"OH I MUST WRITE TO DEAR DIANA at once and inform her," Lady Ruth Beaumont exclaimed, letting her disappointment clearly show. After having received the good news about her sister-in-law's healthy delivery and everyone else's well being that afternoon at Bellevue Hall as she sat with Lady Kirkpatrick sipping tea, little did the ladies expect another letter, which bore a rather different news, much to Lady Beaumont's dismay.

"Ruth, you worry too much, surely Diana is more than capable of handling the situation," Lady Kirkpatrick insisted, shrugging off her sister's concerns. 

"She is, Hyacinth, but I hate the fact that she would have to face her alone," Lady Beaumont sighed. "Out of all the times and places, The Countess of Brockenhurst had to be coming back to Portsmouth to her husband's estate. Why can't the Count keep his business and his wife in London like he had done the year before? How tedious must one be if they are to always be travelling here and there?" 

"Awfully tedious, people like them simply get bored of knowing everything around them that they venture out to disturb others' peace. But I daresay, the woman adores Diana, surely it will be alright."

"Sister, you know how Lord Beaumont's eldest sister is," Lady Beaumont paused, taking a sip of her tea, "She's the most disagreeable woman I've ever had to tolerate. I tell it to Lord Beaumont every time, but of course, he doesn't see it. I don't blame him too, that woman changes colors once he leaves the room."

"And to think that she would most likely come across Diana, such a way from home, serving as a help to none other than my own brother and his wife! There's no end to what The Countess might think! And just think of everything she'll say!"

"Ah, I see it clearly now. Accusations of making a slave out of her niece, of trying to ruin Diana's reputation and much more will soon follow timely," Lady Kirkpatrick shook her head. "I knew this was a horrible idea, agreeing to send off our daughters to that miserable part of Hampshire. Why, I still worry what my mother-in-law would think, I still haven't informed that part of the family yet, and I don't plan to. That is one good thing about them all living in France—I get to pretend they don't exist." 

Lady Beaumont sighed anxiously, as she set her tea cup on the intricate glass coffee table and made her way to the letter writing desk in the drawing room. Quickly pulling out a fresh parchment and dipping a pen into the wooden ink pot she began to write a rather frantic warning letter to her daughter to be dispatched off to Portsmouth moments after.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

"My new employer called me to his office last week," Mr Arthur Fleming announced at dinner at the Fleming's residence, as the family sat down around the dining table to eat. "The day my son was born—first morning of my nieces' in Portsmouth." 

Lady Diana Beaumont and Lady Alicia Kirkpatrick—having had no prior indication that Lord Buxton had conversed with their uncle about the unfortunate scene—turned to look at their uncle, and so did the rest of the family, eager to hear what he had to say. The ladies were the most curious at this sudden statement. Last week, was when that unpleasant encounter had occurred between Diana and Lord Edward Buxton and when her uncle had come home with nothing but pleasantries, Diana had thought nothing of it.

He had come home happily to a new born son, and a weak wife, who was instantly a lot better at having her husband home.

"I was surprised, actually," Arthur Fleming paused, as he chewed on a spoonful of peas, "Usually it takes me weeks to get an appointment to see the employer privately in his office, and that too after countless times of requesting a meeting with Porter. I still had yet to face the new employer though, I had heard the task was even more arduous after his taking over, and I had only ever gotten my requests across through his men."

"What did he want?" Diana blurted out, her impatience getting the best of her. As she was met with confused pairs of eyes at her outburst, she cleared her throat and put on her usual genuine smile. "I'm sorry, I just hope nothing unpleasant happened."

"On the contrary actually," Her uncle responded, making nothing out of his niece's sudden outburst, "He only wanted to talk to me, which was quite surprising. He offered me a glass of wine, and we talked about miscellaneous things, really, I felt as though I was conversing with a friend, not my boss."

Diana and Alicia exchanged looks as they listened.

"As much as I am happy, my dear husband, I am surprised as well, what was this friendly conversation about?" Mrs Frederica Fleming asked curiously, dabbing her 'kerchief on her lips softly. It pleased her greatly that her husband was finally getting along with his employer, but what caused this sudden shift was a really intriguing question to ponder on.

"Ah, just a casual conversation, he inquired after my health and I returned the pleasantry. He told me that he would be willing to make an exception for me by giving me some days off, after I told him that you had given birth that day. But I refused the offer and told him that my nieces were here to help out, and really because I wasn't sure if he'd cut down my pay for taking days off and I did not want to risk asking. The old employer—I would be stupid to not consider things like that after him." 

Diana glanced at her aunt, who had thankfully regained most of her energy after the birth a week ago and had not fallen prey to any bouts of fever. The infant child too, was much redeemed, his small form gaining color and muscle each day. 

"He's a handsome man," Arthur Fleming continued, a statement that startled Diana out of her reverie as she looked at him. "Lord Buxton, I mean." 

"Most of the workers have not seen him yet and I had been one of them, but now that I have made his human acquaintance, I do think he's a striking young man. And with all those mills under his command, and his strict hold on his affairs? I think men like that are scarce. I suppose I admire him for it really." 

"What game is that man playing?" Lady Alicia Kirkpatrick asked once she and her cousin were alone in their aunt's room after dinner, tending to the new born baby, while the rest of the family enjoyed a moment as their former selves in the drawing room. 

"Lord Edward Buxton does not want his name in tatters, that is all. He is aware of Uncle Arthur's relation to our family, and if word of his behavior with a member of our family gets out, he may not have anyone to do business with in Southampton anymore," Diana replied simply as she rocked her baby cousin in her arms, "I daresay he is clever."

"Not clever enough," Alicia added, kissing their baby cousin on the forehead.

"There you girls are," A familiar voice suddenly came, and the girls turned to look. It was their aunt, looking healthy and well, with new bursts of color in her cheek. Smiling, she approached Alicia and handed her two little cards with ink printing on them.

"What are these?" The surprised lady asked, inspecting the things, they seemed to be entrance cards for an event. Diana leaned in to look as well, and a puzzled expression spread over her face.

"These are tickets, to John Floris' perfume exhibition tonight. I asked Arthur to get them for you two, you've been such helps and we wanted to do something in return," Their aunt spoke happily.

"You shouldn't have, Aunt Frederica, it really is no trouble for us," Alicia insisted.

"And besides, you're not completely well, you need your rest and we cannot just leave you even for a few hours until you're as healthy as you should be," Diana added.

"No my dears, Arthur is home, my children are with me, I feel as healthy as I've ever been. Now, give me my little baby and please go and have a good time."

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

In Southampton, perfumes and scents that were newly brewed for the season, would be sent to their estates especially by the finest perfumers in Hampshire. In Southampton, perfumers had come to realize that if they wanted to attract the elite, they could do so by sending their scents as gifts to their estates, and so has remained their tradition to date.

Lady Diana Beaumont and Lady Alicia Kirkpatrick, as they, dressed in fine dresses, sat in the carriage on their way to the Floris Perfumery, discussed John Floris. They had on occasion received new scents as gifts by him as well in Southampton. In fact, Mr Floris was a particular favorite of their cousin, Lord Oscar Seymour, as he 'has the finest scents up his sleeves' as their cousin liked to put it.

Diana and Alicia knew that Mr Floris, a man of twenty and six, was of a quite charming character too, as they had met him on the occasions Oscar had had him tag along to help him prepare for several events. John Floris' services had also been employed for the latest Mansfield estate ball in Southampton, where the man had worked his magic efficiently. 

"John Floris is going to be quite surprised to see us there, isn't he?" Alicia laughed, imagining the look on their perfumer acquaintance's face. She expected it to be quite like the look he once gave Jessie Churchill when she insisted that his scents 'Rose with wings' and 'Sun rose' smelt entirely the same.

"He is," Diana chuckled, "Considering the fact that I argued with him about how much better The Floris Perfumery would do if he moved it to Southampton, when we last talked."

The girls laughed, reminiscing, and soon the carriage approached the Floris Perfumery, a very smart establishment wedged in between others on a Portsmouth street side.

"Here we are," Alicia mused as they both glanced out of the carriage windows as the horses came to a halt.

The perfumery really was a fine looking shop, perched in the center of a busy street; it stood out with its shiny glass doors and display. The chauffeur hopped off of behind the reins and assisted the ladies out of the carriage.

"Shall we?" Diana smiled, and Alicia nodded at her, and they both made their way inside the perfumery.

At first glance, the place was quite crowded and busy chatter drifted through the air. The inside of the perfumery was decorated with green tapestries and large velvet green drapes covered the walls. On each side, two long wooden tables spread, with dozens of intricate glass potion bottles adorned on top. There were guides around the perfumery, all of them wearing the same green colored shirt with cream cravats, assisting customers and guiding them through scents one by one.

"Lady Diana Beaumont, and Lady Alicia Kirkpatrick, heavens, I never thought this day would come," A rather familiar voice suddenly came, and the ladies soon stood facing the notorious perfumer.

With his fair jaw slightly parted, and his hazel eyes wide open, his brows performed a little surprise dance as his lips twitched into a smile.

"Neither did we," Diana responded with a chuckle.

"Mr John Floris, how long has it been?" Alicia asked, smiling, a rhetorical question. 

"Well, let's see. Lord Oscar's party, and then, oh yes, the ball at Mansfield." John Floris replied laughing, "But I am required again, I take it Lady Rebecca Seymour is engaged. Lord Oscar already made several appointments."

"Yes," Diana nodded politely, the contents of the first letter from Southampton flashing in her mind. She hadn't believed the first correspondence to bear such news. Apparently, Mr Ashbrook had rushed back from his trip to propose, chancing upon Rebecca in her family estate's gazebo. A picture perfect fairytale. 

"Rebecca is engaged, and we certainly shall be in need of your services once more, or else who knows what poor Oscar would do without you."

John Floris laughed as he motioned for one of his shop guides to bring some perfume samples over to the little party.

"Here, try these; I had them concocted in Southampton a few weeks ago. It took a while for me to perfect these and I intended to send them over at Bellevue Hall and Dukesbury this week. They are inspired by your favorite sunflower fields, so I sure do hope you ladies like it."

Diana and Alicia added a few drops from the bottles to their wrist and after putting the glass bottles back on the tray the guide held, they brought their wrist to their noses and sniffed the scent lightly.

"Oh, these make me feel like I am there," Alicia gasped.

"Yes, they smell just like the air at the fields, buttery and full of sweet sunflowers," Diana added in joy, "You have really outdone yourself Mr Floris, these are mesmerizing."

John Floris smiled at his praise, glad that his favorite customers approved of the scent that was designed especially to please them. "I am glad. So what brings you ladies to Portsmouth?"

"Aunt Frederica required our assistance, we have another baby cousin now," Alicia replied proudly.

"My heartiest congratulations to Mr and Mrs Fleming, I do hope Mrs Fleming is in good health now?"

"She is much better," Diana responded smiling.

"I do hope you ladies grace us with your presence in Portsmouth longer, you'll find that the county really has more to offer than you'd expect," John Floris spoke, in his usual charming manner, "So I take it you ladies are staying over at Mr Fleming's residence for the duration of your visit?"

"Yes we are," Alicia spoke teasingly, "And you're welcome to call on us, that is, as long as you don't come empty handed."

John Floris laughed and nodded. It felt to him, like he was suddenly immersed in the Southampton air. Like many people, he too considered Portsmouth a drastic change from Southampton and he always needed to retreat to that part of Hampshire whenever business or leisure allowed. Back in Southampton, people were slow and observing of beauty and changes, they would thoroughly enjoy John's perfumes and would notice every little hint of detail in the scents. In Portsmouth, no customer ever could precisely figure out the subject ingredient of a scent, unless there were labels on the bottle.

Doing business for Lady Diana and Lady Alicia's families was John Floris' major highlights in Southampton. He loved being able to wow them with his concoctions, and the family had become much more than merely his customers.

John Floris proceeded in giving the ladies a private tour of his Portsmouth outlet. He led them behind the curtains to an extended part of his shop; and he exposed them to all of his newly brewed perfumes, and those that were in the making. They talked about all things, catching him up from the last time he visited their estates in Southampton.

"So what kind of a person is this Mr Ashbrook exactly?" John Floris asked intriguingly as he raised his brow, "Is he someone with a fondness for scents? Because I can surely work with that."

"That is something only cousin Rebecca can answer, I'm afraid," Diana replied with a giggle.

"We don't know much of him, and of course, such conversations were improper, considering the fact that the engagement hadn't happened when we were in Southampton," Alicia stated shrugging.

As she thought about it, she really hadn't ever exchanged more than a few words with Mr Ashbrook, so she really could not make out what kind of person he was in general. Whenever Mr Ashbrook was over, the cousins engaged in this activity or the other, so as to leave Rebecca with Mr Ashbrook alone. Now that the couple was engaged, it was time for the cousins to get to know him as well, and now that Diana and Alicia were in Portsmouth, it would take a while more for them to become properly acquainted with the new edition to their family.

As Mr John Floris introduced them to more sections of his shop, showing them certain certificates that his father had received and telling them about how one of King George's mistresses was also his frequent visitor, he suddenly remembered something.

"I heard The Countess of Brockenhurst arrived in Portsmouth this morning," He spoke with an element of surprise.

"Auntie Agnes?" Diana asked, startled, "What a surprise, I hadn't known she was coming to Portsmouth."

"They say that her son's come as well, seems like they mean to stay for a while," John continued.

"Why, then we surely must call upon them, Alicia, Auntie's quite particular on that sort of thing," Diana cried and Alicia smiled in earnest.

As John Floris escorted them to their carriage later, and helped them get in, Diana couldn't help but giggle slightly at how her mother would react when she found out that the Countess was here, but she needn't ponder long, because as soon as they got home, a post delivery had a letter entailing exactly that.

"Aunt Ruth clearly says that we are not to pay call on The Countess," Alicia said as she re-read the letter after Diana had given it to her.

"Mama's just paranoid," Diana shrugged, "It is highly improper if we do not acknowledge Auntie's presence in Portsmouth, and that isn't even it, Auntie will never forgive me if I don't. We'll pay call tomorrow."