Ysabella and Emma were overjoyed that Levi had finally come to his senses and eloped with Tori. The pair could hardly talk about other things apart from their brother's trip to Tiny Town, Nicholas' daunting situation as an unwilling witness, and the scandal their family was facing (again!), so much so that Margaret was surprised they even mentioned Faye at all.

"Margaret, when did we start taking in servant children?" Ysabella asked during afternoon tea.

She was in the process of composing a letter to their mother who was still in Devonshire with Benedict and Agatha. The purpose of which was to provide the dear woman an explanation to the recent scandal that involved another of her sons.

At her sister's question, she looked up and asked, "Do you mean Faye?"

"Is that her name? The girl who follows one of the lady maids around?"

"Yes." She bent her head to continue writing.

"Well? Is she a servant?"

"She is currently being trained to be a lady's maid," she murmured in response.

"How did she come to be under our employ?" asked Emma who was reading a book.

"She came to our doors asking for help." She paused and assessed her sisters. "Why?"

"Do we intend to pay her?" Emma asked. "Will she be receiving the same benefits as the rest?"

"Of course."

"Did she come here willingly?"

"As far as I'm aware, Emma, yes."

"Where did she come from, Maggie?" Ysabella asked.

"I do not know." She placed her dipping pen down and gave her sisters a serious look. "And I wish that you do not speak her name or mention her to any of your acquaintances."

"Why so?"

"Because I believe she escaped a very dangerous place. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to help her and I would appreciate if the two of you can help by keeping her presence in the household a secret. Also, please do not quiz her about things she doesn't want to talk about."

Emma's eyes were filled with curiosity while Ysabella merely nodded.

"I'll be out to run some important errands this afternoon. Do not go out of the estate. Max is at Ralph's in Dosett Street," she told them, returning to the letter. "Should you need anything, call for them. But dare not go there yourselves. You know how they hate if you barge in unannounced."

"You are always out," Ysabella commented. "You do not tell us where you go."

At that moment, Margaret happened to turn to the window. That's when she noticed the man. He was standing across the street. She would not have thought anything about it because he looked like any normal passersby. However, she had also spotted him two days ago in that same spot. "I'm seeing friends," she absently replied to her sisters.

"You do not have so many friends and the only one closest to you has eloped to Tiny Town," Emma pointed out.

"When you reach my age, ladies, you may understand that not everything is being shared," she said with a wink. "Including friends." She finished the letter and neatly folded it. "Do not wait for me for supper. I may come home late."

"It's not fair, you know," said Emma. "You are a lady of status and you go about Wickhurst as though you're a married one."

"I'm considered a spinster by many. With that comes specific privileges, freedom to walk about without a companion being one of them."

Ysabella sighed while shaking her head. "See, Em? See how long you will have to wait to gain your freedom?"

"And you believe that marriage will give you that?" retorted Emma.

"Why would you match people together if you believe the opposite for yourself?"

"Because scheming is fun."

"But if you're with the right man, you'll be free. Mother said so."

"I seek a different kind of freedom, Ysa."

"And what kind is that?"

"The kind Margaret enjoys, of course! No husband to answer to, no children to tolerate!"

Margaret left the two bantering loudly about marriage with a shake of her head.

***

After she secured the delivery of the letter to Devonshire, Margaret directed her carriage driver to go straight to the men of Courts. She stared out the small gap in the curtain window of the carriage to see what the folks in Wickhurst were up to. Many of them held copies of the recent Herald and she smiled to herself as she remembered the article about Tori and Levi that morning.

The fact that Samuel Theobald very rarely wrote for the gossip section gave his favor an even heavier weight. And that deserved a reward. That morning, she paid Grey's manager a visit. It did not take long, for the man did not need a lot of convincing. He knew that losing one Everard and a Theobald may have consequences. He only needed Ralph and Samuel to learn their lessons. And so, they shall be banned from Grey's for only a fortnight.

Closing the curtain fully, Margaret leaned back. Tori's problem was over despite the scandal they stirred. Now, Margaret was left with only one task and it seemed to be the hardest she had to face yet.

But now I can focus, she thought to herself. No more crazy balls to consider, no evil stepmothers to outwit, and hopefully no more windows to climb.

No climbing, just chasing.

Chasing a man determined to maintain a good distance between them, she thought with a sigh.

***

"Good afternoon, my lady," the same young man greeted.

"Hello," she said with a smile. "I wish to see Lord Ashmore."

The young man gave her an awkward smile. "Did you set an appointment, my lady?"

"Do I need to? We are friends."

The man blinked, apparently confused.

"I have a very sensitive issue I wish to discuss with him."

"You may set an appointment for some other day, my lady. And if Lord Ashmore agrees to meet, we can arrange for a more specific time."

Margaret sighed. "Who is your immediate superior?"

The young man must have taken her words an attack to his work and he squared his shoulders before he saying, "If you have a case to present now for us to review or act upon, I believe Lord Ashmore does not have to be the one to look into it. He is quite a busy man, my lady."

"Then may I look into cases that may be similar to my concern?"

"And what case may that be?"

"I cannot tell you."

"Then I cannot help you."

"But I am a citizen of the Town. I have the right to know every crime that our society is facing."

"I am very aware of the law, my lady, and I assure you that no one—not even my immediate superior—can provide you with the answer that you seek."

This was not working. This man was doing his job better than she had anticipated. "Very well," she snapped, trying to save face. She should at least get something while she was here. "Perhaps you can help me with another concern. I wish to inquire about requirements to acquire papers for a servant who does not have them."

"What sort of papers are you speaking of, my lady?" asked the man, obviously relieved that the topic had changed.

"Identity papers. She came with none."

The man nodded and started writing down notes. When he looked up, he gave Margaret a curt smile and said, "I'm afraid we will have to prepare everything first given that this particular servant does not have any paper in hand."

Margaret sighed. "Very well. How many days will it take you?"

"I cannot assure, my lady. I will have to pass your request to the right agency. And you ought to bring the servant with you the next time you come by. We will send word."

"It will be that easy?"

"If the servant has any family to testify to her identity and birth, it would make the process easier and shorter."

"The servant does not have any family left."

The man stared at her as though he finally pieced together everything, but Margaret was no fool as to admit that her servant was connected to a slavery case. Many evil men had connection everywhere and Faye's case was quite delicate.

"Then the servant will have to do, my lady. The process will take very long, I'm afraid."

"We are not in haste," she retorted, feeling the conversation was coming to an end. "Is Lord Ashmore about?"

"No, my lady, he is currently in a meeting. And no, you truly cannot see him."

"With whom?"

"I cannot say, my lady."

Margaret shook her head. "And when will this meeting end?"

"I cannot tell, my lady."

"Very well, then, thank you."

"It is my pleasure, my lady."

She stared at him for a while before she nodded and turned away.

Walking out of the building, Margaret paused at the top of the steps, studied the carriages parked near the driveway and groaned. She could not believe she had to resort to something crazy.

Coming back to her own carriage, she said to the coachman, "You may go ahead. I have already secured a ride home." As the carriage drove away, revealing the building across the street, she saw him again. His face was hidden under his bowler hat just like many other gentlemen. He stood out, however, by the size of his coat. It was too large for him. When he saw her looking, he nonchalantly turned and walked away.

***

The man behind the desk in the hallway of the Men of Courts stood up as he hurriedly passed by. "My lord, Lady—" he started, but Cole held up his hand to stop him, saying, "Tomorrow."

Walking out of the building, he did not wait for his carriage and walked toward it, his mind filled with the cases he was buried in.

He must have been too deep in his thoughts that he did not notice someone standing in his way until she spoke. "Hello, Cole."

Cole stopped and sighed.

"You did not reply to my query."

"Your query was entirely unimportant." He stepped to the side and walked past her. "And I did send you a note."

"You did?" she asked behind him.

"Yes. I asked that you stop this at once."

He did not hear her response and although he wanted to look back, he dared not. He walked on to where his carriage was, pulled the door open and climbed inside. But when he reached out for the door to close it again, Margaret squeezed through the opening and scrambled inside to sit across from him.

As Cole opened his mouth, she crossed to the other side and settled beside him, her blue skirts covering one of his legs.

"Please, stop," he said under a controlled, cold voice. "Stop." His eyes did not meet hers. The door was left open as he waited for her to move.

"I came by the Men of Courts to make inquiries and when I walked out, my carriage is not there." She leaned over his lap, reaching for the door. She pulled it close and settled beside him with a huff. "I'm giving you liberty to drive me to your estate."

"My estate. You are insane if you think I would be that stupid." He finally turned to face her, and the strong resolve he mustered seconds ago started to wither. Her green globes were enough to remind him of the best days of his life and the nightmares.

"And you must be equally insane if you think I'd simply give up knowing you're the only person I can trust to help me," she countered back. It was only then that he realized she may actually be serious about her problem.

Cole swallowed and briefly shut his eyes to block her face from his mind along with everything that came with it—the past, the passion, the joy. And the pain.

"Margaret," he started, calling her by her given name to relay his frustration. "Whatever it is, I don't think I can help you. I'll find someone who can."

"But did you not hear me? You're the only one I can trust."

He drew in a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. His head was suddenly aching.

"You must be hating me. Instead, you are throwing yourself at me. Why?"

"Why would I hate you? I have tried, but soon saw no reason for it. I want you still." His eyes flew open at her words. "As a friend."

He scoffed and shook his head. Margaret knocked on the roof of the carriage and it started to move.

As Cole made a motion to shout an order at the coachman, Margaret grabbed his upper arm and said, "Cole, please. I need your help."

"Your brothers will kill me if they as much as learn we're sharing the same air."

"They will have to kill me too, then, for I'd rather be dead than let them take my freedom away from me. They can't choose my friends as much as I can't choose who they play their cards with."

He quietly looked at her for a while. She was too close. And while she offered friendship, he was thinking of other things.

Was this the best they could have? Friendship? Would he even survive it?

No, he would not. He knew now he would not. So, he shook his head. "I'll hear what you have to say, but I can't promise anything. And once you're done, I'll decide where the carriage leads us."

She did not waste time. "I believe that my new servant is a victim of a slave trade and I'm afraid there may be other children and women trapped somewhere."

Cole stiffened.

Margaret read the look on his face and smiled. "Well? Are you going to help me? Should we head to your place now? I'm quite sure you have tea."