Cecilia:

It had been a fortnight since I had suggested to Rory that we hold a dinner and a fortnight since that kiss that wouldn't leave my mind. I was stood in the large kitchen with Mrs Stone the cook who I was helping with the preparations for the dinner we were to host that evening.

Mrs Stone was a rotund woman of forty eight years, her face was red and smeared with flour and her hands were worn and wrinkled with age. Contrary to her name suggested she was the kindest of women with a jolly smile always plastered to her face and loved dearly by all the staff at Clampton. Not to mention her skills as a cook were exceptional and she always made the most delicious food.

It had been a while since such a social occasion had been held at Clampton, it seemed the old Duke had not been one for social affairs, and the house was buzzing.

Mrs Stone was hastening around the kitchen with trays of pastries and meats whilst the younger kitchen girls peeled potatoes and scrubbed parsnips.

I had busied myself making a pudding to be served for the final course of the meal. I had always been fond of cooking but had not had much chance to experiment at home due to the limited budget for food. We had employed a cook for a few years but she was given the sack after my father had gambled away the money to pay the servants.

Our old cook had taught me how to cook from a young age and with the knowledge she had imparted to me I had managed to make sure my father and I did not starve.

My favourite thing she had taught me to make was a summer pudding. It consisted of white bread and summer berries with their juices which turned the bread a deep purple-red.

I had gathered the fruits I needed from the garden this morning; strawberries, blackcurrants, raspberries, red currants and white currants.

I had finished lining the bowl I was using with the pieces of bread from the loaf I had baked earlier and was just about to pour the fruits and sauce in when I heard the whole room fall silent.

"Your grace, is there anything I can do for you?" I heard Mrs Stone say. I shot my head up to find my eyes connect with a pair of stormy copper coloured ones.

He looked furious, no wonder the kitchen had fallen so silent. I threw him a questioning look, what was he doing down here in the kitchen?"

He turned his head and his eyes softened as he heard the cook address him.

"Thank you Mrs Stone, I require a private audience with Mrs Huntington." His eyes were steely and guarded as his eyes turned back to mine.

"Can it wait?" I asked hopefully, wanting to finish the pudding before luncheon was served upstairs. I gave him my most pleading look but he didn't budge.

"No it cannot." His voice was hard as his stony eyes bore into mine.

"Give me a moment," I resigned, untying the apron and moving to the sink to wash my hands. I dried my hands on a tea towel conveniently placed on the bench I was working on before smoothing down my dress with my hands and walking towards the door where Rory stood. I flashed Mrs Stone an apologetic smile and assured her I was sure I would not be long.

Rory grabbed my arm and dragged me into one of the many pantries situated next to the kitchen.

"You're hurting me," I yelped as his clenched hand held my forearm roughly. He immediately released my arm and mumbled an apology before turning away from me and locking the door.

"What is so important that you have dragged me into a locked pantry to tell me?" I huffed irritatedly. "I mean couldn't we at least have discussed whatever this is in -"

"Why is he invited tonight?" He seethed, his eyes swirling with a fury I had never seen in them before.

"What?" I asked confused, "Why is who invited tonight?" I tilted my head to examine him, maybe he was sick? I placed the back of my hand against his head to check for a fever but my hand was quickly batted away by his.

"Don't play coy with me, you know exactly the man whom I am referring to." His eyes burned into mine with a fiery intensity.

"I confess I have no idea who you are referring to?" He let out a growl of frustration at my response.

"Him! That bastard!" He spat out each word with such venom that I felt myself begin to shrink back into the darkness of the pantry until I found myself pressed up against the back of the room. The coldness of the stone spread through my thin dress and I shivered involuntarily.

I still had no idea who he was talking about as I named the invited male guests in my head. There was the Duke of Darnstrum, the Earl of Hartley, another couple of dukes whom I had never heard of before and two more wealthy London gentlemen who were acquaintances of Rory's from his time at Eton.

I had also include Mr Thomas Herald who I had befriended in the small town when I first visited, Denny was coming and I had invited Edward too, I wanted us to be friends and thought this the best action to take. I thought if he saw me as a married woman he would return to viewing me purely as a friend.

Out of all of them I could not see why he would have any objection anywhere, he had not met Mr Herald or Edward before so surely it could not be them, and I knew it certainly was not Denny. The duke or earl then?

"One of the dukes or earls?" I question bemusedly.

"God's teeth woman, Edward Perth!" He snarled viciously. I tried to move further away from him but I was already pushed up against the wall.

"He's my friend." I spoke with more courage than I felt. I did want to try and rebuild my friendship with Edward, we had always been so close and I had trusted him with everything, so I still counted him a friend, even after our last proper encounter. I shivered again at the memory. It had all probably been a misunderstanding I thought to myself.

"Your friend?" Rory spluttered incredulously, "That man? He, he..." Rory tapered off before the fire returned to his eyes, "He assaulted you!" His voice was heavy with unconcealed anger and disgust. "How can you possibly call that monster your friend?"

I swallowed the lump that had risen in my throat, "You - you were there?" I spoke in a hushed voice as the pieces fell into place in my head and with a small gasp my eyes flew up to his, "You were the man, the man who rescued me..."

I bowed my head again ashamed that he had seen me weak and incapable of defending myself. The silence that ensued answered my question clearly.

"Why. Is. He. Invited?" Rory repeated, barely letting each word escape his lips. "I refuse to have that man in my house!" He raised his voice as he stepped closer to me. I tried to shrink into the darkness of the pantry shelves but to no avail.

"I..." I stuttered not knowing what to say to him, what explanation could I offer him? That I wanted to be friends with my assaulter? The idea was ridiculous but I had nothing else. "For old times sake?" It was more a question than a statement.

"Maybe I was wrong to save you from that bastard," his voice spoke menacingly, "Maybe," he continued, "You sought his attentions?" My eyes darted up to his fiery ones wide in shock. I opened my mouth but my throat had dried up so instead I just shook my head wildly.

"Maybe," he persevered, "You intend to start a liaison with him whilst I am gone away on business?"

"No!" I managed to shout. How could he accuse me of such a thing? I was no adulterer and I certainly held no romantic feelings for Edward. Had he himself not spoke of his many mistresses on our wedding day, how was that fair?

I felt the indignation building up in my chest as he hurled false accusations and insults at me as if I were his dog and not his wife. How dare he! I pushed myself off the wall I had been cowering against and moved towards him, my finger outstretched pointing at him.

"How dare you!" I said quietly, my voice trembling in anger as I jabbed my finger at his chest.

"How dare you accuse me of such disloyalty! I have been faithful to you since the day we wed and I will continue to honour the vows I made to you even if you don't. You had the gall to freely speak to me of your mistresses, on our wedding day of all days, and you accuse me of something that is a falsehood anyway!"

With every 'you' I shoved my finger into his chest, emphasising my point. I felt the anger bubbling through my veins as I defended myself against his preposterous allegations.

"You are no gentleman sir," I hissed, "to insult me, your wife, in such a way and accuse me of such untruths is disgusting." I spat at him, my face twisted in an unattractive scowl.

"I have hated you since the day that I met you but I have born your abuse and your temper. You have never shown respect for me, neither before or after our marriage, you treat me as if I were the dirt on the heel of your boot. You sir, are a disgrace to your sex. I shall not stand by and be treated thus by you any longer. You are surely dreaming if you think I will remain here a day further if you continue to mistreat and tyrannise me so! I am a lady, and I will not tolerate being treated as anything less!" I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest as I concluded my tirade upon Rory.

"I think you have made your feelings quite clear my lady, I apologise if I have falsely accused you and I hope you will forgive my outburst. I believe there is no more that needs to be said." He bowed his head at me before turning on his heel, unlocking the pantry door and marching from the room.

I stood for a moment in the dark pantry in confusion as I recalled what had been said. I reached up to move the hair from my face, only then noticing the angry tears that were falling from my eyes. I wiped my face furiously, willing the tears to stop but my efforts were in vain.

I blinked the tears back but knew they wouldn't hold long. Plastering a smile onto my face I returned to the kitchen, hurriedly finished the pudding I had been making, placed it in the cold-room and with a final smile at the cook and instructions on how to serve the pudding, I scampered from the kitchen and hastened to my quarters.

Falling upon the feathery bed I let down my fragile guards and wept freely. I regretted my words that I had spoken in my rage, though on the whole true they had brought a barrier down between us that had slowly been lifting.

I wasn't wholly unhappy in this lonely house, the servants were kind and friendly and even Rory and I had been getting on well these past weeks. Why had I had to go and ruin it?

I wouldn't take all the blame though, for if he had not spoken so cruelly and offensively I would not have been provoked so to speak so churlishly myself. He was truly a beast. I let out a frustrated wail as the cause of our argument came to the forefront of my mind, Edward.

Rory had made it quite clear that he would not allow him to enter the house and I did not want another fight to ensue. I pulled a piece of parchment from the side of my bed and in a neat scrawl wrote a short letter to Edward informing him that the dinner would no longer be taking place. I folded the letter then called for Edna to make sure the letter reached him before this evening.

I had been so focussed on my row with Rory that I had completely forgotten about my plan to get back at him for spying on me in the river. With a hint of excitement returning to me, my lips curved up in a small smile, maybe tonight wouldn't be so awful after all.

Hello all!

Much love

xxx