Chapter XX.

*Next day*

*Ms Tamara*

The day was swapped for the night before the substitution of the moon had led rise to the sun's return. And with it, the weather it brought was nothing but cold.

The early morning was clear, but it had brought frost with it. While the afternoon carried clouds upon clouds in the wind. With the further accumulation of clouds, that was when the first few flurries made their way from the sky to the ground.

'Snow...' Tamara thought to herself, her gaze pointed out the window of her family's carriage. She, just as yesterday and the day before it, was headed toward Diana's home.

The snow seemed to have followed her as it hadn't stopped the whole journey to the Oxford residency.

With her stepping out of the carriage and knocking on the door, she was invited into the house and escorted to Diana.

Within minutes, Diana led Tamara into their usual room. Sitting behind the piano, that was when Tamara began, "Today, we'll continue with getting to know all the keys of the piano. After today's lesson, we can leave a few days' worth of time so you can familiarise yourself with the instrument that bit further.". A pause set in, but only for a moment. Tamara observed Diana and only when she saw that Diana comprehended what was being told did she continue. "Okay... let's begin.".

Notes were heard being played, they echoed within the walls of the room, managing to spill out into the hallway.

Theodore was in his room, his quill in his hand and a page in front of him.

He knew Diana had a visitor, however, he didn't know who it was. Nor was it a wish for him to find out.

He was about to begin writing when the piano melodies caught his attention. Though the door of his room was closed, they still managed to reach into the comfort of his room. In the comfort of his tranquillity.

At that moment, he let his quill down, so that it lay parallel to the pristine page on his desk. Allowing his gaze to look out the window, he spectated the snow as it fell, twirling down along its way to the ground. By now, the grass and the muddy path began to show signs of snow accumulation in the colour of white. And throughout his spectation, he let the notes played narrate the view.

And then, if he was to really concentrate on the sound of the piano, he'd hear faint voices that gently called out each of the keys that were pressed.

A pause in the melodies ensued, but only for a second as Theodore heard them being played from lowest to highest once more.

With him hearing the voices again after, that was when it started to get back to him.

Back where Tamara and Diana were, just that was happening. Tamara played the initial notes, calling every single one she called out before getting Diana to do just as she did only seconds earlier.

The playing continued all the while Theodore reflected upon his thoughts at the sound of the piano being played.

'For her dress... Tamara will teach Diana how to play?'. His thoughts brought a feeling of surprise. 'Is this where the town... the countryside differs from the city?... The differences in generosities...'. But then his brows furrowed, that thought didn't sit with him quite well. 'What generosities?... In the city centre, individuals would look down upon you, and pity you. They'd look at you in suspicion becomes nothing comes without a price.'.

His thoughts were cut short when a knock kicked him out of his trance. With the door opening ever so slightly, that was when the butler of the house peered his head into the room. "Ms Oxford told me to make you aware that dinner will be served in several minutes.".

With a nod and sending a word of gratitude, that was when Mr Norke closed the door to Theodore's room. It took a moment for the sense of serenity to evade the room once more, as the sound of piano notes brought nothing but a feeling of carelessness into the room.

Not even a moment passed before Theodore stood up on his feet and began walking toward his door.

There, just as he reached for the door handle, he paused as he listened to more of the notes that were played right before silence ruled.

And then, as Theodore opened the door, the notes resumed playing. But this time, the melodies were different. The notes carried by air sounded richer than before as if they were played by a more skilled hand.

And they indeed were. Back with Tamara, Diana asked her to play her favourite song on the piano, to show off her piano skills. And that was what Tamara was doing.

The tune lasted only a mere minute, but to Theodore, with him enjoying the sound, it seemed like only a few seconds. With another ceasing of music, that was when Theodore kicked himself out of his trance before realising where he was.

Hearing ruffling and speaking, before he had the time to react, Tamara and Diana walked out of the room they were in. Almost instantly, just as Tamara walked out the doorway, her eyes landed on Theodore.

Flattening his clothes, his eyes moved from hers, only for them to find their way back to them seconds later as he greeted Tamara with a curtsey. "Ms Tamara...".

"Mr Theodore...". She replied with a curtsey, remaining in her place begin Diana.

Before he could stop his words, they rushed out his mouth, "Where are you two off to?". He knew the answer to his own question.

"We are going down to the dining room, Theodore. Will you be joining us for dinner too?" Diana responded.

"Yes.". His reply was immediate, it came a bit too fast.

Tamara felt something in the air begin to change the longer her eyes remained on Theodore. But before much more thought could have been put into the reasoning behind such, Diana began her way down the stairs and Tamara followed right behind her.

Not giving another glance back, she wouldn't see him again until she was sat at the dining table.

Upon entering the dining room, there she was greeted with the familiar face of Ms Oxford. Two other faces were also seen at the table. Faces she wasn't quite well acquainted with. They didn't seem like the country folk she got so used to seeing around.

It was only when she sat in her seat beside Diana and when they all engaged in a conversation that it all came back to her. Theodore's mother.

The meaning of the presence of the other youthful woman was still a mystery to Tamara.

"I believe we met at the wedding party..." the youthful woman began speaking, her eyes focused on Tamara herself.

"I believe so..." Tamara began but paused for a moment. Then, with a look of sympathy growing on her face, she let a small, sheepish smile grow on her lips. "My sincerest of apologies, but I can't recall all that well of our meeting.".

Expecting a light-hearted response, she was caught off guard when the woman's face remained poker. Something else that pointed the two women away from the local country folk.

Theodore's mother let out a slight snort as she was already forking away at her food.

That was when Ms Oxford leaned in toward Theodore's mother. "Shouldn't you wait until at least your son has joined us?".

"It's always like this back at home, Marissa... I can't sit all day, waiting for him.".

As soon as she said that, Theodore appeared from the door frame, steadily walking before finding himself a seat, opposite Tamara.

Subconsciously, her eyes travelled to him. Damning herself, that was when she found herself gazing into his eyes.

A second passed and her eyes were pointed elsewhere.

Keeping a close eye on her, that was when the youthful woman noticed such an action carried out by Tamara.

Deciding to aim the conversation elsewhere, that was when she cleared her throat. "I am Elisabeth.". The fake smile that grew on her lips marked the end of her sentence. Her introduction.

With the return of the sheepish smile to her lips, Tamara responded, "It's very nice to meet you, I am Tamara.".

"I know..." Elisabeth responded.

"And I am Ms Victoria Baraville, dear child," the older woman responded.

Tamara nodded to her words before lowering her eyes, something about the two women, Victoria and Elisabeth, didn't seem right. Feel right.

She could feel the atmosphere between them three grow tense.

'I better make a good first impression for myself...' Tamara thought to herself.

"Please, serve yourselves, eat up before the food goes cold," Ms Oxford spoke out.

With that, the clattering of cutlery was heard for the next little bit before Victoria broke the silence.

"So, tell me, Ms Clarke. Have you finished school for anything?". The fact that she knew Tamara's last name caught her off guard.

So settling down and clearing her throat, that was when she responded, "I have only graduated secondary school if that was your question, Ms Baraville."

"It was not, Child..." Victoria retorted. "What I asked is, have you gone to university or anything of the sort... but judging by your answer, I'd say not.".

To Victoria's words, Elisabeth let out a chuckle.

Slowly feeling her stomach churn with discomfort, she felt herself lose her appetite.

"Do you sow? Play anything? I heard the piano being played from down here," Victoria inquired next.

Scared as to not give another wrong answer, Tamara froze. Swallowing the lump that grew in her throat, that was when she tried to find the courage to speak up. "I-... I can't sow. But I do play the piano.".

"And she plays it marvellously," Diana added, hearing Tamara's timid response.

"Do you have many siblings?" Victoria asked, disregarding Diana's input.

"5 sisters," Tamara responded.

"Only sisters, no brothers? No one to carry on your family lineage?" Elisabeth stepped in.

Such a comment left Tamara speechless. She didn't know how to respond to that.

"At least I have my Theodore. I'll marry him into a good, deserving family where he'll make me proud.". She paused for a moment. "And he'll also make me a proud grandmother to his children.".

"We don't have to have this conversation at the table, Victoria," Marissa responded as her gaze left Tamara's tensed face. She noticed the discomfort across it.

"Wealth is an important thing, Marissa..." Victoria began. "He must marry into a wealthy household so he and his family can gain from it. What's the point of marrying someone of lower wealth? You're only hurting yourself. Opportunities limited.".

"That's quite enough, Victoria...".

With such words, the table fell silent.

Tamara felt pain in her chest, her heart broke at Victoria's words.

Then, without limiting herself, she let for her eyes to gaze at Theodore.

Being told she wasn't enough for him by his own mother. It placed a whole different perspective on the way she looked at him.

Now it made sense, their first meeting made sense. With him having such a mother, wanting to marry him rich, he never had experience with a woman such as Tamara.

And then she realised, it was only a matter of time before he was to be gone. The way she looked at him, it mattered no more because his departure from her life has now been proven inevitable.