Eva's nose was nearly touching the window as she gazed at the approaching carriage, eyes narrowed and brows furrowed. She impatiently sighed and turned to Alice. "Are you not at all curious as to what Lord Surley looks like?"

Alice lifted one shoulder into a shrug from where she was sitting beside the window doing her knitting. "He would look either one of his parents or both, therefore he would be fairly handsome."

Eva shook her head and looked out the window once more. The sound of the carriage was getting stronger, so was the thumping heart within Alice's chest which she perfectly managed not to show any sign of. The arrival of the new Lord of Surley had happened and she could now visualize her mother making wedding arrangements.

"How do you suppose you can get away from your mother's schemes?" Eva asked.

"I do not plan to."

Her friend whirled to face her, eyes round in shock. "What do you mean you do not plan to? You barely know the man!"

"I am almost past the marrying age. It would not hurt to consider Lord Surley as my future husband. He will inherit Langworthy in the future."

"But—"

Alice paused from her knitting and looked up at Eva to find her friend gaping at her. "You do not believe I would want to marry?"

Her friend shook her head. "No, I do not believe you could enchant Lord Surley to want to marry you."

Her friend's brutal honesty did not even bother Alice for she knew that her friend knew she would take it as an honest opinion. And she did. "Well, he might find me convenient."

"How so?"

"I would not bother him so long as he does the same to me. He would require me to bear him an heir, which I believe would be a task I could summon myself to do. It would also please everyone if I were to have a child."

"You must know, Alice, that there are far more things involved where marriage is concerned."

"Of course. For one, there will be mistresses. And if Lord Surley could manage them discreetly, I can live with it."

Eva blinked in disbelief. "You are insane. What if you grow to love the man?"

Alice considered her friend's words for a moment and shrugged. "Then he shall have to try to be very good at making certain I do not find out. It would not be good for him or the mistress should I grow to love him."

Eva scoffed and laughed. "I cannot believe you just said what you just said in a very calm manner."

Alice bent her head to continue her work and murmured, "Butchers do their job well because they calmly do so."

"You dare compare yourself to a butcher!"

"Of course. They are highly respectable people." She looked up to stare at Eva. "And they handle knives with precision," she added, giving Eva a wink.

Eva shook her head once more, facing the window and waiting for the carriage to enter the driveway. "I still believe we should marry for love. You should marry for love." With a sigh, she added, "You may marry Lord Surley to get Langworthy in the future, but what made Langworthy home is not the estate, Alice, but the people who shared memories inside it."

Alice nonchalantly kept on with her task, all the while managing to keep her mask intact. Eva's words struck her, pulling out memories of her father.

Before she could investigate her emotions further, her friend jumped in her spot in front of the window. "Oh, he is here! He has arrived!"

Alice did not realize she had stopped knitting. Without moving, she waited and listened at the sounds outside the window.

"Oh, that must be him," Eva murmured. "Well, you were right. He is quite handsome." Her friend chuckled as she watched the scene outside. "Lady Vivian surely adores her son. Oh, look at her giving him a smooch! Good God! She must think he is still a little boy! Oh, he is avoiding her." Her friend stopped laughing and frowned. "Who is that?"

"Who?" Alice asked, frozen in her chair.

"Your Marty did not arrive alone. Another man just jumped out the carriage."

"The valet?"

"Then explain why this valet kissed Lady Vivian's hand."

Alice frowned and finally pushed out of her chair to join Eva at the window.

Her eyes went directly to the man standing beside Lady Vivian. With his dark brown hair and fair skin, she immediately recognized who he was. He looked like the younger version of his father. Alice was silently grateful that the Lord of Surley looked quite handsome and fit. She could deal with his appearance. His character, on the other hand, would have to wait for judgment later.

Taking her eyes off her possible future husband, Alice followed Eva's gaze at the man who was facing Lady Vivian. She frowned. He did not look like a valet.

"He must be a guest," Eva whispered beside her. "And he is quite handsome, do you not think?"

"He is, yes," Alice agreed without nodding her head. "The question is... who is he and why is he here?"

"Perhaps because anyone from the large towns would want to have a respite in the country?"

Alice frowned slightly, watching Lord Surley and his guest follow Lady Vivian into the manor. "Or mayhap he is here to aid his friend."

"Aid him in what way?"

Alice shrugged and turned away from the window. "How would I know?"

Eva followed her to the door. "Are we going to meet them now?"

"Of course," Alice said over her shoulder. "It is best to make my assessment of Lord Surley now rather than later."

As they walked out the door, Eva said, "Should I remind, Alice, that you are to assess a man you may potentially have to live with for the rest of your life and not a Thoroughbred?"

"If he can match a Thoroughbred, even better."

They both walked briskly down the corridor but before they could reach the top of the stairway, Lady Edwina was already standing by, waiting for them.

"As I have assumed, you were also waiting," her mother said with a smile. As she descended the stairs first, she murmured to Alice, "Smile, darling."

"I am, Mother," Alice replied, lips in a perfect tight line.

"You could have worn a better dress."

"They are all black."

"The other pretty black dress."

"It is still black," she replied, slowing down to allow her mother to precede them.

Upon reaching the hallway, Lady Edwina was met by the butler, Winson. "They are already in the parlor, my lady."

Edwina simply nodded and turned toward the parlor. Before Winson could open the door, she faced Alice and Eva. "Smile, ladies." Eva immediately obliged and Alice allowed a small curve of her mouth.

Her mother sighed. "We ought to practice on that smile more often," she said, before turning to face the door, giving Winson the signal to open it.

Alice squared her shoulders as her mother entered the room. Eva nudged her to follow the woman first as per decorum.

Without blinking an eye, she took a step into the parlor and immediately scanned all corners until her eyes fell on Lord Surley himself.

Everyone was already on their feet with Lady Vivian ready to make introductions. Lord August was not present as he went to visit the Langworthy plantation nearby since that morning.

"Gentlemen, may I present Lady Edwina?" Lady Vivian gently said, gracefully motioning her hand at Edwina. "My lady, this is my Marty, the Lord of Surley."

Martin was even more handsome at close proximity, Alice noted as she watched the man smile at her mother, brown eyes sparkling with fun and adventure. He walked toward Edwina and kissed her hand with a bow. "It is with great pleasure to finally meet you, my lady. And I do regret not having met my uncle Nick. My deepest condolences."

"Better late than never, Martin. Although you and he are very distant relatives, he had mentioned your family with fondness. I can call you Martin, yes?"

"Of course," Martin immediately replied.

Edwina nodded and slightly turned to reveal Alice and Eva. "May I introduce my daughter, Lady Alice and her dear friend, Lady Eva. She is staying here with us at Langworthy for a vacation."

Finally, Martin turned to face Alice and Eva. His eyes instantly caught Alice's and it stayed there for a while, almost as though he was mesmerized. He slowly made his way toward her and Eva, extending his hand to receive hers, planting a gentle kiss on top of it while his gaze stayed on her. "A great pleasure, my lady."

Alice smiled, perhaps a genuine one, murmuring, "The pleasure is mine, my lord." His smile was contagious, she thought. It was rare for her to be easily swayed by such. The last, and perhaps the only person who could do so, was her father. Upon realizing that her lips were curved the way they were not used to, Alice immediately checked herself. She made a subtle motion of her head toward Eva and Martin dutifully turned to her friend to give her his greeting, kissing Eva's hand with another slight bow.

Finally, he straightened to full height, towering both ladies by approximately five inches, and turned to where another man was standing, already waiting to be introduced.

"Forgive me, ladies, if I have not informed ahead of time that I am with company," Martin started. "Please, allow me to introduce Harold Luther Everard, Lord of Kenward and Whiston."

Alice heard her mother's gasp of surprise, but she had no time to react as her eyes travelled to the blonde man standing in the middle of the room, bowing at them in greeting. He did not approach them to kiss their hands, probably because he felt it was too early to do so, but even from a distance, Alice saw one of the most beautiful green eyes she had ever laid her eyes on.

So the words were true. The Everards had the most beautiful emerald eyes. Some had even dare comment that they could be actual gems the family famously mined.

"It is our great honor to have you in Langworthy, my lord!" Lady Edwina said with awe. "I have always been an avid patron of the Everard jewelries."

Alice stole Eva a look and it was clear that her friend was as shocked as she was to have an Everard within their midst.

"I shall make certain to let my father know, my lady," Harold Everard spoke for the first time, his emerald green eyes traveling from Edwina to Alice to Eva and then back at Alice.

Something in the way he smiled at her bothered her. It was a look she often saw from men who had knowledge of her reputation.

Before she could no longer control herself and roll her eyes, Alice tore her gaze from Martin's very rich friend, saying, "I am afraid I will demand to be seated," she said in a very flat tone.

Both Martin and Harold stepped aside to clear the path toward the settee.

She sensed both men's eyes on her as she passed them and even as she sat. She snapped her head up and directly looked at both men who were still unashamedly staring at her, mayhap either amused or baffled by her wry demeanor. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Eva smiling with amusement and her mother frown in disapproval. She ignored both and looked at Harold Everard squarely in the eye, saying, "Lord Kenward and Whiston—"

"He prefers Kenward, my lady," Martin interjected with amusement.

Alice stiffly nodded. "Lord Kenward, since you are nearest to the bell, would you care to ring for tea?"

"Alice!" her mother hissed across from her.

Harold Everard chuckled as he walked to the bell. "The pleasure is mine, my lady."

"Thank you," said Alice, turning to face Lady Vivian and her mother. "When do you wish for Eva and I to tour both lords around the estate?"

Eva stifled a laugh beside Alice and she could not understand why.

"Would this afternoon be convenient?" she asked.

"I am afraid we are rather tired, Alice," Martin said. "I hope you do not mind if I address you as such?"

"No, of course not. I was, after all, given that name. Otherwise, it would be rather stupid not to use it."

Again, it was Harold Everard who gently chuckled along with Eva.

Alice sighed, nearly frustrated. She still could not see what they found funny.

*****

"What do you find amusing, Harry?" Martin asked the very moment they were alone in the parlor. They had shifted their drinks from tea to brandy.

Harold shook his head, grinning from ear to ear. "Lady Edwina was not impressed by her daughter's performance during tea. Or have you not noticed?"

Martin frowned. "Well, Alice, I must admit, was rather odd."

"No, she was amusing," Harold said.

"Ah, yes, I forgot that you prefer dry humor."

Harold shook his head. "No, what I found amusing was that she was not deliberately making humor." His friend appeared confused and he said, "Mind not. You do not seem to grasp it." It was quite hard to explain why he found Alice's frustration and confusion amusing.

Perhaps there was more to Alice than what her reputation preceded her.

What he knew so far, apart from the famous title as Lady Ice that some men gave her, was that the woman was impatient. It was obvious that she would rather skip the initial stages of socializing as evidenced by her demeanor all throughout tea time. It was proven by how she almost jumped to her feet merely an hour later when tea was over, leaving the parlor with a hasty curtsy and an almost relieved look in her blue eyes.

"You two will match well," he told his friend. "She is rather interesting and can be quite an adventure."

Martin sighed. "You must mean she can make my life rather easy. That is, of course, if I choose to marry her."

"I was referring to the contrary, actually," Harold objected, "but please, pray tell how she can make your life rather easy."

"For one, she is beautiful. Blue eyes and black hair, a good combination, would you not agree?"

"I have seen better, but yes, I would wholeheartedly agree that this one is beautiful. Her face was akin to glorious when she smiled at you earlier."

"She smiled at me?"

"You did not see it?"

"She hardly showed any movement on her face, Harry."

"She smiled at you," he insisted wryly. "I cannot believe you did not see it."

"Well, I did not. I was mesmerized by her eyes. They are beautiful."

"I've seen better blue eyes, but her smile was quite beautiful. You ought to have paid more attention, you idiot."

Martin ignored him and continued with his previous narrative. "Another is that she is rather... should I say dry? As a matter-of-fact, I do not find her cold at all as I have heard, but she is indeed dry—not as passionate."

"No, she is cold, you idiot," Harold wryly said. "And yes, she is rather dry."

"But despite that, you suggested she could be quite an adventure," Martin pointed out.

Harold merely sighed, finding it a bother to even explain himself. Instead, he motioned for Martin to continue with a lazy wave of his hand.

"Since she is rather dry and less passionate than most women are, I believe that she can be easily managed. My initial impression is that she would be the kind of wife to turn the blind eye from whatever I would choose to do."

Harold frowned. "You truly think so?"

"Of course. She merely wants Langworthy. If I marry her, she will not want for nothing more. I am bound to inherit this place, after all."

"You sound as though you are no longer inclined to escape a possible match between you and Lady Alice."

Martin chuckled. "Perhaps."

Harold's brows rose. "Then can I return to Wickhurst by the morrow? Just send me the wedding invitation."

"Oh, no, no, my friend," Martin objected, shaking his head. "You are still going to help me."

Harold sighed. "Merely a few hours ago in the carriage, you were asking me to bring out the worst of myself to dissuade Lady Edwina and her daughter from marrying you. Now, as I gather, you wish me to help you woo her."

Martin smiled. "Precisely. I changed my mind. I will marry her."

Harold chuckled.

"What seems to be amusing?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, my friend. I was merely thinking that perhaps you have spoken too soon about Lady Alice. She may prove to be a challenge."

"Are you suggesting I stick to my initial plan and not marry?"

"Oh, no," Harold shook his head, "I believe the two of you are a good match. Truly, I do. And if this one becomes a success, you will someday thank me for it. She will match you in every way."

"I do not truly see what else you see in her."

"Perhaps you will soon. Just you wait."

*****

Alice pushed away from the door with a frown.

Eva stared at her and said, "Well, I believe things will be dramatically easy for you and your mother, after all."

She pulled her friend away from the secret door that connected the music room they occupied to the parlor the two men were in.

They swiftly walked out of the room, up the stairs and down the corridor of the second landing, all the while without another word spoken between them until they were back in her bedchamber.

"I have made my decision. I do not want to marry him," Alice coldly announced.

Eva's mouth fell open. "B-but you were just talking about—"

"If I choose to marry her," Alice repeated Martin's words. "Have you been listening, Eva? He said, 'if I choose to marry her'." She sighed at the look of confusion Eva gave her. "He speaks as though the marriage has already been agreed upon and now only requires his approval."

"Well... now that you have pointed that out..."

Alice's eyes narrowed as she began to think. "We have to get rid of them."

"I do not think they will leave soon. And have you not heard them? Lord Kenward is going to stay to help Martin woo you."

"From what I gather, Eva, Martin shall not consider it wooing. He already believes I am dying to marry him. He ought realize otherwise."

Eva hesitated. "But Alice, could it only be your pride talking at the moment? He could have simply used the wrong words—"

"Then I would rather marry someone who can articulate his words very well."

Eva sighed. "What do you suggest we do?"

"You help me avoid him at all cost, of course."

"How?"

"I do not know."

"How about we tell your mother that you have no plans of marrying Martin?"

"And what good reason would I tell her? At the moment, from my mother's point-of-view, the advantages outweigh everything else." They both fell silent. Alice faintly suggested, "I could pretend to have my eyes on Harold Everard instead."

Eva scoffed. "Are you daft? You know of him, Alice. And your mother knows of him as well. Everyone knows about the Everard curse. And whether we believe it or not, I am certain your mother does."

Alice nodded. Yes, of course. Her mother would be the first to faint. "But do consider it," she pointed out, "He is rather handsome. Lord Kenward, I mean."

"Yes, and he is also believed to be cursed like all other Everard men."

"And he is very rich."

"No one will find it a consolation if the curse is proven to be true," Eva countered.

Alice dropped her shoulders. "Very well, let us forget about Lord Kenward then. Let us simply focus on how to get him and Martin back to where they came from."

"Your mother will not like this, Alice. She is hoping to stay in Langworthy."

"I can always marry someone as rich as an Everard and take Langworthy back," she said with determination.

Eva looked quite unconvinced but she shrugged anyway. "Very well, I shall support you on this one. But again, your mother will not like it."

Alice shrugged with finality. "She does not have to."