DINNER WAS INDEED A BOISTEROUS event, and as everyone exchanged conversations on varying topic amongst themselves, a certain new guest at Brockenhurst decidedly took conversational matters into his own hands.

"I suppose Portsmouth is not where you come from, my lady," Mr William Percy deduced carefully as he examined the lady sitting opposite to him on the dining table, occasionally fussing over her little cousin who sat by her side. She was alluring and definite in every way, and Percy noticed this glow on her, a glow that ladies in these parts hardly possessed. In her dark maroon dress, cream gloved hands and her raven hair done up elegantly, Mr William Percy could not help but think of an exquisite glass of elder wine. Elder wine was the most desired wine in his business, and this lady seemed perfectly equivalent to that. It was on rare occasions he'd ever compare a lady to wine, mostly because almost every lady he'd met before was far less worthy, but this particular one made it seem that even elder wine would appear dull in comparison.

The lady looked up to him and put on a smile. "You suppose correct," Diana responded, dropping her gaze to her plate as she lifted a small bite of the roasted potatoes to her mouth. Having thought about it, she had figured that making conversation with this new gentleman was an assured way to get to know more about him, and that way she could successfully find the odds in her favor, or Lord Buxton and Lord Algernon's favor.

"Then where might you be from?" The gentleman inquired further, his tone anything but interrogating. Mr Percy had always prided himself in getting anything out of almost anyone. He had collectedly casual tone when asking a question, which seemingly gained his company's trust without much effort, especially when the company in question were ladies. His skills lay in conversation, a category where most gentlemen fail miserably at, "From heaven perhaps?" he added the last part with a sly grin on his face as he played with his tongue inside his mouth, his gaze fixed on Diana.

Diana let out a single laugh as she tilted her head and her eyes shot up at him with taunt playing in them, "I may be."

William Percy smiled, ah, so she is intoxicating as elder wine as well, he thought. During this brief duration of acquaintance, he had successfully unraveled the details of her character. She was definite and knew her own mind, and all he had to do was to win her favor if he was to secure Frank Templemore's investment, because he'd rather anything than let his competition win. The Templemore heir was young and as inexperienced as could be, surely if William Percy had the man's family on his side, the money would soon follow.

Diana put a blueberry in her mouth, her eyes following Mr William Percy's movements carefully, so this Mr William Percy was an incorrigible flirt as well, perhaps more so from his demeanor than his words. His manner was very flirty yet his words used in the prospect, plain. Lady Diana Beaumont held back a sarcastic scoff; even cousin Oscar Seymour had better words at his disposal than that.

"I knew it," Mr Percy responded, swallowing a spoonful of beef, his knowing expression changed to a teasing one as he bent his head forward and his irises floated upwards to his eyelids, "Knowing I belong there as well, I'd recognize a heaven's angel anywhere."

Diana could not stop the loud giggle that bubbled from her at his predicament and she quickly covered her lips with her gloved hand. She'd never before been part of a flirtatious conversation that being one sided, went both ways. "You are a different kind of flirt, aren't you Mr Percy?" she solicited, her lips curved into a taunting smile as she removed her hand to tend to Theodore, who in his attempt to reach for a spoon was about to knock off a crystal glass.

"I may be," he responded, raising his brow and smiling at her. Looking at him, Diana observed his countenance. He was charming, any lady would be easily swayed by him, but for some reason he didn't seem to make her feel even a one third of things Lord Buxton's mere smile could do to her. She tried to think why that was, why could a lady not pick whom she'd want to give her heart to? Why was it suddenly reserved for someone else, without her even realizing till later? It wasn't that if she could pick, she'd choose Mr William Percy, it was just that if she really could pick, it would be someone entirely different from both of these men.

As her thoughts drifted, Diana looked around the dinner table, purposely ignoring the event Mr William Percy was narrating to her about how he had discovered an entirely new flavor for elder wine and how it had blown his business profit through the roof. The gentleman, little knowing the fact that Lady Diana Beaumont did not entirely care for business conversations over dinner, despite The Countess having mentioned the fact to him, continued on with his ramble. Diana's eyes landed on Lord Buxton as though it was he who they were searching for. From a distance of two chairs to her left, their eyes met and Diana noticed that he was sporting a different yet familiar demeanor. He had a hard expression on his face and he had been gripping a silver spoon so tightly his knuckles had whitened. His dark eyes softened considerably as she held their gaze, yet his grip on the spoon seemed to be rapidly tightening, so much so that Diana was sure the piece of cutlery would bend in an unrepairable way. He broke off their gaze and his eyes dropped to his plate as he let out a breath in frustration. Diana's lips parted in confusion and she blinked, her brows furrowed slightly.

"Is something amiss, my lady?" Mr William Percy's sudden voice interrupted her as she swiftly turned to face him, her expression softening as she put her best smile on and shrugged her discomfort off. To her dismay, Mr Percy traced her initial gaze to Lord Buxton, before landing his eyes back on her in a questionable stance.

"Have you been acquainted with Lord Buxton for long?" He asked slowly, but casually, trying to appear as though he did not entirely care for the answer. That was, really, the way Mr Percy had been successfully able to drill out answers from anyone he met.

"I have," Diana found herself answering without hesitation as she glanced at Alicia, Aunt Frederica and The Countess having a rather enjoyable conversation with Frank to her right, before focusing her attention on her plate.

"No wonder you aren't interested in business conversations as much," The gentleman let out knowingly after swallowing and dapping his lips with a napkin.

"Pardon?" Diana cast him a stern glance. It always irked her when men in her family claimed to know her mind, and the proposition coming from this entirely new acquaintance made her twice as irked.

"I mean, the gentleman has most probably made business conversations tiresome for you," Mr Percy smirked, "Indeed, you should seek the company of those who are experts in the field, for instance, me."

"You have a very high regard of yourself, sir," Diana mused lifting a brow in observance. It appeared that Mr William Percy was already acquainted with Lord Buxton, with something or the other against the man.

"A real gentleman ought to, my lady. Or else he shan't receive a high regard from others around him," Mr William Percy declared, as though his statement was something he had always lived by, as though it was some sort of sacred wisdom he had acquired after years of living as a hermit in the mountains, something which Diana was entirely sure he hadn't done.

"My, I am afraid you have it the wrong way," she pointed out with sarcasm in her voice, "A real gentleman ought to hold others around him in high regard, for the same regard to be received. After all, it is what goes around that comes back around."

Mr William Percy's smile twitched at the ends a little, but he said nothing in response, his eyes peered into her as though he was observing her demeanor in order to try and come up with something to say.

"Nevertheless, you should not speak against another gentleman when he is present and fully capable of defending himself," Diana continued in a taunting manner, challenging Mr Percy to try and win if he were to confront Lord Buxton. If anyone knew how utterly ruthless Lord Buxton could get with his arguments, it was her. In a way though, Diana could not help but feel a sense of pride. Lord Buxton was strong and intimidating; he was like a lion and could make any other gentleman present in the room look like a sheep.

"Is that so?" Mr Percy orated, his left brow lifting so high in challenge that Diana felt it would disappear in his blond hair. Then he turned to look at Lord Buxton and spoke in his overly charming voice as though he was speaking to a lady, "Lord Buxton, Lady Beaumont declares I should not underestimate your knowledge in business as much as I overrate mine. Would you care to defend yourself?"

Lord Buxton let go of the spoon he held in his hand when he was addressed and as it dropped slightly on the table, Diana looked at the unnaturally disfigured silver spoon in discomfort. What is it that is bothering him so?

Lifting his face up and turning to look at Mr Percy, Diana saw his expression grow distasteful, as though he was forced to talk to a dog that had just gnawed angrily at his hand. "You put yourself at odds the instant you underestimate someone else's knowledge, Mr Percy," Lord Buxton retorted, his tone civil yet fumed.

"Ah, but knowing you, I am not underestimating anything in vain," The gentleman shot back with a smirk, that seemed to aggravate Lord Buxton more as his stoic facial expression twisted and turned slightly.

Diana could not help but look back and forth at these men, the way they put emphasis on certain words and conversed with each other as though they were long nemesis. But then again, they were competing for her cousin's investment for their individual businesses, so it would make sense that they disliked each other. Deciding to change the unpleasant topic, she took a deep breath and sported her signature assured smile.

"How do you like Brockenhurst so far, Mr Percy? Aunt Agnes heartily appreciates appreciation from guests," Diana beamed, "It makes her like them more." She added the last part with a teasing smile.

"It is beautiful, but not as beautiful, I dare say, as the company I have found residing in it for the weekend," Mr William Percy declared flirtatiously as his eyes peered into Diana's, making the meaning behind his statement undoubtedly clear to her.

Unexpectedly, there was a loud clatter of a spoon hitting a ceramic plate and as the party at the dining table silenced and turned their faces left to glance at the person responsible for the commotion, they were all met with Lord Edward Buxton's standing physique as he pushed his chair aside in anger, pivoted and stormed out of the room leaving an apologetic Lord Algernon, who got up, politely excused himself and followed his friend out.

Diana quickly brought her lips together as she felt herself gawking in shock at Lord Buxton's behavior. Not knowing what to do or how else to react, she immediately searched and found Alicia's gaze, who was looking back at her with the same shock plastered on her face. As an awkward silence prevailed after the storm, and the party resumed to silently finishing their food, Diana noticed The Countess's expression, and as she had expected, her aunt was irritated by event she had witnessed in her own dining room. Frank Templemore looked more annoyed than irritated, and that worried Diana greatly. There was competition, and now was not the time for Lord Buxton to be behaving in such a way driven by a mutual rivalry with the competitor. This event, Diana speculated, probably set Lord Buxton and Lord Algernon further back in Frank's mind than from where they started, and Diana was no longer sure how she was going to make Frank look past the event on the night.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

After dinner, the remaining party retired to the drawing room with Frank Templemore engaging Mr William Percy and Mrs Fleming's ten year old boy, Michael Fleming in a game of whist, while The Countess and Mrs Fleming sat in comfortable arm chairs as Diana and Alicia asserted themselves by the piano; with Diana playing at the keys and Alicia lending her voice.

As her fingers glided over the satiny cream keys, Diana kept replaying Lord Buxton's fiasco in her mind so much so that it was getting harder for her to focus on the song she was playing. Closing her eyes tightly and letting out a breath amidst the rhythm of the music, she pushed all thoughts of him from his mind as the chorus of the song approached and Diana joined in, lending her voice alongside her cousin. Both of their silky voices blended in together, tracing every rhythmic note that came out of the pianoforte, encircling the silence of the drawing room in a harmonic melody.

"Oh, father, father build me a boat,
for it's over to Ireland I'm yearning to float,
to search for my true love in tempest and storm,
for I know in his arms,
I'm safe from all harm."

The song finished, and the party broke in applause as Diana got up from her seat at the forte and the cousins smiled at their audience before joining them.

"That was delightful, dears," Aunt Frederica gushed with pride at her nieces and they beamed in response. Diana felt her spirits soar at the sight of her usually feeble aunt, she looked so happy and as confident as she had ever been. A weekend under the open sky and The Countess' company really did wonders for anyone in need of it, Diana thought.

"Yes, and I hadn't expected anything less," The Countess declared with a smile.

"Ah, you rarely sang at dinner parties cousin, I'm so glad to hear your voice again," Frank Templemore called from his table amidst his game of whist, and Diana offered him a smile. She quickly diverted her gaze to her aunts as she felt Mr William Percy's eyes on her.

"If only Lord Buxton had been polite enough to stay, the song would've helped his anger," The lady of the house bleated, "His behavior this evening was intolerable, and he offered no apology too!"

Diana exchanged glances with Alicia before her eyes drifted to the drawing room window, distant figures of Lord Buxton and Lord Algernon were far in the estate grounds outside, as they walked alongside under the night sky illuminated by the radiance of the moon. Diana had the sudden urge venture out there and give the gentleman a piece of her mind for acting less than what she'd typically come to expect of him. He disrespected her aunt by displaying the sudden fit in her dining room and disrespect was the most unattractive of qualities in a gentleman.

"Uncle Arthur is to be joining us tonight, isn't he Aunt Frederica?" Alicia's voice came through, lightening the subject.

"Yes, he sent a card, he is on his way as we speak," Mrs Fleming responded happily, at ease.

"And I've had another guestroom readied for his arrival as well," The Countess announced, before turning to Mrs Fleming, "Pray; don't keep him up long dear. The man must need to rest."

Mrs Fleming nodded quickly as heat rushed to her cheeks and she turned to face Theodore, fussing with his hair to disguise the attention from her face.

"Alicia, join me for a stroll," Diana proposed quietly as The Countess and Mrs Fleming engaged themselves in conversations of their own. Alicia looked at her cousin in slight confusion as her eyes drifted to the window and she too, spotted the figures of the gentlemen walking outside. Unaware of Diana's intentions, Alicia nodded and the ladies excused themselves politely before exiting the dining room.

"Diana," Lady Alicia Kirkpatrick let out as she rushed to keep up with her cousin's pace and tried to understand her motives as a result of her suddenly tense demeanor, "What do you intend on doing?"

"I'm going to tell Lord Buxton exactly what I think of his little fit this evening," Diana verified with frustration and anger lacing her voice.

Alicia pursed her lips as they both exited the estate and started walking towards the gentlemen that stood a good distance further, facing the giant lake on the Brockenhurst grounds. The lake was the one area of Brockenhurst that was still being worked on. It was endlessly deep at one end, and very opposite at the other. The Countess had on occasion mentioned her plans for the lake, but she wasn't yet decidedly sure of them herself.

Wearing pumps meant to be worn for fancy occasions and not for venturing in nature, Alicia felt her feet press deep into the soft dark grass as she struggled to keep up with Diana's speed. She could tell that her cousin, in her rage, was not in the least concerned with anything of that sort. Observing Diana, Alicia could not help but wonder that her cousin did have some common grounds with Lord Buxton. She was spirited as he was and she spoke her mind just like the gentlemen in question. Diana would go to great lengths to defend the people and things she loved, and so would, as it seemed, Lord Buxton. So perhaps common grounds aren't just defined by mutual preferences, they are defined by mutual actions and thoughts as well, Alicia thought.

Holding up her deep orange skirts slightly with her right hand, Alicia felt pairs of eyes on them and realized that the gentlemen had spotted the ladies approach and as a result they had turned to face them, with their backs to the still lake they stood at the edge of. From the distance, Alicia realized that the gentlemen stood by the deeper end of the lake, no wonder they were fascinated by it. The deep end had intrigued her greatly too, she had often wondered what lay in such depths. Glancing over her shoulder she could not control a slight gasp that left her mouth over the sight of the large area they had quickly covered. The window of the east drawing room the ladies were initially performing in, seemed miles away, no wonder Alicia, at present, breathed heavily than usual. A disturbing ache plagued both her feet as she realized it was due to the shoes she wore, the gem embellishments on the edges dug painfully into the bone of her ankles, resulting in burst of pain shooting up both her legs as she tried to balance her weight.

"My, ladies," Lord Algernon let out in surprise as his eyes widened at the sight of the panting ladies in front of him, "You shouldn't have walked all this way yourselves, a footman perhaps could've-"

"Perhaps not," Diana shot out, her voice louder as she tried to level her breathing with dignity, trying her best not to appear as though an animal would when it rounded up its prey after hours of chasing it, "They wouldn't have delivered my sentiments with the accuracy that I intended."

"Your sentiments?" Lord Algernon spoke slowly, his brows raised in confusion as he carefully exchanged glances with Lord Buxton.

"Which are not for you," Diana pointed out, before resting her determined gaze on Lord Buxton who looked back at her with an unreadable and stoic expression on his face, "But for Lord Buxton."

Gathering up her maroon muslin skirts with both her hands, she lifted them in order to see her steps and neared the gentlemen, who were still six feet away. After all, having walked all this way and risking the hem of her dress dirtying and her hair unraveling from its many pins, Diana was not just simply going to let any part of her testament get lost in the wind before it reached the intended's ears. She felt Alicia follow her closely behind.

"Lord Buxton," Diana started once she approached his right side, so as to not face Lord Algernon, the dark lake glistening in the moon just inches to her side, "The stunt you pulled in the dining room is far from acceptable. It is utter disrespect to Aunt Agnes and Frank after they are hosting you and Lord Algernon at their estate, and for you to act as though they are entitled to you is an abhorrent move on your part, my lord." Diana folded her arms across her chest as she observed Lord Buxton's stoic expression. He looked frustrated as he tore his gaze away from her and looked away, his eyes rolled as he did so, depicted his annoyance clearly.

Diana's anger fueled at his gesture of disregard and she felt Alicia shuffle behind her. Alicia, had quickly placed herself behind Diana, with her painful ankles gnawing away at her, the last thing she wanted was to converse with Lord Algernon and pretend as though her cousin and his friend were not engaged in an argument right next to them. Lord Algernon seemed to have nearly the same thing on his mind, as he stayed on Lord Buxton's left side, shuffling uncomfortably in his spot.

"Need I remind you, Lord Buxton, this is not your office and neither are we your employees, for you to behave with such disregard," Diana continued in her sharp tone as her opponent did not respond, "You are dependent on my cousin's investment and so it would do you harm were you to not put aside your pride in pursuit of my cousin's trust. My cousin is stubborn but he is no fool, my lord; he may realize your business is not worth investing in by the mere act of your performance. You just made it harder for me to convince Frank—"

"Pardon?" Edward Buxton interrupted at once, "Convince Mr Templemore for what?" 

Diana inhaled a sharp breath, an attempt to calm herself. "To secure your investment." 

The gentleman's eye brows rose is displeasure. "I do not remember asking for your aid in the endeavour, my lady, only your understanding." His voice grew stern.

"I am doing it to make my amends," she spoke in defiance, not willing to elaborate and pressurize herself of the memories of her unjust behaviour to him. 

"I told you before that no such thing is required." He stepped closer to her, eyes bearing into hers. "I am perfectly capable of securing my own investments." 

Diana managed a laugh of sarcasm. "I can see that." 

"Your behaviour just now has Frank seething," she continued in a dare, "You will get no where with him if you are bent on upsetting his mother or.. me." 

Edward's expressions twisted as his eyes narrowed. "So Mr Templemore seeks to impress you. I can't say I didn't suspect it." 

Diana faltered a little at the accusation, but it was true. "Frank is stubborn, as I have mentioned to you before." 

"Then maybe you should continue flirting with Mr Percy, the act would deprive him of Mr Templemore's investment quickly." 

Lady Diana Beaumont reeled back in shock. Was that what she had been doing? flirting with Mr Percy? or was that what it just looked like? because whatever conversation they had had, she'd received no pleasure from. She swallowed a lump in her throat, and felt an ache in her heart. Maybe if Frank would've accused her of such a thing it would've hurt infinitely less. 

"You are severe, Lord Buxton," She managed in a lower voice. 

Edward's face tainted with a tinge of guilt at that, before he answered, "Not more severe than you are on me." 

She looked at him, confused as to what he meant. She had apologized for her earlier accusations, she had been trying to make amends for them, and now he says she is severe after reprimanding him rightfully for his behaviour in her Aunt's presence? 

"Severe for pointing out your disrespect to my aunt's hospitality?" She prompted, bent on making him clarify himself. 

"No," Edward let out, breaking away his gaze as his hand ran through his already messy hair, "I meant for your banter with that bastard." 

Diana gasped at his reprimand for Mr Percy, but her oncoming testament was immediately cut off as a whimper entailed from behind her. As she rushed to turn around, she was met with the Alicia's weak physique as her cousin's eyes drifted close and she started to topple to her side towards the lake.

"Alicia!" Diana cried and without hesitation, lunged forward to grab her hand and in her attempt to do so, she stepped onto the hem of her own dress and lost her balance. A shrill scream escaped her lips as she suddenly splashed into the depths of the icy cold water right after her cousin as it engulfed her senses entirely. The weight of her skirts weighed her instantly down, as she splashed her hands and legs around in vain. At that moment, realization hit Diana that she had, in all her time in Southampton, never learned to swim, and neither had Alicia. Thrashing about as she found herself going deeper, the last thing she saw was the full moon hanging into the sky, before the cold water infiltrated her senses, numbed her body and darkness welcomed her.