"I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU DANCED with Lord Edward Buxton. Did he make for an absolutely tiresome company? Is he as made of stone as they say he is?" Lady Alicia Kirkpatrick pressed her cousin in equal parts amusement and curiosity the next morning over breakfast.

Lady Margaret Seymour had let her sisters, nieces and nephews and brother in laws, all stay over at the Mansfield estate after the ball. She had insisted upon it. The other guests were bid farewell at eleven am sharp, and the family got comfortable at the estate right after, with some of the staff being sent on errands to some estates and being made to fetch this thing or that.

Alicia had been overly excited to discuss Lord Edward Buxton with Diana, but she had to wait until the morning to have Diana all alone. Lady Kirkpatrick would decidedly lose her marbles if she heard her daughter discussing an unmarried gentleman, so would Lady Beaumont. It was considered most improper for young ladies to be discussing a man so, and after all, Diana and Alicia weren't one of those fortune hunting middle class ladies that Southampton seemed to be bursting at the seams with. They were ladies of rich and respectable families, and thus they had a time limit of only discussing a gentleman for an hour maximum, before he was never to be mentioned again. 

"I don't know, he was alright, I suppose. He talked very little. Let us not speak about him please," Lady Diana Beaumont whispered anxiously as she looked around to make sure none of her cousins or aunts, who were all sitting around the big circular breakfast table chatting, had heard what Alicia had just mused.

Alicia chuckled and rolled her eyes a little, "Alright. You should be prepared however, because soon you'll hear all of Southampton discussing this."

She took a bite off a scone as she smiled at Diana, who seemed quite struck with her words. It was quite strange how a man such as Lord Edward Buxton had only danced with her at the ball and left soon after, without even considering a second lady to dance with. The scene probably seemed very suspicious or even scandalous to people looking at it from the outside. Thinking about it made something flutter inside her belly, as though she had accidentally swallowed a butterfly and it was now trying to be free. It was a distinctly pleasing feeling, but she couldn't quite place it. 

"Oh, Mr Ashbrook could not take his eyes off my daughter, I tell you," Their aunt and hostess, Lady Margaret Seymour's loud and excited cry suddenly interrupted them.

"He did engage her for two dances; I take that as a sign," Lady Kirkpatrick chimed in with a raised brow as she sipped her tea.

"He really is quite the gentleman for Rebecca, they seemed to fit together perfectly at the ball and he has an equally considerable income as well," Lady Beaumont added, earning a hearty sigh from Lady Seymour.

Then Lady Seymour glanced at her daughter, who sat opposite to Miles and Henrietta at the breakfast table, buttering her toast with a butter knife slowly.

"Rebecca dear, did Mr Ashbrook say something?" She inquired at her daughter, her tone full of hope.

Rebecca looked up from the toast and found out that not only her mother, but her aunts and cousins too, were curious of her response, for they all were now looking intently at her hoping for an answer in a look of her eye or turn of her smile. Diana, instantly catching herself, turned her eyes away and focused on her plate. 

"Of course he did mother, he isn't a statue you know," Rebecca uttered, frustrated at being cornered like that. It was no secret that the lady found herself to be a spectacle in her family at times; with everybody stressed out about her private life. Any man she'd so much as speak to, would make the hopes of Lady Seymour and her sisters soar. 

Nobody ever did worry about Diana, Alicia or Henrietta in that regard. Oscar, Miles and Adam were not even bothered on that matter. That kind of scrutiny was reserved solely for Lady Rebecca Seymour, just because she was almost embracing spinsterhood and all the ladies other cousins were undoubtedly more capable of securing matches for themselves than she was. 

"I mean if he said something to you in that regard," Lady Seymour scoffed, annoyed at her daughter's behavior.

Rebecca sighed. "He asked if he could see me again, and I replied that he could, at the Southampton fair." Dealing with her mother was always easier when you let her know what she wanted to know, Rebecca had learnt.

Before she knew it, she felt a smile creeping onto her face at her audible admittance of the fact that Mr Ashbrook had asked to see her again. He really was a charming person to talk and dance with. His looks were although satisfactory, maybe that was the reason why she hadn't ever noticed him before, but somehow when they danced and talked, his satisfactory looks increased higher in that regard and he grew more and more handsome each passing second. 

A shocked silence pursued after Rebecca's admittance. She looked at the faces of her family staring at her, dumbfounded, in disbelief. 

"Upon my word, why didn't you tell us dear?" Lady Beaumont gushed as she put her hand on her heart and looked at her sister, Lady Seymour, who looked as though she was about to faint as her eyes grew wider.

"Oh, that is great news!" Lady Kirkpatrick exclaimed as she immediately put her tea cup down and put her hands together.

"I am so happy for you, Rebecca. Mr Ashbrook seems like a good man," Diana added next as she smiled at her elder cousin. Her relationship with Rebecca had always been a rocky one to keep up with, for they seldom ever agreed on the same thing, and they seldom ever exchanged more than five words at a time. But nevertheless, they were cousins and as much as they would fail to admit, their happiness mattered to each other.

"Yes, I agree. This is such happy news," Alicia added following Diana, as she too, smiled at Rebecca.

Miles and Henrietta smiled a somewhat confused smile at their cousin Rebecca, mostly because they did not see a solid reason for all this happiness as the Rebecca and Mr Ashbrook weren't yet engaged. But then again, Miles and Henrietta weren't also the two most experienced in these matters.

"Mama, is Rebecca going to get married at the fair?" Mary Ann's tiny inquiry came as the congratulations died down a little.

Everyone glanced towards the girl who had been looking at her excited family with a confused expression on her face, for she too could not see what the substantial deal was in her elder cousin meeting a Mr Ashbrook at the Southampton fair.

"Yes and no, my dear," Lady Beaumont quickly replied to her youngest, "Now go off and play in the garden."

Mary Ann's increasing confusion was quite evident on her face as she trotted off out the dining hall, grabbing her china doll from a shelf on her way.

"Hm, Ashbrook failed to mention he was interested in Rebecca," Adam Seymour's sudden observation came as everyone turned to look at him. He was intently looking at a plate and moving a spoon between his fingers. His tone depicted annoyance and a hint of anger.

"And considering the fact that she is my sister and he, my colleague, it is quite improper to not mention it to me first," he continued, his gaze still fixed on the plate in front of him.

A surprised look took over Lady Seymour's face, she hadn't imagined Adam of all people taking offence in matters like that, but then again he was right.

"Adam, dear, he must've forgotten," Lady Kirkpatrick let out, trying to calm the tension down. 

"Forgotten that he is trying to pursue my sister? Apparently not if he's made plans to be gallivanting with her at the fair," Adam scoffed tossing the spoon aside in frustration.

Diana flinched a little as the silver spoon clashed against a ceramic plate, the loud noise echoing throughout the hall. She could not help but observe Adam, just as everyone else present was doing. He was angry, and she could tell how much the lack of respect really got to him. She thought back to last night, the pride in his manner at introducing Lord Edward Buxton to her and Alicia, the expectant look on his face as Diana had taken Lord Buxton's hand. 

"Maybe you gave him no opportunity to speak," Lady Beaumont added, in a desperate attempt to distinguish the fire.

"I gave him every opportunity to speak, Aunt Ruth. We meet every other day. He never even mentioned or looked at Rebecca in front of me. So last night when he danced with her, I made nothing of it," Adam answered, his tone getting louder and higher. "And now I hear of his plans." 

Rebecca looked at her brother as he grew impatient with frustration. Diana saw the worry in her eyes.

Lady Seymour felt the same too. She had kept silent during this ordeal and had let her sisters; Lady Kirkpatrick and Lady Beaumont try and handle the matter. She knew her sons had minds of their own, but can a difference in a son's opinion ruin her only daughter's, perhaps last, chance of getting married? She glanced towards Oscar, who was busy adding spoonfuls of sugar in his tea with a grim expression on his face.

Oscar looked up and met his mother's hopeful eyes, begging him to take hold of the matter and calm Adam down. Oscar sighed and nodded slowly.

"I propose we go and confront the man in person," Oscar stated with a raised brow at his brother who looked at him.

Lady Seymour sighed and put a hand to her forehead in exhaustion. 

"Yes, it's half past nine, let us pay him a call," Adam said as he got up. Oscar got up too and followed his brother out of the room, with the footmen pushing their empty chairs into place and gathering up their used plates and spoons behind them.

With a clatter of china, Rebecca Seymour pushed her chair backwards and without meeting anyone else's eyes, ran out of the hall, clearly upset. 

"Lord give me patience," Lady Margaret Seymour huffed as Lady Kirkpatrick poured her some tea.

"I am sure everything will turn out alright," Lady Beaumont consoled her sister, motioning a footman to take the tray of scones towards Lady Seymour.

"I just hope they don't ruin anything," Lady Seymour cried as she sipped the tea and took a scone off the tray.

"Oh don't you fret Aunt Margaret, Miles and I will be more than happy to have a talk with Mr Ashbrook if Oscar and Adam do ruin things so," Henrietta chimed in, trying to calm her aunt down.

"Yes, and we can take Lord Beaumont's Baker rifle too, just to help us put some weight on our proposition," Miles added, resulting a chuckle from Henrietta and shocked gasps from everyone else.

"Upon my word," Lady Seymour gasped at her niece and nephew, dropping the scone from her hand onto her plate.

Diana smiled slyly and Alicia burst in chuckles, joining Miles and Henrietta as the hall filled with sounds of laughter.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

"Mr Ashbrook, you have visitors," The butler dictated to his master as he entered the living room of the house where Mr Ashbrook sat with his mother on the sofas.

"Oh, this early? Pray, who is it John?" Mrs Ashbrook inquired as she glanced at the grandfather clock in the room. It was ten am.

"Lord Adam and Lord Oscar Seymour," The butler, responded, being careful of addressing the visitors correctly.

"Ah," Mr Ashbrook exclaimed, "Its Adam and Oscar, mother. My colleague and his brother."

Then turning towards the butler, he said, "Send them in please."

The butler nodded and did a bow before leaving the room.

"I should take my leave too, son. I am afraid I shall embarrass you in front of your friends," Mrs Ashbrook teased as she got up, straightening her morning dress.

"Don't forget to inquire after their sister, Austin," She added with a teasing smile on her face.

Austin Ashbrook smiled as his mother brought Rebecca up. But soon his smile faded, he still had to talk to Adam about pursuing his sister. He had meant to talk to him before and then ask to see Rebecca again, but somehow he had messed the timeline of events up and now he had to fix that before Adam Seymour suspected anything. Since both the brothers were here at his doorstep, now would be the perfect time.

Right after his mother left, John entered the room. "Presenting Lord Adam and Lord Oscar Seymour," he announced.

Right on cue, the brothers entered the living room as the butler turned to leave.

"Ah, Adam, Oscar. I was hoping to get an opportunity to converse with you an important matter," Austin said as the brothers approached.

"Well," Oscar responded as he turned to look at his brother, "It just so happens that we were too."

Austin's smile faded a little as he observed his friends' tense physique. "Is something amiss?" he asked, curious to know the cause of this peculiar tension.

"When were you planning on informing us?" Adam let out suddenly, causing Austin to look at him in confusion.

"About what matter, may I ask?" he inquired, dreading to assume the worst.

"The matter of making advances on our sister," Oscar said calmly as he observed the expression on Austin's face change from confusion to recognition.

"My dear friends, I was about to—but I," The accused stuttered, trying to align his thoughts to his words and ultimately failing to do so.

"You are Adam's colleague, am I right?" Oscar asked, cutting Austin's speech midway.

"Yes," Austin responded sternly after he collected himself, it was Adam who had been his colleague, not Oscar. And it was Adam alone who he needed to explain himself to, not Oscar. The fact that Oscar thought himself eligible to speak for Adam was infuriating to Austin Ashbrook.

"Then Mr Ashbrook, is it not your duty to convey your intentions to Adam first before you display them to our sister?"

"Lord Oscar Seymour, I owe an explanation to Adam and him only. Now if you will please step aside, I have no wish to waste energy," Austin declared, his tone angry and full of frustration.

Oscar's brows furrowed at being addressed like that. He had been quite enjoying cornering Mr Ashbrook, but he had been put off by his tone. Mr Ashbrook, being a man of thirty, and nine years older than Oscar, became quite intimidating when he wished to be so. And Oscar had, given the change in Mr Ashbrook's tone, taken a reluctant step backwards from the earlier conversation he was putting forth.

"Look, Adam. I apologize sincerely for this highly improper mistake of mine. I have on previous occasions tried to tell you about my feelings for your sister. Every time I'd so much as mention her, you would always talk about her regarding some other matter and would disregard what I'd be trying to hint at," Austin explained, turning towards Adam.

"Perhaps it was an outrageous idea to you, that I, would be worthy of your sister, so you paid it no heed. But the idea is there, thriving and existing," He finished, waiting patiently for a response.

Adam looked at his friend and colleague as he explained himself. It really was an outrageous idea; he would have never thought it. It was confusing how affection seemed to creep up into the most unsuspecting of circumstances and bind together the most unsuspecting of acquaintances. But it somehow made sense.

Looking at his friend, he could see how deserving Austin was of his sister. It felt like a picture that was meant to be, somehow, like a puzzle that was meant to complete like this.

"I daresay, I have been careless, with failing to understand where I should've understood. It is as much as my mistake as it is yours and do accept my apology as I have accepted yours," Adam said as he neared Austin and put his arm around him.

Austin put his arm around Adam's shoulder and returned the embrace, "Accepted, my friend."

"You may pursue my sister, though I am clueless on how you intend on taming a creature of her sort," Adam laughed earning a laugh from Austin as well.

"I think I need her to tame me," Austin responded as he smiled at his friend.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

"I had nearly forgotten that the fair was coming up, until Rebecca mentioned it at the breakfast table," Lady Alicia Kirkpatrick spoke as she walked alongside Diana in the gardens of the Mansfield estate. The sun was setting behind the large oak trees in the garden and the cousins were taking a relaxing stroll before they bid Mansfield estate and their Aunt Margaret farewell for the time being.

"Southampton always seems to have something or the other on the agenda," Lady Diana Beaumont mused with a laugh as she stared up into the sky. That was what she adored about her town; it was always bustling with events. Hardly a day ever went by without something extraordinary happening.

Alicia laughed in response, "You know, I really missed it while I was in France. Paris is exquisite, I dare say, but it hasn't got this charm that Southampton possesses."

Diana nodded, she could not imagine being anywhere but here, right in this comfortable corner of Hampshire. The amount of love that was here, she felt could never be in any other part of the world.

"It's so confusing how some people form such connections with places and things, while others seem to detest the very idea," She let out as she remembered her conversation with Lord Buxton and how he had casually shrugged off the very idea of Southampton.

Alicia looked at her cousin in curiosity, wondering who could've raised the notion so.

"Lord Buxton," Diana responded as she analyzed her cousin's curious eyes, "He did not seem very enthusiastic about staying in Southampton. He claimed he'd rather be in Portsmouth than here."

Alicia sighed slightly. "What is home to some, may not always be home to others," She spoke, quoting Lord Beaumont's words that he spoke to every child in the family when they happened to get upset over someone else's opinion of the county.

Diana smiled and nodded. Soon their stroll was cut short as a Mansfield footman approached the two ladies and curtsied.

"Lady Diana and Lady Alicia, you are requested in the drawing room," The man spoke.

Glancing at Alicia, Diana replied, "We will be right there, thank you."

The footman curtsied again and took his leave.

"Let us go, or mama will think we wandered off somewhere," Diana chuckled slightly and Alicia laughed in return. Then both the ladies made their way out the garden fence and inside the estate, side by side.

Walking into the parlor, they were greeted by all of the family, with some new editions to the party too.

"Aunt Charlotte! Oh, what a wonderful surprise," Diana exclaimed as she rushed over to her youngest aunt and embraced her in a hug.

Alicia embraced the aunt right after too, expressing her excitement at the sudden surprise.

Lady Charlotte Allan, was the youngest aunt of the family. Being only thirty, she was also an enormous favorite amongst all the children of the family. She had brown hair like her elder sisters and brown eyes, being the fairest of her siblings; she was also considered the most handsome amongst them too.

She had three daughters; the eldest was Judith Allan, who was only ten years of age. The second was Frances Allan, who was six and the youngest being Fanny Allan, who was the darling little one of only two years of age.

"Judith, Frances and darling Fanny," Diana cried as she bent low to hug her little cousins, who seemed to be just mere inches off the ground, "Oh, how I've missed your beautiful faces."

Alicia joined in on the hug too, kissing little Fanny on the cheek.

"We missed you too Diana," Judith replied as she embraced back, "And we missed you too Alicia."

Straightening herself up, Diana studied Aunt Charlotte for a moment. It had been a while since she had seen her. Lady Charlotte's mother in law had been sick the past five months and thus she had been made to tend for her in her time of need. The ordeal had kept her occupied and hence she had been unable to pay calls or attend parties anywhere.

"How is Mrs Josephine, Aunt Charlotte? Oh I do hope she is fine now," Alicia inquired, her tone full of hope than concern.

"Yes, I hope so too. That terrible old woman has kept you to herself for far too long," Henrietta's voice came, causing The lady Allan to roll her eyes at her nieces' playfully harsh predicaments.

"Henrietta, dear, such cruel words are not lady like," The aunt replied, narrowing her eyes teasingly at Henrietta, who shrugged playfully in response. Then turning towards Alicia, she continued, "Mrs Josephine is quite fine now dear. She has asked me to spend this weekend leading up to the fair with my sisters and for that I am truly grateful."

Lady Seymour smiled. "And thus your Aunt Charlotte and her little munchkins are to be staying at the Mansfield estate," She declared, turning to face the children.

Mary Ann turned to face Lady Beaumont, "Oh mama, can we stay too? I always have such fun with Aunt Charlotte. It would feel too gloomy and silent at Bellevue Hall."

"Yes," Miles added suddenly, turning towards his mother, Lady Kirkpatrick, "Mama, can we stay? Until the fair?"

"My my, I never imagined I was that good of a hostess," Lady Seymour laughed, "I tell you what, you all can stay. I would be a fool to lose such delicate company as that of my sisters, nephews and nieces and of course, brother in laws."

Mary Ann clapped her hand happily at her aunt's words and smiled.

"Margaret dear, I thank you, but we would not wish to impose," Lady Beaumont observed, she felt guilty of leaving her household chores and obligations behind only to add up to someone else's, even if to her own sister.

"Ah, nonsense," Lady Seymour scolded, then turning towards the door, she called, "Geoffrey!"

A rather gruff looking butler came running to the room in a tailcoat, "Yes, my lady."

"Geoffrey, there is no need to clear up the guestrooms as our guests will be staying till the fair. And please prepare another guestroom as Lady Charlotte Allan is to join us. Also, make sure dinner is ready by half past eight sharp for everyone and please do not leave sharp cutlery lying around as my young nieces are here and I most certainly do not want them getting hurt," Lady Seymour instructed the butler, who, being employed just a week ago, seemed puzzled at the increasing number of family members.

"Yes my lady, but please, the next time we're having more guests, I'd like a little bit of notice," he uttered, a little annoyance evident in his tone.

"I did notify you Geoffrey, just half an hour ago I told a footman to inform you that Charlotte and her family were on the way," Lady Seymour declared, narrowing her eyes a little at the butler. "How much more of a notice do you require? Am I to resort to tarot reading and fortune telling just to predict my sisters' schedules for your convenience?" 

Geoffrey had been told by a footman about the arrival of more guests, but it just wasn't as soon as he would've preferred. Lists started forming inside his head as he arranged all the stuff he had to do, and how little time he had.

"Y-yes my lady," The butler stuttered as he saw his lady's narrowed eyes.

"Now off you go and make haste," The Lady Seymour fired back and quickly the flustered butler turned on his heels and exited the room. 

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

The morning that followed seemed to be quite a promising one as chatters and laughter engulfed the Mansfield estate as soon as everyone had come down for breakfast. Lady Seymour, Lady Rebecca Seymour and everyone else concerned, were pleased to find out that Adam and Oscar had not actually caused a rift between the potential couple, but had rather managed to do the opposite.

Lord Seymour had suggested inviting Mr Austin Ashbrook to tea the following evening, for which, the invitation had been enthusiastically dispatched mere seconds after the words left his mouth.

As everyone was finished with the most important meal of the morning, the breakfast, the ladies and the gentlemen of the family all made their way into the drawing room to discuss their day's plans and everything and anything else. The young ones, not wanting to bore themselves with their elders' rather confusing predicaments on every matter, decided to make their own plans for the day.

"Mama, may Miles, and I go the theater on Drury lane today? I want to take Judith along too. They are showcasing the Hamlet and I dare say it will be the most grand," Henrietta inquired to her mother, who sat on the drawing sofa along with her aunts.

"Of course," Lady Beaumont replied, and then turning towards Miles, she said, "And dear Miles, being the more sensible, do take care of the children," She instructed, earning a smile from Miles and a roll of the eyes from Henrietta.

"Remember, be home before supper. It doesn't do well for young ones to be prancing about in the county for hours on end. People have such careless tongues," Lady Kirkpatrick observed as Miles and Henrietta nodded.

"Why don't you take Mary Ann along, dears? She'll do good to be introduced to Shakespeare through Hamlet, because goodness knows she's far from all that at present," Lady Beaumont said as she turned to face her sisters, "I still haven't forgotten the time Mary Ann thought Shakespeare was a kind of fruit."

Mary Ann, who sat crossed legged on the turquoise drawing room carpet with Frances and little Fanny, playing with her china doll and their cotton teddy bears, gasped.

"Mama, that was one time," She declared, putting clear emphasis on the word 'one.'

"And, I don't want to go to the theatre. Diana and Alicia are going for a carriage ride around town with Frances and little Fanny, and I want to go with them," Mary Ann continued, declaring where her loyalties were laid.

"Diana and Alicia do not need more babies to take care of, my dear, and I am most certain you'll adore Hamlet," Lady Beaumont replied, clearly dismissing Mary Ann's declaration.

Mary Ann sighed; her mama was clearly intent on winning the battle. "Fine," she sighed, "But only if Henrietta and Miles promise to buy me Ice cream at the theatre."

Miles smiled, "Vanilla with two cherries on top?"

A smile broke on Mary Ann's face as well as she collected herself and got up, "Then I suppose we're in agreement," she announced.

Then she bent a little to kiss Frances and Fanny on their fair cheeks, before curtsying and following Henrietta and Miles out of the drawing room.