This interlude is a bit short, but the chapter after it is going to be LONG to make up for it! Oh yeah, and I don't own SC!

In the early hours of the morning, two woman stood near a flower stand in the middle of London, gossiping and gaggling like two hens in a barnyard, these women were always up to date on the gossip of the town.

"Did you 'ear? The Lady Valentine has been seen with a man!"

"Really? What's 'e look like?"

"Strong, tall, dark and 'andsome. Doesn't she get all the luck?"

"Is that 'im over there?"

"Oh! Why you're right! It is 'im! Look at that long 'air. Ooh, I just want to run me fingers through it and find out if it really is as silky as it looks. Oh, and there's the good lady Countess right behind 'im."

"You know, I've never seen 'er smile like that before! Look at that! Oh and now she's 'oldin on to 'is arm...ohhh, isn't that loverly? They look like such a respectable couple, out for a walk in the park. I do 'ope she snags this one…with all the travelin' around she's been doing, it's a wonder she got 'erself a man at all."

"Shhh! She's looking this way! …Oh! Oh 'ello Countess! Loverly day isn't it? …Yes! Yes 'e is charming! ...Right! Good day! …You almost got us in trouble, you bloody idiot!"

" 'ow was I supposed to know she was going to look over 'ere?"

"Never mind you that. Come on! I want to see where they're 'eaded off to!"

"Right! Coming!"

"Ooh! Look at 'em! Aren't they the most perfect couple you've ever seen?"

"…yes, 'owever…"

"What?"

"She's flirting with punishment, you know. Under 'er Majesty…the Queen…this might be considered as 'igh treason."

" 'igh treason? For what?"

"She's flirtin' with a German…and…there's those rumors…"

"Rumors?"

"Rumor 'as it that the good lady used to dabble in the black arts, and just the fact alone that she might be commitin' 'igh treason, is reason enough for punishment by 'er Majesty. Besides, can you imagine the Countess marryin' to a barbaric German? Yes, 'e looks dashing and civilized, but 'e's a German for Lord's sakes."

"I'd 'ate for you to be right."

"So would I. Per'aps the Queen will never get wind of this."

"Who all knows that the lad is German?"

"…"

"…Maybe it is too late for 'em after all…"

"Dreadful, just positively dreadful…Isn't it 'orrible that it all 'as to be this way? Why can't we get along with the Germans?"

"Per'aps if our 'ist'ry with them wasn't so bloody…bloody, somethin' like this might 'ave stood a chance."

"We can't afford something like this to 'appen to the good lady."

"Well what can we do about it? We're a bunch of commoners! Even if we could go and 'ave a talk with Lady Valentine, she'd never believe us!"

"…So then we do nothing?"

"Afraid so, dearie. Nothin' at all…"

" 'ow positively dreadful…"

"I know…"