When Madeline stepped into Arthur's home, she felt as if she had traveled two hundred years into the past. Alfred had plenty of antiques in his home, but the interior was still decidedly modern. Meanwhile, Arthur's home looked as if the only modern aspect of it was the electricity.

The mansion's outward exterior did little to prepare her for its inward grandeur: staircases that went up to floors and rooms yet unknown to Madeline, chandeliers that sparkled and illuminated the foyer she was currently standing in, an abundance of wooden carvings on the railings and statues in the hallways.

As she stood there still in awe, Arthur interrupted Madeline's wonderment to guide her to the kitchen.

"Ahem, right this way please. The kitchen is just around the corner."

The mansion's kitchen kept elements of its original classical design, but it was clear that compared to the rest of Arthur's home, his kitchen was renovated in order to accommodate present-day technology and appliances.

"Did you remodel your kitchen? It's different compared to the rest of your home."

"Yes, I did! I also rebuilt the bathrooms too. Appearances can be deceiving; I assure you, Miss Madeline, my home has the latest electrical and plumbing systems. Can't very well have all of my place stuck in the nineteenth century, can I?"

"You have a very beautiful home, Arthur."

"Thank you, Miss Madeline."

Madeline could see that Arthur was quite proud of his home, and he had every reason to.

"Before we begin, I should ask, do you have any food allergies, Miss Madeline?"

"No, I don't."

"That's great! I have the perfect dinner for tonight! I've gotten a new cookbook recently. There's a great recipe in here for a roast dinner…"

Madeline discovered another one of Arthur's passions, other than rock music and interior decorating: cooking. But, as she was also quick to find out, Arthur's "cooking" was not quite suitable for anyone else to ingest but him…

"Arthur, are you sure that's the right thing to do? The recipe says the potatoes only need to be in the oven for an hour…and I think you might have added too much salt to the beef…!"

"Nonsense, I'm sure I read the recipe right! I skimmed it over before we started! Miss Madeline, don't worry, you're talking to an experienced cook!"

"Ah, but...I-I think that's more than enough flour for the pudding…! A-and, eggs…! And milk…! Oh dear…"

Cooking could be stressful, this was something Madeline was already aware of. But cooking with Arthur Kirkland was a nightmare. Madeline was at her wit's end running around the kitchen and making sure that everything was cooked on time, not too burnt, nothing would overflow or spill…all the while, Arthur was blissfully unaware he was doing anything wrong.

Finally, after two excruciating hours, their dinner was ready to be served and eaten. Madeline was filled to the brim with relief, only to remember that she'd have to endure Arthur's cooking for an entire month…

"Arthur, I really, really am glad you are so eager to cook our meals, but perhaps I should be doing the cooking from now on? I'll ask for your help if I require it…"

"Miss Madeline, are you quite sure? I do think we made a great team!"

"No, I am sure. Cooking our meals is the least I can do to repay you this month!"

"Haha, I admire your enthusiasm!"

Yes, enthusiasm. He admires my "enthusiasm". That's one way to put it!

"I'm surprised! This is the best my cooking has ever turned out! Usually it's at least a little burnt or soggy or wet or dry or…"

How is he even still alive when he cooks like this?!

"Um, how about we go ahead and start eating…?"

"Oh! Yes, we should…around this time, that little bugger should be awake as well…"

"Who…? I thought you lived alone, Arthur?"

"I do, I do, but this one isn't a person…"

"Do you mean…"

Meow! Madeline looked down to see a cat with bent ears. The white cat had a large patch of orange fur extending over much of the left side of its face, over its left hind leg/ lower back, and over most of its tail. The cat also had thick eyebrows like its owner…?

"His name is Scone. He's a Scottish Fold cat. He likes to nap after his morning meal, and then he wakes up in the evening to beg for more food…"

Meow! The cat, now known as Scone, kept pawing at the bottom of Madeline's pants. Madeline bent down to get closer to Scone. Scone kept waving his paw in front of Madeline, and Madeline surmised that Scone wanted to shake her hand, so she did exactly that. Scone meowed satisfactorily in response.

"Ah, the little bugger is never this friendly towards me…he only wants food…"

"Pfftt, I'm sure he does care about his owner. He reminds me of you!"

"Is it the eyebrows…?"

"No…well, a little bit, but he's a little gentleman, just like you…"

Scone the cat reminded Madeline of Arthur. He was a polite cat, but if Arthur was to be believed, he also enjoyed naps and begging for food. Arthur was a polite man, but over the span of today, she found out that he also liked punk rock and was a disastrous cook. It was much easier for Madeline to get along with Arthur now than a few hours ago.

Arthur went to one of his kitchen cabinets, opened it, and took out a can of cat food and a cat bowl. He took out another bowl and filled it with water. After filling up both bowls, he placed them down for Scone to eat and drink.

"Now that I've fed the little bugger, it's time for us to feed ourselves…"

The kitchen in Arthur's home was spacious enough to also fit a small dining table and two chairs. Arthur explained that he had a bigger dining room in his mansion, but since he lived alone other than with Scone, he preferred to eat at the smaller dining table in his kitchen.

After dinner, Arthur took Madeline on a tour of his home. Arthur's mansion had half a dozen bedrooms, a grand library, a music room where he kept his guitars…Madeline felt that even after a month, she could still probably get lost in Arthur's manor.

While she was preparing for bed that night, Arthur came to say good night, along with Scone. Arthur was carrying Scone in one arm, and a pillow in the other.

"Hope you don't mind, but Scone here wants to sleep with you tonight. I caught him dragging his pillow to your room."

"Awww, of course I don't mind! If I'm being honest, I wouldn't mind the company. It's very…empty here. It's a lovely bedroom, but there's just so much…space! I don't know how you manage to live here by yourself, Arthur."

"I've gotten used to it…Scone is enough company for me…"

"Good night, Arthur…"

"Good night, Miss Madeline."

Arthur left Scone and his pillow in Madeline's bed, while convincing himself that he was not, in fact, jealous of his cat. Madeline turned off the lights, and snuggled into her sheets.

"Hey Scone, would you like to meet someone?"

Meow!

"This is Kumarie!"

Of course Madeline would not leave Kumarie back in Canada. The stuffed bear-turned-polar bear shook Scone's paw, like Madeline had earlier. Scone did not mind the other animal's presence in Madeline's bed.

"Sweet dreams Kumarie, sweet dreams Scone…I hope I'll have a sweet dream too…"

o - o - o - o - o

She dreamed that she lost someone. She couldn't see them, couldn't hear their voice, but she lost them all the same. Someone was handing her over to another person.

I must be in Matthew's childhood again.

Madeline had gotten used to dreaming about Matthew, although it had been months since she dreamed of when he was little.

What's happening to Matthew this time…?

"So you're Matthew, huh? You look too much like that damn frog for my taste, but that's not your fault he got to you first…"

Frog? What "frog"? There are frogs in my dreams now?

"From now on Matthew, you'll be my responsibility. I'll take care of you, and I'm gonna be so good at it, you can forget all about that stupid frog!"

Who is this…? Who took care of Matthew like this…?

She looked up at the person towering above her, and she saw that it was…Arthur!