Isabella had a dreamless sleep that night and awoke feeling refreshed. She opened her eyes and immediately felt relieved that the dark water hadn't been in her mind throughout the night. Her father's confession about his past appearance on the most infamous disaster of the century had surprised her, leaving her to wonder about her own past. The images of claustrophobic corridors and panicking hoards of passengers fit unusually well with her father's tale. Although she had no complete memory of her life before the age of 5, her dreams felt like fragments of some part of her life. They affected her present life, such as her inability to go near open water, so they must have been the result of something huge in her past. Her mind wandered uncontrollably onto things that couldn't be true, questions of her father's priorities. Ridiculous, she murmured. If her father had said she wasn't on the ship, then she obviously wasn't Her father didn't lie to her, he was always completely truthful about the world to her, a rarity amongst her friends' parents. Isabella shook her head, feeling a little ashamed of herself for even considering such negativity towards her father. He had experienced something traumatic, it was little wonder that he didn't want to discuss it.

Today was officially, for Isabella, the first day of her vacation. She intended to do nothing strenuous for as long as possible. If that horrid Jocelyn even mentioned the word 'party' then she would just walk away and pretend she didn't hear her. From the moment her father had brought Miss Rutherford into the family home, Isabella, at the time the tender age of 7, had felt some sort of inner tension directed towards the woman. Maybe it was something to do with the way she seemed to wrap Cal around her bony fingers like one of her ridiculously expensive fur stoles. Or it could have been related to her completely fake joy at the prospect of gaining a step-daughter. Isabella was young at the time, but even she knew a liar when she saw one. The signs had been obvious - the white knuckles from holding on too tightly to her scarf, the fidgeting with her over decorated fingers, a smile so large it resembled a painted clown. Jocelyn would call Isabella 'a cherub' and 'a complete darling' all the way through her engagement to Cal, yet the moment the diamond ring was on her finger, Jocelyn stopped the compliments. She actually tried to stop contact with Isabella as much as possible, a task when you live together. Isabella didn't mind being a non-existant being in her step-mother's eyes. She had nothing in common with the woman and despised the way she acted towards her father. At least she didn't insist on Isabella calling her 'mother.' She couldn't even remember her own mother but didn't want to taint any memory of her by letting that woman take her place. Isabella pondered. Maybe that was the reason Jocelyn was so vile in her eyes.

Isabella was so excited at the prospect of having a proper vacation, she ran downstairs in her pyjamas. The housekeepers kept to themselves, making sure they stayed busy around the immense house. It was yet another beautiful Summer day outside, let into the house by the maids pulling back the countless curtains. The beach would be too crowded for Isabella to enjoy any real peace and quiet so she decided to avoid it and stay at home.

After picking up some cereal from the kitchen, she carried it into the studio and sat next to the piano. While her instrument in the city was black, this piano was ivory white and a classical design quite similar to her other one back home. It sat proudly next to the window, too early in the day to have met the sun. The ultra smooth panels and shiny surfaces were the complete opposite of the rest of the design of the studio, full of plush furnishings and deep colours. Nothing in this room, except for the piano, had changed in the past 40 years. Her grandfather had inherited the house from his family, a long line of socialites and businessmen of different varieties. Despite their varying tastes, Isabella always felt comfortable in this house. It was a place where she didn't have to conform or go out of her way to please people. The studio especially was her haven, the room where she had full reign. Her father had promised that she could have her own haven to rule over and fill with music. She ran her fingers across the striped keys of ebony and ivory. Swaying into her padded stool, Isabella immediately began to immerse herself in the notes her hands seemed to effortlessly form. She didn't need her sheet music, she had played this piece so many times that all she had to do was play the opening bars and every note appeared before her eyes. It wasn't just a piece of music, it was a part of her. If somebody took music from her life, it would be like chopping off one of her arms. She wouldn't know what to do with herself, life would certainly be much less interesting.

Isabella didn't even need to keep her eyes open as she played. Eventually, she became so engrossed with the movements of her fingers and the echoes vibrating into her body, that her entire body flowed with the music. She flipped her head back rather dramatically as the notes crept up higher and higher. The highest notes were barely distinguishable to her ears but she tapped at them anyway, knowing that all music can be beautiful. Her perfect ending to the piece was spoiled by a tap on her shoulder. Instead of finishing on a long chord, she forced her startled hands down on several keys, creating a shuddering sound. While normally Isabella would be irritated at being disturbed, she was rather happy to see Darcy again.

"Oops, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your big finish," He smiled. His attire was back to it's normal working style, covered in grass stains with worn out holes at the knees. Darcy had gravity defying hair that resembled a burnt bush with stray Autumn leaves at every corner.

"It's okay," Isabella replied, not knowing what else to say. She closed the lid on the piano keys.

"Oh, don't stop on my account. You're good. I'm no expert on stuff like classical music but you make is sound pretty interesting."

"Of course it's interesting. All music is. It might not always be good but it's always interesting."

"I guess. I don't really listen to a lot of music. But the other maids and house staff love listening to jazz records in the dorms when they ain't working. That's pretty swell." Darcy smiled, fidgeting with his hands. He had just been planting some new flowers when he had heard the music and was afraid to place his hands down anywhere in the room for fear of making a mess.

"I don't really care much for jazz. It's too unpredictable for me, all that improvisation and quick thinking, it's not for me. I prefer to have a set piece to play, it's easier and much more beautiful."

"Each to their own, I guess." Darcy scratched his head. Silence followed. Isabella tapped the piano lid as a replacement for the real keys, imagining the notes in her head as she tapped the solid wood.

"I'm sorry for last night, I really didn't want to stop talking to you but that imbicile Moody literally dragged me away." She said, turning her head to face Darcy.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I had a good time after you left. I got the hell out of there and went riding." He laughed.

"You ride?"

"Yeah, I have my own horse. I keep him in the field behind your houses' garden. I'm better with horses than I am with humans. They don't ask you to parties or judge you. As long as you feed, brush and clean them, they don't care what you wear."

"Wow." She sighed. Darcy looked at her pensively then, as if struck by a momeny of genius, took Isabella's hand gently and coaxed her up from the stool.

"Come on, I wanna introduce you to somebody." He grinned, leading Isabella out into the early morning air. Preston observed from an open window as his son and his boss' only child ran off together through the back courtyard towards the secluded field. Like any parent he worried about his son's welfare yet he felt a twinge of concern for Isabella too. It was the top priority of each and every worker under the Hockley's employment that their sole child be kept safe. preston was one of a select few who could be trusted with the secret of Isabella's origins. He had been there, serving drinks in Nathan Hockley's home, when Cal had carried the sobbing little girl into their home. As a loyal worker and close friend of the Hockleys, he would never dream of ruining their happiness. He knew what it was like to lose someone dear to him, his wife was always in his thoughts, God rest her soul. To spoil Cal's love for that girl would be wrong. But that was not his main worry. Like every father, and every servant, he disapproved of the thought of a 17 year old girl and a 33 year old man enjoying each other's company, no matter how innocent it was. Preston just hoped that Darcy had more sense than he seemed to have and didn't inherit any of his father's youthful playboy attitudes.

After running for a few minutes, Isabella and Darcy reached the vast, open field that covered land as far as the eye could see. The land had been farmed and was now devoid of the golden sheafs of corn that normally grew. Instead the trampled ground revealed the grass-short stalks that still sat in the ground. Next to the field sat a shack-like building built from several different types of wood. Isabella knew it seemed rude and snobbish, but the powerful smell of animal manure that filled the air was too foul to ignore and she had to cover her nose. Darcy shook his head with his cheeky grin on his face. There was something almost quaint about Isabella's actions. While she was obviously different from the other society daughters he surveyed around the Hamptons, Miss Hockley was clearly a novice to such situations that he considered normal. They continued to walk, the mud beneath their feet becoming ever more sticky and creeping it's way up their legs, and eventually stopped at the hut.

"Here we are," Darcy said. "Sorry about your clothes, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll most likely be the one cleaning them later!"

"Don't worry," She sighed with exhaustion. "They weren't expensive." That was a lie and Darcy knew it, but he appreciated the sentiment.

"Just wait here," Darcy pushed his legs through the mud, creating trails of prints in his path, and disappeared into the hutch. Isabella waited tentatively as she listened to the rustles and peculiar stomping noises that echoed from inside. Darcy didn't step out alone, instead he was accompanied by a beautiful horse, the colour of melted chocolate. It's perfectly brushed mane was a few shades darker, each strand perfectly brushed, while it's tail had been plaited and moved like a whip from left to right. Darcy seemed perfectly at ease as he straddled the animal, taking great care not to hurt it. He held a helmet in his hand but did not put it on.

"Izzy, meet Lizzy." He grinned, stroking the horse's neck. "My dad thought it was a great joke to name her Elizabeth but I haven't even read Pride And Prejudice!"

"She's beautiful," Isabella's eyes widened. She wanted to move towards the horse cautiously but the mud made that impossible, changing her movements from careful to clumsy.

"Yep, I look after her better than I look after myself. She deserves it." He threw down the helmet to Isabella, who just caught it by the tips of her fingers. "Get that on and jump up. I'll take you on a tour."

"On the horse?"

"Yeah, it'll bne fun. You can just hold on to me and I'll hold the reins. You ever been on a horse before?"

"No."

"Then you haven't lived Izzy!" He held out a hand to her. "Grab it and stick your foot into that bit there," He signalled towards the stirrup on the right side.

Isabella took a deep breath and grabbed Darcy's hand. She had never been a fan of outdoor activities as a child, instead preferring to remain in her house with her beloved piano. She had thought about joining in with her school-mates when she first went to school. But after years of orders not to dirty her clothes and ruin her expensive possessions, she gave up any desire to venture to the park with her friends and obsessively played music throughout her 14 years. Maybe it was time to enjoy the simpler things for a while. With one great pull, she managed to balance herself onto the back of Lizzy, both legs on the right hand side.

"Oh no, you ain't getting away with that fancy side saddle stuff. Both legs over." Darcy exclaimed. Isabella's eyes widened further. It seemed as if all courtesy was being tossed away. Using the saddle as a grip, she twisted her body around suffuciently so that her left leg could find it's way across to the other side. She couldn't imagine how absurd a sight she must have looked, thank god her father wasn't here! With both legs in place, she wobbled uncomfortably.

"See, not so bad, is it? Right, got a tight hold?" Isabella quickly wrapped her arms around Darcy's waist, the only way she could ensure a safe trip. The close contact was awkward to say the least, but it was much more preferrable to falling on her face.

"And we're off." Darcy announced proudly. Lizzy trotted immediately at a speed Isabella didn't expect. Her grip tightened around Darcy, who only seemed happy to be in her company. They rode forward, Darcy in complete control of their path, exploring the Hamptons. He took Isabella to areas that even she had never seen before. It was such a beautiful day, warm but not overbearingly so, made even more so enjoyable by their journey. To end their travels, they stopped at the beach, but not the tourist filled areas packed to the brim. Instead, the entire stretch was empty. The countless grains of dirty white sand met with the uninviting frosty blue of the sea which in turn created the horizon with the cloud-less topaz sky. Isabella stared in awe at the beach, wondering how it was possible that something so beautiful could be kept a secret. Darcy gently pulled on Lizzy's reins and she stopped moving.

"End of the line." Darcy leapt expertly from the saddle, holding Lizzy still. "Jump off."

Isabella took a little longer to dismount, her bottom unaccustomed to the constant bouncing that accompanied horse riding. She had enjoyed herself but the aches were very off-putting towards the prospect of a future journey. When her feet eventually found the ground, she gave Lizzy a pat in the head as a thank you for keeping her safe. It would have been unsuitable to pat Darcy for doing the same thing!

"Don't worry, your ass gets used to it after a few goes!" Darcy laughed. Isabella didn't approve of the use of such an impolite word but was preoccupied trying to keep her wobbling legs supporting her body. "Isn't this place beautiful? Me and the other staff come here as much as we can. It's gonna be turned into a stupid resort of some sort in a few months so we're enjoying the peace while we can."

"I didn't know there was a deserted piece of beach in the Hamptons. It doesn't sound plausible."

"Yeah, I know. Oh well, it won't be for much longer." Darcy sat down onto the soggy sand, looking out to the ocean. Isabella decided to join him. For several minutes, there was no conversation between the pair, only the frantic dancing of the waves keeping them company.

"You don't say much, do you?" Darcy finally spoke. They both smiled.

"Sorry, I'm not very interesting." Isabella had no idea why she felt the need to apologise but it seemed like the right thing to do.

"Sure you are. You're a socialite with a musical fetish, that's ten times more interesting than a servant born and bred. Come on, tell me about yourself. We can't just watch the sea for a few hours."

"Inquisitive type, aren't you?" Isabella smirked. "There's really not much to tell. I go to a private school, I'm hoping to study music at university if father will allow me, and I'm obligated to attend countless parties to keep my family name in the spotlight." A sigh followed her statement. "It's a tough job. And what about you?"

"Just as riveting, I'm afraid. My dad's been working for the Hockleys since I can remember. I hated school so left as soon as I could. Then I decided to go to Chicago to find fame and fortune, but ended up broke with no future. Luckily, my dad let me come here and work as the gardener and servant. I owe him everything, he's the greatest dad."

"I'm sure everybody says that about their fathers. I certainly do. My father has always been the most wonderful man. He's so...I can't even begin to describe."

"My dad was kinda like your dad's nanny when he was younger." Darcy informed Isabella. "Apparently he liked to party."

"So I've heard. Also apparently he was quite the man about town. But I can't see it when I'm around him now. He's always been so kind and completely despises the party scene. It's so baffling for me, I just cannot contemplate my father as anything other than what he is now. He says he was spoilt and...a horrid human being, but I refuse to believe that. My father is none of those things. He raised me to be the best I could be and he'll always be my father. I'm his daughter though, I'm not capable of giving an unbiased opinion! People change and grow up. Fatherhood does that, or so I'm told."

"Do you know anything about his past?"

"Well, I recently discovered that my father was a passenger on the Titanic."

Darcy looked surprised yet kept his calming grin. "Wow."

"It was a surprise for me too. Odd, he never told me about it until last night, and even then it was only because somebody mentioned it beforehand. Father doesn't usually keep secrets from me, but this is a little different I guess. The weirdest thing is...I feel like I was part of it. As absurd as it sounds, I sometimes have these dreams where I can see this dark water and everybody around me is terrified and I feel like I'm going to die. I might be crazy for all I know, but when father told me about the Titanic, it seemed to fit with everything. I read a book where they talked about this phenomenon in the brain that results when you supress memories. It feels similar to that, like I've been to a place but can only remember it when my brain allows it. But I was never on the ship, maybe father told me as a child and I forgot. Or maybe I'm psychic!" She laughed, her eyes full of thoughtfulness.

"My dad used to be really wild when he was younger too. Mom calmed him down though, God rest her soul. I miss her like mad..." Darcy paused out of respect for the most important woman in his life.

"Do you miss your mother?"

"Yeah, like mad. I just don't feel the same without her. She was always so kind and light-hearted. She could make a joke out of everything, even when it wasn't right to do so. But she had a rough few years before her death. Stomach cancer, left her as a shell of her former self. But she's at peace now and I'm happy for that. I hated seeing her in pain."

"What was her name?"

"Melissa Preston. My dad called her Molls. What was your mother called?"

Isabella instinctively went to reply, but with a horrified shudder, she realised that she didn't know. She had no idea what her own mother's name was! How on earth was that possible? Her father barely mentioned her existence throughout her life. She never played a part in her life except for bringing her into it. While she could understand her father being too distraught with grief to want to discuss her, it was simply baffling not to even tell Isabella her name.

"You okay?" Darcy asked. Isabella hadn't realised how long she had been silent for. Unable to form words, she simply nodded. "Maybe we should be heading back?" She nodded again and quickly stood up. She didn't care that her slacks were saturated with mud and sand, or that the ache in her bottom had not receded. More important matters needed to be dealt with.

Throughout the entire journey back home, Isabella searched through the memories of her entire life and not one of them contained her mother. She couldn't decipher who she was for she did not know what she looked like. According to her grandparents, whom she bore no physical resemblence to, her mother looked much like Isabella. Yet there wasn't even a fragment of a memory in her mind. Why did her father distance himself and Isabella so much from her mother? It seemed as if a lot of skeletons had been tumbling out of the Hockley closet lately.

Darcy decided to make a dramatic entrance in front of the Hockley mansion with both Isabella and Lizzy. Several maids ran out to greet them, not sure whether to laugh or be shocked. The pair dismounted and tried to wipe away some of the dried flecks of dirt from their clothes. Preston ran outside, clearly angry with his son.

"Get that thing back to the stable!" He yelled. Darcy jumped back onto Lizzy and waved to Isabella, who repeated the greeting with a grateful smile. He rode away back to the hut, leaving a trail of dust in his path. The maids applauded their fellow worker's stupidity, knowing he would face the consequences when he returned.

"Back to work." Preston ordered and everybody hurried back inside. "Miss Hockley, I've been asked by your father to inform you that your grandparents will be arriving tonight to discuss a rather important matter. He has requested that you er..." He inspected her less than formal attire. "Dress smartly. Mr and Mrs Hockley will arrive around 8."

"Thank you Preston." Isabella replied, before feeling the need to add something else. "Will you punish Darcy for this?"

"I have to, he didn't do his duties today and will have his salary docked for today. It would only be fair. Now, I think you'd better go change."

Isabella nodded and ran into the house. She had a million things scrambling for attention in her mind that she couldn't organise. Her grandparents' surprise visit only complicated matters. She knew why they were coming. Her father desired that the family business be signed over as soon as possible. He had been in a state of unrest ever since they had arrived in the Hamptons. This was probably the only way he could finally relax. For Isabella, she did not know how she would ever relax until she at least knew something about her elusive mother.

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Author's Note: I am so sorry that this took so long to be updated, I had tons of problems at school that unfortunately delayed chapter 6. After this, I'll try and be quicker! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I want to thank every single person who has read this story, each review and alert made means a lot to me!