience eh? And what? Well crafted? Modern?" the old man scoffed, "but for who?" He took the money Daniel offered and handed over the package with an angry look, "Certainly not us folks ''ere, we can''t ''ford it, can we?" "Can''t afford it?" "Can''t. Now ye buyin those are no?" Daniel walked out of the store absent-minded and inquisitive. He looked back at the store to see the old man going back to his place near the display. Can not afford it. What does he mean by can not afford it? Their estate clearly does give them enough share...?right? The fragrance of food, flowers, and burning coal filled the air as he made his way into the heart of the town where a marble fountain was erected. The sound of people assaulted him from all sides, drowning him in the warmth of life. A very prominent contrast to the cold metal sounds of machines and vehicles back in London. "The folks who cannot afford it," He mumbled, swinging the rucksack back his shoulder. Daniel strode straight into the crowd, this time not wandering aimlessly, but with conviction. Soon enough he entered a store that was poorly lit. The light sound of the doorbell as he walked in prompted a sleepy young lad to suddenly sit up swiftly. "Welcome!" the young lad said looking at him with frightened round, "How can I help you, sir?" "Is there a book available on Estate management?" Daniel asked, biting his lips to avoid smiling at his black bed hair that was sticking up in all directions. "In fact, we do," the boy lit up, "And I don''t even have to check the ledgers because I searched for a full day the last time that exact same book was requested." The boy proudly led the way into the rows of old shelves that were lined up in parallels, "but I didn''t even get to the right rack before Mr Thomson called me out and proceeded to find the book himself. Which by and by, to my credit, not far from the rack I was searching at." Daniel quietly followed the boy to the back of the library, trying his hardest to be polite and not laugh at the sight of a half awake, barely kempt puppy, "I see, you must have a pretty good memory." "Oh, I''m sorry I must have babbled." the boy looked back startled and laughed at the poorly concealed amused face of his customer, "We don''t get many customers generally." He finally got the book he was searching for and presented it to Daniel, "Here you go. In Fact, our very last customer was looking for the same book!!" "You must be awfully lonely," Daniel leaning back at one of the racks, habitually propping one hand inside the pocket when his hands brushed on something soft and delicate. "Hence the babbling," he said as he finally arranged his shirt, which by and by, made Daniel let out a chuckle, and continued, "Are you borrowing, sir?" "Yes, please." Daniel looked at the retreating figure with a still lingering smile before following along. "Your name, sir?" the boy asked, opening the ledger for log entries and dipping an old pen into the ink. He handed over another pen to Daniel to write his own name on the record within the book. "Daniel Everard," he spelt as he wrote his name and smiled, "I hope we meet again sometime then." "Ask for Robert and you shall find me any day anytime," Robert beamed, "I''m awfully lonely after all." Daniel laughed as he bid his farewell to Robert and stepped out of the library. He took out the forgotten wildflower in his pocket to see that it had been squashed but still in one piece. Hoping to preserve it, he opened the book and placed it between its pages when he noticed his name on the record of borrowers. It was the second name on the list. A perfectly neat and cursive name of Daniel written under another with an obnoxiously messy handwriting. He ran his hands along the muddled scribble before closing the book and wandered off into the crowds again. Hidden Constellations "I heard you like Sebastian Bach, Miss. Wester, should I dare presume you play too?" "Play? Mr Everard, whatever do you mean?" Amanda Wester scoffed, strutting next to Daniel, "I assure you, I''m least interested in being an entertainer." Her black and white coat dress doused her sophisticated demeanour with a soft evening shine. Short wavey hair that rested underneath a white beret, framed her elegant features, especially her eyes that hinted wisdom. Daniel frowned at the peculiar comment that the eldest daughter of the Wester house made, "Miss. Wester, I truly believe music can be as much to oneself as it can be to others." "Of such purpose of entertainment for oneself, Mr Everard, we hire." she smirked and resumed her leisurely paced walk, "Surely. I''d rather listen than play." Daniel cleared his throat, contemplating the comment while walking through rows and rows of Carnations, snapdragons, and amaryllis which accompanied them on their walk. Earlier, Mrs Wester had suggested if Daniel would be kind as to show sweet Amanda the newly built greenhouse after finishing the tea. Amanda, as her mother had said, was rather fond of gardening after all. Although it seemed shady of Mrs Wester to request Daniel the favour, seeing that Lily or Catherine could have been more appropriate a choice. Yet, it didn''t seem to matter, as his father had readily accepted it in his stead, and Daniel, oh poor Daniel, had no other way but to obey his father and to make a suitable impression on Miss. Wester. However, things seemed to look up a bit. Daniel''s lips curved up. Just a tiny bit. He understood Amanda now. At least enough to know that she was not the girl who loved gardening as her mother had suggested. No, she was much interested in playing a higher role in things. "Do you perhaps know what the Amaryllis mean, Miss?" Daniel continued, casually plucking one bright red flower from a branch nearby. "I heard you study politics." Amanda interrupted, pausing on a small wooden bridge that should lead them to their destination, "Is it your ambition or is it just a means to satisfy your carping father?" Daniel let out a chuckle. He leaned on the old wood railing to look over the water beneath, which shimmered with a golden lustre, understanding he too, must cut to the chase, "Which one would you prefer, Miss. Wester?" "Politics is not something you can half heart, Mr Everard," She said with conviction, "I''m troubled but the country, nor I, have no intention in partaking on whims." "Ah, I see," Daniel sighed with relief. Of course, he studies politics only for his father, and his elder brother, but after that day... after that day politics seemed too bleak. Needless to say, Amanda had sniffed out his half-heartedness, and just like that also mentioned that she herself was not interested in him. How cut-throat. "What the country can or cannot partake in is not in our hands to decide, Ms Wester," Daniel looked back at Amanda who stood with arms crossed, scrutinizing him, "However, I assure you, whatever I do, I will with all my passion and heart. Certainly, not on whims and especially not because I''m too much of a coward to my father." With that, he made it clear that he had the same intention of not marrying her. Seeing the doubt in the eyes of his companion for the evening dissolve, he smiled and led the way once again, "You seem rather invested in politics, Ms Wester. Are you too, perhaps, planning to follow your father?" "You mock me, Mr Everard, I''m a Lady." A sly smile formed on her face. She shot a glance at their chaperone before continuing, "The cabinet is no place for a woman." Daniel glanced at Amanda''s face, half-hidden behind the black curls, yet again intrigued by her clashing demeanour as he opened the glass door of the greenhouse. Standing back to let Amanda in, he played along, "Then what do, if I may ask, are you planning on doing, Ms Wester?" "Stay home of course, and look after my family as a lady ought to." Amanda walked in, not minding the servant who stammered that he will stay outside while stumbled away, and continued, "And please, do call me Amanda." "Oh, I dare not mean to offend you Amanda, but it''s too much of a loss for our cabinet if you deem yourself to be a housewife." he said as he sat by the little white table in the centre that was enveloped by lush green plantations, "Feel free to address me as Daniel too." "Rest assured, I''m not planning to idle away my days, Daniel. "A smile played at her lips while she took her place opposite Daniel, "The path to achievements need not be so solitary after all." "Care to enlighten me?" Daniel reciprocated the smile with a glint in his eye as he called for the servant to serve refreshments, finally, he was able to do what his father had asked of him their very first day at Kelson Estates. He had followed his father to his study after breakfast yesterday. He clearly saw the seemingly accidental glance his father had given him, and that glance only meant one thing. Opportunity. An opportunity to get their revenge on the Kanes, who are believed to be involved in his brother''s death. As for the Westers, the Westers will pave a path to bring them down. The Westers, a well-known merchandise group had connections everywhere. While the Everards had power politically, the Westers provided connection. From small assistant boys to owners of big companies, they had an alley everywhere. An alliance between them would be crucial not only for their revenge and the cabinet but also to the Westers themselves who wanted to enter the political scene too. That much was obvious, but what Richard and Daniel wanted was not an official partnership, they need a trusted confidant. Hopefully, Daniel secured just that. ~ "Tell me she didn''t outsmart you, Daniel," Richard looked at his son from the head seat on the table. "No, father, but she is indeed smart, to say the least," Daniel gave him a curt smile before resuming his dinner, not in the least intending to share his insights but rather pleased to inform, "In fact, I think we can safely say that we were quite well-acquainted." "Mr Wester has invited us for the hunt next month," Richard commented as he finished his last bite, "Pray, you sagely work hard enough to be more than well acquainted." "A hunt?" Elizabeth asked from the other end of the table, "Are we to attend too, pappa?" "Why of course, my dear," Annabeth laughed, "We are all invited. It''ll be your very first adventure." "Moreover, Mrs Wester had specially asked for Lily," Anne continued, "She had extended her invitation to her nephew. Hopefully, our Lily might strike a fancy for him." "And who, is this nephew of hers?" Richard sat up at the prospect of the possible arrangement, and his displeasure, that they, the men, have not been a part of this exchange of opinions. "A Jackson Norman, darling," Annabeth said, reaching out to stroke Lily''s hair, "Although I''m not sure I want to part with my children so soon." Lily smiled holding her mother''s hand comfortingly. She quickly averted her gaze when her mother went back to her dinner, to look at the three knowing pairs of eyes at the other end of the table, knowing full well what they all were thinking. "Nonsense my dear, they are fully prepared to be betrothed. You can''t possibly keep them all here forever." ~ The family had long retired to their chambers after dinner and Catherine finally finished changing and properly drying her hair. Every night, she would change, write her diary, and pray before going to sleep. It was the same every single night, but today. She had seen the silent exchange they all had at the dinner. It was the subtle glance that she could recognize all too well. So, she made her bed, tucked the pillows inside the blanket, and put on a robe. The hallways of the west wing were dark when she stepped out of her chamber. The door farthest in the corridor also opened and closed shut when she made it to the stairways. "Lizzie," Catherine whispered, "Come here, hold onto my hand." "I''m not a child, Catherine," Elizabeth pointed, grabbing her sister''s hand and making their way downstairs. "It has nothing to do with being a child, Lizzie. You stumble in the broad daylight. Let alone in the dark unknown pathway." She chuckled at her sister''s remark, "You think they found a good spot?" "A wonderful spot, in fact." Lily''s soft but excited voice interrupted from the landing before Catherine could answer her question. Her billowy nightgown danced as she moved. The candlestick she carried illuminated her features. Soft, kind eyes glowing even in the darkness. She led them up the eastern wing, past their bedrooms, and into the third floor. A cold wind blew from broken windows, ruffling their hair, and forcing them to hold their robes closer.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. "Here at last. I almost believed you lot got lost," Daniel called out, sticking his head in from outside one of the windows before he once again disappeared outside. "Danie! What on earth are you doing out there?!" Lizzie gasped. The floor they were on was a blatantly unsafe distance away from the ground and as far as she knew, in her 13 years of quiet life, she had never seen anything let alone a balcony with only a window as an entry. "Oh and Beware of the little steps," Daniel peeked in to warn, ignoring Lizzie''s worry. He looked at the said steps with a frown. "It should hold well," he added, shrugging, "I suppose." "Please tell me that''s safe, Lily." Lizzie sighed, holding her heart as she followed her sisters to the window, anxious over why her elder sister didn''t find it odd for her brother to be floating over the third-floor window. "My little worrywart," Lily chuckled, "you have nothing to trouble your mind, rest assured." When they arrived at the steps, which turned out to be a stack of clumsily placed books. Her worry was indeed rested when she saw that her brother was, sure enough, not floating. The unlatched window that let in the bright moonlight had in fact a small balcony. Lily waited for Catherine and Lizzie to climb up the little stack of books and over to the balcony before she herself took Daniel''s helping hand and stepped outside. The balcony already had a small picnic towel spread and an old oil lamp. "Huh, This is different," Catherine commented, looking around and taking her seat on the towel. "It''s so open," Lizzie said, also looking around amused. "It''s only natural. Back in London, our hideout behind the library didn''t even have a proper window." "Yes, but also isolated," Catherine slumped, "All I can see is the wild. Say, how far away are we from the true spirit of living?" "Why of course," Daniel scoffed before dusting off his hands after adjusting the light, "Only you would refer to life in London as the true spirit of living." "Am I in the wrong?" Catherine poked him in the rib prompting a shriek from him, "No Theatres, no Operas, and no Festivities. There is nothing here that even whispers fun for us." "Well," Lizzie insisted with simmering hope, "We do have a hunt to look forward to?" Catherine side-eyed Lizzie and sighed. She stretched comfortably between Lily and Daniel and yawned before dejectedly admitting that "Hunting is neither an elegant nor admired sport." Lily, who watched the shenanigans with quiet interest chuckled, "Indeed, I''m not very keen on partaking in any brutality against those poor birds either." "Me neither," Daniel finally sat down leaning on Catherine to look up to the sky, "And it''s a tedious work to entertain Miss. Wester. She bends for nothing, not even flattery." "I''d love to save you, poor Daniel, but I myself am tasked with entertaining Fredrick Wester, and I kid you not, it''s far more tasking than you''d think." "None of you seem happy here." Lizzie sighed, "If god bides mumma''s wishes, all of you would be wed out, come next season. Besides, you all are rather too taken by the idea to refuse such proposals." Catherine stood up, affronted by the accusations her sister threw at her, whilst ignoring Daniel''s groan as he fell down hard now that he was no longer supported by Catherine''s back, "How dare you!" "Dare I to what?" "To even think that I''d take an interest in the likes of Fredrick!" Catherine huffed, "I shall- I swear that I, Catherine Marry Burton, will marry none with an absolute deficiency of charm whatsoever, especially one such as Mr Fredrick Wester." Lizzie and Lily chuckled at her dramatized flairs while Daniel sat up rubbing his shoulder, "How, pray tell that your little theatrics always ends up in hurting me one way or the other?" "I''d like to call it your poor luck, but if I am to be perfectly honest, it is because I very well intend it to." Daniel leapt up to tackle his unruly little sister and it promptly turned into light banter. It went on for quite some time till Lily pulled them apart saying it was far too dangerous a place to be playing around in. The two settled in while glaring daggers at each other until Lizzie asked out once again, "Then what of Sir Norman?" "I intend to marry no one if not for love, sweet," Lily chuckled softly, ruffling Lizzie''s straight brunette hair. For some reason, she remembered someone with dirty blond hair, muddy shoes, and the softest voice she had ever heard. She shook her head as if pushing those thoughts out and continued, "You are not, and will not be, left alone as long as we are here." Lizzie laughed, settling right in the middle of their little dog pile, "Then what about you, Daniel? What do you think of her?" "Amanda?" Daniel mumbled thinking back to their conversation at the greenhouse. "Pride," Amanda said, making her last winning move in the little game of court that she had taught him. Daniel looked at her in disbelief, excited to know that somehow, he not only got an acquaintance but a great one at that. At the heart of his heart, he knew this would certainly end well. The green leaves behind her lit with the evening sun fire that shone in through the glass panes, "Amaryllis means pride, Daniel." she continued, earning a chuckle from him. "Well yes, of course, Amanda. What do you think of her?" Catherine looked over at Daniel''s unfocused eyes as he stared at the stars before probing further. "She''s fine, I''m sure," Daniel said looking at the dark sea above him while playing with Catherine''s locks that fell on his face while she leaned over him. Lily''s hand kept tracing constellations on his hair and Lizzie''s faint humming and rhythmic tapping near his calf, " but I''d rather be right here than anywhere else." ~ Just as her father had asked of her, Lily had been dutiful in looking after the produce and had successfully made quite some progress in taking over. She visited the estate office every morning. That day too, she arrived at the office with purpose, only- "Such a wonderful day is it not, Lily?" Daniel said as he climbed out the other door of the car, "would be a waste to spend it on numbers." Daniel had volunteered to accompany her today. She knew he meant trouble. Coming with her was just an easy excuse, the kid would definitely run off somewhere before he even set foot in the building. "In any case, suit yourself. I, on the other hand, have a job to complete." She said not minding the guy creeping up on her. "Such a bore," Daniel teased her as he walked into the reception, "then do me a favour and not tell father about me running away." He had already reached the back courtyard when he heard Lily complain, but he only gave her a backhanded salute. "Miss. Everard, There you are. Was that Master Everard?" "Ah, Good morning Mr Williams. Yes, it was Daniel." "Well, where has he gone off to?" Mr Williams asked, ushering her into the front office. He had a huge stack of papers under his arm, half of it falling as he walked. He grunted as he picked up the papers and walked forward, "I have gathered all the year-end accounts that you asked for." He dropped the stacks on the table and moved to sit on the chair, "If Master Everard is here to take over the charge, I can summarize the report to him." "That won''t be necessary. He won''t be taking over," Lily looked back at the courtyard where her brother had disappeared off to one more time before following him to the dingy old office on the right-wing, "He is merely here to accompany me today and to gambol around." "My audience should suffice Mr Williams, shall we begin?" She smiled as looked through the stacks of books placed on the table. Although it was a big enough office, the state of the furniture and ledgers revealed neglect. An obvious manifestation of what had clearly befallen in the place on their absence all these years. "Very well." Mr Williams gave her a disgruntled look and sat down before monotonously giving his summary. The day seemed to pass by being noticed by neither. Lily had already immersed herself into the ledgers, adding and balancing the numbers with ink-stained hands. It was well past noon when they were interrupted by a servant boy who announced that someone requested to meet Mr Williams. "Go, boy. Can''t you see I''m busy? Tell them to meet me later." "When shall I ask them to come again, sir?" "Tomorrow, maybe." "I''m afraid I can''t wait, sir. Pardon me." A voice that sounded familiar rang through the doorway. "Hawsberg," Mr Williams addressed the man who had pushed aside the servant boy to walk into the doorway, "What are you doing here?" "''m here to beg for reasoning, sir. I agree my actions might seem suspicious but I assure you. I''m not doing it for profit." "We shall discuss this later." "Sir please, I beg, we can''t make our ends meet with the reduced shares. Please show mercy." "You talk as if I''m imposing a great deal upon your family, boy!" Mr Williams bellowed, "Your father understood the retribution well enough, now go home!" "I''m afraid that''s n-" "I said go home now, Hawsberg! Or your share shall be further reduced to 20 per cent!" The man dejectedly turned to leave, only then registering Lily''s presence in the room. Startled, he removed his cap to reveal dirty blond hair and bowed apologetically to her before proceeding to leave, shoulder slumped. "Pardon my intrusion. Mr Hawsberg?" Lily called out. "Miss Everard?" "20 per cent?" Lily inquired turning to Mr Williams, "Could you care to explain what is conspiring here?" Mr Williams sighed, displeased that he was reduced to explaining himself, to a woman no less, "The Hawsberg farm has been our shareholders for generations, Miss. Everard. Although the produce has shrunken down greatly, and I personally believe they are more of a loss than profit to us, we have still given them their worth, stating loyalty." "However, it has recently come to my attention that the young lad from the Hawsberg farm has fancied himself in something other than farming." He took off the round-rimmed glasses and sat back, giving a sour eye to the man still standing at the doorway, "If he had found a way to make a living outside of our agreement, then it''s only logistical that we too, adjust the agreement to our likings." Lily placed the ledger she had on her lap on the table and turned to the man. She suspected there to be a different side to the story too. Seeing that he had run all the way here to explain, "Other than farming, sir, what do you do?" The man, not expecting to be addressed nor to be given a chance to counter Mr William''s statement stood agape. Mr Williams had always been an imposing and formidable person after all. "I- I sometimes teach the children of servants," he said desperately. Hurrying to finish his point before he might get interrupted by Mr Williams, he continued, "It''s only once weekly and I take no money. If the share is lowered, we will starve. Miss Everard, please show mercy!" "Teach the children?" Lily asked intrigued, "What do you teach?" Mr Williams grunted, slamming his fist on the table, "That doesn''t matter. He wasted his time on some burly good-for-nothing children instead of working on the farm like he ought to!" "I teach them everything. Even about farming Miss," the man tried to interrupt Mr Williams, who was fuming. He figured the lady was far more influential than him, "Only on the weekends and entirely with no cost taken." "You! How dare! Your share will be further redu-" "Reduced?" Lily tilted her head to Mr Williams, her usually soft gaze sharp. As if taunting, daring Mr Williams to say more, "This argument already is invalid, Mr Williams. Additional support to this little teaching endeavour shall be given." "Miss Everard!" Mr Williams was livid with humiliation, "You don''t know what you are talking about! If Master Everard was here, he would have understood the effects this would have on our profits." "I assure you on that, Mr Williams, that my brother would have done the same, so would my father." She calmly smiled, "If you had educated yourself better, you would have understood his teaching takes far less loss than the profit you pocket yourself." Mr Williams was stupefied by that statement. He had never, not even in his dreams, imagined that this girl would be able to look through his careful adjustments in the ledgers. Lily signed the book she was reviewing as Mr Williams stormed off, probably and preferably embarrassed. She had to come back tomorrow to finish the other books, but today, she already had enough, "So, Is there a class today, sir?" "There is," he said airily, letting his unexpected victory sink in, "Thank you! I would forever be grateful for your support." Lily laughed, amused by his response, "You have nothing to be grateful for. I merely did what was best for our estate." she said, "Well, I shouldn''t be keeping you up from your students." However, the man''s feet were frozen still, watching Lily with rapt admiration as she placed the ledgers back on the shelf. "Would-" The man stuttered while trying his hardest to speak properly, "Would you like to visit, Miss Everard? The children would very much love it." Lily''s smirk grew genuine before she turned and beamed at him, "Why of course, I''d love to, Mr Hawsberg." "Jerry, Miss Everard. Jerry Hawsberg." ....................................... The life of Mrs Lemming had become hectic and draining after her husband died. Mr Lemming''s work on the coal mining company had been given to her son, and they had finally earned enough to hold themselves up, but she couldn''t even entertain the thought of leaving her odd jobs. She had far too much time on her hand and not so much to use it for. So, she threw herself into work, only coming home when she was too exhausted to even function properly after. "Mum?" A deep voice sounded from the kitchen accompanied by the sound of running water. "Ah, sorry! I fell asleep," Mrs Lemmings called out, getting up to help her son. The world tilted a bit, pushing Mrs Lemmings back on the couch. A veil of blurry white blinded her vision, only allowing her to register a faint silhouette of a tall man who walked into the living room. He leaned on the wall with his hands crossed, watching his mother, who sat scratching her eye. "Why don''t you call it a day, mum?" the deep baritone sounded once again, "I''ll finish up the supper and bring it to your room." "My sweet boy," she smiled, holding her hands open to hug him. The silhouette chuckled as it pushed itself off the wall and walked up to her, hugging her almost bony frame. She felt her body being picked up and made to stand against her will, which prompted a tired groan. The laughter that sounded near her ears, although deep and reverberating were coated with childish innocence, silently taking the brunt of her playful punches. She was gently guided to her bedroom by her son while she listened to him speak of his day at the mine. He went on, "That aside, did Mr Brown finally lose his mind? I saw him chase after that poor servant boy all around the town." "Oh! His wife walked in on her husband with another woman," she giggled, "the boy had failed to alert him on time. It''ll be a surprise if the lad was seen alive tomorrow." Her son scoffed at that, leaving her at her bedroom doorway and walking back to the kitchen, "Handling one woman is tiring enough, he had the galls to have two?" "Is it now?" She sat at her bedside sporting a sly smile as she called out, "how would you know? Are you seeing someone?" "You are a woman." "And?" His mother shot a scrutinizing look at him, knowing full well he was making trouble. "And you are far too tiring enough." "Andrew!" The innocent laughter flitted around the house yet again bringing the once dissolute structure a sense of home. Storm Under A Tree For the next several months the number of visits to the Burton Manor in Kelson estates from Mrs. and Miss Westers only increased and almost always, Daniel was to accompany Amanda Wester. Was it was coincidental or calculated? She never knew. Although what she did know, was that they got along flyingly well. Amanda''s sharp wit and blunt tongue were never looked down on by Daniel. In fact, he seemed rather pleased to hear her crude remarks, and in turn, his playful and ignorant demeanour was a welcoming breeze to her dreich lifestyle. This time too, like always, they were forced on for a pleasant walk out to the town. It was pleasant for the most part even. They had met with Robert, whom Daniel had introduced to her on one of their previous visits as his close friend. The three of them were wreaking havoc in the library until Robert''s employee, Mr Thomson, chased them away. After which they went to the city bridge, an old ornate stone structure over the Ramgill river, and played some more. More like Robert and Daniel played around with one of the many gargoyle-Esque statues in the bridge, while Amanda sat on the railing, eating pastries. Amanda mostly tried to keep to herself. The two were too wacky a pair to be seen with after all, but she usually terribly failed. The duo got into trouble effortlessly, turning to her with innocent faces, begging her to save their sorry arses. Yet, strangely, she didn''t mind standing up for them, even if it meant respectfully bolting from the location after grabbing them by their collars. Today too, her only role was to make sure that none of the passersby approached to reprimand them yet again. How? Might you ask? By simply glaring daggers at them until they left, flustered. They usually do. She only reacted when Robert mentioned that the little creek by the Kelson estate was a stream that branched off from this very river. "Stop that Daniel!" Amanda had said with exasperation, "None of the trash you threw in, has even the slightest possibility of showing up in the estates." Daniel pouted before slumping back down with all his excitement drained. He looked up at Robert, who silently pocketed the notebook and little paper boats he made from the torn-up pages to obediently provide Daniel with the said trash. Soon, however, they started making paper planes to race each other with, making Amanda move further away from the duo. After they had tired themselves up a tad, Amanda truly began to enjoy the pleasant walk. Only, the pleasant walk turned terribly unpleasant, as they returned. It had started to rain cats and cheese. Post-hase, they had bought an umbrella and decided to walk home nonetheless. Truth be told, Daniel had insisted they walk back without one. Stating that one should never miss an opportunity to keep the child in you alive. Amanda, irked, huffed, and refused outright. She agreed to walk home with him and keep him alive for the day only if they have an umbrella above their heads. It was an inevitable journey nonetheless. Seeing, as they say, the rain never stops in Sesscott. Their walk back was cold. Winds swept the droplets clung to their clothes, dousing them in a dull grey, like a reflection of the sky above. "And with that, I move the general public against you by bringing up the job losses," Amanda countered, manoeuvring herself to take better cover under the umbrella. They had started playing Game of Court once again. Daniel can''t fathom a silent minute of peace when with Amanda after all. However, that didn''t mean she would go lenient on him. "Oh, Amanda! Wasn''t that a mean move?" Daniel whined as he strolled alongside her. Daniel''s pale hands clenched the umbrella a little tighter as the wind picked up, sending a cold shiver down to his bones. The light coat did next to nothing to protect him. Why he insisted on walking back without the umbrella, she may never understand. "Why show pity on enemies?" She smirked proudly, increasing their pace. She knew her mother would definitely send a car to fetch them. If only they reached them sooner, Daniel wouldn''t die on her. "Precisely because you don''t know what cards they ¨Cyour enemies- hold behind their back," Daniel said absent-mindedly, mulling over his next move. At that Amanda halted her steps to look at Daniel. She frowned, "You have no cards left." "No, I don''t," He said, "but this move of yours will ultimately arm the opponent with the greatest strength and strongest weapon." Amanda''s attention was now fully focused on Daniel. "Desperation." He declared dramatically. "Desperation?" Amanda said, brow raised in a mocking manner. "It is a scary thing, Amanda." Daniel replied, "Cornering a wolf to the wall would inevitably push it into destruction. The enemy will be giving their all to fight back, and in the least, try to bring you down too along with them." Daniel''s lips curved up slightly as another wind rushed past them, sending another bone-chilling cold down his spine. His heart rushed to find warmth in any shape or form, but he felt at home in the midst of the blue haze. "That said, I release all the trade statements. I also file for defamation, thus hindering you lawfully." Daniel said with an exuberant smile. Taken aback, Amanda scowled, "That will cost you all the acquaintances you established. You won''t be able to win back their trust easily." "Desperation! I''d lose that readily. My priority is my standing amongst my people after all not my acquaintances." Amanda scoffed, "You never cared ab-," Amanda paused, looking beyond Daniel''s shoulders confusedly which then morphed into disbelief. With her mouth still wide open, she pointed at something far behind the curtain of droplets, "I-is that your sister?" "What?" Daniel turned to squint at the giant tree she was pointing at. There, beneath the canopy of leaves, with transparent beads jumping from one green leaf to another, his sister Lily stood. "What on earth is she doing there?" Amanda asked leaning further not minding her entire shoulder getting drenched. Lily wasn''t alone either. Daniel saw that there was a certain blond man there too who his sister talked about quite a lot these days. The two of them stood close. Too close. As if huddling together for warmth and comfort. Seeing the two of them together gave Daniel comfort. He had worried a lot. He worried his sister would marry the person his father chose. He worried that his brother''s wishes would never come true. He worried, that if Lily, a kind and deserving soul couldn''t find her love, then there would be no way he found his. Now, even if he didn''t find any, it wouldn''t matter.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Nothing mattered. Nothing would matter as long as he stood in front of his sisters and made sure they were happy. He had to do it. Do it before it was too late again. Lily reached forward to lightly peck at the awkward man''s lips. A gush of wind rushed past the couple, ruffling her long dress. It instantly flushed the man in a bright shade of pink, visible even from such a far distance. "Ha!" Daniel exclaimed not being able to hold in his wide grin, which lasted only a second. His eyes darted to Amanda''s face before he let go of the umbrella. He fell on his side before howling, "Oww!!! My leg! My leg!" "What?" Amanda, pulled rudely away from her stupor looked at Daniel laying flat on the ground clutching his ankle. With the umbrella gone, both of them were getting drenched by the downpour. Daniel''s long brown hair stuck to the nape of his neck and his twitching unveiled the coat, exposing the shirt that now acted as the man''s second skin. "My leg, I broke my leg!" He continued crying, watching Amanda frown. She knelt to get a better look at his leg. Twisting the ankle a couple of times to the left and right she asked, "How did you fall?" "I slipped, we need to get home!" "Your leg is hurt. How can you walk all the way home? " "..." "...Daniel? Your arms bleeding." Daniel looked down to see the smallest of a cut on his forearm. Probably the result of his dramatic fall moments ago. "My arm! I need to get it disinfected! Let''s go home!" "You said you broke your leg, halfwit, and if it''s remotely true, you can''t walk!" "I can manage!" he exclaimed as he stood up to get the umbrella and walked faster, pulling a confused Amanda along, "Disinfecting a wound is of far greater importance than mending a fractured leg. So many bacteria... so many infections..." Amanda sighed hearing the mumblings and following behind. He could have very well asked her not to speak a word about Lily, rather than creating such a ruckus. Even hurting himself in the process. She eyed the dark, curly chocolate brown hair and straight, lean back of the man in front of her curiously. His pale white shirt and dark pants stuck to his body, giving it a frail and bony frame. His skin looked pale. Too pale. Sickly pale. This boy. Who exactly is he? She had a hard time understanding him. He switched his character too often and far too quickly for her to form a properly painted picture of him. Whatever he is, he was certainly a great asset. ~ The night had crept up early that day and had laid bare on their laps, snoozing peacefully under the blanket of looming clouds and persisting rain. With Amanda and her worried mother escorted safely to their mansion, the Everard family had a quiet dinner before retiring themselves. Daniel leaned on the headboard, reading the book he had borrowed from Robert a long while ago. The windows were shut tight, not leaving even the littlest of droplets seep through. The smell of the burning candle and drenched mud clung to his clothes. He had lit the candle near the bedside instead of using the night lamp, soaking the entire room with warmth. The faded glow of the moonlight fought with the little candle by his side, creating beautiful chaos of silver and gold. He scratched at the stain on one of the pages, when he heard a faint knock on his door. The handle twisted before creaking slightly, making way to reveal the person standing behind. "Daniel? Are you awake?" Lily called out, voice so low that it could have easily been lost within the symphony of droplets against his window. "Come in, Lily," he said, closing the book and placing it on the side table. Just as he sat upon the bed, he spotted another tuft of hair behind Lily. Catherine sauntered in and all but threw herself on his legs, making Daniel flinch and snatch his legs back from under her. "Such a lady," Catherine scoffed, making herself comfortable. "I would be whoppingly happy if you acted like one yourself." "What did you say?" Catherine glared at Daniel, who was still mocking her. "I have something to confess." Lily declared interrupting their brawl that came to blows. She clutched her hands together tightly. Her wobbling figure stood testament to her nervousness. Seeing her tense figure the duo quietened down. "I fou- You see- Daniel, Catherine, you see, I-," Lily''s voice shook, as she paced around the room, not knowing how to break the news to the most important people in her bleak life. Catherine''s doubtful eyes landed on Daniel''s. Seeing Daniel''s slight smirk, she sat up understanding the reason for her sister''s poor state. Looking excitedly at Lily and waiting for her to finish. "Daniel, Catherine, I-." Lily kept pacing around flustered. She finally stopped at the bedside and squeezed her eyes shut before blurting out, "I- I love someone." Catherine let out a shriek. She jumped up and hugged her sister tightly, "I knew it! I knew it!" Before Lily could let out a relieved smile she was bombarded with millions of questions by the clingy sister in a high pitched tingly voice -still laced with excitement, "Who is he? Where is he from? Can we see him? When can we see him? When are you going to introduce him to papa?" The smile on Lily''s face froze. She didn''t know how to answer these questions. Will they approve of Jerry? What if they don''t? What then? "Let her breath will you?" Daniel sighed peeling Catherine away from Lily, "Ignore the kid, Lily. I''m glad you found the one, whoever he is, however he is, he is very lucky to have your love." Lily''s shy smile broke out as she reached out to hug him. "Will you take us to see him?" "Of course." Catherine cheered at that, "About time! I was bored to insanity at this house all day." "Bored?" Lily questioned, finally calming down enough to sit down. Catherine naturally leaned on Lily before whining, "Well, what do you even question that for? Lizzy is a pappa''s angel and mumma''s sweetheart, isn''t she? She always sticks to them. What am I to do all day then?" "You can accompany me then," Lily smiled knowing that poor Catherine would have been cruelly left to her own devices daily. Daniel chuckled at that, earning smack from Catherine. Was he so easy to beat up? "And crunch numbers?" Catherine frowned, pouting slightly. It was no secret that she resembled more of Daniel than Lily when it comes to math. "Join Daniel. He said he will be going off somewhere tomorrow anyways." Seeing Catherine''s expectant eyes, he pretended to think about it before nodding. Robert had invited him to the theatre tomorrow after all, and theatres go well with Catherine. ~ It was a good thing Daniel opened the door only to peek inside; had he strutted in, not minding the muffled squabble, he would have unmistakably taken the brunt of the book that was hurled towards his head. "If I catch you sleeping one more time, boy, you will be sleeping on the streets!!" Mr Thompson bellowed, making Daniel contemplate his decision to visit the Library that day, "Mark my words!" Soon enough, someone stumbled out of the building, bumping into him in the process. "Daniel?!" Robert exclaimed, "What are you doing here?" Daniel, however, wasn''t given the opportunity to answer. Seeing that Mr Thompson had resumed his scolding after he found another misplaced book, Daniel subconsciously moved to hold onto his sister''s hand, who, might I add, was frozen on spot. "Robert... RUN!" He cried out as Robert took off with him. They ran as fast as they could while dragging Catherine behind, nearly missing another flying book that was thrown at them. He had simply wished for a nice time, away from the boring numbers his sister had taken much interest in, and if possible, show his sister his merry days. He weaved past the crowds dragging, indifferent to the faces he bumped into until they reached the town square. They had run fast enough that he was still heaving when he saw Robert slow down near a clothing store. Exhausted, Robert''s legs had given out from underneath him. He slid down the wall of a storefront before slumping down on the pavement, his rough black hair sticking up just like how it was when they first met. Ridiculous. Daniel laughed, bending over to hold his knees and ease his breathing, "How many times have I told you already? You are bound to get into trouble for dozing off." "I can''t help it, Dan," Robert whined. He leaned back, squinting when sunlight hit his face, "No one even walks into that place. Not even by mistake!" "Unbelievable," Catherine declared, holding onto a nearby pole while Daniel helped Robert upon his feet. "What an introduction," Daniel mumbled before introducing them to each other. They could only muster to nod their heads in acknowledgement in between their breathless struggle. After collecting themselves enough, they made their way. The crowded city waned out as they reached the outskirts. Tall birch trees lined their path, allowing only silent peeks at the farmland beyond the thin strips of forestation. The September sun shined directly above their head, leaving shadows of leaves dancing under their feet like a wild bonfire. Welcoming them with a vigour that only nature knew to hold. "I''ve never seen Mr Thomson that angry," Daniel said with his hands on his hips, scowling at Robert for ruining his reputation with Catherine. "It''s not my fault this time!" Robert defended, adjusting his loose sock before standing up to face him, "I had to wake up early to prepare lunch." "You cooked." "I tried." "Why? Is Mr Nicholas not opening the diner today or did he finally have had enough of you like Mr Thomson?" Robert scoffed at that, "For my brother''s lunch. He even went on to insist that I make it by hand from scratch." Robert frowned, somewhat confused by his brother''s request. "You have a little brother?" Catherine smiled, breaking the long silence she held along the way. "Yes, a tough one at that." Robert smiled back, "I hope it is fine if he accompanies us today?" "Of course," she nodded enthusiastically. "I must warn you, Miss Everard. He might stick to you like a little glue." Robert chuckled shaking his head. Dragging a stick he had picked up from the side, he continued, "He''s got a thing for ladies, he does." Catherine laughed at that. She liked little kids. It went hand in hand with her affinity to perform. Even though she''s had many audiences during her secret rendezvous back in London, performing for kids -as scarcely at that- was extra rewarding. Their amazed, sparkling eyes were untainted by mock social confectioneries. "What is he studying?" asked Daniel. He slowed down to try and walk on the thin trail Robert had left on the mud from dragging the stick. "Beats me. This and that, I believe." "They teach this and that in the town school?" "Oh, not town school." Robert turned to correct Daniel, "After the fire in the Ramsgill Townschool broke out, the fees shot up to heaven. We folks couldn''t even dream to afford it." Noticing Daniel''s little game, he drew more curved lines making it a test on Daniel''s balancing capacity, "It''s just a little barn and Mr Hawsberg only teaches what he learned back in the day, but it''s better than nothing." "A barn school!-" "Mr Hawsberg!-" Daniel and Catherine both said at the same time stopping in their tracks and looking at each other. A devious and frighteningly similar smile bloomed on their faces as they both turned to Robert. "...yeah," Robert was now accustomed and abundantly familiar with the hint of curiosity in Daniel''s voice but seeing Catherine also shared this trait he smiled amusedly, "Wanna go and see-" "Yes!" They exclaimed interrupting Robert, and so they changed paths to walk away from the town and into the suburban farms of Ramsgill.