Three years ago...

"You always ask the question, my lord," Lady in Blue said before Ralph could put into words his next question. "Does this game of yours give room for your opponent to strike?"

Ralph chuckled and pivoted on the bench to face her fully. "Of course." His eyes met hers. "If you can."

"I have heard of many great stories about the Everards, Lady Alice included." Tilting her head to the right, her eyes filled with curiosity, she added, "But very little of your late father."

Ralph's smile slowly died down. For a moment he saw the hesitation cross her features and he brought back the warmest smile he could muster. "You have not heard any from my sisters? Your so-called friends?"

"Of course, but merely in passing." She cleared her throat. "You very well know how they often veer to one topic from another, yes?"

"Yes, very much so." Ralph leaned his weight on his arms behind him. "Lord Harold Everard was the most fascinating man one could ever know."

She did not say anything, merely waited for more words.

Suddenly, memories flooded Ralph and his smile turned to a bitter one.

"He died in a mining accident thirteen years ago. I was merely fifteen, Ysabella and Emma eight, when he passed."

"You must have fond memories of him," she commented.

He nodded. "But not enough."

"Yet surely enough to have influenced the person you have become."

He grinned at her. "Of course. He taught me many things."

"Such as wooing ladies in a dark garden?"

His chuckle rang around the quiet night. "No," he said, shaking his head. "Such as appreciating women and recognizing the precious ones."

She scoffed. "Lady Alice must have been very lucky indeed. She found him."

It was Ralph's turn to scoff. "According to my father, wooing my mother was the worst idea of the lifetime."

She frowned. "How so? Your mother sounds wonderful."

"She is wonderful after Father succeeded," he corrected and then frowned. "Are you certain the twins never told you of the story? They love recounting the events of our parents' courtship to their friends."

"Every time we meet, we always have other matters to talk about."

Ralph let his curiosity slide for a while. "As I have said, my father had always claimed that wooing our mother was the worst idea."

"Surely he was merely jesting."

"Perhaps, but since Mother does not openly disagree, we are all in agreement that he had been telling the truth." Seeing the confusion on her face, Ralph further added, "Our mother was a 'cold-hearted brat' as what Father always claimed."

She appeared thoughtful for a while. "You mean he tamed her?"

Ralph's smile widened. "Exactly the word he used to say."

"But they did love each other."

Ralph shrugged. "All they did was to love each other before our eyes."

"If your mother was a 'cold-hearted brat', then your father must have been a magician."

"A wizard," Ralph elaborated with a grin.

Ralph let the silence linger for a while as he was still deep in thought. To be reminded of his father by this woman brought back too many fun and painful memories. But much more so was the reminder of a certain kind of longing the boy inside him had been harboring for too long.

*****

"Are you certain you did not see his face?"

"'Twas dark, guv," Alex murmured, looking out the carriage window. She did her best not to shake with fear.

"And he said nothing more?"

Alex moistened her lips and nodded. "Aye. He came to threaten me, probably te kill me as well."

"And he disappeared?"

"Aye, thanks te ye. If ye dinna come knockin' on me door te check on me, I'd be dead." She swallowed before adding, "And ye too if ye came in without knockin'. He could've overpowered us both."

For a while, the only sounds breaking the silence were the wheels of the carriage and the hooves of the horses. "I ought to order for my staff to be investigated although I highly doubt one of them is responsible. His description does not fit any of my servants."

She cleared her throat and drew a long breath. "Aye."

Wynne peered down at her from across the carriage. "Are you quite certain you are all right, Alex?"

Alex nodded. "Aye."

"You look quite shaken."

"'Cors I am, guv," she said. "I'm shakin' with anger! I wasn't able te kill the bastard!"

A smile curved Wynne's lips as he shook his head.

Alex was quite glad he stopped his questions. She would rather not talk about the conversation she had with her visitor.

*****

Ralph was not in residence and with nowhere else to go, Wynne decided to take Alex directly to the Everard estate after sending one of Ralph's footmen to find his master and deliver a very important note.

Emma met them in the parlor with naught but a robe over her nightgown as one of the maids woke her in haste.

"What happened?" Emma demanded, eyes wide with fear and concern. "Why are you with Lord Hastings?"

Wynne cleared his throat, deliberately avoiding looking at Emma as it was the proper thing for a gentleman to do. "She was placed under my care for the time being, my lady," he explained to Emma, eyes focused on a spot somewhere over Emma's shoulder.

"A man entered the chamber Lord Hastings provided fer me in his estate, is all," Alex said, trying to give the incident lesser weight.

"What!" Emma explained in a hiss, probably not to wake the entire estate. She looked over her shoulder and ordered the butler, "Jefferson, have hot tea and biscuits delivered at once."

The butler nodded and left the parlor at once.

"And where is Ralph?" Emma asked, her hand against her temple, showing her distress as she paced around the room.

Alex followed her movement with her eyes while Wynne's gaze continued to be discreet. "He's currently with your brother-in-law, Lord Devitt," Alex provided.

"What did the man want, Alex? Did he hurt you in any way?" asked Emma, coming to kneel in front of her.

"Nae," she said. "Lord Hastings came knockin' on me door and the bastard fled the room 'fore I could do anythin'."

"Unbelievable." Emma frowned and turned to Wynne. "What do you think?"

Wynne blinked, stole a glance at Emma, surprised to be asked with such question, and then hastily looked away, looking more uncomfortable by each passing time. "T-think of what?"

Emma scoffed, coming to her feet. "Of course, you would not know what I am talking about. Mind not, my lord."

Alex stared at Emma and realized that her friend was thinking very hard. She started to panic. Emma was too cunning to not be overly curious. Deciding it was best to stay silent, Alex closed her lips tightly.

Emma let out a frustrated sigh and started to pace again. "We must think of what they are planning to do next to avoid another incident like this."

"I suggest we all wait for your brother, my lady," Wynne said, eyes now on the carpeted floor.

Emma turned to him with a scowl. "What is so interesting with the parlor, Lord Hastings?"

Wynne's eyes blinked rapidly before he stole Emma a glance only to direct his eyes up the ceiling. "Nothing."

"Are you uncomfortable that I am wearing naught but a robe, my lord?" Emma asked with disbelief.

"Y-yes."

Emma did not appear to hear him as she started to nip her lower lip. "They will want to know what you are planning to do next," Emma said, deliberately changing the subject as if she found it unimportant. Apparently, Wynne's discomfort was far less of import to Emma. "Osegod will be curious as to how much you know."

Wynne sighed and must have decided it was best to join in on the theory. Still with his eyes deliberately avoiding Emma, he cleared his throat. "And perhaps he is also wishing that you panic and do something utterly stupid," he said, addressing Alex.

"They've been attackin' me too many times, guv," Alex said with a scoff. "What they're causin' is anger, not panic. I hate bein' targeted!"

Emma turned to face her, face determined. "We shall solve this, Alex. We must."

Alex wanted to believe her friend but she was starting to lose hope.

*****

"Lord Belverst is the owner of the largest cotton factory in Willowfair," Cole said as poured his second brandy. "He takes in bandits who wish to return to society as his workers." He handed Ralph a glass and returned to his chair behind the table. "And if this man is the Jeremy Briars we are looking for, then he must still be under Lord Belverst's employ. This Jeremy Briars has taken a job at the cotton factory after he lost his wife."

Ralph frowned. "He lost his wife?"

"According to the latest report on the man, his wife died merely a few years after he was released from prison."

Ralph finished his brandy in one single gulp, deep in thought.

"This is the best lead we have, Ralph."

His jaw tightened. "If this is not the caveman we are looking for, we shall be wasting a lot of time traveling to Willowfair."

"And I highly discourage you from traveling there yourself. That is where Osegod is. It is his home and he has more power there."

"I will see what we can do—"

The rest of his words were left hanging in the air as the door to the study suddenly burst open and Wax, his footman, stumbled inside. "My lord! I have urgent news!"

*****

Alex was awakened by voices arguing outside the bedchamber where she was sleeping. She groaned, wanting to complain about improper intrusions at such improper times, but she realized the voices outside her door were that of Emma's and Ralph's.

"She is resting! I assure you, she is all right now—"

"Go back to bed, Emma. And where the bloody hell is Hastings?"

"I sent him home! The fool can hardly focus with in the presence of a woman wearing an evening robe!"

"Oh, and you thought you are more capable of defending yourselves should another attacker arrive? And why were you wearing a bloody evening robe outside your chamber?"

"And you truly believe Hastings would be of tremendous help if that were to arise? And of course I was wearing a bloody robe! I was asleep when they came!"

"Go to bed, Emma."

"Ralph, surely this can wait—"

"No," was Ralph's answer, his voice more distinct. Alex realized he said the word as he entered her dark chamber.

Before Emma could say another word, Ralph closed the door.

"What the bleedin' hell, guv, I was sleepin'!" Alex hissed at his silhouette which was fast approaching. She sat up in bed, tired and sleepy. "What?" she demanded when he stood beside the bed, looking down at her, his expression serious but unreadable.

"You are all right," he said, but more to himself.

"'Cors I am, guv," she said with a scoff, trying to sound nonchalant. "Truly, ye dinna have te come all the way 'ere te see that. Ye keep lookin' fer the caveman. Ye know I can take care of meself—" Alex stopped as she felt his hand brush the top of her head in a caress. She gulped, waiting in anticipation on what he was going to do next.

But what he did next was not what she expected. He stepped back with a loud sigh of relief and a murmur of, "You are all right," and then walked away to the direction of the door as if on a trance.

Her mouth fell open in disbelief. Was she dreaming?

But the opening and closing of her door and the deafening silence that followed told her she was not.

*****

"Yer brother's the strangest sort," Alex said to Emma.

"Please, Miss, stay still," the maid pleaded.

"I dinna have te wear this," Alex responded, saying the same statement she uttered too many times since the woman and Emma entered her chamber earlier that morning.

"You will have to," said her friend who was sitting on the bed, watching as the maid dressed Alex. "And you will have to lose the breeches, Alex."

"Nae, nae." She shook her head indignantly. "One will never know what'll happen on this journey."

Emma sighed, giving up the attempt. "Ralph is not entirely the strangest sort," she said, reverting back to their previous topic. "But I do agree he does act strangely around you."

Alex scoffed. "'Cors, he does. I'm a bandit and he's a bleedin' Guard."

Emma had a knowing smile on her lips. "Oh, but dare not forget, Alex, that I was also there on the night of Ysabella's wedding. I witnessed how my brother chased you around the ballroom."

"One would think he'll remember me after all that chasin', but nae, he didn't until very much later."

Emma merely chuckled. "I do agree that most of my brothers are quite ignorant of details, save for Max."

"We shall have to tame that mane, Miss," said the maid after struggling with the corset.

"Yes, please, Martha," Emma agreed before Alex could say no. The maid excused herself for a moment to gather more things from Emma's chamber, leaving Emma alone with Alex.

"You look beautiful, Alex," her friend softly said.

Alex turned around to look at her reflection in the viewing glass. Before her stood a lady wearing a dark blue dress, her hear all over the place, reminding Alex of who she was underneath the pretty dress. "Uncomf'table," she murmured, tugging at the skirts.

But her friend was no longer smiling behind her through the mirror. In fact, Emma was regarding her with a worried look on her face. "Alex, what truly happened last night? In Lord Hastings' estate?"

Alex tried her best to act nonchalant. She shrugged her shoulders. "As I've said, that man wanted te kill me, Emma. 'Twas Lord Hastings' knockin' that postponed me murder, see?"

"Do not make light of what happened, Alex."

Alex turned around to give her friend a reassuring smile. "I'm all right, Em. Truly, I am. Pray though that Willowfair will be good te me, aye?"

"I do not think this is a good move for Ralph, taking you with him. You are safer here in Wickhurst."

Alex whirled around to face the mirror once more. She pretended to fix her hair. "I'm not safe anywhere. But don't fret, me friend. I'll be fine."

Emma let out another heavy sigh before standing up to join her in front of the mirror. Her friend had a quizzical look on her face now. "I do not believe anyone would believe you are his mistress. You look too innocent."

"Ye must've seen his mistresses, me friend," Alex whispered. "They looked innocent te me 'til they opened them mouths and flung those hands."

Emma's eyes rounded. "You met his mistress?"

"Mistresses," Alex corrected.

Emma's hands were suddenly on her shoulders, forcing her to turn to face her. "You must tell me who they are."

"Oi, I can't."

"Whyever not! Come on, Alex, pray tell!"

Alex shook her head. "They're yer brother's business, me friend, not mine and yers." She stepped away from Emma before the woman could force the names out of her. "Where's that Martha? I'm givin' her five minutes 'fore I tie me own hair meself."

*****

Ralph was glaring at Samuel and Wynne as the two men openly praised Alex in front of him.

"She merely changed into a beautiful dress, gentlemen," he wryly uttered, pulling Alex away to stand beside him. "We do not have much time to lobby for praises, bandit."

"You have to admit she is as beautiful as she was on Ysabella's wedding."

"You were at Ysabella's wedding?" Samuel asked, surprised.

"Aye," Alex replied, her face red from all the attention.

Ralph had to keep his eyes away from her face or he would find himself dragging her to an empty corridor to do whatever was on his mind.

"Incredible," Samuel said, shaking his head. "I would have recognized you—"

"Should we not be discussing the trip?" Ralph interjected impatiently. "The lamps are soon to dim. I do not wish to travel to Willowfair on a lone road."

Samuel shared a knowing look with Emma. They both shrugged before Samuel turned to Ralph to say, "I have already had my father's old estate in Willowfair prepared for your arrival. It has to be safe and the staff can be completely trusted as the old man used that estate during his insane years." He further added, "I believe I can help distracting Osegod while you are there looking for this Jeremy Briars. I have a good piece I can write about that will surely take most of his time."

"Samuel," Emma started but the man stopped her by raising his hand.

"We have work to do, Hastings," he said to Wynne and the two of them walked off.

"He will get himself killed sooner or later," Emma growled with frustration before she turned to Ralph and Alex. "Please do be careful," she said, her voice almost begging.

Ralph nodded. "Wakefield is to take you under his care. You will stay with him and Ysabella while Mother is away in Puck, do you understand?"

"Surely I am safe here, Ralph—"

"I shall be away for quite a while, Emma. I will not be here as fast as I can should anything happen. I cannot worry about you as well. Samuel will also be checking on your welfare every now and then."

Emma sighed. "Very well. Since you do have a point, I am not in contradiction." She turned to Alex and narrowed her eyes at her friend. "No more showing off of your special talent, my friend. The best way to survive Willowfair is to play by their rules and be one of them all."

"Aye, I shall try," Alex answered beside Ralph.

"Highly unlikely," he muttered, turning around to wait for the carriage.

*****

"You are too silent," Ralph commented hours later. Since they left Wickhurst, Alex had not said a word.

"Merely thinkin', guv," she muttered, attention still outside the window. "Aren't we stoppin' somewhere?"

He shook his head. "The horses can travel to Willowfair without resting."

"Me behind's killin' me," she complained. "We've been sittin' doin' nothin' fer hours."

He gave her a taunting look. "What activity do you have in mind for us in this carriage?"

She glared at him and kicked his shin. "Ye try te kiss me again and ye'll pay a fortune."

Massaging his shin, Ralph disregarded her words for he knew she was simply trying to diver the subject. Putting up a more serious mien, Ralph asked, "What are you thinking about?"

She shrugged. "Tons. Just so ye know, guv, I have things on me mind like me 'Pa and me cousins. And Meriwether. And Siege. And work."

"Work. You mean stealing from rich men and women on a lone road?"

"Aye."

Ralph shook his head with a scoff.

"We're passin' by a dangerous road," she commented after a while.

"I am very well aware."

"Tons of bandits here, guv."

"I know."

"Very dangerous sorts."

Ralph rolled his eyes. "I am fully aware, bandit."

"Yer confident ye'll scare 'em away?"

"No, simply fully confident you will—" he stopped when the horses started to slow down and the carriage driver let out an alarming yelp.

Ralph gritted his teeth as the carriage drew to a full stop. Outside the window, the road was almost completely dark. The last lamppost was hundreds of meters away. "You cannot be utterly serious!" he exclaimed, preparing to pull out his gun. "Are these one of your friends?" he demanded.

Her answer came fast, but not in words. Before he knew it, she had already pushed the carriage door open.

"Ah, bleedin' competition!" Ralph heard her cry out as she jumped out of the carriage, dressed in her pretty dark blue dress. "Oi, ye can't rob a fellow bandit!"

Ralph closed his eyes and groaned. He cocked his pistol, drew a deep breath and waited, muttering, "Bullocks."