"Miss Bridgerton, may I ask you a question?" Lord Basset and I were taking a late evening stroll together before I headed off to bed. It was dark enough out now that his grace could walk without his umbrella. Still I wore an evening gown and shoes, completed with a hat on top of my head decorated with fresh flowers I'd just picked. His query made me blink over to him in surprise. He was his usual five or so feet distance away from me, but his lordship was still close enough that I could see his glimmering eyes.

"Yes, of course," I calmly replied. The duke looked at me. "Do you…. think I should marry Miss Cowper?" His tone just then…. His grieving, sorrow-filled tone. My eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, instantly startled and confused. "W-Where is this coming from?" Lord Basset let out a sigh, tearing his gaze away from mine. "Lady Danbury's been hounding me to write Lady Cowper back, and I have yet… to think of anything to put in the letter," he admitted in a wistful, detached sort of way. I just kept eying him, continuously examining his cool expression. It wasn't towards me he was directing his coolness at…..

I hesitated for moment, going through my list of options of replies I could give. I went with the easiest one to say out loud. This gentle small smirk reared the corners of my lips. "I thought you didn't want to discuss the matter in front of me?" His grace didn't return my playful- if somewhat forced- demeanour. He let out another pained sigh. "I'd rather not discuss it with anyone but if I must contemplate the issue I want it to be with you….." He told me this with such ease that I doubt he realized the weight behind his words immediately.

But I did. My feet ground to a halt as I ogled him with wide-eyes again. My heart was beating a mile a minute and I said nothing. Noticing that I was no longer beside him, Lord Basset also paused to glance at me over his shoulder. It was only when he saw my stunned expression that it all came crashing down onto him.

His posture instantly straightened up and his cleared his beautiful throat. "W-Well, what I mean is you're so easy to talk to. You listen…. and I need someone to listen to me right now," his eyes lowered a bit at the last part of his explanation. "Lord Basset…." My hand still rose up to my pounding chest. "I-I know you can't possibly understand what I'm going through. How could you? You, who can never marry….. But that's why….. You… You see things with a certain clarity that perhaps my kind lacks. You heard Lady Danbury in the parlour; marriage is nothing but an economic arrangement for vampires. That's what I've been raised to believe…..But….. But somehow, I don't…. feel satisfied with that," he paused here for a moment, only then to wave his hand around in the air. "Ah, maybe it's me. Maybe I don't understand everything like I think I do. But tell me, Miss Bridgerton…. What would you do if you were in my shoes? Would you relent and marry Miss Cowper… as is expected of you?

What does that clear vision of yours tell you?"

I don't know how long I wordlessly stared at the duke, but it was for a long time. I was bewildered that he'd ask me such a question. It made him look… so vulnerable in my eyes. But… in a good sort of way. I felt in that instance like he was opening up to me, and all without him having to push himself or try to be genuine. It honestly made me feel good. Really good. It helped matters that he remained quiet after this, patiently awaiting my answer and looking back my way. This spring breeze rolled through the garden, bustling my hair and skirt out behind me. It was so strong that I had to hold the rim of my hat.

Eventually my lips parted- they had to part. "I… I don't know, your grace. Have you ever met Miss Cowper before?" "Well, no. We were going to meet for the first time at the engagement party," he reluctantly admitted while rubbing the back of his neck. I wasn't surprised; lots of vampire couples didn't mean in-person until after the arrangements were made. I nodded understanding, my gaze drifting downward a bit. This grin slowly came back to my mouth.

"I'm flattered you asked me, my lord, but to be honest I don't think I can give you a good answer. Or at least one that's useful…. It's probably because I'm a human, but if I did marry, I'd want it to be for love." "Love?" He repeated, blinking over to me. My head nodded again. "I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life with someone I didn't love. That to me sounds worse than being eaten alive. It's so wonderful, living with someone you love…. It's the reason I keep asking Anthony to sell me to Uncle," my eyes wandered off to the side as I said this.

It was Lord Basset's turn to ogle me. His eyes were huge, as if I'd just spoken to him in a foreign language. But soon enough they lowered, locking in my direction. "Love…. What does it feel like?" "Huh?" My head perked up slightly. "What does it feel like to fall in love? To be in love? What is it like… loving someone?" My cheeks blushed, though I'm not sure why. My foot slid backward a little, my heart started racing again. What is it like? No one's ever asked me that before and actually… I've never thought about it before. I just "loved"; I don't know how I did or decided on who it love. It was just so automatic… I never had to try….. to love anyone before.

"Well I uh… Um… It's uh… It's hard to explain. It's just… there. Well, no; I suppose, um... I know I love someone when they, I…." Man, this was really hard! Why was it so difficult to explain the concept of love. I had to think about it for a moment; remember what it was like… back when I was with my great uncle.

My fingers gave a snap after a minute in introspection. "The best way I can think to describe it is like listening to music." "Music?" His eyebrow raised suspiciously. "That's right. Love is easy, simple, effortless to experience. It's like listening to an orchestra play your favourite song; one you could listen to over and over again. You don't have to do anything to enjoy the melody; it just washes over you like a wave, and you know each note will be more beautiful than the last. Yes, love is effortless like that… It's when you look at someone and they smile, and you realize that you're smiling too. Their happiness is your happiness; it brings you real joy… to see them smile. And being near them, having them around, makes life easier. There's nothing hard or painful about love- it's something that makes your life easier, better…

You know you love someone when your life is better because they're in it."

Now Lord Basset was definitely staring at me like I was speaking a totally different language. I couldn't stifle my smile back so I covered it with my hand. Poor thing; he looked so confused. His mouth opened but words took their time to follow. "You… know what that feels like?" "Oh yes! Very much so! I've love Uncle ever since I can remember." "I see. And he… loves you in return?" "Yes, I know he does. It took him some time but after a while I think he grew to see me as his own child. He's the only father figure I've ever known… The only parent I've ever had, and I'm the only child he's ever raised. We were each other's family… for a long time," saying it aloud only made me feel more guilty. I'll never forget the look on Uncle's face that day we received Anthony's letter informing him he was coming to fetch me….

While I was distracted with that, Lord Basset was doing some thinking of his own. His eyes wandered in and there in a meditative fashion. "So it's true then…. Vampires can fall in love?" "With humans, yes. But then, we're not competition for the same food source," we are heh, the food source. His grace's gaze eventually returned to me, being much softer and warmer than before. He smiled for the first time since we entered the garden that evening. "It's sounds nice. But I suppose it's something one cannot force?" "No, unfortunately not," I chuckled, shaking my head. Then his grace looked at me and I looked at him. Our grins matched each other's.

"Well, I can say with confidence that I don't love Miss Cowper, and it's doubtful I ever will." "I know, my lord." "So then… Would you still marry her if you were me?" "No one expects you to love your future wife. You must do what is best for yourself and while I can't tell you what that is, I'll support whatever you decide. Miss Cowper would be very lucky to have you as a husband, and your marriage would certainly please Lady Cowper and Lady Danbury. Not to mention it was your late father's last wish. But even then, it is you who is getting married- no one else but you two. Therefore the decision is ultimately yours, your grace," a pause slipped in here. The summer breeze resumed, sending my hair and gown out all around me. Yet I was still looking at him- at the lovely Lord Basset. "You have a kind of freedom I can only dream of. Unlike me, you are free to choose for yourself. You can come and go as you please. You are free… So use it. Use your freedom and make the right choice, your grace. Only you can make it; that is your right….

And your privilege."

A silence fell between us again after this. The wind still carried on, blowing over us and rustling all of the flora and fauna. Lord Basset's eyes transitioned from wide with shock and awe, to low and tender. He grinned eventually, taking a step toward me. Our stares held fast once more. "I was right- you do have this clarity. This rare, rare clarity… And you are, by far, the easiest person I've ever had the privilege to talk to before." "Really? W-Well thank you. You're easy to talk to as well," my cheeks reddened a second time that night. Lord Basset took another step my way, effortlessly bridging the gap between us. My eyes grew a little. "M-My lord…."

"What am I going to do after your brother comes to take you away? Who will I talk to like this? Who will make me feel…. a little less lonely in this wretched world?" "Lord Basset!" My foot slid back a tiny way. It felt like my whole face was burning up. What's he doing? He hasn't been this close to me without a door separating us since….. since that first night we dined together. His expression was so sincere and kind just then…. It made my heart stop, it was so gorgeous. I'd questioned before if Lord Basset loved me, but it didn't seem plausible. He himself said he didn't love me and I was inclined to believe him. Besides we'd never even… touched each other.

How could a vampire love a human they've never held before?

Right then the wind particularly picked up. My hat flew off so fast that I didn't have time to catch it. And turns out I didn't have to. As if acting on reflex, Lord Basset's hand shot over my shoulder, narrowly grazing my dress and grabbing hold of my hat. He hadn't touched me but this was the closest we'd ever been near one another. We both reacted with pure stun, simply staring at each other's face. His grace held that position for a good minute, keeping his arm right beside me the whole time. All the blood was coursing so fast in my veins that I thought I might faint, and Lord Basset didn't look in any better state. Though despite our incredulity at his sudden actions, it wasn't… bad. It didn't feel "bad". The exact opposite in fact…

Without a word and as if to be catching himself, his lordship then quickly processed to put my hat back on my head- being mindful not to let any contact occur- and stepped back a few feet. I swived my hat into a sturdier position and then grinned at him- still blushing a beet red, of course. "Thank you…" My lips whispered. Lord Basset said nothing and finally looked away. I didn't turn my gaze, however; I simply watched him. I watched him and smiled.

I never thought I could love another vampire other than Uncle and perhaps my mother- when I met her, that is. But with him… With Lord Basset, something felt… different. Something was off but in a good way. It wasn't at all like the kind of love I felt for Uncle; I didn't really know what I was feeling. But whatever it was, it was good. This- whatever we had between us- was good. Being near Lord Basset was also effortless….. Being his friend was effortless.

And I couldn't help but wonder why this was the case.