A letter was personally delivered into Ciel's hands the following morning by one of the Ashford's errand boys. He had been expecting some contact from the young heiress, how could you resist contacting him after all? He could only smirk as the boy handed him the letter and all but bolted out of his sight.

He broke the seal and pulled out the letter. He was mildly surprised at the contents. He expected it to be a letter all about how much she had enjoyed his company last night, how she wished to see him again and would do anything for the pleasure of his company once more as he was completely unlike any other man she had ever met.

Instead, it was a very simple letter stating that from last night's conversation she established it would be beneficial for them both to become business partners in the near future, and if he agreed and wished to discuss matters she would be more than happy to have him over for dinner one evening.

For a long while, Ciel just stared at the letter. Business partners? It was written so devoid of emotion, it was unusual for him to receive something like this. He set it aside and opened the rest of the letters that had arrived for him. He had received another letter from Lady Margret, a sweet little letter filled with love and devotion, thanking him for his attendance and reeking heavily of her perfume. There were other letters with the same gentle and sweet messages from women whose names he didn't quite recognise.

"Oh my, it seems my Lord has become quite an attraction."

Ciel chuckled as Sebastian placed a cup of Earl Grey tea before him. "Yes, it does seem like that, doesn't it? Lady Aveline would also like to meet for business talks." He commented, holding out the letter before Sebastian. Sebastian was used to women asking to talk of business and then just have to strip the sheets of his master's bed and get clean some clean sheets. He looked over the letter before glancing back at his master. "My Lord… I think this letter is genuine, Lady Ashford doesn't appear to be interested in you, I do believe she is interested in continuing her father's business. She seems interested in your company."

It was not the response Ciel wanted to hear. He quickly grabbed a piece of paper and some ink, beginning to write. "Perhaps. Deliver this letter to her immediately Sebastian," He began, as he signed off his name on the response, folding it neatly, putting it in an envelope and melting some wax. "I want her here for lunch, no woman has resisted me so far, she won't be any different."
I won't allow her to be any different. He dripped the wax onto the envelope and pressed his seal against it before holding it out to Sebastian.

The butler was about to pluck it out of his fingers when Ciel pulled it back out of his grasp slightly. Sebastian met his eye, raising a questioning eyebrow. However as soon as he did, he could see the burning desire within his master's one visible eye. "Make sure she comes. Prepare for lunch as soon as you return."

Sebastian bowed and took the letter. "Yes my Lord."

Ciel leaned back in his chair. Little Aveline Ashford…Oh she would crumble like all over women, of that he was sure. Ciel always had enjoyed a good game. What better and more challenging game than possessing and dominating a woman such as Aveline? Adding an Ashford to the list of women he bedded would be no small feat. The Ashfords were known for their coldness and their general reluctance to try anything risky. They preferred keeping well into their comfort zone.

Aveline wouldn't be caught dead attempting to have an affair with a man promised to someone else – especially when she was so in love with her dead fiancé.

That reluctance could be seen throughout all their lives. Especially in their business. The Ashfords were always in the shipping business, their estate and grounds being right on the coastline making it convenient to build their own harbour and have their trading ships nearby at all times. However they had more than enough money to create an empire and expand, even take over and destroy rival companies and create a monopoly.

Ciel had Sebastian do some… investigating last night. Not having to sleep had proved to be such a blessing. It allowed him to do such extensive research. Sebastian had returned a few hours later with documentation that proved very informative. Added that to the information Ciel had from his own records, he pieced together nice little bits of information about Aveline's family.

As he had originally suspected, he had done business with the Ashford company. Well, his father and even his grandfather. It seemed to have been nothing major, just some creates from England to Germany in his grandfather's time and there seemed to be a constant route that the Ashford company took to deliver things for his father perhaps once every few months.

He even found a letter from his father to his mother. He had been in India on business for a few weeks and wrote about how he finally met William Ashford.

Dearest Rachel,

I have finally met William, after all this time of writing letters back and forth. He is a most… peculiar man. Perhaps because his wife is pregnant he's a little tense. I felt the same anxiety when you were pregnant.

I have noticed how he talks to himself quite often, I'm not sure why, but he is constantly muttering. It seems as though he is answering questions and arguing with voices only he can hear. I'm beginning to think he may not be too healthy in his mind. Although maybe it is stress? It is hard to gauge. I'm only hoping his little boy George will become a more accommodating as a business partner.

The letter had gone on a little more, asking about Ciel and telling his mother just about India in general and the beauty of the country.

Ciel also discovered the previous lord refused to expand – it was always something that he didn't understand. Then again, people said he wasn't quite in the right mind. Understandable if his son was drowned.

Something seemed very wrong about that. The heir of an estate would be watched constantly, either by his mother or by at least one servant of some description. Ciel shrugged, perhaps it was just chance.

The information that Sebastian had found was far more interesting than anything Ciel had dug up. In his grandfather's time, the Ashford Trading Company had been making steady profits. However as soon as William Ashford took control profits began to slip, and when Aveline took over, the company's profits plummeted completely.

How interesting…

He flicked through the rest of his letters, more business letters. One from the manager of one of his companies, saying there had been a fire in one section, resulting in 30% of the stock due to be shipped out to India next week had been destroyed. He sighed in frustration, of course this would happen. He hastily penned a response – he would have to get stock from another one of his companies and hope he could cut his losses.

He was happy to see he had more letters about new orders – new orders that would had a substantial amount of wealth to his name.

However his happiness was soon diminished when he saw another letter from none other than his cousin. Lizzy wanted to see him sometime this week for dinner, maybe lunch, just to spend some time together and get the plans for their wedding underway. Ciel ran a hand through his hair, groaning even at the thought of a wedding. If there was one thing, one thing that Ciel Phantomhive had no inclination of doing, it was getting married.

The thought of matrimony made him want to laugh. He had so many things he'd rather do than be bound to another person in the sight of God for the rest of his very long existence. Well, he had so many other people he'd rather do. He could hardly satisfy all his needs with Lizzy around.

A small part of him also wished that Lizzy could be with a man she truly loved, not someone like him who would only cheat on her, kill people all around her and never give her the happiness she craved. She deserved so much better. Another man, any other man would be much more suited than he would be.

Suddenly there was a knock on his door, startling him from his thoughts. "Come in."

Sebastian opened the door with a slight smirk on his face. "Lady Ashford accepted your offer for lunch today quite graciously. She will be here about 1pm." Ciel nodded, signing off on yet another letter.

"What about my meal?"

"It shall be delivered at 2pm."

Ciel glanced up at him.

"That is a very close call, I hope you realise I cannot just push Aveline out of the house after an hour."

"I'm afraid this is the only time it can work, my Lord."

Ciel sighed in frustration as he signed off on another letter with more force than necessary. "Then nothing can be done. Next time don't allow such an overlap to occur."

"I believe it was you who was so eager to invite Lady Ashford here and insisted she be here today."

Ciel's eyes flashed as he slammed a hand against his desk, and stood suddenly, glaring down at the other demon. "Don't speak back to me as you wish, you insolent servant! Don't you dare forget your place!"

Sebastian merely bowed. "My apologises, my Lord."

Ciel pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his one visible eye as he waved dismissively and sunk back into his seat. "Get out of my sight."

Sebastian left the room, not bothering to smother his smirk. What an explosive little lord. This afternoon shall be most interesting… Hmm… now what to serve for lunch…