The castle was rather quiet when Monty was away.
It couldn't be helped.
Phoebe and Sibella didn't have much in common besides their love for the Earl of Highhurst.
Sibella hated the silence, whereas Phoebe relished in it, and would spend hours upon hours reading.
Sibella wanted parties, balls, champagne, and Phoebe shied away from all that.
Sibella loved pink whereas Phoebe loved blue.
To some, it would seem that they were opposites.
But as Sibella sat across from Phoebe, who was invested in her book, she thought that the women must have something else in common besides their admiration and love for Monty.
Sibella, after finishing her drink, glanced at the brunette.
"What are you reading?" she summoned up the courage and energy to ask.
Phoebe looked up, a bit dazed at being pulled away from her story.
"Shakespeare," she said simply.
"Is it good?" asked the blonde.
Phoebe nodded eagerly, "Oh, yes. I think Shakespeare is brilliant. Have you ever read him?"
Sibella shook her head. "No. I haven't had much time for reading."
"Oh, you should. Here, you can borrow my book," said the brunette giving her the leather bound book.
Sibella gave her a small smile, and Phoebe returned in.
"I love his sonnets," she remarked to the blonde. "They are just so divine."
"I will read this as soon as I can," said Sibella gratefully as she glanced over at the book.
A few moments of silence fell over the two women for a bit.
"I wish Monty was as infatuated with me as he is with you," suddenly Phoebe blurted out.
Sibella looked up from the book of Shakespeare, startled at the exclamation.
"Oh, Phoebe… he loves you just as much as he loves me," she started.
"No, he doesn't. You're prettier than me, and I don't blame him for being more in love with you than with me." The brunette's eyes were downcast.
Sibella leaned towards her, "Phoebe, Monty loves you so much."
"He loves you more," she insisted.
Sibella sighed. "He doesn't. It just seems that way. We've known each other for so long, we know everything about each other. But that doesn't mean that he loves me more than you. He glows when he talks about you."
"He does?" Phoebe looked up.
The blonde nodded.
"Of course, how could he not?"
Phoebe smiled at that.
"I guess he really does love both of us," she mused softly.
The blonde nodded in agreement, "Yes, I guess he does."
"And I would be safe in assuming that we should be spending more time with each other, with Monty," said the brunette.
Sibella nodded. "Yes, that is a safe assumption," she said, knowing how Monty would let neither of them go. He loved them both too much to do that.
Phoebe glanced up at her after her answer, and then made a sudden move, and pressed her lips against the blonde's, only for a moment.
The blonde was stunned, but the kiss was over before she had a chance to really react.
"We should probably get more comfortable with each other, since it seems that we are bound to be in each other's futures," said Phoebe. "Wouldn't you agree, Mrs. Holland?"
Sibella, after a moment, nodded in agreement.
"Yes, yes I daresay we should, Mrs. Navarro," she concluded.
Phoebe smiled at her, and held Sibella's hand in her own.
Sibella grinned.
"I must say, Phoebe, I didn't peg you for one to be so scandalous," she teased her.
Phoebe blushed.
"I just want us to all get along," she explained.
Sibella smiled.
"I think that can be arranged."
Phoebe smiled back at her.
"Mrs. Navarro, I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," said the blonde.
"Partnership," said Phoebe.
The blonde nodded.
"Partnership." she agreed.
THE END