Norwich Manor was an elegant place and the estate it was built upon was even more so. It had green hills and trees, well-kept stables, hedges trimmed into a maze and a beautiful mystery waiting around every corner. It was the perfect place for a party...and ghost stories. 

Helena had managed to get a carriage and a horse for this occasion. She looked out the window of the carriage at the landscape. A wonderful setting. She thought. She suddenly finds herself looking at a horse running across the field, a woman atop it. She heard her laugh as clear as day and knew she had found her heroine. The personage disappeared as she went past a grove of trees. 

Quite similar thoughts were running through the romantic mind of Kathrine James as she rode past the same scenery minutes later. Her eyes went glassy as her imagination ran wild. She saw fairies brushing against the window of the carriage. She saw lovers making a final vow in the grove of trees. She saw stampeding horses. She saw hungry wolves. She could see everything if she wanted before her sister said,

"I read about a place like this in a book once. I imagined it differently, but when I see it, it just seems to fit." 

"Isn't it just the most romantic place you've ever seen, Lizzy?" 

"I wouldn't say romantic, but..." Elizabeth looked at her sister's face. "Indeed, it is quite romantic."

Kathrine didn't seem to mind at all that Elizabeth just contradicted herself. Kathrine sighed.

Jane, who was had just arrived at the Manor, sighed as well, but not for the same reason. She hoped there was someone who was willing to talk politics with her. Maybe Crispin would. She touched her hair to see if it was still in place. She hoped she looked fine. She pinched her cheeks a little. She took a deep breath. 

🥀 🥀 🥀

Lord Crispin Fenton stood in front of the mirror. He sighed as his valet corrected his cravat. A knock came at his door. 

"Yes?" he asked. A small voice said, 

"Guests are arriving, M'lord." 

Crispin nodded. He took a deep breath. 

"Thank you, Edward," he said to his valet. His valet bowed. Crispin went to the door of his put together bedchamber and opened it slowly. No one is going to kill you, Crispin said to himself. He had an odd liking for gothic novels. He kept it to himself only, for it was women who were more prone to have an imagination. 

He made his way down the staircase to the drawing room. 

***

Miss Grace Boyle was disgusted at the manners of everyone at this party. Not just the manners of the people, but the manners of those who attended to her. The moment she walked into the manor, her disgust was evident. The butler could attest to the fact that this fact was quite obvious. Nobody was in doubt that this Grace Boyle was disgusted, yet, every moment she made it her duty to remind everyone how absolutely disgusted she was. 

"I'm revolted at the manners that met me when I came to this ghastly manor. I expected no less, seeing the scandal that surrounds this place." 

Jane Grayson, to whom this statement was directed, rolled her eyes. "If you expected as much, why did you decide to attend this party," she asked. "I do not remember the invitation promising dire consequences if you had chosen not to attend. I do not believe that if you felt your virtue to be altered by attending, you would not be forced to do against your will. Then, what reasoning or power forced you to come here?"

Such Venom, Were Jonathon Baxby's thoughts as he heard the statement. His attention was quickly drawn away as the arrival of Lord Crispin Fenton was announced. He thought him a decent looking man. His hair was light and his eyes light. He might be considered a little pale, even sickly to some women, but not to Jane Grayson. 

Jane felt her breath catch in her throat as she saw her Crispin. The effect he had on her, was exactly what had happened with her first acquaintance with him. She saw the intelligence in his eyes that was apparent when she had first seen him.  She smiled at him when his gaze turned to her. His smile was amiable as he walked towards her. 

He bowed. "Miss Grayson. So very nice to see you again," 

Jane curtsied. "Likewise, Lord Fenton." 

Sebastion Fenton walked into the hall, followed by his sweet-faced mother. He had a ghost of a smile on his face. His dark hair and light eyes looked mysterious. 

Lydia Aston felt her eyebrow quirk up. She held tighter to Wesley's arm. 

"What's happening? Why has it got so quiet?"

Wesley leaned closer to her ear, he whispered, "The two young Lords have arrived along with the Dowager. There has yet to arrive, the Earl of Norwich." 

As soon as Wesley had uttered the words as if by cue, The Duke of Norwich entered the room. He looked at the guests with an unreadable face. A tight smile appeared, but it didn't reach his eyes. Anyone his intense gaze rested on looked away, except for Miss Helena Hardwick. 

Helena kept her gaze locked with his. Helena noticed the slightest quirk of his eyebrow as he turned his gaze to someone else. 

The silence in the room made William uncomfortable. He looked around at all the people with their attention on the Duke. He rubbed his hands together. Were people not allowed to speak when someone of high station entered a room?

"Your face positively emanates the aura of this room,"  William jumped as someone whispered from behind him. He turned around to find the smiling face of a man with groomed, but messy, blonde hair and grey eyes. William chuckled. 

"Thank you?" He replied. The man chuckled as well and bowed. 

"I know that if this was a proper introduction, I would ask one of your acquaintances to introduce me, but since I have no acquaintances here to introduce me, this shall have to do," The man smiled wider to reveal white teeth. "I am Jonathon Baxby."

William bowed back. "William Garland." 

A woman walked up behind Jonathon. She gave William a small smile. Jonathon turned around beamed.  "Sarah! This is William Garland. Mr Garland, this is my sister, Sarah Baxby." 

William bowed. "How lovely to meet you Miss Baxby!" 

"Likewise, Mr Garland." She curtsied.  

That is when the lights went out. 

Thank you all for reading! Sorry for the delay, I have been very busy! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you soon! Toodles!