Hello my darlings. I would like to thank Kat A. Coop for the wonderful review. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.

Kat A. Coop, to answer your question Pianoforte is the full and 'proper' name for a piano. The modern day instrument was first developed in the early 1700's in Italy and rose to popularity in British society in the late 18th century. As such the full name was used at the time this story was set. I'm not sure when it was abbreviated to piano. Hope that answers your question.

Anyway here is the next chapter, I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.


Castiel, Dean and Sam had left the ball after supper had been served and consumed, therefore Gabriel was alone when he returned to his home, having escorted his parents and Penny back to Ravencliff House. It was late, and he knew he should make his way to bed, but instead he found himself sitting in his study, a glass of good brandy in hand as he stared in the flames dancing in the grate. The revelations he had discovered when dancing with his fake fiancée would not leave his mind. He tried to think of what qualities he had wanted in a wife before he had met the Lady Penelope Coburn. Tried to remember what he had decided he would look for in his future duchess, but every time he did all he saw was her sparkling green eyes turning softly brown as they danced. It was only then that he realised he had never really considered what he wanted from the lady he would marry. He had decided it was time to settle down, and as such had assumed he would just find the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He didn't consider what she would be like. Not then. Now of course it was all he could think about as his list grew the more he got to know the lady who had placed her life in his hands. The lady he had agreed to give up when the season ended. He didn't know what to do.


Castiel had gone with Dean and Sam to Whites as soon as they were able to leave the ball politely. They had done their duty by the family and stood at Penny's side. She was fine now, having made friends with the ladies in Gabriel's circle, Castiel had known they had nothing they needed to worry about then. And he wanted to make sure that any of the rumours the new viscount simmers had been spending hadn't reached the gentlemen at the club. Needed to make sure her reputation was intact. He knew his brother would be most displeased if it was not, and that was putting it mildly. So it was late by the time they returned, all ready for their beds. He was following the Winchester brother's up the stairs when he saw a light coming from his brother's study. There was only one reason there would be a light on in there and that was Gabriel was up. But why was he? The evening had been a success, surely he should be abed by now.

"You two go up. I have something I need to do." He said to his companions, reversing his direction and instead of heading to his bed heading to Gabriel's study.

"Night, Cas." Dean replied with a smile and a slight sway. He may have had one to many that evening. Luckily Sam was on his other side and grabbed a hold of his arm, pulling up towards their rooms before he toppled over, sending Cas a look telling him that he was fine dealing with Dean as he did so.

Castiel entered his brother study to find his sitting in his chair, a glass of brandy in hand as he stared into the dying embers in the fire. "Gabriel, what are you doing up?" He asked closing the door behind him to make sure no one else overheard the conversation they were about to have. He could tell something was on his brother's mind from just the look on his face, and he didn't think it would be good if anyone else knew.

"I think we have a problem." Gabriel replied contemplatively as he took a sip of his brandy. He wondered briefly if he should tell Castiel of the epiphany he had that evening, but he knew he needed to tell someone. And who better than the one who knew all the details of the agreement he had made with Penny?

"Oh? How so?" Castiel asked moving to sit in the chair next to Gabriel, but not getting himself a drink. He felt he would need his mind to be at least somewhat sharp for this conversation, and the alcohol he had already consumed had dulled it enough.

"I believe I have found the lady I want to make my wife." Gabriel replied with a sigh. Only he could make looking for a wife this darn complicated.

"Surely that is a good thing." Castiel suggested carefully, not sure why Gabriel was not more pleased that it had only taken one ball for him to find the lady he wanted to spend the rest of life with. Though he did have to wonder who she was, and how she had managed to gain his brothers attention away from Penny. The last he had seen them, Gabriel had not taken his eyes off of her for a second.

"Not when that lady is currently my fiancée it's not." Gabriel stated with a humourless chuckle. Why did he have to fall for the one lady who would refuse him? The one lady he knew he couldn't have? How had it come to this?

"Ah." Castiel said as he sat back. So this was not a lady who had managed to woe his brother away then. He was not surprised, he had seen the attraction between the two of them, had watched it grow over the last few weeks as they got to know each other better. Though he was surprised that his brother had already recognised it for what it is. He had thought it would take him longer before he saw the truth. "You truly care for her then?" He asked wanting to make sure Gabriel had really seen what he had, and wasn't just feeling the pressure of family honour and obvious affection both their parents feel for the lady and her sisters.

"She is everything I didn't know I wanted. She spars with me without thought, takes my outrageousness with a pinch of salt, and treats me as a friend, an equal. There is no artifice about her. She is honest and loyal, and no other lady could be her match." Gabriel responded without thought, a smile appearing on his lips as he thought of Penny, thought of all the different looks she had given him, not just that night, but throughout their time together. She truly was like no other lady he had ever met. She was a breath of fresh air blowing through the stale ton. And she would make him the most perfect duchess and wife. She would be his perfect partner, he was sure of it.

"Then may I suggest you convince her to marry you?" Castiel suggested drily. The look his brother had on his face was one of a man in love. He was glad he had found what he was looking for. He had never intended this outcome when he had made the suggestion of Lady Penelope pretending to be Gabriel's fiancée, but he was happy that it had come about. Happy that his brother accepted his feelings for her.

"It won't work." Gabriel responded darkly a gloom coming over his face once more as he took another sip of his drink, though this one deeper than the last.

"Why not? From what I have seen she cares about you too." Castiel replied with a confused frown on his face. In his mind it was the perfect solution for everyone. So why would Gabriel say it wouldn't work what was he missing in this puzzle? What did his brother see, that he himself did not?

"Even more of a reason that she'll say no. She has an honour of her own, Cassie. One that will not let her break the arrangement we made, no matter what I say to convince her. You should know that by the way she turned down Dean-o when you took him to ask her to marry him, or any of the other friends you tried to convince her to marry." Gabriel answered, smirking at little at how his words caused Castiel to flinch slightly. It seemed his brother had not expected him to discover his previous attempts of finding a suitable situation for Lady Penelope and her sisters.

"You know about that?" Castiel asked somewhat sheepishly. Not sure how his brother would feel about him trying to arrange for Penny marriage to other men. Especially considering the feelings he now had for the lady.

"Yep, she told me." Gabriel replied giving Castiel his big brother look. The one that when he was younger would make him squirm at the idea that he had done something that Gabriel did not approve of. But he would not be cowed now, so instead he changed the subject back to what was actually important.

"Come on Gabriel. I have never met anyone you couldn't convince to your way of thinking. You are looking this the wrong way is all." he said in a cajoling voice. He knew Gabriel could convince Penny to love him if he really put his mind to it.

"Oh? And how is that?" Gabriel asked with the raise of an eyebrow. In his mind he was looking at this just the way he should. In that he was destined to be alone forever.

"You are looking at it as if you have already lost. The season has only just begun. The campaign is young. There is plenty of time to win fair maidens heart." Castiel responded with a hint of humours in his tone.

"Have you been reading poetry again, Cassie? I have told you about that." Gabriel replied with a chuckle at his brother's words, just as he knew Castiel had hoped he would. He knew his brother was trying to pull him out of the flunk he was finding himself in. Trying to stop him wallowing and instead think of a way to achieve that which he wanted.

"I enjoy it, but no. I just think that if you truly want her as your wife, you will be able to get." Castiel answered rolling his eyes at Gabriel's words. There was nothing wrong with poetry.

At that Gabriel sighed. He didn't have the same belief Castiel had in this. He knew no matter what he did he would fail. That at the end of the season Penny would be ending their engagement. "Why is it I want the one lady I can't have?" He asked rhetorically, not expecting Castiel to have an answer to that, though when he did he had to laugh at it.

"Because you love a challenge." Castiel stated standing up. He moved to give his brothers shoulder a squeeze before he made his way to the door without another word. He had said what he could to connive Gabriel to fight for Penny, he just hoped his brother took his advice. Because he knew that if Gabriel put his mind to it, it would not take much for him to have Penny falling in love with him. And then, well why would she decline him, when he asked to make their engagement real?

Gabriel heard the door close behind his brother and looked back in the flames. But rather than the melancholy mood he had been in before, now he saw some light. He didn't for a minute think Penny would change the agreement they had made and make it real, but that didn't mean he couldn't spend the time they had together trying to convince her now did it? And well, when the season was over the agreement ended… there really was nothing stopping him from courting the lady for real then, now was there? And the time between now and then, well he could use that to lay the ground work, and make sure no other man had a chance to win her heart.

It was with these cheerful thoughts that he finished his drink, banked the fire and headed to his bed. He had a fiancée to see the next day after all.