The reception was brilliant, everyone dancing, marvelous laughter. The night fell over the couple of the hour, they kept each other close in dance and in each other's heart.

Isobel watched them in awe from the table. "Wow, I wonder what my Wedding's going to be like."

"Not this empty for sure."

"Well, they didn't want a big wedding, I do though. I'm sure all of William's friends will come and maybe even the Queen."

"The Queen?" June remarked. "You sure have a big imagination, my sister."

"When you've got all the money world, you have to."

"Really? Aren't you getting a bit too far with this?" She crossed her legs.

"No. We're going to get married, June, he promised me we would."

"I wouldn't trust a word from that Beckingham even if it was sanctified by a priest."

"He wouldn't lie. He's a really good man and what I told you about Lily, I must be thinking too much into it." She thought. "Sometimes I do feel like there's something going on. I wish it would just go away." Isobel knew that William wasn't over the fact that Lily got married that day, June was sure her sister was just a rebound, a spare tire. He came in quietly beside Isobel, she was beginning to think he wouldn't show up at his own house.

"You won't mind if I stole her for a while, would you?" June wanted to smack the smile right off the bastard's face but she just smiled.

"Oh, speak of the damned." She nodded. "And do as you wish."

She has just contented her sister was happy. It was perfect though, she knew Bella wouldn't be back for an hour or two now all she had to do was set the trap and everything would be okay. She already walked the grounds and she found the maid's quarters, it was far enough to give her someplace isolated and quiet for what she was about to do next.

She finished her drink and her body followed her peering eyes towards Lily. She greeted her with a dreadful melancholy look. "Lily, I really need to talk to you. It's about Isobel." She glared at the groom and then back at the bride.

"I guess I should have a dance with Tammy." He realized the woman's stare was one that asked for space so he backed off.

Lily grunted as June dragged her behind the rose bushes and into the darkness. Lily pulled her hand away, rubbing them once she stopped. "What do you want?" She said with a grudge. "Where's Isobel?"

"Come with me." She said worriedly. "She's, she's been crying and I don't know how to make her stop. It's about William. She's at the back, in the annex."

Lily lifted her dress, running like Cinderella leaving the ball at midnight. They ran through the darkness for a while and Lily could see a dim light from the upstairs window. She hurried in, unaware that June didn't join her. By the time she got inside to go up the staircase, she stopped thinking to herself. "But Isobel doesn't cry." She said it slowly and before she knew it the door had been slammed shut. Before June left, she dropped a candle by the window so it would catch the drapes. She pressed her face to the glass, June loved watching the flames consume everything in sight but not as much as she loved watching Lily squirm in a corner like a scared helpless mouse. She burrowed her head with a deep devilish cackle, slipping on her gloves as she walked into the darkness. Lily started to lose air. She coughed and coughed, ripping off the green evening gown William got her. It was too heavy and she knew if she kept it on, she'd die. She felt her lungs clog up and her heart seemed to collapse just as she was about to make it up the stair. She held her chest, pushing whatever would go up in flames away from her. She could smell it burn as her sight declined to help her by the second.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Now why'd you bring me way up here?" Isobel looked around, it seemed like the study but it was alot more comfortable. She touched the spine of each book as she passed them. "I heard you talked to my sister today, what did she tell you? Because she didn't even tell me she was here until I saw her an hour ago."

"She was being a sister, Bella. She said to value you. To be precise, she did say she would make me suffer for all eternally, biblically speaking, if I were to break your heart."

"That's my sister for you." She shrugged.

"Well, this should be a special night for you too, don't you agree?" She looked up, watching William set the telescope as he spoke. "Come see the stars, how they shine tonight. And it's certainly not for me." He said.

She sipped from the glass, walking over. She leaned, watching into the instrument. "It's beautiful, William. Magnificent. Breathtaking."

He wrapped his hands around her waist and smiled. "Do you really know all those words? Or is that from a song you heard?"

She looked back at him, lifting her brow.

He finished with an. "I'm only joking."

Isobel turned the telescope as far down as she negatively could. "I wonder if we could see Lily." She turned it, quickly glancing over the burning building. She turned the telescope some more, she could see June's long hair tragically whipping in the wind as she walked away.

"Oh, my god. " She stood up and then rushed to the window. William was confused following her. "What is it?"

"Lily." She said, her skin cold and white as the girl's name.

As the flames grew rapidly, there was a cry from a guest. "That house is on fire!" They yelled, causing a crowd of people to rapidly swathe around it.

"Lily." Left Jacob's lips, he ran as fast as he could, to the door. The loud gasps enhanced each time he failed to kick the door in. William and Isobel soon came. William ripped off his blazer frantically. He watched Jacob then Jacob watched him. They both knew, whether they liked it or not, working together was the only option. They kicked once, then twice. And on the third and final kick, the door broke down along with the beams that held the house together. Jacob looked around, the deadly flames dancing all around, he struggled to see where Lily was but he finally spotted her, laying helpless like a rose with a stem of thorns. He slipped off his jacket, running and straying from the big fires to reach her and when he finally did, he picked her up to come back out but the fire grew stronger so he held her close. Coughing, he looked around for a way out, it seemed like he too was going growing weaker and he felt himself losing strength but he saw the fire grow weak too. There was a loud pounding that followed a yell. "Over here! Over here! Bring it!" And then he heard a loud thump just behind his ear. Then came a loud rip, like a wood pulled and broken from its bark. Then another thud that left a hole in the wall, He fought the fire with the little strength he had. Lifting his wife up in his hands, struggling towards the hole.

"Uncle John!" He shouted.

"Don't worry, son." He heard a hoarse voice. "We're getting ya' out."

"I'm here." Said his Uncle.

And with their efforts, they made a small hole, small enough so Lily could fit through. Jacob was relieved when he heard her wake for a moment before she left. When Lily got out, William took her to the manor, where she could stay safely.

The next morning came in a blur, Lily woke up, confused as to why she was laying in Sarah Beckingham's bed. She watched the faces that peered at hers almost in terror. She choked out. "Where's Jacob?"

"I'm sorry," William said, sitting beside her. "I'm sorry I didn't look out for you, I was too busy wi-"

There it was again that burning sensation, the thought of losing another to wicked hands. She could stop herself, she had already thought the worst of the situation and she accepted her fate as a widow. The flowing curtains seemed to stick mid-air and her bruised hands didn't hurt as much. How did this happen? She sunk her self into the pillow and dazed her self by admiring the room she was in. Sarah Beckinham’s room.

"Where is Jacob?" She said, tears clouding her eyes searching their faces for answers