Chapter XXIII.

Tamara walked out of Mr Tippe's office, feeling much different than she imagined.

Finding out that the person she initially grew to hate, a little, and now was trying to avoid because his mother told her, right in her face, that she was not good enough was her favourite author.

It all left Tamara feeling dumbfounded.

Not even the most unexpected book she had read to date had a plot twist like this.

'And a different pen name to his own... why is he trying to hide the fact he is a writer?' Tamara asked herself. 'Maybe... maybe it's nothing to do with hiding?'.

But with a second thought, she decided to leave such a topic aside. She had something else on her plate, something more great. Something required time for her to digest.

And so, walking back down the hallway where she came from a little while ago, she reached the exit of the building.

Walking out, that was when a familiar voice called out her name. "Ms Tamara?".

A millisecond was all that was needed for her to know who it was. Theodore.

Swallowing whatever was in her mouth, only then could she turn around and face him. Even then, she just about managed to keep her eyes on his face.

Seeing such a reaction, Theodore stopped in his tracks. "Is... is everything alright, Ms Tamara?".

She tried to look for what to say, but nothing came into her mind. Instead, a slight chuckle, involuntarily, managed to find its way through her lips.

Such left Theodore even more confused. And so, he repeated his question once more, "Is everything okay, Ms Tamara?".

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"Tell you what?..." Theodore inquired back, feeling a slight lump of guilt forming in his throat.

"Why didn't you tell me that you are Matthew Brunswick?... My favourite author.". Tamara paused for a second, seeing the way Theodore lowered his gaze off her to the cobbled path. "I told you... on the horse, when you were giving me a ride home. I was practically talking about you, about your work. I told you, in your face- well the back of your head really, that you're my favourite author.".

And all Theodore replied with was silence.

Managing to gather herself a bit, she took in a deep breath. "It's nonsensical that I am upset about something like this. I- I understand if you wanted to keep something like that a secret...".

'Maybe... maybe he wants to be famous by what he writes, not by who he is...' Tamara thought to herself. And as if by some spell, the upset slowly began to subside.

"It's... it's a long story. Not something that I'd like to get into, Ms Tamara. Not today.".

Tamara was about to utter something else when Diana and Elisabeth emerged.

"Tamara!". Immediately, Diana greeted her with a big hug. "Fancy seeing you out and about.".

"Likewise!" Tamara responded, putting on a smile to try and rub the discontentment off her face. She had her eyes on Diana before moving them back to Theodore before they finally reached Elisabeth. And it was her whom she further greeted with a curtsey.

Tamara's eyes moved back to Diana once seeing the slight displeasure expressed across Elisabeth's face.

"Have you got any more errands to get through, Tamara?" Diana questioned.

"I-... I don't think so..." Tamara responded, furrowing her brows mid-thought.

"Great then, you can join us!" Diana voiced, a big smile taking its place on her lips.

Tamara was about to retort, but Diana felt it coming and voiced herself before Tamara could. "And I want no excuses, Tamara!! It'll only be a little bit anyway. We can give you a ride home after too, isn't that right Theodore?". Hearing no response from Theodore, Diana looked his way, only to find him zoned out with her gaze pointed toward the ground.

"Theodore?". With her calling his name once more, she pulled him out of his trance. "We'll give Tamara a ride home after, yes? We have space for one more person.".

"Yes, yes of course..." he responded, his eyes meeting Tamara's.

Within a second, her eyes went to the person next to him, Elisabeth. It was there that Tamara noticed Elisabeth has her eyes on her, and with the way Elisabeth gazed elsewhere, she knew she caught her.

But Tamara didn't give it much mind, instead, she redirected her attention back to Diana. "So then... Where are we off to?".

---

Visiting a vast array of shops in the limited time they had, Theodore lead the group with his hands filled with bags of things. More specifically, things bought by Elisabeth.

Tamara found nothing that caught her eye, so she bought nothing. Neither did Diana.

"How is Verusau compared to Veruause, Elisabeth?" Diana asked.

"Bleak..." Elisabeth failed to leave a second to spear before answering. "Cheap... small too.".

"I am very unsure what you'd expect of a small town such as Veurause, Elisabeth..." Theodore responded, glancing back.

"I thought it would be different... more wealthy, that's all...". Elisabeth's tone hinted at boredom.

"Why did you come here then?" Tamara inquired. "Was there a reason for your arrival, maybe a relative?".

"A bit intrusive of a question, don't you think, Ms Tamara?" Elisabeth reflected.

"I-... I didn't mean for it to sound like that, my apologies, Ms Elisabeth..." Tamara spoke out.

Remembering Victoria's words, Elisabeth knew she couldn't get off on the wrong foot with Tamara. No matter how much she hated their interaction, she knew she had to let it be. She couldn't be vicious with her responses.

"Save yourself your apologies, Ms Tamara..." Elisabeth responded. "There isn't a need for them.".

Such left Tamara feeling surprised. Her reaction wasn't what she anticipated.

And so, speeding off, Elisabeth caught up with Theodore. "You're a gentleman, Theodore. Would you like me to help you with those bags, though? They are mine after all.".

Behind them, Tamara looked at the way Elisabeth lowered her hand toward Theodore's. How she touched, caressed his hand only for him to jerk it away. "No need..." he responded.

"Don't worry about her, Tamara..." Diana started, whispering so to try and ensure Elisabeth wouldn't hear them. "She can be a bit stuck up...".

"I heard that, Diana!" Elisabeth voiced back.

Such a reaction caused Diana to burst into slight giggles. Merely leaning against Tamara, her laughter caused a mere smile to form on Tamara's lips too.

Minutes passed before they reached their carriage. With the bags secured and everyone inside the carriage, Theodore informed the coachman of the carriage to set off.

Mere chatter was shared amongst everyone inside.

At one stage, Elisabeth had and maintained her gaze on Tamara. "Ms Tamara...". The saying of her name caught her attention. "I'd like to invite you to a celebration soon. I'll be going and I'd like for you to join both myself and Diana.".

"A-... a celebration?".

"Why yes!... You seem discontent by such an idea, Ms Tamara..." Elisabeth voiced.

"No, no... Far from it actually..." Tamara responded, a small, timid smile growing on her lips.

"That's great to hear then.". Elisabeth paused for a mere second. "It would be a great opportunity to get to know you more, Ms Tamara.".

"In that case, I'd be honoured to join. I am just unsure of what to wear.".

"That should be the least of your worries, Tamara!" Diana responded. "I've got you covered for that if you need any help.".

Beside Elisabeth sat Theodore, with his eyes out the window, he listened to what was being talked about. Considering Tamara going somewhere with Elisabeth, he felt as though something was off.

Having known Elisabeth for as long as he can remember, he knew that Elisabeth wouldn't have a change of heart with such ease. He saw the way she treated Tamara at the dinner all those days ago.

"Would there be space for one more person to come along?" Theodore voiced out, his eyes moving to Elisabeth.

"Oh my, but just yesterday you said you have no desire to join us in such an event..." Elisabeth reflected back.

"Well, I have changed my mind, Elisabeth..." he responded, his eyes moving from her to Tamara.

Noticing this, at first, Elisabeth kept her gaze on Theodore before averting her eyes to Tamara. Clenching her jaw, her gaze fell to the wooden floor of the carriage. "Ever since I can remember, Theodore, you weren't the type to change your mind so easily...".

And with that, the rest of the ride to the Clarke residency proceeded in silence.

Arriving, the coachman helped open the door for Tamara. She stood up and was about to step off. She managed to place one foot down on the ground, but just as she placed all of her body weight on it to set her other foot off the carriage, the snow where her food lay compressed to nothing but a layer of ice.

It caused her to slip. And with her losing her balance, she was about to fall, but with Theodore's fast reflexes, he managed to catch her before such happened.

Standing up, with his help, she managed to regain her balance. "Thank you..." she muttered, looking into his eyes, but averting her gaze elsewhere when she felt him looking right into her soul.

Elisabeth spectated all of this happening and simply rolled her eyes. "Can you close the door already? The carriage is cold enough as it is.".

Elisabeth wasn't the only one that had her eyes on both Theodore and Tamara. Within the carriage, Diana also had her attention on them both. And also within the Clarke household, Agath, Ruth and Eileen looked out the window pane.

Before the carriage set homebound, Diana had her eyes on Tamara for a few seconds more. And then it hit her.

The descriptions she read in Theodore's writing. They resembled the look of Tamara. Her hair, eyes... her beauty.

'Could it really be her?...'. Diana carried doubts in her thoughts. If it really were to be Tamara, in that case... Theodore saw her as beautiful. In a more passionate sense, Diana didn't think it was just ordinary beauty that he saw within her.

'Could it be...' she thought to herself, looking out the window at the snowy scenery.

---

Inside the Clarke household, Tamara's sisters awaited her return eagerly.

"Took you long enough... and now we know why!" Eileen teased Tamara.

"We... we all met in the town centre and Diana insisted that I should accompany them," Tamara tried to excuse herself.

"There's no helping you out now, Tamara..." Agath responded rushing down the steps.

Ruth followed behind Agath, saying, "We all know it was because of Theodore that you stayed!".

"Dear sisters, it's nothing like that!".

"Oh, most certainly. The way he caught you tells us otherwise," Eileen followed her sisters' lead, proceeding on teasing Tamara.

This led Tamara to let out a sigh as she took off her jacket and shoes. "Mr Tippe said the redraft sounds grand already..." she tried to change the topic. "Hopefully our work will be accepted this time around.".

"It will be, Tamara," Eileen replied. "Remember what I told you yesterday.".

"Yes... yes, I know, Eileen..." Tamara replied with a small smile making its way to her lips.

The sisters made their way to the kitchen, where Eileen began to handle the dirty dishes right before Ms Hope entered the room and insisted she will do the washing.

Taking a cup, that was when she began to make herself some tea.

"Did anything else happen in town, Tamara?" Ruth inquired.

She was about to respond when she stopped herself in her track and looked at Eileen who was finishing making her tea. "Eileen..." Tamara called out her sister's name. "I am sure you know of Matthew Brunswick.".

"How can I not? You're always yapping on and on about him..." Eileen responded as she took a bite of a tea biscuit.

"You're not going to believe what happened...".

"Have you finally met Mr Brunswick in flesh and bone?" Eileen inquired as she turned around, facing Tamara before taking her first sip of tea.

"Well..." Tamara began, raising an eyebrow. "Did you know that Matthew Brunswick is Mr Theodore Baraville's pen name?".

Almost immediately after hearing such words, Eileen lost her grip on the mug. It fell and broke into pieces upon pieces upon its contact with the floor. The tea spilt everywhere.