The morning passed quickly as Serena and Hugh stopped in town, from here he had brought Serena a new pink gown, with a green cloak and straw bonnet hat with a red ribbon which was now wrapped around her chin, other necessity's had been purchased for her including a new chestnut mare. While she was excited about all her new belongings she still felt uneasy.

"Are you sure your wife won't mind all the money you have spent on me?" She said glancing up at him as they rode.

"Serena! Don't give it another thought, my wife, Beryl is a kind young woman and i'm sure that you two will get along famously with each other." Hugh said waving his hand off at her. He lent down closer to her, "Serena i am a wealthy man, what i spent on you this morning is no comparison to what i normally spend on one of Beryl's gowns." He smiled at her putting her thoughts at rest.

"Thank you Hugh, i promise one day i will repay you." She said to him.

"Serena, you are coming into my home as a valued member of my family, you certainly don't have to pay me back."

Serena felt a flood of emotion wash over her and she turned the other way so Hugh couldn't see her.

"Thank you, i will never cause you to regret your kindness to me."She said emotionally with her face averted.

They had been riding for a few days and then had replaced horses with a train, each day the bond had grown stronger between Hugh and Serena, Serena shared her memories of her happy childhood to how she saw her father change, and lose the family fortune. She had cried again, Hugh had comforted her,

"You've had a great deal on your shoulders these past few months, you are very brave but its alright to let the emotion out now, i'm your guardian now, so please won't you think of me as your father?"

He asked of her,

"Well that isn't very hard for me to do." Serena said with a tearful smile.

That evening, they were sitting at the table, they had just finished their evening meal and Hugh was telling Serena about his home and family.

"Beryl is not my first wife, Serena." He started, Serena aptly gave Hugh her full attention. "My first wife was Carlotta Dangermond. She was a Spanish beauty, and a wonderful kind hearted woman, we fell in love but our fathers didn't agree with our union, we ran away and married against there wishes, we had our first son, Darien, we were happy, our fathers had forgiven us because of Darien so we lived happily even more so when we had our second child. But when Darien was eighteen his mother caught a terrible illness which she died of a few months later.

Darien hated the house we were living at then, so i sent him to boarding school where hopefully it would keep his mind clear. He didn't return for four years, aged twenty two he came home with a fiancée no less, and God forgive me – i stole her from him and married her myself." Hugh told her looking down at his lap, Serena stared at him incredulously.

"You married your son's fiancée!" She asked shocked. She could have bit her tongue for saying such a thing, here Hugh was telling her and she was judging him for it. Hugh looked at her and protested,

"You don't understand, Beryl is a fragile – gently reared young woman, Darien was making her upset by wanting to move her to Silver Millennium when she couldn't stand the sight of the place. I was lonely and so was she when Darien wasn't there...I thought my feelings were based on a father, daughter love, a bride with wedding jitters, but Darien had no time for her, he had become obsessed with trying to restore Silver Millennium to its rightful heritage. She admitted to me that she wasn't in love with Darien anymore, said he had changed, Darien had been gone six months by now." He ran a hand through his hair and let out an exasperated breath. Serena had come to the conclusion that his son Darien was insensitive and uncaring man to not notice Beryl's feelings, Hugh carried on "Serena i never meant to fall in love with her, and she didn't mean to fall in love with me. We married, but i was to scared to tell my son, he came back to claim his bride, but came back to find her married to me."

Serena's soft heart went out to Hugh, none of this story was really meant to be told to her so she couldn't help asking, "Why are you telling me this?" And then blushed at her forwardness.

"Because i need you to understand what its going to be like living in my household...Darien hasn't properly forgiven me yet."

"Oh." Serena kept trying to find the right words to say so instead she patted his hand and smiled softly at him.

"Hugh, its alright, thank you for telling me, i know it was hard for you." Hugh patted her hand back and Serena quickly started on another topic of conversation, and being Serena she quickly had Hugh smiling again.

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Serena had suddenly become very nervous as they sat in the closed box carriage, she hadn't even realized that her knuckles had turned white from the pressure of her clenched hands until Hugh touched her hand reassuringly.

"Don't be afraid little one, i'm sure everyone will care for you as much as i have come to, especially Beryl, she always loves to gossip, it'll be nice for her to have someone to talk too when i'm away on business. I do hope you'll be happy here – despite all its past unhappiness."

"Oh i hope so too." Serena said earnestly.

The first site of the gracious mansion left Serena in awe, the thought that this was now going to be her home filled her with delight. The carriage came to a halt and Hugh helped Serena down, with her stomach full of butterflies she walked with Hugh up the steps that led her to the typical Spanish designed doors, and with an encouraging smile he flung open the door and ushered Serena inside.

The inside was just as grand as the outside, a wide hallway greeted her with marbled floor and a huge, sweeping staircase. A huge chandelier gleamed in the sunlight, and everywhere Serena looked, wealth and pride illuminated from these walls.

It was then that Serena heard the raised voices down one of the corridors, all the doors were shut but behind one of them a heated argument could be heard, Hugh took a step forward but one of the doors flung open. To say who was more surprised wasn't sure, the tall dark man who had just left the room or Hugh or Serena standing in the hallway.

Although this man had a hard look on his face she couldn't deny that he was the most handsomest man she had ever seen in her young life. He wore a white shirt which made his skin look even more tanned, and his black trousers clung to his firmly muscled legs, but it was his face which mostly held her attention, he looked dangerous which sent a giddy rush through her. Her eyes took in his blue/ grey ones and the reckless curve to his mouth, ruffled black hair framed his lean features. He bore little resemblance to Hugh apart from those eyes, it was obvious he and Hugh had the same build, this mans height must have been a few inches taller than Hugh's but Serena had no doubt that she was staring at Hugh's eldest son, Darien Shields.

Darien recovered himself first and walked towards Hugh and Serena,

"The next time i visit home, I'll find out if your actually in residence first, but although i have enjoyed the company with your wife, i'm afraid that if i had, had to spend another day with her i will throttle her neck!" Darien told his father who's face remained impassive.

"i take it you two have been arguing again?" Was all Hugh had to ask, Darien was about to speak when for the first time he looked down towards Serena and noticed her,

"Well what have we here? My fathers latest act of atonement?" Darien drawled slowly.

"You will leave Serena out of this Darien! She is the daughter of my half brother who has recently died, she is to be treated with the same respect and dignity as any member of this family!" Hugh told his son firmly,

"And does any of this family deserve any of my respect or dignity?" Darien threw back. A woman's voice from behind the door could be heard,

"What is it? Who are you talking to?" Darien stepped sideways and mockingly bowed as the tall redhead stepped into the hallway.

"Only your beloved husband and his latest act of kindness is who." Darien mockingly said back.

"Hugh! Hugh is back!" The redhead walked quickly till she was in the safety of Hugh's arms, Serena saw that this woman was very beautiful, she had an exotic air about her with her flame red hair, her lips were full and she had a beautiful porcelain complexion. The dress she was wearing was of royal blue and white lace which showed her curves.

Serena became very aware of her state of dress in this simple pink gown and with her rough tendrils falling from her hair. This was Hugh's wife and if she didn't like her... One look from her eyes told her she was not going to be welcomed here by her. Serena quickly looked away.

"Oh so you did bring her here after all?" Beryl questioned her husband

"Afraid that replace you step mama?" Darien said sarcastically. Beryl turned around to face Darien,

"Thats it, I've had just about enough of this!You are no longer allowed in my home!" She stamped in vexation,

"But its not your home yet, even after all of your plotting" Darien retorted, he had a evil glint in his eyes as he stared at her.

"Stop it this instant!" Hugh bellowed, both looked at him. Hugh saw that the some of the servants had started to notice. "This is no place for this kind of discussion, both of you in my library where we can try and sort this out."Hugh turned to a butler who had appeared from another door,

"Welcome home sir."

"Thank you Bartholomew, as you can see I've returned. Please have some refreshments made for in the library." Serena looked up at Hugh and since the first time she had met him she saw a tired man.