A/N: Hehehe, I just found a font on OpenOffice called Kartika...I made all the star-thingies that font. I would have used it for the entire story, but it's really tiny, so...yeah. Hope you like it!

I do it anyway. While everyone is sleeping, I go into their rooms and place my hand on their foreheads. Their creased brows slowly relax as they forget the things they'd seen tonight. When I enter Brigid's room, she's awake. Smiling slightly, she says, "That's awl righ', luv. I don' care to forget, if it's all the same." The rowan leaves have disappeared from her windowsill.

I make my way back to my room. Ann decided to stay with Felicity for the remainder of her stay here, to give me time alone with Kartik. I enter the room to find him on the bed. He sits on the edge, his face in his hands. His sobs are so quiet I almost don't hear them at first. Concerned, I hurry over to him and sit down beside him. I place his head against the hollow of my throat and rocked him slowly back and forth.

"I could have saved him," he sobs, his breath warm on my throat. "He didn't have to become the tree."

"Kartik," I say, forcing back tears of my own. "If you had been the one who was taken by the tree, I don't know what I would have done. I never felt like I belonged anywhere, either. But when I'm with you, it's as if I finally found it. I feel safe, wanted."

I take his face and force him to look me in the eyes. I wipe away his tears with my thumbs. I repeat the words he said to when we went to retrieve my father from the opium den. "Meraa mitra yahaan aaiye."

He smiles through his tears. "Your Hindi could use some work."

I laugh quietly as I say, "I could use some work, but that's what makes us who we are."

Lying back, Kartik cradles me against his side. I rest my head upon his chest. We lay quietly for a while, Kartik running his finger through my hair. He kisses my forehead, my nose, my mouth. I sigh with pleasure as his lips leave a warm line from my jaw to my shoulder.

"Marry me," ha gasps.

"Wh- what?" I splutter. His question brought me out of my fantasies.

Kartik rolled over, propping himself on his elbow while he leaned over me. He caressed my face as he whispered, "Marry me. We could go to India, and get a house there, where we-"

"No," I interrupt. Hurt swims in his eyes, so I correct myself quickly. "No, no, I do want to get married, its just..."

"Just what?"

"I...want to go live in America," I finish, barely audible. I watch my hands play with Kartik's shirt collar as I continue. "We could find a little apartment in New York, and I could go to a university there." The last bit comes out in a rush.

Kartik is silent. For a moment, I think he's going to tell me I'm a silly girl, and I shouldn't speak such nonsense. Then I feel his hand on my chin. He gently lifts my face to his, and he kisses me sweetly on the lips. "Wherever you're happy, I'm happy, Gemma," he murmurs, his breath warm on my ear. I snuggle closer to him and fall asleep while he runs his knuckles soothingly along my spine.

I wake to the absence of Kartik's warmth. He bends down to kiss my forehead before sneaking out the window. I look around my room as I think of last night. How am I going to tell my bloody family about my decision? Grandmama will die of shock, I'm sure. Tom will shun me forever more, and Father...

I decide to tell everyone that I am going to go to India with Father. He planned to go there before he...well, he had planned to go, so it will be the perfect opportunity to marry Kartik. Nobody will suspect a thing. Well, except Father, but I don't think he'll react nearly as horribly as Grandmama and Tom would. Then we could stay with Father until... Then we'd be off to America.

Felicity suddenly sweeps into the room, followed by Ann. When she sees me, she waggles her eyebrows. "So, how was your night?" Ann wears the same eager expression to know as Felicity. I'm hit with the sudden realization of what did occur last night.

"I got engaged," I whisper excitedly, and I close my door before skipping circles around the room. "I got engaged, I got engaged, I got engaged!" I squeal with delight.

"Oh, Gemma, that's wonderful!" Felicity cries, throwing her arm around my neck. Ann wraps her arms around my waist, and we all twirl in a circle at the good news.

"Where will you be married?" Felicity giggles.

"India. Then after that we'll be off to America."

A fist pounds the door. "Come now, girls, breakfast!" Brigid calls.

Giggling, we make our way down to breakfast.

It is time for the parting of ways. The carriage has come to take Ann away to the beginning of her acting career. Armed with Felicity's garnet earbobs, my ivory elephant from India, and plenty of handkerchiefs, Ann is ready to take on the world.

"We shall read of your admirers in the paper," Felicity says.

"I'm only one of the merry maidens," Ann reminds us. "There are other girls."

"Yes, well, we all must start somewhere," Mrs. Nightwing tuts.

"How did your cousins take the news about you not coming back?" I inquire.

"They were furious," Ann giggles. "But they shall find another governess, I'm sure."

"Yes, of course they will," Felicity and I agree.

Felicity, teary-eyed, rushes over to give Ann a hug. I am not quite as quick as Felicity, but Ann appreciates it all the same. We wave as the carriage pulls away, and we keep waving until it is out of sight. Felicity dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief, and I take her hand to comfort her, but not before smiling at the gorgeous man in the trees. He is going to accompany me to the train station, then he'll meet up with me at Grandmama's London home. Maybe he can make my grandmother bearable.

Today is the day. I go into the dress shop for some last minute fittings. I spy Kartik watching from the window, and the look of awe on his face is enough to make me smile and forget about my fears, if only for a few moments. Even Mrs. Jones is feeling the excitement of today's events. She looks at me instead of through me when she says, "You look lovely today, Miss Doyle."

I pull my gloves on and take a peak in my mirror. I don't recognize the woman looking back at me. She is tall, with beautiful coppery curls and freckled skin. She wears a stunning white gown that makes her appear as if she's glowing.

"I am pretty," I whisper to my mirror.

A figure comes up behind me and murmurs in my ear, "No. You are beautiful."

I turn around and kiss him, letting my tongue make small explorations into his mouth, before I make my way downstairs. My father looks happier than I had seen him in a long time. "Who is this woman and what has she done with my little girl?" he jokes, and I smile as I embrace him. Then we all pile into the carriage and head out to present me to the queen.

The jitters are returning. I make an attempt at deep breaths, but it's not working. All my fears are returning. What if I ruin my curtsy? What if I fall into the queen? Or maybe I'll swoon before I even make it to the door. A girl stumbles as she enters the room. I recognize her: Elizabeth Poole. This almost makes me feel better. Almost.

Finally, I have reached the door. My heart is pounding so loudly I am sure everyone can hear it. I enter with my father as gracefully as I can. Like a souffle, I sink into my curtsy for the queen. She gives me a firm tap on the shoulder, telling me to rise. I walk over to where the other girls, now women, stand. I did it. I made my debut before the queen. I gave her a perfect curtsy. I didn't make a fool of myself. I made it through, and it is all I can do to prevent myself from breaking out in a ridiculous grin and whooping with joy.

The ball is beautiful, but I do not care to dance. I take my father's arm and whisper in his ear, "I must speak with you."

I lead him into the library. He sits in an overstuffed arm chair, where he takes out the pipe I gave him for Christmas.

"Now, what is it you wanted to tell me, Gemma, dear?" he inquires.

I take a deep breath. "Before I tell you, you must promise to hear me out."

His eyes grow slightly wary. "Yes, of course I will."

"Very well." Another deep breath. "I do not wish to continue my season." He remains silent, so I continue. "I am tired of balls and fancy dresses and expectations. I want to go back to India with you," I say, stopping to see his reaction.

"Is there any particular reason you want to go back?" he asks, his eyes bearing deep into mine. "I noticed the way you looked at that Indian carriage driver I hired."

"Well..." I began. "That Indian boy, Kartik, was with a band of Gypsies living on Spence's grounds. He asked for the position as our carriage driver so he could protect me here as well as at Spence."

"Protect you from what?"

Visions and horrible beasts that wanted to use me as a sacrifice. Oh, and from the thing that killed Mother. "Men who, uh, wanted to, um, take away my, er, virtue," I reply awkwardly. "We met each other in India and he said he wanted to always be there for me. He helped me get through the loss of Mother," I finish quietly, and I realize that my speech was not entirely made up. Kartik had helped me get through my loss, in a sense. And we did meet in India.

Father is silent. Then he asks, "Do you two plan on living in India?"

I'm stunned. "Does this mean you are giving your consent?"

"Gemma, if you are anything like your mother, you would marry him even without my consent," he says, chuckling quietly. "You do look so much like her."

"I know," I say, and for once, I don't flinch. After a pause, I tell him, "After we get married, we were going to go live in America. In New York City. I could go to university there and we could live together without anyone knowing I've scandalized Grandmama and Tom."

That makes Father laugh. "Oh, Gemma, you are a clever one, my angel," he sighs. "Though she will be furious, I will tell your Grandmama about your choice. Not about the marriage, but of you wanting to discontinue your season." He looks at me. "Are you sure this is what you want to do? You have seen everything you want to see?"

"All that and more."

"And you're sure this Kartik is the right man for you?"

"Most definitely."

"Very well. If you're positive it's the right choice for you, then I am happy."

Blinking back tears, I smile at him. "Thank you, Father." I hurry to embrace him. He pats me on the back. I back away to see he has tears in his eyes, as well. "You have grown into a fine young lady," he says quietly. "Now, would you care to dance with me?"

"With pleasure." I take his arm and he leads me back to the ballroom. I smile at him as he twirls me around the floor. When we are done, I am flushed and warm, but I am happy.

Felicity spots me and hurries over to talk to me. "Oh, Gemma this is wonderful! I will have my inheritance soon, and I can finally go live in Paris," she sighs, more content than I'd ever seen her. "I think I shall become an artist. Or better yet, an artist's model!" She relishes how dirty that sounds. She lowers her voice as she says, "I've heard there are others there like my. Perhaps I will love again."

I smile. "I'm very happy for you, Felicity Worthington."

She gives me a devilish grin. "And how are you going to tell your family of your wedding?"

"I've told Father, and he agreed to tell Grandmama that I will be discontinuing my season and I will go to India with him. The wedding will be our secret, then after that we'll be off the New York." And I feel more content than I ever had in my life.