"You don't regret it?"

No. Not a thing. He tells me he loves me and I believe him. My fingers traced the patterns in the air, the patterns I knew so well now.

"…why?"

Well, why shouldn't I?

"You're…you're telling me you don't know?"

Know what?

"Oh…oh, nothing. Nothing at all." Yet her voice was strained, uncomfortable and a bit neurotic.

Jane, when you get like this it's obvious. You're hiding something. My feet brushed the soft grass that bent underneath my feet, swaying and bobbing as if they were listening and watching our conversation.

"N…no. It is nothing of importance, Elaine. I…I only found out some rather unpleasant information about that lovely man of yours, Mr. Andrews. You would faint to hear it, my lady." Jane glanced at me, leaning closer and brushing my hair out of my face. "But I have better news than that."

I wanted to protest. I wanted to hear this 'unpleasant' piece of gossip. Nothing would make me fall out of love with Arthur. But I concentrated on her 'better news' instead of demurring her. Oh? What?

"Mr—a…ah…! No, he told me to call him Timothy—yes, Timothy said h-he wanted to dance with me four times yesterday! Oh, Elaine, don't you know what that means?!"

I forced myself to look indifferent and unconcerned, my dreary, desolate eyes grey and lugubrious. What?

The expression on her face after watching my hand motions was more than priceless. Her rosy red lips parted as if she was about to say something. My own lips twitched with amusement, but I continued to keep my scowl on my face, so it would seem to others my dear sister was telling me some odious details.

"Why, my Elaine, I thought you were a lady! I thought you had decorum! Surely you understand the meaning behind four dances!"

My sibling truly was dense sometimes, was she not? My blue eyes glistened with malice as I stared threateningly at her.

That was before, Jane. After the carriage crash, I became nothing! I am no longer a lady! Arthur makes me feel the way I used to before, when I could speak and smile without having the fear that one will find me ugly because of my once lustrous eye!

Silence greeted me as Jane's gaze fixed itself unto me.

"Not a lady…anymore…? You don't mean he's taken…your innocence?"

My…innocence? My psyche slowly absorbed the meaning of what she had just said.

As soon I perceived what she had meant, my face grew red and flushed, my eyes widening with trepidation and repugnance. What?! Of course not! What are you talking about, imbecile? Have your brains been obliterated by your love for Timothy?

"You're not in denial, right?" There was no hint of teasing in her voice as those round brown orbs pierced me. "You-"

What the hell is wrong with you? I have not been with him! My hands fluttered to my side, pulling up my dress ever so slightly as I strode angrily away from her and into the tiny house we called home. I could hear the feathered birds singing and twittering above my head, as if they were laughing and mocking me.

As soon as I had shoved the unlatched door open, I was crushed by powerful, muscular arms.

"Elaine!"

Damn. My hope that I would not be bothered after leaving Jane alone in the garden was erroneous, no? I gasped weakly, the urge, the yearning to be able to utter statements burst from my heart, swirling through my veins as I struggled to breath.

Dammit! It's Timothy! I swore inwardly, still struggling against the force of the embrace.

"Ah…Sorry! You're the one who can't talk, right? I apologize, I was wondering why you weren't complaining about my hug!" Timothy's arms unraveled themselves from my body, and I collapsed to the ground, eagerly inhaling the precious oxygen from the air that I had been deprived of a few seconds ago.

I unsteadily pushed my arms against the wall behind me and stood on unstable legs, my eyes travelling over his body and examining him. He wasn't built like his brother, who was considerably shorter. His eyes were blue, not unlike mine. His hair was more orderly, but still that same ravishing hue of blonde. Ah…

"Where's Jane?" His voice broke me off from my train of thoughts.

I gave a noncommittal shrug of my shoulders and pointed at the door I had entered through. He nodded. "Then thanks girl I'm gonna go now bye" he said rapidly, the words pouring out like a waterfall lunging downwards. I blinked.

That was fast. And quite unlike a proper Englishman…

Then I left.

Everything was quiet as I slipped outside, again in nothing but socks and an elaborate green nightgown. The stars cast their lights down at me, like searchlights raining down from the heavens. I breathed in the sweet scent of the atmosphere, the newly planted roses' scents mixing and becoming a saccharine fragrance.

I dared not to make a noise, out of fear someone would be hiding in the bushes would leap out and frighten me half to death.

But only one would be.

Arthur.

I placed my socked foot on a nearby bench as I threw my arms backwards, staring up at the wide disc hanging above me. Shining dots of light sparkling all around it.

A ballroom fit for the gods.

"You came."

A rustling of a nearby camellia shrub surprised me. I whipped around, my long brown braid striking my face. I winced at the brief, sharp pain as I continued to swivel around, looking for that man.

That man.

But the bush I knew that had given off that susurrus held no figure as I focused my eyes on those florid flowers.

"No, I don't think you'll see that boy t'night, sweetie. He ain't there anyways."

…that wasn't his accent…

"Sweetie, st'p lookin' 'round. Ain't anywhere. I'm behind you."

I spun on my heel, my ostentatious gown fluttering around my knees. I opened my mouth, though I knew it was useless.

A man who looked remarkably like my lover beamed at me. Lured in by his charismatic, exuberant aura, I took a pace forwards. His strange, stunning silver eyes were so...irresistible.

"Uh-uh, sweet. Thought you were Arthur's." The mystifying person gave me another winsome smile. "My name is Acheron. Acheron Andrews. Cous'n of ol' Artie's."

Where is Arthur? Without thinking, I signed my question to him.

"Eh. Ou' and 'bout. Anyways…gotta tell ya something, sweetiekins. C'mere." Acheron beckoned, his…

Silky fingers…coated in black…glimmering luxuriously under that moonlight…I growled softly under my breath. Are you that drunkard that killed my mother?

Acheron snorted. "Tha' weren't me. Arthur. He ain't the gentleman ya think he is, sweet." He rocked his body back and forth. "Y'know…he…"

I raised a brown eyebrow treacherously. Yes?

He took a breath, seemingly unwilling to gaze at me. "Nothin'. It's nothin'."

His steps died away in the ethereal blackness of the night. I gritted my diamond-white teeth together, glowering hostilely at where he had vanished.

Am I so untrustworthy, God?