Samuel.

"What's the matter with you?"

Samuel focused his almost black eyes on the blonde boy who had spoken but didn't reply.

"You've been moping around for days." Edmond put his book down, sat up on the edge of his bed and peered at his roommate. "What's going on?"

"Ah... it's nothing." Samuel scowled. "Just the holidays."

"Holidays?" Edmond laughed. "You're moping about holidays. Who does that?"

Samuel couldn't help but grin before he said, "It's all right for you. You're going home to have fun. I'm going home to be bored out of my mind, and to then have to pretend I'm enjoying the company of the people I'm with."

"My, my The Earl of Irvine is going to be bored. He'd much prefer to study," Edmond mocked, and then grinned at his friend.

"That's my brother you're talking about. Not me." Samuel slumped in his chair and stared out of the window. Meadows of snow met trees of white. A gloomy black and white landscape that matched his mood.

"What are you then? Baron, viscount. What? I don't understand all that title rubbish."

Samuel turned back and looked at Edmond through dark wavy hair that hung in his eyes. He swept it out of the way and smirked. "You've been my best friend for how many years, and you don't know what I am."

Edmond's shoulders shook with humour as he said, "I thought I did." Studying his friend, Edmond thought, God has blessed Sam with good looks but, has cursed him to live with the devil. To try and cheer his friend he grinned, crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue in his cheek before saying, "But you've just denied it."

"Okay. I'm a blasted earl, now shut up." Samuel shook his head, grinned at Ed's antics and looked back out of the window.

"What's Frederick then, if you're the earl?"

"Ed. What part of shut up didn't you understand?"

Edmond Witherspoon laughed. "I didn't misunderstand any of it. At least I've got you talking. Now answer me. What's Fred's title?"

"Marquis. First born." Samuel sighed and folded his arms. "Earl, second born, viscount third born, that is, if I had a younger brother. Spawn of a duke. That's me," Samuel said with distain.

"Great." Edmond jumped to his feet and held out his hands. "So... Earl of bloody Irvine. What's really your problem?"

"My father's new wife."

Edmond raised his eyebrows. "What's the matter with her?"

"I don't know." Samuel shrugged. "There's something about her that bothers me. Her brother also."

"Brother?"

Samuel leant forward in his chair, rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together. "She's young enough to be my sister. Maybe twenty-five. The widow of a Baron Norrington, who died suddenly, and a man no one I know, has ever heard of. Father met her at a ball in the country somewhere. It was a very quick courtship." Samuel thought some more. "Her brother is older. Thirty, I think. He controls her. She does everything he says and now he has moved into the house."

"House?" Edmond cocked his head and grinned. "You're calling that monstrous hall a house?"

"Whatever," Samuel scowled and waved Ed's words aside. "I don't like the fact that he's moved in. God knows what possessed father to marry her. She looks like a dowdy mouse." He screwed up his face. "I don't feel like it's my home anymore." Samuel let out another breath and murmured, "Not that it has ever felt like my home."

"What does Frederick think?"

"Huh?" Samuel pulled himself out of his muse, slumped back in his chair and flopped his arms on the rests. "He doesn't care. Why would he? He's father's heir so, he's not worried about anything. I can't help feeling suspicious. There's something about her brother. I was only there for two days last holidays, but he walks about like he owns the place."

"So, you don't want to go home for the holidays. Is that what you're saying?"

"I guess." Samuel turned up the side of his mouth and shrugged again. "I'd normally go to Uncle Leo's. Spend some time with my cousins. Instead, they've all gone to the south of France to get away from the cold.

"Come home with me. Our house is a shack compared to yours but, there's still plenty of room."

Samuel gave Edmond a wry grin. "Which house? The manor in the country or the mansion in London." Sam laughed and shook his head saying, "Shack. Really? What does your father do again?" Sam feigned thought, and then stuck his pointer in the air. "That's right. Shipping. Was it the biggest fleet in Britain or only the second biggest?"

Both boys burst into laughter.

"Well, what do you think?" Edmond sat back on his bed and peered at Sam, glad to see he was in a better mood. "Do you want to come and stay with us? I'll have to send word to let them know."

"Yes. Thank you. I'll come. You're a true friend saving me from a fate worse than having to watch a bloody boring cricket match or worse." Sam chuckled. "I'll put in a good word for you with the king, if they ever decide to hang you for your humour."

Ed threw a pillow at him.

Sam caught it and threw it back. "I guess I better let father know I won't be home." He gazed out of the window again. "Not that he'll care too much."

"I'm sure he will." Edmond gave him a concerned look, and then grinned. "However, I should warn you, my cousin will be there this year with her decrepit husband."

"What's wrong with her?" Samuel screwed up his face. "Has she got two heads or something?"

"No," Edmond chortled. "She's probably as bored as you are. The poor girl is only in her twenty's and was forced to marry Viscount Holliston when she was eighteen. He's as old as the hills. I'm sure she prays every night to wake up beside a dead man."

Samuel laughed, and then crinkled up his face. "Why are you warning me?"

"I've heard she has a thing for tall, good looking young men."

"Oh." Samuel gave Edmond a cheeky smirk. "She's not going to eat me, is she?"

Edmond roared with laughter. "You never know, Sammy. You never know."

Samuel doesn't seem like a happy teenager. I think he's very lucky to have Edmond as a friend.

And how bad could this cousin be?

Read on to find out.

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