AN: Thank you for the encouraging response. You are why this next part came so fast. This is in Daniel Humphrey's point of view, so you will see many references to titles and stature.

Part 2

Daniel Humphrey sat with one leg crossed over the other, his lips pursed as he took down the details as Lord Bartholomew enumerated. He nodded at the right moments, and murmured agreement whenever it seemed that the older gentleman needed him to. In fact, with all fairness, Daniel knew that he was the best and most qualified secretary that the duke had ever hired.

It was not arrogance, even. Daniel was well aware of his talents and worked very hard so that such a powerful man would notice him from the ranks. After all, there were seven other secretaries hired when he was. Yet after eight months of working for the Bass household, Daniel now remained to be the only one of those young men, all graduates of the prestigious University that the son and heir also attended, who broke through the invisible line and was now privy to many of the duke's more important businesses.

Daniel had even been the first of the secretaries to learn about the real reason that Lord Charles was suddenly shipped to America.

It was therefore only reasonable that he, the son of a mere musician and a humble painter, from the poorer side of town, impressed the ton enough to earn a scholarship and eventually make his way to the finest household of the city.

The door of the study swung open. Daniel turned his head and saw the younger Bass stride in. He was surprised at the sight, because Lord Charles often slept until mid afternoon during the Season.

"Your grace, may I have a word?" Lord Charles asked his father.

Daniel rose from his seat, prepared to step outside. The duke waved him back down. "No need to leave, Mr Humphrey. This will be brief. Continue your notations." Daniel made his way to a smaller desk to the side of the room, and started typing up Lord Bartholomew's dictation. "Yes, Charles?" inquired the duke.

Charles barely spared a glance at the secretary. "I'm leaving for France, father. Today."

Daniel looked up and noted the duke's brows drew together. "Today?" the old man repeated. "This was not in my plan."

"It's in mine now," Charles insisted. "I would appreciate it if you will wire some of my funds over."

Bartholomew turned towards Daniel and gave a curt nod. Daniel immediately responded, "Right away, your grace."

"Should I ask?"

Charles shook it. "It's a matter I wish to keep private for now."

"Very well," Bartholomew decided. "You shall have the money, as well as Mr Humphrey to accompany you."

Daniel kept his grimace from emerging, aware that such a reaction would be the very thing that could get him dismissed. Instead, he bowed his head.

"I have no need for Humphrey, your grace," Charles easily replied.

"Well, I have need of Mr Humphrey to go with you."

Charles' voice dropped. "You don't trust me."

Daniel saw Bartholomew turn to him and wave his hand. He rose from the desk and exited the study. His legs took him up the stairs. Daniel stopped at the top, where the corridor split between the left wing and the right wing. He looked around to ensure that he was not followed or observed. The servants lived on the first floor, just behind the kitchen. Other help, such as he, lived in the right wing of the house. He, other secretaries, and the stepson's tutor had their own rooms and could move about in freedom there. Daniel turned left and walked quickly, lest a chambermaid see him where he did not belong.

He laid his palm flat on the door and took a deep breath. Four months from the first day he had done this and he was still nervous at such proximity. Daniel rapped on the door. It opened slightly, and she peeked. Daniel smiled. Her hair was down, her face bare of rice powder or rouge. Miss van der Woodsen looked like an angel. She smiled at him in welcome, and pulled the door open wider. She wrapped her hand around his wrist and pulled him inside. Once the door was closed behind him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.

"I wasn't expecting you until five," she exclaimed.

"Your brother bought us time. And we need time," he told her. "I'm being sent to France to accompany him."

"You," she said breathlessly.

"I wish I could say no. I do not want to be apart from you."

She smiled, then cupped his face with her hands. "No, no! This is wonderful news. You have been chosen out of an army of the duke's secretaries. The more he trusts you, the better for us when we finally break the news."

He smiled at her words, and then rested his forehead on hers. "But it's the Season. You will have admirers flocking around you in each party."

"Flock they may like the vultures they are," Serena mouthed, placing kisses on Daniel's jaw. "They're dandies. I already have a man."

Daniel snorted. "Your father's secretary."

She nodded. Serena placed her hands on his chest. "Hardworking, intelligent and handsome."

"Miss van der Woodsen—"

She swatted his chest. "You are not introducing me in a Society party."

"Serena," he amended, and she nodded in satisfaction, "I'm not sure how this can work. I'm a secretary."

She pulled him towards the bed and sat him down. "You mentioned that."

"Your father is Lord Bartholomew Bass, Duke of Devonshire."

Serena folded her arms across her chest, pushing her breasts together. Daniel eyes flickered to the crevice it created. He swallowed.

"Stepfather," she corrected.

Daniel took a deep breath. "And your stepbrother, despite the fact that he acts nothing like it, is a marquis."

She gave him a lopsided grin. "Because it doesn't matter to us. I don't know why it should matter to you. Chuck was born into this. I wasn't even born into this. Neither was Eric. I mean, sure, we were wealthy, but this kind of life only happened when my mother married the duke."

Daniel shook his head. "You can only say it doesn't matter to you because you're you. I'm on the opposite side, and I can tell you—it matters. It matters a lot."

She collapsed onto the bed right beside where he was seated, and sighed. "I'm so weary of this conversation, Daniel! In the four months we have been together, three of them were spent on this very conversation."

He lay back on the bed, then turned to his side so that he was facing her. He reached to cover her hand in his. "I'm sorry."

She turned her head to face him, then met his lips for a kiss. "Let's not speak of it anymore." Serena closed her eyes to surrender to the kiss. When she pulled away, she smiled at him. "Do you know the purpose of this trip?" He shook his head. "Chuck is going to France to retrieve Lady Blair, Lord Nathaniel's betrothed." She gave him a prim smile. "You must not tell him that I've told you," she cautioned, "lest suspects."

He raised her hand to his lips. "I'll be back. And I hope by my return, you are still an unmarried woman. Don't fall in love with a dandy, alright?"

"I will wait for you, mister secretary," she answered.

Two hours later, Daniel found himself standing on the steamship beside Lord Charles Bass, marquis of Hartington. Daniel had made this trip before, yet this was the first he had experienced such as this. People milled about them and gave them a wide berth, completely different from his experience of bumping into others people in a cramped space.

When the captain found out about the nobleman on board, he had come himself to welcome Charles. With the steamship line being the only way to ferry from England to France, Daniel suspected that the crew encountered more noble folk each day than could be counted by hand. Then again, there were very few noblemen of Charles Bass' stature.

And so he thought back to Serena. He sighed.

"My lord, would you tell me now what we are going to do in France, so I may prepare?"

Lord Bass turned his head to face him, and Daniel was surprised by the amusement in his eyes. "Do you honestly expect me to believe, Humphrey, that my beautiful sister hasn't apprised you of the entire story?"

Daniel held his breath. "I am not aware—"

"Look, Humphrey, this will be a long trip, and you will be working for me," Charles said. "You will get to know me. Once you do, you will understand that I know everything, especially a scandalous affair that's taking place in my own house."

Daniel regarded the marquis warily. "My lord—"

"My father will not hear it from my lips."

The secretary released a relieved breath. "Thank you, my lord." He looked back out to the dock, which was now growing smaller as the steamship moved. "So, my lord, how does one extract a noblewoman from her family's grasp?" Charles turned a wry look at him, and Daniel stuttered, realizing how the question could be misinterpreted. "I am certain people keep a close watch on Lady Blair. I hear she is quite the heiress."

"Don't worry. Another thing you will learn about me, Humphrey. I am very resourceful," Charles assured him.

tbc

AN: Next chapter, we all finally meet Lady Blair.