"Mr Lin told me of your activities last night."
Mai had barely sat down to break her fast when Lord Pembridge spoke.
"That I noticed a fire in the West Wing?"
"Yes, he mentioned the fire. It seems to me, Lady Astley, that you were sent here to vex me. First with your insinuations and now with your night time wanderings."
"I had been told someone had died in that part of the house, and if someone was in there, hence the fire, I wanted only to save them from that—"
"And in doing so, you put yourself at risk."
"I have no family to mourn me, Lord Pembridge, your servants do."
"I have no desire to walk around my own house and find you dead in it. If you continue on these ridiculous night time excursions, I will be forced to find you alternative accommodation."
Mai stood suddenly.
"Forgive me, my Lord, I find I am no longer in possession of an appetite."
"Lady Astley—"
But Mai had left the room. She changed into boots and a suitable coat for the weather and marched out of the house.
She bumped into Takigawa halfway around the garden.
"Good morning, Lady Astley? And how do you fair on this fine morn?"
"I do not much wish to talk of my feelings right at this moment. Tell me about the plants."
"I was about to attend to the greenhouse, if you would like to join me?"
"Yes, very much so."
Takigawa escorted Mai to the greenhouse and gave her a quick tour.
"The orangery is through that door, it was extended to create this greenhouse. Apart from the citrus trees, we also have several pineapple plants. I do believe this Christmas we might actually have one large enough to serve."
"How exciting!" Mai exclaimed. "I have only had pineapple once, I look forward to trying it again."
Takigawa smiled.
"And here, I have the herbs that Ayako, sorry, I mean Miss Matsuzaki, loves so dearly."
"She is our cook, I believe?"
"Yes, have you not met her?"
"Only briefly. She is friends with Miss Mori."
"Yes, a dangerous pair, those two."
"You are fond of Miss Matsuzaki?"
Takigawa blushed.
"She is a fine woman."
"Mr Takigawa, I do believe you care quite deeply for her!"
"I care for a great many people, Lady Astley."
"Does she not return your affections?"
"She could do better than the likes of me. Besides, if she were to marry, she would feel obliged to give up her position, and she worked very hard to reach it."
Mai fell silent.
"I am sorry, my Lady, I did not mean—"
"Think nothing of it, it was not your words, but the truth behind them. Women often have to give things up for matrimony. If Miss Matsuzaki chose to marry, it would be a great loss to this household. It would be hard to replace her. In a way, I envy her. I wish I had been brought up to learn a skill that it would be a shame to no longer use once married."
"My Lady?"
"I was brought up to learn to sing and play at piano and dance and the like, but none of my skills are valuable in the way that Miss Matsuzaki's are to this household. No one would pay me to sing or dance or embroider a slipper. They are meant only as idle amusement to attract a husband before I birth him children."
"A lady is also head of the household, is she not? Would you not have a great deal of control and responsibility in how the house is run?"
"Yes, I suppose that is true. And yet I feel as if it would only be noted if I did poorly."
Mai sighed and looked around at the plants.
"Forgive me," she said after a few moments, "I am a little out of sorts today. I am lucky to be in the position I am, even if Lord Pembridge does want rid of me."
"Rid of you, my Lady?"
"He has hinted that I should find another abode."
It was Takigawa's turn to fall silent.
"I would be sad to see you go," he said finally.
"Thank you. Perhaps I should finish my walk and leave you to your work. Thank you again, Mr Takigawa."
Mai left the greenhouse and continued her walk around the grounds of Harker Hall. She lingered for some time around the lake situated behind the property. It was not quite cold enough for the water to have frozen, but the area was devoid of green life nonetheless.
Eventually, she returned to the house. She kept to her own rooms and re-read the books she had purchased. When it was time for dinner, she did not attend.
A maid came knocking, asking if she planned to join Lord Pembridge to which she replied in the negative.
Some ten minutes or so later, Lord Pembridge himself came knocking.
"Lady Astley, you must join me at dinner."
"I am feeling quite unwell and desire to stay here," she said through the doorway.
"Lady Astley—"
"Do you know anything of a lady's monthly cycle, Lord Pembridge?"
She heard a feminine gasp from outside the door, perhaps a maid was waiting with Lord Pembridge.
"I apologise. I will have food sent to you. Good evening, Lady Astley."
Mai relaxed as his footsteps led away from her door. The maid from before returned with food.
"Thank you," Mai said, resigned to the meal.
"The Lord also requested that I bring you anything else you need, my Lady."
"Oh, I am not truly indisposed, I just wanted him to leave me be."
The maid stifled a laugh.
Mai played off avoiding Lord Pembridge for a few more days under the excuse of being on her monthlies. The man obviously knew nothing of the matter and did not question it.
The following weekend, she attended another assembly with Madoka, where she met with Mrs Sakauchi. After a few rounds of dancing, they played cards for the remainder of the night.
And this time, when Mai returned to Harker Hall, she did not wander.
"Lady Astley? Lady Astley I must speak with you."
Mai had just left the house for her daily walk on the Monday after her second assembly.
"Then keep up Lord Pembridge, as I intend to walk."
She ignored his frustrated growl and continued to march through the courtyard.
"My mother has begged a visit from us."
"Us? I was not aware that—"
"She mentioned you by name in her letter. She wants us to visit for the first two weeks in December."
"Well then you shall have to inform her that I am unable to make it."
"Lady Astley, I understand you are upset with me. But do not take your ire out on my mother."
"I have never met Lady Pembridge, I do not—"
"She was very fond of your husband. And she does not want you to be alone during the Christmas period."
Mai faltered in her step.
"She knew him?"
"Yes, of course, when he visited here before, and many a time before that…"
"Fine. I shall visit with you."
"Thank you."
Lord Pembridge turned on his heel and returned to the house.
The visit came around all too quickly. Mai packed her nicest gowns, unsure of what to expect. She and Lord Pembridge travelled in the same carriage, and despite the journey being almost two days, they spoke only the fewest possible words only when absolutely necessary.
Lady Pembridge greeted them with open arms at Aubrey House. She embraced her son and pinched his cheek.
"You have not been eating enough," she declared. "You're too thin."
"Yes Mother."
"And you must be Lady Astley," she said, turning to Mai. "I am so pleased to finally meet you. Your husband spoke so highly of your wit and cheer. He and Eugene were the greatest of friends, I have so many stories to tell you. Come inside, let us have tea."
Mai barely had a chance to offer her thanks for the invitation before being whisked inside and parked on a beautifully embellished chair with a cup of tea in hand.
"How was the journey? Was Oliver a frightful bore? I imagine he was. Whenever we used to travel, he would always try to read and end up feeling sick."
"Mother, please. I was—"
"Sullen, quiet and uncommunicative," Mai provided. "But I think he has learnt his lesson about reading in a carriage, as he spent his time staring out of the window in a brooding fashion."
"Well I am glad to hear he has not repeated that mistake," Lady Pembridge said. "Oliver, why has this young lady such a poor impression of your manners?"
"She barely knows me," Lord Pembridge replied.
"How many weeks has she resided with you?" Lady Pembridge did not wait for an answer. "Have you even introduced her to the society of the town?"
"She managed that quite well by herself."
"By herself? As much as I respect a woman who can do things for herself, I would much prefer my son had not forced her into it by being an ungentlemanly prat!"
Mai hid her smile behind her hand.
"I must apologise for my son, Lady Astley. I could have sworn I had brought him up better than this."
"Seeing you admonish him so has been apology enough," Mai replied, ignoring Lord Pembridge's glare.
"I shall ensure he makes up for it while you stay with me. I have many engagements during your visit, I wish to introduce you to everyone that I have befriended in London. And I also wish to get to know you better. If you are to stay with the family for some time, then we must become friends."
Mai smiled.
"I would like that very much."
"Excellent. Then we shall start tomorrow. Are you fond of shopping? I shall take you around London's shops—"
"Mother, we have been travelling for two days—"
"Then a day strolling about London will do you both good," Lady Pembridge insisted.
"I do not need to accompany you."
"I think a son should take his aging mother's arm to support her in her endeavours. Don't you, Lady Astley?"
"I am sure my late husband would have done, and so would any brother I had if I had had them."
"Well there we are, you are outvoted Oliver. If you behave I shall take you to the bookshop."
Lord Pembridge scowled like a cat that had just had cold water dumped over it.
"It is pleasing to see that no matter how much a man is lord over his domain, that he will always defer to his mother," Mai commented.
Not long after, they moved to the dining room to have dinner. Lady Pembridge, who barely touched her own food, spent most of the meal telling Mai tales of her sons' youth.
"Eugene was always the better fencer, he and Lord Astley used to run around the entire house in one fencing match! But Oliver was a much better rider. He has a way with the animals."
"Animals are far easier to deal with than humans," Lord Pembridge muttered. "They are much easier to please and do not expect that much of me."
Lady Pembridge ignored her son and continued.
"I was so sad to hear of your husband's passing, Lady Astley. For some time I considered him like an extra son," she said. "He kept promising to introduce you to me. I am saddened that this is how we must meet."
"He spoke of me?"
"Oh yes, all the time. I do believe he made my son quite jealous with how highly he spoke of you. As if you had usurped his place in your husband's heart."
Mai laughed.
"What a ridiculous notion. My husband had enough love in his heart for everyone."
"I say, have you met Miss Hara?"
"No?"
"She is known as Mrs Sakauchi now, Mother."
Lady Pembridge's eyes widened.
"She married him? An interesting choice."
"I know Mrs Sakauchi, we have become friends."
"I am glad to hear it. My boys used to play tricks on her when they were young. I would host balls, you see, and she had taken a liking to one of my boys, I do not know which—"
"And I doubt that she did either," Lord Pembridge interjected.
"And they would run in circles around her, pretending to be each other until she got so frustrated that she would storm out. And then at the next ball, it would start all over again." She sighed. "I was so sure she would marry Eugene…"
A sudden sadness seemed to overtake Lady Pembridge.
"She is happy where she is now," Lord Pembridge supplied. "What shops is it you wish to force upon me tomorrow?"
Lady Pembridge caught herself and forced a smile.
"Well yes, the modiste of course and the tailors for you, Oliver. I bet you have not had any new clothes since I left and it is definitely time for some. I took the trouble to have some things made in your size that will just need their final adjustments. The bookshop, I promised if you are well behaved. And…"
She whittled on for some time about the various shops and places around London they would visit, all apparently without the aid of a carriage. Lord Pembridge asked pointed questions here and there.
Mai had noticed his changing the subject. And she knew that despite his objections to his Mother's meddling, he cared for her greatly. She smiled at it, guessing that their dynamic was almost a pantomime between them.
When they finally retired for the night, Mai fell asleep quickly. The two days of journeying and an evening of active conversation had taken a lot from her and her borrowed bed was remarkably comfortable.
Author's note: Okay so those of you who have read a few of my stories, do you prefer when I write in first or third person... Asking for a future story...