As it turned out, the entire household, save for Harry, Web, Damon, and the younger girls, was in on the wager. Most of the servants, particularly the ladies, placed their bets with Price and Gale in favor of a match between Simone and the duke. The men, including Lydia, who was loyal to Simone, did not believe a match was possible simply because they wanted to go against the women. A large amount of money was at stake now, and everyone was eager to win.

Simone had to find a solution. She would do anything to escape Price and Gale's plans. With the lady servants on their side, they could easily execute any of Price's ingenious strategies.

Leroy, a lanky footman with reliable ears second to Lydia's, approached her one morning to murmur, "They're planning to trap you in a room with the duke, Miss."

That could be easily done, Simone thought. But that would not happen. She could be very careful, but then she would not want to always be wary whenever she was in the manor. She hated feeling trapped in her own home. And she would hate to suffer the embarrassment of their plans.

And so, on that same afternoon, before the men went out for a ride in the fields, Simone waited in the courtyard. Lydia was entertaining Emmeline in her painting studio, showing the woman her artworks. The two younger girls were in the garden, harvesting tomatoes. She was alone, and she jumped to her feet when she saw Daniel Cavendish emerge from his wing in his riding clothes.

"Your Grace, may I have a moment?" she rushed in a hushed tone. Looking over her shoulder, she added, "It's important."

"What is it?" His gaze was on her, and she stepped back, suddenly growing conscious.

"I will not take much of your time," she began, twirling her fingers together. "But I would like you to know that something is brewing in this household."

"Brewing?"

She nodded. "You see... Price and Gale, and a few other servants, are on a wager."

He cocked an eyebrow. "A wager."

"Yes. On you and I."

"You and I?"

"A match," she said, feeling her face flush. But in her desperation, she managed to step closer. "Fret not, I'm betting against it with the others."

"You mean to tell me there is a wager going over us?"

She nodded. "It's silly. Don't think too much of it. We constantly wager in this household. This place is a giant gaming hell, I tell you. We wager over a battle between bugs and—Well, you must know what I mean."

He looked baffled, breaking his icy demeanor. "And you're in on the wager. But you're betting against a match between us."

"Yes, of course," she said with a scoff. "Because it is ridiculous, isn't it?"

It took him a while to answer. In fact, he just stood there looking at her—no, scrutinizing her face—that she started to feel her heart racing against her ribcage. "Of course," he said.

Simone forced a smile. "Then we agree they should not win." Realizing what she said, she hastily added, "Not that I'm hoping they will because that's just impossible. We, a match?" She forced a laugh, feeling stupid. "But of course, the fact remains that they will want to win. And it will be very taxing for both of us."

"How so?"

She looked over her shoulder again to see if anyone was about. "They'll do anything to bring us together. We don't want that." His brows rose. He said nothing. Simone gritted her teeth because it would really help if he said something. "So, I suggest you stay away from me and I'll do that same. Trust me, it's the best. It will not be long before they realize this childish wager will not be fruitful." She stepped back, proud of herself for having conquered this feat. As days went by, and as their interactions grew in number, she realized she had been anxious for nothing. His presence was not as intimidating as she first thought. He was just a man. He was not even the Daniel Cavendish she knew. "I'm truly glad you're taking this quite well."

But it did not look like he completely understood. It did not even look like he believed her.

"Well, that's all. Have a good day," she said, starting to retreat. "And remember—stay away from me. Don't ever let them lure you into any room. Or even the woods. Always suspect."

As she turned to walk away, she heard him say, "Miss Priest," and then he was in front of her, face unreadable. "I have an idea."

"What?"

"I don't think it would be easier if we are both watching over our shoulders at every turn."

"Well, yes, but that's the only way I'll win the wager. And the only way you'll survive a match with me. Don't take this lightly, Your Grace. The last thing you would want is to be found in a compromising situation with me. They could easily orchestrate that. We would both be trapped and you would not want that."

"Well, yes," he said, and it brought a slight pang in her chest. "But what if we make it easier for them?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if we don't stay away from each other?"

"Have you not understood anything? Why would we make it easier for them?"

"They will not put in much effort if we don't resist their plans," he explained. "It will be less taxing for both of us." She frowned at him and he offered a small smile, this one a little familiar, more like the Daniel she knew. "If we don't resist them, they will think they're winning."

Simone blinked, realizing what he's saying. "Oh. You want us to pretend."

"I would not go as far as pretend, of course. We'll just let them think they're winning so they would not resort to doing something more drastic."

"Oh, I see."

He nodded. "I believe it's better."

"But are you certain?"

"Of course. I don't mind it."

"What if you fall for me?" The question rolled out of her tongue before she knew it. His face had gone cold again. So, to compensate for her stupidity, she laughed. "I'm jesting, Your Grace. Very well, I accept your plan. But first, I need to make certain we are on the same side."

"How?"

"You will also have to put in the money."

"You mean join the wager?"

"Fret not, they will not know. I'll tell them it's mine. I'll give you your winnings once this is over. The only important thing is that I'll know where your stakes are. You might betray me, you know."

"I would not."

"I don't know you enough to believe that, Your Grace."

He sighed as if he found the entire thing tedious. "Very well."

"You have to double my wager."

"Very well."

Her smile widened. "Then we have a deal."

***

When Simone said the people on the other side of the wager would do anything, she meant it. She grew up with all of them, including the servants. They were just as passionate about anything that held their best interests, however dismal or pathetic. They would stoop low if they had to. They would lie and bribe. In most cases, these things were harmless, of course, but sometimes—sometimes—they just made things a tad difficult.

The first week was uneventful. But since Price was working with them, that was understandable. Simone presumed he would have been spending the time planning, weighing the options. In the second week, it was clear that they were ready.

Their first attempt was to lead Simone into the woods by giving her baskets of food for the workers fixing a nearby cabin. She knew there were no workers, and the cabins were in pristine condition. But she took the baskets anyway. And she picked up a shovel. Price and Gale easily lured the duke by inviting him to meet the gamekeeper, who was out for a few days visiting with his friends in Strait. Daniel did not know that, of course.

And just like that, they met just as Price and Gale planned it.

"Sisi, whatever are you doing here?" her brother asked, feigning surprise.

She was standing outside the cabin with two baskets, the shovel leaning against the wall. "Juliet said the workers need food. I don't think they're here," she said.

"Well, they must be somewhere," said Price, turning to the duke. "Your Grace, you can stay here with Simone while we find the gamekeeper."

Daniel Cavendish was dressed for shooting. Handsome, of course, but his eyes lacked the spark she used to remember. "Of course," was all he said.

Gale and Price grinned and walked away, loudly talking about finding Mr. Fallow, the gamekeeper. Now out of earshot, Simone sighed, studying Daniel's outfit. "They did not even bring the rifles."

His lips quirked. He looked at her baskets, hands behind him. "At least those are not empty."

She set the baskets down on the ground and turned around to pick up the shovel. "They will be gone for long, Your Grace. You can stay in the cabin and wait."

As she passed, he asked, "Where are you going? And with a shovel?"

She looked over her shoulder and grinned. "Traps."

"Traps?"

"I don't enjoy falling into one," she said. "I'm not a good sport, see? I intend to take my revenge."

"Do you mean for your accident?"

She realized he had followed her. "Yes." She stopped in the middle of the path, biting the inside of her cheeks as she looked around. Then she looked up, squinting against the rays of sunlight. "Ah, perfect."

Daniel followed her gaze. "What's that?"

"One of our many decks," she said. "I told you—I mean, Price had told you about them." She cleared her throat and walked closer to the tree, planting the shovel on the ground. "If you would turn around, please," she said, grabbing the rope ladder.

Realizing what she intended to do, he did as she asked. "Are you certain that's safe?"

"Of course. I've done this many times," she said with a heave as she climbed. The ladder swung as she did so, and she scoffed when he stole a wary glance at her as the deck above grunted. "I had never fallen before, Your Grace, fret not."

"With your propensity for accidents, one is bound to fear that someday you will, Miss Priest."

"Oh, you've only seen me in my most unfortunate moments, Your Grace. You don't know what I'm really capable of," she said, climbing higher.

"In fact, I do have an idea."

She looked down at him. He still had his back turned and she could only see the top of his head. What did he mean by that?

"Are you on the deck?"

She shook her head and climbed faster until she reached the top. The deck circled the trunk of the tree and she walked around it, searching. "Yes."

"Now, will you tell me what you're doing?"

She grinned, finding the loop of rope hanging on a branch. She grabbed it and threw it over the railing and it landed just a few paces away from him. Looking over the railing, she said, "Price and Gale use those to swing from the branches."

"And what do you plan for them now?"

She began to climb down, and he dutifully turned around. Landing on the ground, she went for the rope and dragged it to a smaller tree. He followed as she tied one end and then carried the other across the path.

"It is quite obvious," he said, staring at the line of rope she made.

"That's the point, Your Grace," she said, walking away and picking up the shovel. She started to digging in front of the line of rope.

"They'll think the rope is the trap."

"Of course," she said. "Now, please don't engage me in a conversation. I might not have much time."

"I would offer to help, but your motive is quite bothersome."

She grinned at him. "I don't expect your help. Please, help yourself with food from the basket."

"I'm not hungry."

She ignored him then, digging a hole just deep enough to trip her brother or Gale once they returned. Once that was done, she easily covered it with fallen twigs and leaves, and finally, dirt.

"Are you done?" he asked.

"No, of course, not," she said, digging another hole after the first one. He did not ask more questions. Instead, he just stared at her, bewildered. Having dug countless of holes around the woods, Simone finished the second hole as fast as she did the first one.

Limping back to the cabin, she said, "Now, I'm hungry."

She sat on a log and grabbed a pear. Daniel, however, remained standing near her traps. She scoffed. "Are you in a moral dilemma, Your Grace?" she asked.

He turned to her, frown on his face. "What if someone else falls into the trap?"

She sighed, swallowing her food. "And did you think the trap I fell into was intended solely for me?"

"No, but you made this one—"

"As a trap, hopefully for Gale and Price, yes, but it can also be for the others who also created their own traps along this trail." When he just looked at her, she chuckled. "Fret not, Your Grace, it shall be fine. Unless, of course, you make the mistake of stepping into them."

Shaking his head, he walked closer. Then he stopped a good paces away, looking down at her, a small curl of amusement in the corner of his mouth. The question that had been nagging her came to her again. She truly did not want to ask him because she had already decided not to delve into the past, but curiosity had always been her weakness.

"When you wrote to me," she said, trying her best to sound nonchalant, even friendly. He, however, suddenly froze. "When you wrote to me," she repeated, "Did you do it because you felt sorry?"

He frowned. "I beg your pardon?"

"You knew I was terribly missing my brothers at that time," she explained. "Perhaps you figured if you answered my letters, I would not be so lonely." Her heart was hammering against her chest and she did what she only knew she could to control it. She took another bite from her pear, raising her brows, showing him she was expecting an answer as she chewed.

His frown had deepened. "No."

She stopped chewing because that was not the answer she expected. Her heart went to her throat, wanting to soar, but she stopped it. That answer could mean anything. In fact, his reason could be worse than what she suggested. "Wodyokertewexpain?" she asked against her full mouth.

"What?"

"Wodyokertewexpain?"

He leaned closer, looking more irritated with each passing second.

She hastily swallowed her pear, winced at the pain, and tried again. "Would you care to explain?" She took another big bite, feeling quite anxious.

"No," he said, blinking away. "I don't remember."

"Idoubtit," she said.

"What?"

"Nothing," she managed, chewing faster.

"Miss Sisi!" a man's voice came calling from the other end of the path. Simone jumped to her feet and found Leroy. The round-eyed footman was running toward her.

"Leroy," she said, "What is it?"

"Oh, I'm glad I found you," he said, panting. He bowed to Daniel and stepped closer to Simone to whisper, "Please forgive me, Miss Sisi. We were not able to stop them from leading you into this horrid situation."

"It is fine, Leroy—"

"No, Miss," Leroy indignantly said, stealing the duke a glance, smiling at the man, before murmuring, "It is paramount that you keep your distance from him. The less chance of a compromising situation, the higher chance of winning!"

Simone smiled. "Truly, Leroy, it is fine. Surely, we are not in a compromising situation."

"But it could rain and you would be forced to enter the cabin with him," the footman said. "And Master Price will most certainly find a way to make it look like a compromising situation. He would make sure you're only rescued at a compromising hour and he would make certain there would be witnesses—"

"Leroy," she said, holding the man by the shoulders. "That is not going to happen because I'm not stupid."

The footman looked unconvinced, his face showing complete panic. Simone chuckled. "Very well, we will go back with you," she said, looking over her shoulder at the duke. "Your Grace, I believe it is time to go back to the manor."

"What about your brother and Gale?"

Leroy looked up at the sky. "It looks like it is going to rain, Your Grace."

Later, as they walked away from the cabin, Leroy not far ahead, Daniel asked in a low voice, "It will not rain, will it?"

"No," she said.

He looked over his shoulder. "But your trap—"

She cheekily chuckled. "Aren't you curious if they'll work?"

To her surprise, he scoffed without an answer. But he was smiling.

***

Very much later, Daniel was in the courtyard with Harry when Gale, looking sweaty, rushed past, asking, "Where's Sisi?"

"Why?" Harry asked.

Ignoring the question, he trudged on. "Sisi! Come down this instant!"

From somewhere in the manor, Simone asked, "Why?"

"We're going for a walk! Now!"

"What is that about?" Daniel asked.

Harry looked uninterested, saying, "Price must be injured."

He blinked at the man. "Injured?" he asked, feigning ignorance. Before Harry could reply, Gale was retracing his steps, and half-running behind him was Simone, biting off a laugh as Gale was saying, "We thought you were still in the cabin when it happened..."

"A trap," said Harry wryly. "They try hard to keep their injuries a secret."

"Why?"

Harry shrugged. "They know they shouldn't be doing it."

"Aren't you concerned that someday they might get into serious accidents?"

Harry thought about his question for a while. "Of course, but they are being careful because they know what they're doing is going to get them in trouble. Do you understand the logic?"

"Maybe," he said, walking to the end of the courtyard to peer outside.

"Are they using the wheelbarrow?"

"They're wheeling it toward the woods."

Harry stood and smiled at him. "Tea? Lydia should return with Emmeline anytime."

He threw Simone and Gale one last look before he walked back into the courtyard, shaking his head with a secret smile.