8

Later in the day, at exactly seven, Knight was standing at the Lancaster door, in his full guardship uniform.

The Lancaster family were having their dinner, and he silently listened to their conversations, with which the countess was recounting the day's events. Of course, the main character of the event was Victoria's large line of suitors. The countess seemed more pleased and happier than the girl who was being courted or rather being appeased.

Initially, Victoria was, yes, grateful that men found her flawless skin tone and physical appearance interesting enough to pursue. However, she wondered why her heart was stubbornly taking longer than usual to enjoy one of them's company. It wouldn't be long before gossip spread that the newly introduced girl, of the Lancaster, had found pleasure in making men wait—a sign of greed to keep her admirers from looking elsewhere.

"Dear, what about the wildflowers Prince Edward brought?" The Countess called out as Victoria merely gazed back at her, then looked at her father, the earl. The earl seemed disinterested in whatever they were discussing. His attention was focused on hastily finishing the food and returning to the library. It was hard for Knight to understand why he avoided any intimate relationship and talks with his family.

"I like them," Victoria replied, as Knight looked past the living room where the family was taking its meal, parlor where the wildflowers were placed in a vase. He promised himself he would check out the flowers after the family went to sleep.

After about thirty minutes, the Earl finished his meal and left for his library. Afterward, each Lancaster child retired to bed or to their various nighttime activities. And at ten, everyone had left the table, and the kitchen servants had already cleared it, except for Lady Victoria who was standing at the living room window, where the countess used to watch Victoria's suitors'.

Primarily, Lady Victoria wanted to speak privately to Knight but was too afraid to approach him. She had never approached a man before. Even the former guard, who was apparently dismissed by Andrew, had been the one to engage Lady Victoria in conversation. So, Lady Victoria stood there, on the window observing the outside light, waiting for Knight's co-guard to leave.

After standing there for about ten minutes, she gave up waiting, sighed, and walked away from the window into the living room. She decided to rest, but before she could reach the middle of the room, the door opened and closed quietly. She looked back to see Knight standing coldly upright on the left side. The other guard had somehow left, so Victoria slowly made her way back to the door. Upon reaching Knight, she called out,

"Knight?" looking up at his eyes for some confirmation that it was indeed him, "brother told me you are—" "Thank you for the milk last night. I hope you didn't burn your palm, too severely. I had Larny, my helper, prepare a small lavender concoction. I hope it will help with the blisters," she carefully clarified, as Knight simply nodded, his eyes fixed on Victoria.

"It's on the kitchen, on the left shelf, just below the paraffin oil. I hope it helps," she finished with a smile, her eyes falling into his gloved hands, as Knight nodded in satisfaction.

If Victoria could see beyond the balaclava Knight wore, she would be amazed to see the smile that he had. 

"I'll take my leave!" She added, making Knight remember it was a guard's duty to escort any lady to bed, as his co-worker did with Countess Lancaster and her two daughters.

"I shall—" Knight began, a lump forming in his throat. Swallowing deeply, he started again now speaking in his normal voice, which only his co-guard had heard –in this mansion of course, "Let me escort you, Lady Victoria."

Victoria noticed the change in his voice but dismissed it. She certainly didn't want any sign of interest from a guard. To her, the change in voice was probably to appease her. However, least known, it was his voice.

As they almost started their way up the stairs, Victoria turned her head in remembrance of something and swiftly headed to the kitchen, which was left of wherever they stood. After some seconds, she came out, with a bottle half full with some green substance inside. Knight was curious of it but seeked not to question. They thus climbed up the stairs, turned left, and the first door was Victoria's room.

The mansion had many rooms, that Knight had no idea how many there were –probably twenty and_.

With that, Knight opened the door for the Lady and stood at the doorstep awaiting to be dismissed.

"Come in," Victoria absentmindedly stated, as Knight's nerves started tensing up. 'How would he come in to a ladyship's room?' he wondered to himself. They were always and always taught in school, back in Wales, that entering into a lady's room was a man's doom, as society greatly disrespected a man who was found in the room, despite nothing happening between the two – however the current society had neutralized the harsh consequences but they still were.

"Come in… I wish to apply this on the blisters. I hate feeling terrible for burning yourself, in result of pouring two cups of milk for my brother and I," she added, carefully opening the bottle and pouring some on a cotton-like piece of cloth.

On the other side, Knight strode in quietly as he closed the door, hoping no one would see them. He was indeed nervous, first because he might lose the guard job and second he might lose his honor as a man. The latter was actually what scared him more, he cared less much about the former.

"The gloves…" Victoria quietly stated, and Knight started finger by finger pulling off the gloves in both hands. Lord Hordy's bandage was still there, so Victoria started opening the bandages one by one, as Knight took the opportunity to just look at her.

Her innocent facial expression when unbandaging him and running her hands on the now purple bruises made Knight wonder. He wondered if indeed she felt this, him and her –wrong. She should have just let himself have the oil.

Nonetheless, she applied it all through, and then bandaged him again and after, Knight wore the gloves into position.

"Thankyou!" he added, as he went back to the door, flame-standing position and slightly opened the door, in order not to cause suspicions among other standing guards.

"I hope it shall help!" Lady Victoria added, warmly smiling, as Knight smiled back beneath his balaclava.

She was indeed lighting his heart. But for Lady Victoria, this was more of a friendly gesture, despite her feelings denying that she somehow looked forward to having a deeper conversation with the guard. She somehow felt the guard – Knight, was probably more than a guard standing in the door. He had quite good English, he could read and understand especially, the previous night when he was burnt. Victoria noticed the words used by the writer, in that 'lighting fire steps piece, were not quite simple English. It was a much more complex English language; 'To ignite a fire, first gather an assortment of kindling. Then in resolute, seek hunt of the driest and most delicate of twigs; with which, its limbs have been rendered brittle by the gaze of the sun unrelenting ray…' She remembered the words.

This quite complex writing, made Victoria have a wonder on the mystery of Knight; if he were truly a guard, or forced to stand a guard due to personal and probably family-based problems. However, she rubbed this off, depicting it was no business of hers, as she leaped into her merino wool blanket, and comfort mattress underneath her canopy bed.

Concurrently, Knight was already down the last stairs, and as he walked back to his standing door, his eyes met with the Earl of Lancaster's, Lord Benjamin Lancaster. He was leaving the library, heading to sleep.

"Knight…" He called out, walking towards him, as Knight stood and slightly bowed in respect. "Victoria is already asleep, I believe?" and Knight nodded, scared and wondering how the Earl knew he was escorting Victoria.

"You come from Wales, I believe…" He questioned, and Knight nodded too to that, "Do you understand propriety and the demands of a being when it comes to a call of duty?" The Earl added, curiously searching Knight's eyes for emotion display. "I seek an answer to that, you are not to nod!" The Earl emphasized, still in scrutiny of Knight, but least known to him, his questions were indeed alarming to Knight.

"Yes, I do…" Knight replied, his voice steady, despite his growing nervousness.

"And you understand propriety?" The Earl pressed.

"Indeed…," Knight quietly added, feeling the weight lift of the 'propriety' question.

"Good, carry on then." The Earl, satisfied with the amount of emotions he read, added, his voice now more neutral pitched, as he walked past Knight.

However, after the Earl left, Knight's mind questioned lot, especially, the reason why the Earl had greatly emphasized propriety. Their guards back home were never spoken to in such a complex tone. That word was sovereignly used for people within the royalty world. He hoped he knew not about his little stay in Victoria's room. It would be a great disrespect to Victoria if someone would know of that. Anyway, he just brushed it off hoping that the Earl was just trying to have a conversation.

Truth was, the Earl was a paradox of questions, and when he spoke, one would barely know the answer he desired and the reaction he wanted or needed. However, he lone knew specifically the kind of answers he needed. And once he got the answer, he sure would never delay in having meaningless prattle!