"I heard you like Sebastian Bach, Miss. Wester, should I dare presume you play too?"

"Play? Mr Everard, whatever do you mean?" Amanda Wester scoffed, strutting next to Daniel, "I assure you, I'm least interested in being an entertainer."

Her black and white coat dress doused her sophisticated demeanour with a soft evening shine. Short wavey hair that rested underneath a white beret, framed her elegant features, especially her eyes that hinted wisdom.

Daniel frowned at the peculiar comment that the eldest daughter of the Wester house made, "Miss. Wester, I truly believe music can be as much to oneself as it can be to others."

"Of such purpose of entertainment for oneself, Mr Everard, we hire." she smirked and resumed her leisurely paced walk, "Surely. I'd rather listen than play."

Daniel cleared his throat, contemplating the comment while walking through rows and rows of Carnations, snapdragons, and amaryllis which accompanied them on their walk.

Earlier, Mrs Wester had suggested if Daniel would be kind as to show sweet Amanda the newly built greenhouse after finishing the tea. Amanda, as her mother had said, was rather fond of gardening after all. Although it seemed shady of Mrs Wester to request Daniel the favour, seeing that Lily or Catherine could have been more appropriate a choice.

Yet, it didn't seem to matter, as his father had readily accepted it in his stead, and Daniel, oh poor Daniel, had no other way but to obey his father and to make a suitable impression on Miss. Wester.

However, things seemed to look up a bit.

Daniel's lips curved up. Just a tiny bit. He understood Amanda now. At least enough to know that she was not the girl who loved gardening as her mother had suggested. No, she was much interested in playing a higher role in things.

"Do you perhaps know what the Amaryllis mean, Miss?" Daniel continued, casually plucking one bright red flower from a branch nearby.

"I heard you study politics." Amanda interrupted, pausing on a small wooden bridge that should lead them to their destination, "Is it your ambition or is it just a means to satisfy your carping father?"

Daniel let out a chuckle. He leaned on the old wood railing to look over the water beneath, which shimmered with a golden lustre, understanding he too, must cut to the chase, "Which one would you prefer, Miss. Wester?"

"Politics is not something you can half heart, Mr Everard," She said with conviction, "I'm troubled but the country, nor I, have no intention in partaking on whims."

"Ah, I see," Daniel sighed with relief.

Of course, he studies politics only for his father, and his elder brother, but after that day... after that day politics seemed too bleak. Needless to say, Amanda had sniffed out his half-heartedness, and just like that also mentioned that she herself was not interested in him.

How cut-throat.

"What the country can or cannot partake in is not in our hands to decide, Ms Wester," Daniel looked back at Amanda who stood with arms crossed, scrutinizing him, "However, I assure you, whatever I do, I will with all my passion and heart. Certainly, not on whims and especially not because I'm too much of a coward to my father."

With that, he made it clear that he had the same intention of not marrying her.

Seeing the doubt in the eyes of his companion for the evening dissolve, he smiled and led the way once again, "You seem rather invested in politics, Ms Wester. Are you too, perhaps, planning to follow your father?"

"You mock me, Mr Everard, I'm a Lady." A sly smile formed on her face. She shot a glance at their chaperone before continuing, "The cabinet is no place for a woman."

Daniel glanced at Amanda's face, half-hidden behind the black curls, yet again intrigued by her clashing demeanour as he opened the glass door of the greenhouse.

Standing back to let Amanda in, he played along, "Then what do, if I may ask, are you planning on doing, Ms Wester?"

"Stay home of course, and look after my family as a lady ought to." Amanda walked in, not minding the servant who stammered that he will stay outside while stumbled away, and continued, "And please, do call me Amanda."

"Oh, I dare not mean to offend you Amanda, but it's too much of a loss for our cabinet if you deem yourself to be a housewife." he said as he sat by the little white table in the centre that was enveloped by lush green plantations, "Feel free to address me as Daniel too."

"Rest assured, I'm not planning to idle away my days, Daniel. "A smile played at her lips while she took her place opposite Daniel, "The path to achievements need not be so solitary after all."

"Care to enlighten me?" Daniel reciprocated the smile with a glint in his eye as he called for the servant to serve refreshments, finally, he was able to do what his father had asked of him their very first day at Kelson Estates.

He had followed his father to his study after breakfast yesterday. He clearly saw the seemingly accidental glance his father had given him, and that glance only meant one thing.

Opportunity.

An opportunity to get their revenge on the Kanes, who are believed to be involved in his brother's death. As for the Westers, the Westers will pave a path to bring them down.

The Westers, a well-known merchandise group had connections everywhere. While the Everards had power politically, the Westers provided connection. From small assistant boys to owners of big companies, they had an alley everywhere.

An alliance between them would be crucial not only for their revenge and the cabinet but also to the Westers themselves who wanted to enter the political scene too.

That much was obvious, but what Richard and Daniel wanted was not an official partnership, they need a trusted confidant.

Hopefully, Daniel secured just that.

~

"Tell me she didn't outsmart you, Daniel," Richard looked at his son from the head seat on the table.

"No, father, but she is indeed smart, to say the least," Daniel gave him a curt smile before resuming his dinner, not in the least intending to share his insights but rather pleased to inform, "In fact, I think we can safely say that we were quite well-acquainted."

"Mr Wester has invited us for the hunt next month," Richard commented as he finished his last bite, "Pray, you sagely work hard enough to be more than well acquainted."

"A hunt?" Elizabeth asked from the other end of the table, "Are we to attend too, pappa?"

"Why of course, my dear," Annabeth laughed, "We are all invited. It'll be your very first adventure."

"Moreover, Mrs Wester had specially asked for Lily," Anne continued, "She had extended her invitation to her nephew. Hopefully, our Lily might strike a fancy for him."

"And who, is this nephew of hers?" Richard sat up at the prospect of the possible arrangement, and his displeasure, that they, the men, have not been a part of this exchange of opinions.

"A Jackson Norman, darling," Annabeth said, reaching out to stroke Lily's hair, "Although I'm not sure I want to part with my children so soon."

Lily smiled holding her mother's hand comfortingly. She quickly averted her gaze when her mother went back to her dinner, to look at the three knowing pairs of eyes at the other end of the table, knowing full well what they all were thinking.

"Nonsense my dear, they are fully prepared to be betrothed. You can't possibly keep them all here forever."

~

The family had long retired to their chambers after dinner and Catherine finally finished changing and properly drying her hair. Every night, she would change, write her diary, and pray before going to sleep. It was the same every single night, but today. She had seen the silent exchange they all had at the dinner. It was the subtle glance that she could recognize all too well.

So, she made her bed, tucked the pillows inside the blanket, and put on a robe.

The hallways of the west wing were dark when she stepped out of her chamber. The door farthest in the corridor also opened and closed shut when she made it to the stairways.

"Lizzie," Catherine whispered, "Come here, hold onto my hand."

"I'm not a child, Catherine," Elizabeth pointed, grabbing her sister's hand and making their way downstairs.

"It has nothing to do with being a child, Lizzie. You stumble in the broad daylight. Let alone in the dark unknown pathway."

She chuckled at her sister's remark, "You think they found a good spot?"

"A wonderful spot, in fact." Lily's soft but excited voice interrupted from the landing before Catherine could answer her question.

Her billowy nightgown danced as she moved. The candlestick she carried illuminated her features. Soft, kind eyes glowing even in the darkness. She led them up the eastern wing, past their bedrooms, and into the third floor.

A cold wind blew from broken windows, ruffling their hair, and forcing them to hold their robes closer.

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"Here at last. I almost believed you lot got lost," Daniel called out, sticking his head in from outside one of the windows before he once again disappeared outside.

"Danie! What on earth are you doing out there?!" Lizzie gasped.

The floor they were on was a blatantly unsafe distance away from the ground and as far as she knew, in her 13 years of quiet life, she had never seen anything let alone a balcony with only a window as an entry.

"Oh and Beware of the little steps," Daniel peeked in to warn, ignoring Lizzie's worry.

He looked at the said steps with a frown. "It should hold well," he added, shrugging, "I suppose."

"Please tell me that's safe, Lily." Lizzie sighed, holding her heart as she followed her sisters to the window, anxious over why her elder sister didn't find it odd for her brother to be floating over the third-floor window.

"My little worrywart," Lily chuckled, "you have nothing to trouble your mind, rest assured."

When they arrived at the steps, which turned out to be a stack of clumsily placed books. Her worry was indeed rested when she saw that her brother was, sure enough, not floating.

The unlatched window that let in the bright moonlight had in fact a small balcony.

Lily waited for Catherine and Lizzie to climb up the little stack of books and over to the balcony before she herself took Daniel's helping hand and stepped outside. The balcony already had a small picnic towel spread and an old oil lamp.

"Huh, This is different," Catherine commented, looking around and taking her seat on the towel.

"It's so open," Lizzie said, also looking around amused.

"It's only natural. Back in London, our hideout behind the library didn't even have a proper window."

"Yes, but also isolated," Catherine slumped, "All I can see is the wild. Say, how far away are we from the true spirit of living?"

"Why of course," Daniel scoffed before dusting off his hands after adjusting the light, "Only you would refer to life in London as the true spirit of living."

"Am I in the wrong?" Catherine poked him in the rib prompting a shriek from him, "No Theatres, no Operas, and no Festivities. There is nothing here that even whispers fun for us."

"Well," Lizzie insisted with simmering hope, "We do have a hunt to look forward to?"

Catherine side-eyed Lizzie and sighed.

She stretched comfortably between Lily and Daniel and yawned before dejectedly admitting that "Hunting is neither an elegant nor admired sport."

Lily, who watched the shenanigans with quiet interest chuckled, "Indeed, I'm not very keen on partaking in any brutality against those poor birds either."

"Me neither," Daniel finally sat down leaning on Catherine to look up to the sky, "And it's a tedious work to entertain Miss. Wester. She bends for nothing, not even flattery."

"I'd love to save you, poor Daniel, but I myself am tasked with entertaining Fredrick Wester, and I kid you not, it's far more tasking than you'd think."

"None of you seem happy here." Lizzie sighed, "If god bides mumma's wishes, all of you would be wed out, come next season. Besides, you all are rather too taken by the idea to refuse such proposals."

Catherine stood up, affronted by the accusations her sister threw at her, whilst ignoring Daniel's groan as he fell down hard now that he was no longer supported by Catherine's back, "How dare you!"

"Dare I to what?"

"To even think that I'd take an interest in the likes of Fredrick!" Catherine huffed, "I shall- I swear that I, Catherine Marry Burton, will marry none with an absolute deficiency of charm whatsoever, especially one such as Mr Fredrick Wester."

Lizzie and Lily chuckled at her dramatized flairs while Daniel sat up rubbing his shoulder, "How, pray tell that your little theatrics always ends up in hurting me one way or the other?"

"I'd like to call it your poor luck, but if I am to be perfectly honest, it is because I very well intend it to."

Daniel leapt up to tackle his unruly little sister and it promptly turned into light banter. It went on for quite some time till Lily pulled them apart saying it was far too dangerous a place to be playing around in.

The two settled in while glaring daggers at each other until Lizzie asked out once again, "Then what of Sir Norman?"

"I intend to marry no one if not for love, sweet," Lily chuckled softly, ruffling Lizzie's straight brunette hair.

For some reason, she remembered someone with dirty blond hair, muddy shoes, and the softest voice she had ever heard.

She shook her head as if pushing those thoughts out and continued, "You are not, and will not be, left alone as long as we are here."

Lizzie laughed, settling right in the middle of their little dog pile, "Then what about you, Daniel? What do you think of her?"

"Amanda?" Daniel mumbled thinking back to their conversation at the greenhouse.

"Pride," Amanda said, making her last winning move in the little game of court that she had taught him.

Daniel looked at her in disbelief, excited to know that somehow, he not only got an acquaintance but a great one at that. At the heart of his heart, he knew this would certainly end well.

The green leaves behind her lit with the evening sun fire that shone in through the glass panes, "Amaryllis means pride, Daniel." she continued, earning a chuckle from him.

"Well yes, of course, Amanda. What do you think of her?" Catherine looked over at Daniel's unfocused eyes as he stared at the stars before probing further.

"She's fine, I'm sure," Daniel said looking at the dark sea above him while playing with Catherine's locks that fell on his face while she leaned over him. Lily's hand kept tracing constellations on his hair and Lizzie's faint humming and rhythmic tapping near his calf, " but I'd rather be right here than anywhere else."

~

Just as her father had asked of her, Lily had been dutiful in looking after the produce and had successfully made quite some progress in taking over. She visited the estate office every morning. That day too, she arrived at the office with purpose, only-

"Such a wonderful day is it not, Lily?" Daniel said as he climbed out the other door of the car, "would be a waste to spend it on numbers."

Daniel had volunteered to accompany her today.

She knew he meant trouble. Coming with her was just an easy excuse, the kid would definitely run off somewhere before he even set foot in the building.

"In any case, suit yourself. I, on the other hand, have a job to complete." She said not minding the guy creeping up on her.

"Such a bore," Daniel teased her as he walked into the reception, "then do me a favour and not tell father about me running away."

He had already reached the back courtyard when he heard Lily complain, but he only gave her a backhanded salute.

"Miss. Everard, There you are. Was that Master Everard?"

"Ah, Good morning Mr Williams. Yes, it was Daniel."

"Well, where has he gone off to?" Mr Williams asked, ushering her into the front office. He had a huge stack of papers under his arm, half of it falling as he walked.

He grunted as he picked up the papers and walked forward, "I have gathered all the year-end accounts that you asked for." He dropped the stacks on the table and moved to sit on the chair, "If Master Everard is here to take over the charge, I can summarize the report to him."

"That won't be necessary. He won't be taking over," Lily looked back at the courtyard where her brother had disappeared off to one more time before following him to the dingy old office on the right-wing, "He is merely here to accompany me today and to gambol around."

"My audience should suffice Mr Williams, shall we begin?" She smiled as looked through the stacks of books placed on the table. Although it was a big enough office, the state of the furniture and ledgers revealed neglect.

An obvious manifestation of what had clearly befallen in the place on their absence all these years.

"Very well." Mr Williams gave her a disgruntled look and sat down before monotonously giving his summary.

The day seemed to pass by being noticed by neither. Lily had already immersed herself into the ledgers, adding and balancing the numbers with ink-stained hands. It was well past noon when they were interrupted by a servant boy who announced that someone requested to meet Mr Williams.

"Go, boy. Can't you see I'm busy? Tell them to meet me later."

"When shall I ask them to come again, sir?"

"Tomorrow, maybe."

"I'm afraid I can't wait, sir. Pardon me." A voice that sounded familiar rang through the doorway.

"Hawsberg," Mr Williams addressed the man who had pushed aside the servant boy to walk into the doorway, "What are you doing here?"

"'m here to beg for reasoning, sir. I agree my actions might seem suspicious but I assure you. I'm not doing it for profit."

"We shall discuss this later."

"Sir please, I beg, we can't make our ends meet with the reduced shares. Please show mercy."

"You talk as if I'm imposing a great deal upon your family, boy!" Mr Williams bellowed, "Your father understood the retribution well enough, now go home!"

"I'm afraid that's n-"

"I said go home now, Hawsberg! Or your share shall be further reduced to 20 per cent!"

The man dejectedly turned to leave, only then registering Lily's presence in the room. Startled, he removed his cap to reveal dirty blond hair and bowed apologetically to her before proceeding to leave, shoulder slumped.

"Pardon my intrusion. Mr Hawsberg?" Lily called out.

"Miss Everard?"

"20 per cent?" Lily inquired turning to Mr Williams, "Could you care to explain what is conspiring here?"

Mr Williams sighed, displeased that he was reduced to explaining himself, to a woman no less, "The Hawsberg farm has been our shareholders for generations, Miss. Everard. Although the produce has shrunken down greatly, and I personally believe they are more of a loss than profit to us, we have still given them their worth, stating loyalty."

"However, it has recently come to my attention that the young lad from the Hawsberg farm has fancied himself in something other than farming." He took off the round-rimmed glasses and sat back, giving a sour eye to the man still standing at the doorway, "If he had found a way to make a living outside of our agreement, then it's only logistical that we too, adjust the agreement to our likings."

Lily placed the ledger she had on her lap on the table and turned to the man. She suspected there to be a different side to the story too. Seeing that he had run all the way here to explain, "Other than farming, sir, what do you do?"

The man, not expecting to be addressed nor to be given a chance to counter Mr William's statement stood agape. Mr Williams had always been an imposing and formidable person after all.

"I- I sometimes teach the children of servants," he said desperately. Hurrying to finish his point before he might get interrupted by Mr Williams, he continued, "It's only once weekly and I take no money. If the share is lowered, we will starve. Miss Everard, please show mercy!"

"Teach the children?" Lily asked intrigued, "What do you teach?"

Mr Williams grunted, slamming his fist on the table, "That doesn't matter. He wasted his time on some burly good-for-nothing children instead of working on the farm like he ought to!"

"I teach them everything. Even about farming Miss," the man tried to interrupt Mr Williams, who was fuming. He figured the lady was far more influential than him, "Only on the weekends and entirely with no cost taken."

"You! How dare! Your share will be further redu-"

"Reduced?" Lily tilted her head to Mr Williams, her usually soft gaze sharp. As if taunting, daring Mr Williams to say more, "This argument already is invalid, Mr Williams. Additional support to this little teaching endeavour shall be given."

"Miss Everard!" Mr Williams was livid with humiliation, "You don't know what you are talking about! If Master Everard was here, he would have understood the effects this would have on our profits."

"I assure you on that, Mr Williams, that my brother would have done the same, so would my father." She calmly smiled, "If you had educated yourself better, you would have understood his teaching takes far less loss than the profit you pocket yourself."

Mr Williams was stupefied by that statement. He had never, not even in his dreams, imagined that this girl would be able to look through his careful adjustments in the ledgers.

Lily signed the book she was reviewing as Mr Williams stormed off, probably and preferably embarrassed.

She had to come back tomorrow to finish the other books, but today, she already had enough, "So, Is there a class today, sir?"

"There is," he said airily, letting his unexpected victory sink in, "Thank you! I would forever be grateful for your support."

Lily laughed, amused by his response, "You have nothing to be grateful for. I merely did what was best for our estate." she said, "Well, I shouldn't be keeping you up from your students."

However, the man's feet were frozen still, watching Lily with rapt admiration as she placed the ledgers back on the shelf.

"Would-" The man stuttered while trying his hardest to speak properly, "Would you like to visit, Miss Everard? The children would very much love it."

Lily's smirk grew genuine before she turned and beamed at him, "Why of course, I'd love to, Mr Hawsberg."

"Jerry, Miss Everard. Jerry Hawsberg."

.......................................

The life of Mrs Lemming had become hectic and draining after her husband died. Mr Lemming's work on the coal mining company had been given to her son, and they had finally earned enough to hold themselves up, but she couldn't even entertain the thought of leaving her odd jobs.

She had far too much time on her hand and not so much to use it for. So, she threw herself into work, only coming home when she was too exhausted to even function properly after.

"Mum?" A deep voice sounded from the kitchen accompanied by the sound of running water.

"Ah, sorry! I fell asleep," Mrs Lemmings called out, getting up to help her son. The world tilted a bit, pushing Mrs Lemmings back on the couch.

A veil of blurry white blinded her vision, only allowing her to register a faint silhouette of a tall man who walked into the living room. He leaned on the wall with his hands crossed, watching his mother, who sat scratching her eye.

"Why don't you call it a day, mum?" the deep baritone sounded once again, "I'll finish up the supper and bring it to your room."

"My sweet boy," she smiled, holding her hands open to hug him.

The silhouette chuckled as it pushed itself off the wall and walked up to her, hugging her almost bony frame. She felt her body being picked up and made to stand against her will, which prompted a tired groan. The laughter that sounded near her ears, although deep and reverberating were coated with childish innocence, silently taking the brunt of her playful punches.

She was gently guided to her bedroom by her son while she listened to him speak of his day at the mine.

He went on, "That aside, did Mr Brown finally lose his mind? I saw him chase after that poor servant boy all around the town."

"Oh! His wife walked in on her husband with another woman," she giggled, "the boy had failed to alert him on time. It'll be a surprise if the lad was seen alive tomorrow."

Her son scoffed at that, leaving her at her bedroom doorway and walking back to the kitchen, "Handling one woman is tiring enough, he had the galls to have two?"

"Is it now?" She sat at her bedside sporting a sly smile as she called out, "how would you know? Are you seeing someone?"

"You are a woman."

"And?" His mother shot a scrutinizing look at him, knowing full well he was making trouble.

"And you are far too tiring enough."

"Andrew!" The innocent laughter flitted around the house yet again bringing the once dissolute structure a sense of home.