"So how are things with you, Blaine?" Lord Anderson asked nonchalantly. He was making a big show of pretending the tension between them was non-existent, stirring his tea slowly and not looking Blaine in the eyes.

"Fine, Father," Blaine curtly answered. His father never usually cared enough to ask him how he was feeling so he knew the man had some hidden motive. They both took sips of their tea and there was an awkward silence as they each placed their cups back down until Blaine cleared his throat.

"How is Rachel?" his father asked.

"Why don't you tell me father, after all, didn't you take a walk with her earlier today?" Blaine replied.

Lord Anderson frowned at the abruptness with which his son had addressed him. When he had asked him to join him for this meeting he had expected to have the upper hand and catch Blaine off guard, but it seemed Blaine had come with his own weapons at the ready.

"I did. We discussed you at great length, actually. She told me you have been nothing but a gentleman to her so far."

"Ah, I do so love when you discuss me with other people behind my back, father."

"I had to be sure you were on the right path. From the sounds of things, Rachel is still very happy with this engagement. But there is still one thing which troubles me."

"And what is that?" Blaine asked, trying not to let his worry show through his bravado.

"You do not seem very affectionate with her. I never see the two of you with less than a foot of space between you. It is very strange – for two young people supposedly so in love."

Blaine could see his father's brain turning, trying to find the right thing to say to trip Blaine up and get him to confess to something bad. He didn't know what his father knew and he trusted wholeheartedly that his mother had not told him anything but that didn't mean he wasn't still being ruled by his suspicions. His very accurate suspicions.

"We do not like public affection, some things are better left private."

"Hmm…" his father murmured, nodding his head and leaning back in his chair. "Have you kissed her?"

The question caught Blaine off guard and he choked on his sip of tea. He coughed and spluttered for a while until he could compose himself enough to look at his father properly. "What kind of question is that?"

"A rather simple one. Have you kissed her?"

Blaine could only stare in silence. He knew the longer he waited the more his father's doubt would grow but he could not seem to get any words out. Just say yes, Blaine! Say yes!

"I… We…"

"There is no need for this, Blaine. I already know the answer. I asked Rachel the same question and after she finished floundering just like you she spun an elaborate story about being under the stars for the most romantic first kiss anyone has ever had. Bleh. I know a liar when I see one, I was trained well long ago by my very own son keeping his sordid love affair with another man secret from me for months."

Lord Anderson pushed himself up so that he was standing above Blaine in his chair. He looked down at his only son with pity before declaring, "I have moved the wedding up. We will be having it here, instead of when we get home. The invitations are being written as we speak and they will be sent off tomorrow. One month today, Blaine. September 30th."

Lady Anderson was contemplating what she was going to say to her husband. She paced back and forth in their bedroom, waiting for him to return from his meeting with their son. She knew he would not be in a good mood when he returned and so she had to think of the best way to go about things. She sat down to calm her racing heart and placed her hand over her chest. The door opened with a bang and she looked up startled. As predicted, her husband was red in the face and visibly shaking.

"Darling…"

"I do not want to hear it. He has been told he has one month until he will marry her. No discussion."

Lady Anderson's lips twisted as she tried to hold her tongue. "Perhaps we should not force them like this, it is more likely to end badly if we do," she said, feeling her husband's glare from where she was looking down at her hands.

"If I do not marry them now, he will find some way of weaselling himself out of it. Just like every other time we have tried to find him a wife. He is twenty-five for god sake! This is the closest he has ever come."

Lady Anderson flinched at his language but didn't comment. "Is this Rachel girl really who you want as a part of this family?"

"I would take anyone if it meant he could start churning out heirs. Do you realise how close my younger brother is to taking all of this away from us? He already has four sons and nine grandsons. We have nothing!"

Lady Anderson flinched again feeling like the blame was being placed upon her shoulders for not being able to have any more children after Blaine. She steeled her nerve and looked at him. "I do not think she is right for him. She is ambitious and uncouth. She acts like she loves him but I know she is only after his money and titles for herself."

"What maid is not ambitious and looking to marry a wealthy man? She is not one in a million! You did not exactly marry for love!"

She felt like she had been slapped at the reminder of her arranged marriage to the man before her. Back when it had first been arranged, she had protested against it with everything she had but it had been set in stone by their parents. She had been told her entire future was to be dedicated to carrying on the Anderson family line and being a dutiful wife to her husband and mother to her many, many children. But it had not worked out that way once she had been told she could no longer conceive after Blaine's difficult birth. There was no way she was ever going to watch her only child go through a loveless marriage and a miserable life to boot. She had been onboard with this whole arrangement at first, she had been excited to finally find someone Blaine might actually like after all of his previous failed attempts at courting and the whole fiasco with Jeremiah. But she now realised exactly what it was that he wanted, exactly what would make him happy. Kurt. How could she tell her husband that?

"Then if all women are the same, maybe we should call this engagement off and let him at least find one himself who he can actually stand. Even if it takes time. Lord knows he will have a much easier life than either of us."

Lord Anderson glared at his wife. He brought his hands together and closed his eyes in an effort to calm himself but he could feel he was too wound up to try. He walked over to the door and placed his hand on the handle before turning back and saying one word to her.

"No."

Mercedes had been tasked with looking after Rachel for the day, an arduous task if there ever was one. Abella had taken to bed with a summer cold and she had entrusted Mercedes with making sure Rachel made it to her singing lesson on time and to her afternoon tea with her mother and Lady Anderson.

Mercedes tried to block out the screeching of Rachel's singing voice as she helped her into her clothes for the day. She questioned mentally how the two siblings could be so unbelievably different to one another. Kurt was her very best friend and Rachel was, at best, an annoyance. She had to sit through several awful hours of Rachel practicing for her upcoming lesson, during which she wished she had some form of plug for her ears. She could feel a headache coming on and she prayed it would turn into the same cold Abella had so she too could just go to bed and hide.

When it came time for tea, she stood on the outskirts of the room dutifully waiting to be called upon. She tried her hardest to let her mind wander and not eavesdrop on the conversation between the women but when she heard Kurt's name mentioned she couldn't help but listen in.

"Well, I think Kurt is a wonderful young man," Lady Anderson said, smiling brightly at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth blushed softly, looking as beautiful as ever. "Thank you, My Lady."

"And he and Blaine seem to be getting along well," Lady Anderson continued. Mercedes did not miss the uncomfortable twitch in Rachel's eyes. "I do believe they are already as close as brothers."

"My Lady, Kurt speaks very highly of your son. Just the other day he was telling me how accomplished he is at the piano. They have been practicing together, I thought Kurt was excellent but I think maybe Blaine is teaching him a thing or two," Elizabeth said.

Mercedes had to hide her mouth with her hand to cover up her smirk. She pretended to cough to save herself, knowing full well Blaine had taught Kurt a few things up in that piano room, but they weren't to do with music. Kurt had told her everything in vivid detail – sometimes too vivid.

"Do you think Kurt would enjoy some time in the city? There are many different avenues for a man with the talents he has, he does not have to stay here. He could learn from some of the most respected musicians out there. He could gain experience he never could have dreamed of," Lady Anderson said, daintily taking a bite of her finger sandwich while Elizabeth blinked in surprise at her offer.

"I think he would like that, My Lady. But he must stay here at Lanhydrock and prepare for his future. He will take over one day and he needs to be read-"

"Nonsense." Lady Anderson waved her hand. "I am sure your husband still has many years left in him. Kurt will not have to worry about such things for a long time. Let him explore a little bit before he is tied down to this place forever. Let him have a life."

Everyone in the room stared at her in shock. Rachel looked horrified at the thought of Kurt coming with them when they left for Blaine's home. Was she expected to marry Blaine and just sit aside knowing that he was sleeping with her brother? Did Lady Anderson even know what was going on between them?

"My Lady, I do not think Kurt would want to leave Lanhydrock. This is his home, he loves it here. He has always been much more connected to this place than I have," Rachel confessed, pleading with her eyes for Blaine's mother to reconsider.

"Oh psh, it would only be for a year. He can stay with us and utilise all of the opportunities we have at hand. We will return him to you next Christmas, he will be a new man."

Elizabeth did not want to lose both of her children at the same time, but she had to admit that Kurt would probably thrive in the city. He was such a hard-working and kind boy and she knew he would be so grateful for the chance to learn music from a more distinguished teacher than the one they had now. She had never worried about Kurt being alone, he had always been very independent and she always thought that one day things would just fall into place and he would fall in love and marry. Going to the city, however, he could meet someone sooner. He could even come back with a wife and their futures could all be secure at Lanhydrock thanks to his children.

"I will speak with him and see if it is something he would be open to," Elizabeth said.