"You said yesterday that you understood a little of my situation," Mai prompted.

She and her cousin were quite alone in the drawing room.

"Yes, I think I do, but if you could explain it a little more fully, I might know better how to assist you."

"You think there may be some chance of—"

"Tell me the whole story, and we'll see," Mr Yasuhara said.

So Mai explained. She told her cousin how she had thought she had been to marry the other Davis brother and how she believed there to be a time pressure placed upon her.

"Well, there are three types of annulment," Mr Yasuhara said after some consideration.

"Annulment?"

"Yes, legally, this would mean that the marriage would never have taken place. Although socially, people would of course remember. It could ruin your chances of another good match."

"Would… Would it ruin my husband's too?" Mai asked.

"If you spread the rumour that he tricked you with his brother's assistance, then it would likely ruin his reputation."

"The Colonel Lin does not believe they did this to purposely fool me, but rather they both believed the other had explained the situation. It is nothing more than bad luck," Mai said. "I do not want to ruin either of them."

"Then I am sure we could avoid that if we are discrete. There are three reasons by which to get an annulment. The first is incompetence, but as you are not insane and had the full approval of your guardian, it is impossible. The second is impotence, but that will take years to prove and will leave Lord Nollington an outcast for his failure to…"

"And the third?" Mai asked quickly, not wanting to dwell.

"Fraud. Usually used if there is some mistake in the marriage contract. If the names are incorrect, or if housing is promised and then sold before it can be given."

"And there is a chance that this could prove true?"

"I think that we could argue the misunderstanding in the names," Mr Yasuhara said. "It would be tough but a good lawyer might manage it."

"And are you a good lawyer?"

"Best in my class," Mr Yasuhara said. "But it will still be tricky."

"And if we manage it?"

"Then you may return with me to London. I will take care of you."

Tears welled up in Mai's eyes.

"Thank you, Mr Yasuhara. I cannot thank you enough."

The door opened and Mai hastily wiped her eyes. Noll walked in.

"Yes, and after lunch I shall take you around some of the park," Mai said in a manner that suggested they had been speaking all along of more jovial matters.

"Stop with this farce, I can guess of what you were speaking about," Noll stated. "I have come to offer my support."

"I have no idea what—"

"Gene has already offered to show Yasuhara around the park this afternoon, to exercise the horses," Noll said. "And I overheard a little of your conversation."

"What do you mean by support?" Mr Yasuhara said.

"I will tell whoever needs to hear it that I tricked Mai into thinking I was my brother."

"But that's a lie—" Mai objected.

"A lie that will get you want you want," Noll stated. He glared at his wife for a moment. "Last night you lied to get me what I wanted. Let me return the favour."

"This is an entirely different scale—"

"I only ask that you wait a week. I have some business to take care of and will be away for a week or so. My uncle also left me a small estate in Scotland that I am selling. They want me present to oversee the handover."

"That will give us a chance to put our case together," Mr Yasuhara said. "Thank you for your support."

Noll turned to leave.

"Noll! I don't understand!" Mai said, standing up and following after her husband. "Why are you doing this?"

Noll frowned.

"This is what you want? I never meant for this marriage to cause you pain. I wish to rectify my mistake."

"I… Thank you."

Noll bowed his head, and left.

Mai turned to Mr Yasuhara and waited for him to speak, unable to form a coherent sentence of her own.

"This is good," Mr Yasuhara said. "His helping your cause will make this easier. And I am afraid his words were true, I am due to ride with Mr Davis this afternoon."

"Then I shall let you get to your appointment with him. Thank you for your help, Mr Yasuhara."

Mr Yasuhara bowed, and left.

Mai spent her afternoon with Mrs Stockton and Luna. The kittens were attempting to walk.

"I think they must be older than you first suspected," Mrs Stockton said. "I am sure the kittens I had as children did not walk for a month."

"I think you must be right."

Mai ran a single finger down the back of one of the white kittens. The poor little thing mewed pathetically.

"Luna must trust you a great deal to allow you so close to them," Mrs Stockton said.

"Luna will trust anyone that feeds her," Mai said. "I believe she has already become a close friend of the cook here."

"The cook is a good person."

"Who falls easy victim to the delights of blue eyes."

"Just like her mistress then," Mrs Stockton teased.

"What do you mean?"

"Only that Lord Nollington also has blue eyes. I heard of your kindness to him at his mother's ball."

"My kindness?" Mai felt herself growing more and more confused by the second. "What on earth do you mean?"

"Come now, Mr Davis was telling all of the kitchen staff about it. How you lied to Lady Everston so that Lord Nollington need not dance! Mr Davis told us how his brother hates dancing and how sweet it was of you to find him a reason not to."

Mai pursed her lips but did not speak. She brought the matter up at dinner. Noll had left earlier that afternoon, which meant that she dinned only with her cousin and brother-in-law. The Colonel had left with her husband.

"Mr Davis," she began, just as he had taken a large bite of his roast pork. "I found that you have been telling tales to the staff."

Mr Davis almost choked. He swallowed his mouthful.

"Well, they were kind enough to provide me with a late breakfast and were asking about how their new mistress had enamoured their master and I thought it a prime example of your goodness…"

Mai told the servants they need not stay. Once they left, she made the important communication that she and Noll would be arranging an annulment of their marriage.

"Oh…"

Mai could feel the disappointment rolling from her brother-in-law.

"I'm sorry, this is no slight on you or your family but—"

"Is it because he will not bed you?"

Yasuhara really did choke.

"I beg your pardon!" Mai put down her knife and fork. "It has nothing to do with— How dare you— At the dinner table!"

"Has he been unkind to you? Or cruel? What is it? He may be a little awkward in his civilities but he would not—"

"That may be so, and perhaps, had I been given a chance to get to know him for himself rather than thinking him you then perhaps I would have chosen him for himself! But I was not given that opportunity and he is being kind enough to release me."

Mai stood up and stormed from the room. Mr Yasuhara followed.

"Lady Nollington! Wait! Davis did not mean… He cares a great deal for his brother."

"I know that," Mai said. "I know that. But that does not mean…"

"I understand. Please, return and eat the rest of your dinner."

"I am no longer hungry."

Mai swept from the hallway and up to her bedchamber. She threw herself on her bed and sobbed into the pillow. Luna jumped up onto the bed beside her and nuzzled up against Mai, who turned onto her side and stroked her pet.

"Oh Luna, I am glad you are here."

Luna purred at the affection she was being shown. Mai continued to stroke the cat until all her tears had gone. Mrs Stockton tried to come in at one point, but Mai dismissed her for the night.

Mai went to bed that night not even accompanied by Luna, who had returned to the wicker basket to keep her kittens warm. And just for a moment, Mai wished that Noll had not left.

That she was not alone.

Author's note: Why is it so hot? Like seriously? I want it to be winter already. Please review :)