Nina and Millie left the party early and headed back to their room. Millie kept glancing at Nina who was quietly humming to herself. "Hey, Nina?"

"Mmmm?" Nina replied absently.

Millie bit her bottom lip. "How long have you known Lloyd?"

Nina stopped humming and looked up at Millie's strange question. "WellI met him about five minutes before we arrived at the party."

"Where were you before you came to the party?"

Nina was slightly uncomfortable at this line of questioning, but then again, the man was Millie's soon to be husband. It was only natural that she be curious. "We were in the room." When Millie looked at her confused, she elaborated. "I was in our room when he barged in the garden doors."

"What were you two doing?"

Nina scratched her head. "We were talking about my theory. He asked if I was having fun. I recognized him and told him what I was doing. He seemed genuinely interested so I went into more detail. Next thing I knew he was looking at my research over my shoulder. Strange thoughI couldn't figure out how he could see the calculations without his glasses."

"What do you mean without his glasses?" Millie asked surprised.

Nina shrugged. "He took off his glasses." Millie's jaw dropped. "What?"

"He took off his glasses in front of you?"

Nina nodded. "Why should that matter?"

"No one and I mean no one has seen him without his glasses." Nina went to interrupt so Millie held up her hand to stop her. "Ever since he got those glasses as a child, he has refused to take them off in the presence of anyone. Not even his family has seen his eyes without them since he got them."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm sure someone has seen him without his glasses."

"Not even his team hasI should know, I've asked."

"Ohhh," Nina said under her breath. "Then why would h…?"

Millie shrugged. "My guess is that he likes you."

Nina shook her head. "Not possible." Millie was shocked. "Why would he want me when he has someone like you? Be logical…you're the better choice."

"Now who's being ridiculous?" Millie couldn't believe Nina had just said that. Nina was a beautiful young girl who had an IQ that could rival Lloyd, not to mention, she had a wit to match. There was a lot that Nina apparently didn't see…even with her glasses. "Lloyd doesn't care about me…not like that. The only reason we are getting married is because our parents are making us. I'm sure he would refuse if I had someone that I really cared about. So unless I find someone special before the wedding day, he will go through with it."

"Why would he do that?"

"Just so that his parents would leave him alone long enough for him to continue his work."

"What if he finds someone?"

"He will still marry me. His parents can be very annoying." Millie shrugs. "Oh well, that's the life of an Earl."

Nina gasped. "He's an Earl. Oh dear! I didn't know that."

Millie smiled. "Calm down, not many people do know that he's an Earl. He really doesn't care about that. That's why he goes by Lloyd. This way they take his work seriously instead of just saying it's good because of his rank."

"That's a great idea in theory, BUT I COULD LOSE MY HEAD FOR NOT ADDRESSING HIM BY HIS TITLE!" Nina yelled. "I am soooo going to hit him the next time I see him."

Millie laughed at the sight of little Nina fuming. Didn't she realize that she was more likely to lose her head if she hit him? Then again, Nina may have been brilliant, but she had moments of phenomenal stupidityusually over the smallest of things.

Millie waited a few moments for Nina to calm down. "Now listen to me okay. Don't hit Lloyd. If you really want to throw him for a loopkiss him."

"NOOOOO!" Nina covered her face with her hands as she felt heat rising on her cheeks. "I couldn't do that."

"Why not? I'm sure he wouldn't stop you."

Nina took a deep breath. "One, he's engagedto you. Two, I don't know him all that well. Three, I couldI repeat lose my head. Fourwell this list could go on forever so I'm gonna skip the rest."

Millie shook her head and continued walking the rest of the way to the room. As they approached, they noticed a delivery man leaving their room. "Wonder what's up?"

Nina shrugged. "It's probably for you. I never get deliveries."

"I guess so." Millie opened the door to find a stack of books and a bouquet of roses. "Nopethese are yours. I never get books," she picked one up and looked at the cover, "especially written by Lloyd."

Nina grabbed the book. It was a copy of Lloyd's latest book. The rest of the books were other one's that he had written. There was also a stack of papers on her bed. She grasped a page and glanced at it to find the calculations Lloyd must have used in his last project. "Wow!"

Nina sat down and began reading the top book. Millie grabbed the roses and looked at them. "You better put those in water."

"They're yours," Nina said absently.

"No."

Nina looked at Millie. "What do you mean no?"

"These are from Lloyd. They are from his personal garden. I have never gotten even so much as it's nice to see you from him, so he wouldn't be giving me flowers from his garden. Besides my name isn't Nina."

Nina jumped up. "I got flowers. Wait! You couldn't have started with the fact that my names on the card! You didn't have to go through the hole they are from his garden spiel." Nina realized what she said. "These are from Lloyd?" Millie nodded. "Why is he sending me flowers and how did they get here so fast?"

Millie rolled her eyes. "Read the card. As for how they got here so fast; his family staff would shoot themselves in the head if they thought it would please him."

"Okay then." Nina grabbed the card and saw a beautiful script. "Such nice handwriting."

"He does have excellent penmanship." Millie headed for the door. "I think I'm gonna go back to the party. It's not like you'll notice once you start reading anyway."

"Bye." Nina sat down on the edge of her bed, careful not to disturb the notes. She opened the card. Nina, I am giving you every copy of every book I have ever written and the notes for my last project. I am sure you already determined this. If you ever want to discuss any of it, call me at 937-3498. This is my personal number. Call anytime. Lloyd. Nina smiled to herself. She smelled the roses and realized that she didn't have a vase for them. "I guess I can borrow one of Millie's."

Nina had searched the room for five minutes before she found one big enough to hold all the roses. Once she had them in the vase properly, she placed them on her nightstand. She picked up her phone and dialed the number on the card.