Author's note: Thank you so much to all of you who have added this to alerts. And thank you for those of you who have reviewed. I hope the rest of this doesn't disappoint, especially this chapter. You're going to start seeing other Glee characters in their Victorian personalities. Let me know what you think!

Also, a big shout-out to my best friend Lacey (actresswithoutastage on here) for helping me figure so much of this out and helping with brainstorming. She's a really smart person and has a lot of great ideas that I will be using. I strongly suggest you go over to her page and read her stories. She's pretty rock awesome, both as a writer and as a person.

Happy reading!

Chapter Two

Brittany slipped her arm through Santana's as they walked through the park.

"I don't know that this is the best idea." The dark beauty said softly, trying to slip her arm out of Brittany's grasp. "I'm your servant. And my clothes show that, especially compared to your beautiful garments."

"Oh, hush." Brittany held her fast. "You look fine. My mother is always into the best fashions for everyone in her household and you know it. Your family has been with us all your life. Your dress may be a little drab by their standards," she gestured subtly to the other people in the park, "but you are very pretty in it. Don't ever let anyone tell you differently."

Santana blushed slightly and looked around her.

Tina Cohen-Chang came up to them, giggling. She was followed by her driver, Mike. They were exactly the same in appearance and a bit of a rarity in this part of the world. But Tina's father was a wealthy silk merchant in China and her mother was one of his favorite mistresses. He had never made any qualms about it either. He was proud of his daughter and wanted the best for her.

He sent her to England to have the best education his money could buy and had sent with her all his trusted Chinese servants. British servants didn't understand all her needs the way the Chinese servants did.

Of course, everyone knew Tina and Mike were having an affair. No one had ever questioned it. They just wrote it off as something "the Chinese did." They sneered that they wanted to keep it in their own race and they were glad for it.

Brittany was one of the only people who ever treated Tina with the respect she deserved. She was a smart girl. They had attended the same school for many years and Brittany, not being the smartest girl, had envied the girl her intelligence and exotic features.

"Tina." She greeted kindly. "How are you?"

"I'm fabulous, Brittany, thank you." She kissed the other girl on both cheeks. "Isn't it a beautiful afternoon?"

"It's boiling." Brittany said with a laugh. "Why are you in such a good mood?"

"I just got a letter from my mother. My father is going to bring her with him when he comes home in a few months. She'll finally get to see where I've been living all these years."

Brittany pulled her into an enthusiastic hug. "Oh, congratulations, Tina. I know you've been missing her."

"I haven't been home in so long. I miss it. And Father's been in China so much longer this time, it seems."

"I'm sorry you have to live away from them."

She smiled sadly, "I am too. But just a few more months and it will seem like we're a family again. At least for a while. Perhaps I can convince Mother to stay with me here."

"Maybe." Brittany said softly.

They chatted about nonsense for a while before Tina made excuses about needing to go. They parted.

Santana said, "Does it not bother you about her relationship with her servant?"

"Should it?"

"It's not normally done. And most people are too scandalized by it to want to socialize with her."

"And where did you hear that?"

"Servants talk. Most of them servants of your sister's friends."

"My sister and her friends and everyone else in this godforsaken city always think the worst of people. Just for some youthful indiscretions, we should discredit the kindness and sincerity in someone's overall character."

"An ongoing affair isn't really a 'youthful indiscretion,' Miss Brittany." Santana said softly.

Brittany twirled her parasol as she contemplated. When she finally spoke, she said softly and slowly, "I don't think that love is a youthful indiscretion. Love is something we all feel. And I believe that when two people love each other, class and society's opinions shouldn't enter into it. Love is love. Who are we to judge?"

"I am no one. I'm just a servant."

"You are my friend." Brittany said firmly.

Santana said softly, but just as firmly, "I am just a servant. And you would do well to remember our places." It was something her mother always told her and her brothers. Even as her heart leapt within her, she feared the implications of an affair with a person of higher ranking, even someone she might love and might love her back.

They spoke with a few more of Brittany's contemporaries. Or rather, Brittany spoke with them. Santana stayed at her side and remained silent, smiling kindly.

Every time they parted, Brittany asked softly, "What's the gossip on them?"

Santana smiled and went on about affairs and blackmail and myriad other indiscretions.

And everyone who they met up with spoke of Noah Puckerman and his latest show. He had gotten horribly drunk the night before and had gone around picking fights with anyone he could. He pushed people into walls and threw ale in their faces. He and a few of his cronies always terrorized people when they drank to excess.

It really wasn't entirely his fault. He was the only son of a successful jeweler. And they were Jewish. Anti-Semitism ran wildly through the town and Noah did all he could to throw off the chains of his Jewish ancestry in public. He hated everyone thinking he was greedy and thought himself better than them. It was his way of rebelling by drinking and fighting and causing a scene at every turn.

Brittany just smiled and nodded along as everyone railed against Puckerman and his father and all the grief they brought to the town and all the money they took away from the best people.

Brittany, always the kind-hearted one to think the best of people, had befriended Noah when no one else seemed to want to. He had told her everything as they danced together at a ball one night. He explained that he never wanted to hurt anyone, but that hurting them made the hurt in himself go away.

She softly explained what she could about him to Santana. Noah had sworn her to secrecy about him being so sentimental. But Santana already knew. And she told Brittany as much.

The blonde laughed, "You just know everything, don't you?"

"I know how he feels. Because of my heritage, I feel like no one thinks much of us. And being a servant doesn't help much either."

"You could still make a decent marriage. You're pretty enough. You could marry a shop-keeper or something."

Santana opened her mouth to say something, but she didn't get a chance. Smarmy Lord Sebastian Smythe sauntered up to them. He had his younger sister on his arm. Her name was Melanie, but everyone called her Sugar. Brittany never knew how she got the nickname. Part of her thought it some need for alliteration in their family.

"Brittany Pierce." He said smoothly as he took her hand and kissed it wetly.

"Lord Sebastian." She said calmly. She shook hands with Sugar. "Hello, Sugar."

Sugar smiled sweetly and greeted Brittany. She really was a kind girl when she wanted to be. But otherwise, she had the tendency to be a little annoying. She loved her brother's money and showed it off at every turn.

It was Sugar that took over the conversation, "My brother is planning an extravagant party for my sixteenth birthday. He's pulling out all the stops and I get everything I want. I'm inviting the best of the best. And I want you to be there, Brittany. Your sister, too. You may invite anyone you want to come along. There will be plenty of food to go around."

Sebastian broke in, "I'm planning on everyone in the city stopping by, just in case." He pinched his sister's cheek, "Only the best for my favorite girl."

She smiled up at her brother and then turned to Brittany, "So you're coming, right?"

"I wouldn't miss it. But I'll have to make sure my mother is all right with it."

"You can bring her along. There will be plenty of entertainment for the older set as well. Sebastian is seeing to it."

"I can't have those old ladies getting the way of the real fun." He leaned in and whispered, "There will be plenty of dark corners, Miss Brittany. Perhaps we can meet up in one."

Brittany smiled coyly. "Lord Smythe, you jest."

He shrugged, "You'll see for yourself next Saturday."

They made their farewells and then parted with a promise that Brittany would RSVP by the morning.

As they got in the carriage to head back home, Santana said, "Danger, Miss Brittany."

"Danger?" Brittany said. "What danger?"

"He has his nose in so many people's business. I've heard he's blackmailing several members of society, including members of the House of Lords."

"Blackmail?"

"Yes. The word is that one of the main people he's bribing was caught in a compromising sexual situation. But no one knows who or what or where. And there are more than just the one, so it could be every situation imaginable. I hear that's how he got his money and his title: he knows a lot of dirt on the Lords. And several Ladies."

Brittany giggled, "Oh my. And how did you hear about this?"

"Servants talk. And his reputation isn't the best. He wouldn't care to reveal how he knew about these things because he's always at a brothel or shady party and he doesn't make it a secret that he has a healthy appetite. But these other people would suffer horribly from the news."

"He wants me." Brittany said softly.

"He does. And I'm sure he'd do anything to get you. Please, watch yourself, Brittany."

The blonde looked at her critically. Santana wasn't supposed to call her by her given name without the "miss" in front of it. Was there something more to that request?

Santana sullenly looked out the window for the entirety of the ride.

Brittany watched her as the carriage rattled through the city. She really was pretty. She'd not been lying when she said it. She just wished she could move to the other side of the carriage and pull the girl into her arms and promise her the world.

She shifted uncomfortably at that sudden thought. Why was she thinking something like that? And why was this blasted carriage moving so slowly? Her heart was racing. Her corset suddenly felt too tight. She was having trouble breathing. She clenched her teeth and worked to calm herself before Santana noticed.

When the carriage pulled up in front of her house, Brittany bolted from it. She mumbled a hurried excuse to Santana and then fled to the safety of her room. She threw herself across the bed and panted. What was going on?