~Lucille's Point of View~

I woke in the morning on my own in the unfamiliar, not nearly as cozy, room in the city estate. True to his word, Cyril made sure I wasn't disturbed in my sleep. Was Silas back? Tossing the covers aside, I bolted from my bed and sprinted for the door, still wearing Cas's oversized black trousers and loose flowing white top. A scream escaped me as I threw the door open and found a gaggle of sharply dressed women outside my bedroom door.

"Good Morning, Lady Chevalier." They all greeted me with a formal curtsy.

"Forgive my rudeness, but who are you?" I asked warily as I took a step back, retreating into the bedroom.

"My name is Charlotte, I'm a seamstress, these are my assistants, please pay them no mind. Lord Phantomhive has asked that I fit you with some suitable gowns for your stay and the upcoming ball of course." A woman who appeared to be in her late twenties wearing a stylish gown in a pale green, stepped forward to introduce herself. She had kind amber eyes and bright red hair. "Let's get started." She smiled as she stepped into the room after me with her posse of assistants.

"Ah, wait, I need to check on something, first." I attempted to protest as she caught me by the wrist and pulled me toward the center of the room where there was the most space as one of her assistants produced a large stepping stool from one of the many bags, trunks and cases they had in toe.

"It can wait, darling." Charlotte smiled as she snapped her fingers and two of her assistants swept me up and set me atop the stepping stool. "Now off with those dreadful things." She motioned to my current attire.

My face flushed scarlet, "W-What?!"

"Darling, all that loose fabric is going to get in the way of my measurements. Come now, off with them."

"Ah, but-." My face was burning, she expected me to stand in front of her and a group of women I didn't know, completely naked, was she out of her mind. "I don't want to do tha-."

"Come now darling, we're all girls here. It's fine." Charlotte ushered me forward.

Nervousness and anxiety wormed through me. My fingers trembled as I slipped out of the shirt and trousers and I scrambled to cover myself with my hands as Charlotte gave me a once over.

"Oh my, how lovely." Charlotte said with a dreamy sigh, "You have such beautiful milk and honey skin," she pinched at my hip causing me to let out a squeak and attempt to scramble away from her, "and such a graceful figure, petite, firm and such a desirable shape."

My entire body was flushed scarlet, I'd never been so humiliated in my entire life. Sensing my distress and discomfort, Charlotte made quick work taking her measurements before fitting me in some new undergarments. I relaxed a little once my body was somewhat covered. Charlotte poked and pinched at my body as she took more measurements and set to work fashioning me in all sorts of different outfits, making slight adjustments here and there as she went. I'd just have to suffer through this torture before I could check to see if Silas had returned.

After nearly three hours of torture, Charlotte decided her work was complete. She left me in a pretty pale purple gown that transitioned into a darker deeper purple near the hem. There were now several gowns hanging in the once empty wardrobe.

Once Charlotte and her posse left, I scrambled out of the room and ran to the servants' quarters and burst through the door of the room Silas was supposed to stay in. The room was empty, the bed looked untouched and my heart fell. Was he not back? Did Enzo find him? I raced toward the servants' stairwell and popped into the kitchen. Rose was preparing tea and looked up in surprise when she saw me practically fall out of the servants' stairwell.

"Lucy-sama, are you okay?" She dropped what she was doing and ran to my aid, apparently, I was doing a terrible job hiding my worry.

"Is Silas back?"

Rose smiled, "They're in the parlor."

I sprinted for the parlor and nearly knocked over Casimir as he was exiting the parlor making his way to the kitchen. I'd apologize later. My heart hammered in my chest as I burst into the parlor, startling Enzo, Cyril and Silas in the process as they were all sitting in the parlor chatting about whatever men chatted about. Enzo cracked a smile as I looked to Silas with tears in my eyes.

He had a black eye, a busted lip and various bruises poking out from the top of his perfectly pressed shirt. "Sorry for worrying you, milady." Silas gingerly rose to his feet.

Cyril watched me carefully as I resisted the urge to run to Silas and throw my arms around him. I bit my lip and composed myself. "Don't let it happen again." My voice was steady despite the rage welling up inside of me. Why was he so beaten up? Who was responsible? I wanted them dead.

Silas smiled a bright smile that made my heart skip a beat. "You have my word. Smiles and laughter suit my mistress much more than worry and tears."

"I wasn't crying." I folded my arms in front of my chest.

Cyril motioned for me to join him on the sofa across from Enzo and Silas. Reluctantly I made my way to his side and sat down. "Are the dresses to your liking?"

My cheeks flushed with color, the dresses were fine, a little too extravagant for my taste, but they were beautiful, however the process was traumatizing and not something I ever wanted to repeat. I forced myself to smile, "Yes, they're very pretty thank you."

Silas snickered, "What's wrong with them?"

"What?" I shot him a glare.

Enzo laughed, "Sorry, little miss, you weren't fooling anyone with that face."

Cyril chuckled, "I can have them redone-."

"No!" I yelped causing all three of them to stare at me. "The dresses ARE pretty, the process was a little unorthodox and very uncomfortable, I don't wish to go through it again."

Casimir and Rose arrived with tea before anyone could question me further and make me relive the humiliation. Enzo and Silas were shooed away and Casimir extended a pristine looking piece of correspondence to Lord Phantomhive.

"You and Lady Chevalier have been invited for tea with the Viscount and Viscountess Finch this afternoon." Casimir commented as Cyril took the invitation. He frowned lightly and I bit my lip to keep from laughing as Casimir elbowed him in the side. "They know you're both in town, it would be very rude not to attend."

Cyril sighed, "Then we'll go."

My heart dropped. Silas couldn't go with us looking like he did, I was going to be alone in a house full of English aristocracy. Casimir turned to me with a sweet smile.

"Rose, please get Lady Lucille ready."

I looked down at the brand-new dress I was wearing and back up at Casimir with a glare, what was wrong with what I had on?

"Let's go, Lucy-sama." Rose giggled as she dragged me away to get ready.

After nearly an hour of getting my hair played with, my cheeks pinched and Rose experimenting with all kinds of strange stains and concoctions Rose swore were all the rage for ladies of nobility, I was finally ready for tea with the wolves. Rose took a step back to admire her handy work.

"If every man in the country doesn't fall in love with you at first sight, the world is doomed." She giggled. "Lucy-sama you look stunning."

I chanced a glance in the mirror. My lips were painted a deep rose color, and really brought out the color in my eyes. Rose had pulled my hair up and styled it with braids and beautiful ornate hair pins that matched the golden filigree overlaying my dusty lilac gown.

"Thanks Rose."

"Don't be nervous, Lucy-sama. Those stuck up stuffy court dolls can't even begin to compare to you." She grinned.

"Rose, you never told me what happened that made you not like nobility so much." I noted as she steered me to the door.

"Another time, Lucy-sama. Go make them all wish they were half as beautiful as you." She cheered as she lightly shoved me out of my room and ushered me down the stairs to where Cyril and Enzo were waiting as Enzo was volunteered to drive the carriage.

Enzo's jaw nearly hit the floor as I descended the stairs. Cyril glanced up and his dark azure eyes widened. A faint blush claimed his cheeks, but it was gone in an instant as he composed himself and offered me a charming debonair smile.

"You look breathtaking." He offered me his arm.

My cheeks burned as I placed my arm in his and he tucked me against him with practiced grace. Enzo picked his mouth up off the floor and let out a whistle as he opened the door for us. I was going into enemy territory, completely unarmed. My nerves were shot.

Cyril helped me into the carriage before taking the seat across from me. "You look nervous." He chuckled.

"I'm afraid I'll embarrass you." I admitted quietly.

"I'm sure I'll be unsociable and taciturn enough to embarrass the both of us. I don't think you have anything to worry about." He attempted to reassure me.

"If you don't want to go, why are we going?" I asked curiously.

"Social obligation." He shrugged.

"You just don't want to be lectured by Casimir." I smirked.

"That does have a lot to do with it." Cyril admitted with a smile before turning serious, "I spoke with Anders and Rose about what happened yesterday."

It took every ounce of willpower I had to keep my body from tensing. I forced myself to meet his gaze and look curiously up at him waiting patiently for him to continue.

"It seems I'm at fault for putting your life in danger. It's because of me, they were targeting you." He watched me intently, gauging me for a reaction.

What would be a normal reaction in this situation? I wasn't the type of girl that could get hysterical even if it was only an act. Deciding it best to stick with my lies I offered him a reassuring smile, "It's alright. I know from my father's experience in business that sometimes you make enemies because deals don't always go as planned and some people don't always handle rejection well."

Cyril frowned slightly, but erased it after a moment, he seemed a little frustrated, apparently that wasn't the answer he had wanted to hear, it was too vague and revealed nothing. "You handled yourself impressively, I'm told." He was trying again.

"There's no sense losing your head in crisis, that won't accomplish anything."

Another frown. "You're right." He recovered with a smile.

The carriage came to a stop and after a moment Enzo opened the door. Cyril stepped out and turned to offer me his hand as I stared out the door in awe. Though it was almost winter, we'd appeared to arrive in what looked like a botanical garden. There was a pristine white manor. The flowerbeds at the front of the house were in full bloom with hundreds of bright blossoms. It was so bright and beautiful it almost made me forget the bitter chill in the air.

I accepted Cyril's hand and stepped down from the carriage. He tucked my arm into his and offered me a smile that made my heart flutter sporadically in my chest.

"No turning back now." He chuckled.

"Very reassuring." I giggled as we made our way up the front steps. Before we even reached the door, it was flying open.

A pretty woman in her late thirties bustled out, her light brown hair was pulled back in a flurry of curls. She was wearing a beautiful pastel pink gown. Her hazel eyes were filled with curiosity as she swarmed toward us with a bright smile.

"I'm so delighted you could come!" She squealed, "Lord Phantomhive it's so rare of you to make public appearances I feared we'd never get to meet your darling bride to be." Her hazel eyes fell on me, "Oh, aren't you the loveliest thing I've ever seen."

"Liza, for heaven's sake, let them inside before you attack them." A man who appeared to be in his forties wearing a formal dark green jacket and a pair of perfectly pressed trousers. He had thin greying dark brown hair and shady dark brown eyes with flecks of grey. His gaze lingered on my person long enough to make me uncomfortable. "Good to see you, Lord Phantomhive." Though he'd just scolded his wife for halting us at the door, he was doing the exact same thing.

"Come in, come in, don't dawdle on the porch you'll catch your death out there." The Viscountess quickly grabbed my wrist in her hand and wrenched me into the manor with force I didn't expect her to be capable of before wrapping me in a bone crushing hug. "Oh, it's so lovely to meet you, I'm Viscountess Elizabeth Finch, though nearly everyone calls me Liza, and this is my darling husband Viscount Gerald Finch." She was talking so fast it was nearly impossible to keep up. Liza suddenly gasped as if she were hit with the very same thought, "Oh, that's right, she's French, perhaps I'm talking too fast. Do you understand English my dear?" She slowed her talking pace down to an infuriating three seconds per syllable.

Cyril looked like he was about to crack and was fighting to stifle a laugh. I shot him a quick glare before sliding on my courtier's mask. Just because I didn't often go out didn't mean I didn't know how to play the court game.

"Forgive me, Lady Liza, I was just in awe at the splendor of your lovely home. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." I swept her a perfect poised curtsy, "My name is Lucille Chevalier. Thank you for inviting us."

Liza blinked a few times before letting out another squeal, "Gerald! Isn't she just the sweetest thing?" She frowned after a moment as she looked me over again, "Pray tell, dear what is your age?"

"Fifteen."

Liza looked to Cyril skeptically, "She's practically a babe-."

"Liza." Her husband warned her.

Liza rolled her eyes and swatted at her husband playfully, "I'm just making an observation, Lord Phantomhive knows I mean nothing by it." She tucked my arm in hers and began dragging me off in the opposite direction of the men, "Come, you must meet the rest of the girls."

The rest?

I threw a panicked look over my shoulder only to realize Cyril too was being dragged away to spend time with the menfolk. Liza led me to a frilly parlor that looked like it belonged in one of Austen's novels, perhaps it was the inspiration for some of them. There were frills, ribbons, poufs and floral patterned everything everywhere! It was like a floral nightmare.

Sitting on floral patterned poufs in a circle were three other women. The youngest of them appeared to be in her late twenties and I was having a hard time deciphering if she was pregnant or overweight as she was in the process of stuffing her face in a not so ladylike fashion. The other two ladies appeared to be related and were both in their early thirties. They wore matching dresses in the same style one in a shade of deep red the other in a shade of royal blue.

"Ladies, I've returned, and look at this precious little flower I picked up along the way." Liza laughed as she ushered me into the room.

The three women looked up from their gossip circle and stared at me in awe. The lady in the yellow dress stuffing her face, hurriedly set her plate to the side. My heart started to race as the two brunettes in the matching dresses exchanged looks and said something behind their fans.

Ignoring the rudeness of her other guests, Liza went right to introductions, "This darling child, is Lucille, Lord Phantomhive's bride to be." I didn't like that she called me a child. "Please introduce yourselves ladies, she's new to town."

"I'm Judith." The lady in yellow smiled, "My husband was a general in the war, don't worry he's retired now and holds no grudges against the French as a people."

Great.

"I'm Priscilla. My husband is Hector Burke." The lady in red said with an air of arrogance as if I should know her husband's name.

"I'm Prudence. My husband is Victor Burke." The lady in blue chorused.

I looked to Liza curiously.

"Oh, dear, you don't know the Burke brothers. They're only the wealthiest merchants in all of London, they own the docks and shipping yard as well as a few shops in London." Liza informed me with a smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." I curtsied.

Liza squealed once more, "Oh, isn't she just the most darling thing you've ever seen?'

The ladies giggled and replied in kind with fake praise. I was pressed into the pouf next to Judith and handed some strange circular device that kind of looked like a blank canvas with a needle and thread sticking out of it. I stared down at it curiously before looking to the other ladies as they all retrieved the same strange contraption and for a moment I worried it was a weapon, before I reminded myself these women were all airheads and had absolutely no fighting skills whatsoever.

"What's this?" I asked after a long pause as they all set to work with their needles and thread.

"Oh, my dear, have you not embroidered before?"

I shook my head.

"It's quite simple, you just stitch a picture on the cloth with the needle. You can make a gift for Lord Phantomhive, I'm sure he'll love it." Liza beamed as she showed me her own embroidery, she'd made a pretty floral arrangement on hers.

"Oh. I'll do my best." I forced myself to smile as I picked up the needle wanting nothing more than to stab it into my eye so I'd have an excuse to leave.

After about an hour of listening to the four women gossip about other people I knew nothing about and failing miserably at embroidery, I had something on my canvas, though I had no idea what it was. When I started I'd thought I could possibly make a cat, but now it sort of looked like an explosion, a very violent explosion.

The ladies unraveled their loops to release their handkerchiefs they'd all embroidered for their husbands. The bitter Burke betties had made similar embroideries of fawns in grass. Judith had embroidered a tasty looking cake. They all turned to me expectantly to see what I had made.

My face flushed scarlet as I held up my terrible embroidery causing Mrs. Burke 1 and Mrs. Burke 2 to laugh. Judith offered me a reassuring smile. Liza was torn between reassuring smile and giggling with the bitter Burke's.

"I have so much extra embroidery equipment, why don't you take some home with you to practice." Liza smiled.

"It looks like a cute little dusty bunny." Judith tried to find something within my mess of stitching.

I smiled at her, "I think that's what I'm going to call it."

Judith helped me to get my embroidery out of the circular contraption and Liza came up with the bright idea of interrupting the menfolk and giving them our embroidery now. I resisted the urge to groan as Liza and the bitter Burke's giggled like children and rushed to the door.

I looked to Judith curiously and she shrugged. "Best to go along with it, pet." She smiled.

Perhaps Judith and I could be friends, she seemed nice and we shared an unhealthy interest in sweets. I trailed after the other women in silence. After meeting them, I wasn't sure I wanted to meet any of their husbands.

Liza reached the door to the men's parlor first and knocked while the bitter Burke's giggled in an unseemly fashion. "Darling, the girls and I have made you all some lovely gifts, stop talking boring business." She shoved the door open without an invitation.

Judith and I reluctantly followed the other three into the smoky parlor room. It reeked of cigars and liquor and reminded me of my father's study. The men appeared to be playing billiards and having a smoke and a lot of drink. Cyril was sitting in a chair near a card table and I was relieved to see he didn't have a cigar in hand like the others.

His dark azure eyes swept over me as if he were trying to discern if I was alright. He smiled slowly and beckoned me toward him as the other women rushed to their prospective husbands.

I felt immediately uncomfortable as I stepped into the parlor room as all the men stared at me. It was like I was a helpless fawn that had walked right into a den of hungry wolves. My heart began to race as I quickly scrambled to Cyril's side.

"You're a lucky man, Lord Phantomhive," one of the Burke brothers whistled crassly causing his wife to swat at his arm. "They don't make em like that in England, that's for sure." He laughed drunkenly.

A shiver rolled down my spine, I didn't like the look of either of them or the way they looked at me as I crossed the room to get to Cyril. He got to his feet and offered me his arm to steady me as I reached him sensing my growing discomfort.

"Are you alright?" He asked me softly.

I nodded meekly, the smoke in the room was giving me a headache.

The women gave their husbands their embroidery before the bitter Burke's turned expecting to see me humiliated when I presented my embroidery to Cyril. Judith offered me a warm reassuring smile.

"You made me something?" He asked with a sly smile.

"Under duress." I grumbled as I extended the handkerchief to him and waited expectantly for him to laugh or make a snide remark.

His smile grew, "What is it?"

My cheeks burned at this as I looked to the mess of stitching on the embroidery in his hand.

Judith came to my rescue with a smile, "I thought it looked like a very cute little dust bunny."

Cyril smiled, "It does look like a dust bunny."

"You mean explosion." I mumbled under my breath causing him to chuckle.

"It's lovely. Thank you." He placed his hand to the back of my head and pulled me toward him before placing a kiss to the top of my head causing me to let out a squeak and pull away from him in embarrassment.

"She's just the sweetest little thing." Liza swooned before turning to her husband, "What are you boys up to?"

"Boring business talk and billiards." He sighed as if this was a conversation they had often, "I suppose you want us to invite you ladies to play a game of darts with us?"

"If you insist." Liza winked as the bitter Burke's giggled.

"Having fun?" Cyril asked me quietly.

"I contemplated stabbing the embroidery needle into my eye so we'd have an excuse to leave." I replied before I could stop myself and Cyril choked on a laugh.

"Well I'm glad you didn't."

Judith and her husband joined us while the others set up for darts. "James, I want you to meet Lady Lucille." Her husband was in his late thirties and appeared to have a bum leg, probably a war injury that forced him into retirement. He seemed kind and had warm caramel eyes. He offered me a polite bow.

"Lucille, that's a French name, isn't it?"

I paled, "Yes."

"Better be careful, Lord Phantomhive, don't expect to win any arguments without a fight, the French are quite stubborn." He joked and I relaxed.

The others got the dart game set up and each couple was made a team and given different colored darts to indicate which team they were. Cyril and I were the purple team. The team colors were decided upon by the color of each ladies' dress. I watched the other ladies throw their darts, Judith was the only one that hit the board, but she didn't throw with enough force so it fell off the board after a second and didn't count.

Cyril looked to me as it was my turn and I hesitated. If I was too good would that be suspicious? I didn't like holding back when it came to games especially when all the disgusting men save for Cyril and Judith's husband were eying me up and down hungrily. I wanted to show them all up. To hell with my cover, Cyril was already suspicious of me, I'd just have to tell father it wasn't going to work and that I'd have to return home. A worrisome thought crossed my mind, if I did that, father would enlist other means to extract information. I couldn't let him get his hands on Cyril or any of his servants.

I threw my first dart in anger as I heard the bitter Burke's giggling about me saying if my darts were as bad as my embroidery everyone should take cover. It hit the dead center of the board causing everyone to gape. I hurled the other two at the board simultaneously and smirked as they hit on either side of my first dart filling the center with purple darts.

"My word." The Viscount blinked in astonishment as the other's gaped at me, "Lord Phantomhive I believe your bride to be is an expert markswoman. It's a good thing we didn't place bets." He chuckled.

"She's full of surprises." Cyril remarked with a smile that made me uneasy, he was already suspicious of me and I'd just revealed too much of my hand. I hated losing, and my stupid pride was going to get me discovered.

"Darling girl, wherever did you learn to throw darts like that?" Liza asked in awe, "You must teach me."

I wanted so much to tell her I'd been throwing knives since toddlerhood just to wipe the ditzy grin off her face, but instead I slipped on my courtier's mask and decided to pull at all of their heartstrings, "I grew up without a mother. My father and three elder brothers did what they could for my education and upbringing but they could only endure so many tea parties and dance lessons." I sold it with a far-off look and a somber smile, "They loved billiards and darts and they always let me join in so I wouldn't feel left out." Though our version of darts was throwing knives at one another and seeing who was better at deflecting or catching them, but they didn't need to know that.

"Oh, you poor thing, growing up without a mother." Liza had tears in her eyes. "They did a magnificent job, you're a perfect lady." She stepped forward and wrapped me in a hug.

I chanced a glance in Cyril's direction, I wasn't sure if he had bought it or if it had alleviated any of his suspicions, his face was a perfect poised mask. He too was good at this game.