Delaney was welcomed by Natalia and Oliver with such warmth.

It was so unlike Natalia, but she gave Delaney an awkward embrace the soonest they ushered Aliya's sister inside the villa.

Noting that Aliya could not let her sister's hand go, Oliver suggested that she stayed in the bedchamber they assigned for Delaney that night.

Aliya did just that, sharing her sister's bed for the first time since she left the Manor eleven years ago.

That night, they lay on their sides, facing each other.

"Do you remember when you used to sneak out of your room in the Manor so you can sleep with me?" Aliya asked, holding her sister's hand.

Delaney's light grey eyes sparkled with tears. Aliya sniffled and reached out to smoothen the long black tresses. "You look so much like Mother," she whispered with wonder. "I do wish you can remember her face."

"She was beautiful, was she not?" Delaney asked, blinking, a tear rolling over the bridge of her nose. "You said she was beautiful."

"She was."

"Tell me more about her."

"I have told you many times," she said with a light chuckle.

"I still want to hear it," Delaney whispered, closing her eyes.

Both sisters fell asleep, one remembering the face of the woman who bore them into this world, the other imagining it.

*****

To Aliya's surprise, Delaney instantly fit into the eccentricity of Oliver and Natalia, and when Aliya told her that she would soon be an aunt, Delaney was overjoyed.

"She will be wonderful," her sister tearfully said.

"He will be great," Oliver said.

"She will be very marvelous," Delaney instantly said over her shoulder so Oliver could hear each word.

"My grandchild will remain childish like the three people in this drawing room," Natalia said with a sigh. "Delaney, you have not yet changed into your walking dress."

"Perhaps go with her, darling," Oliver said to Aliya, "You have better fashion."

Delaney's grey eyes widened in mock horror as she spun around to glare at her brother-in-law. "How dare you say I lack fashion! I was a Belle!"

"Thanks to me," said Oliver. "It was I who abducted Compton."

"Oh, of course! I am quite certain you scared the man with your horrible beard!"

Oliver rolled his eyes with a scoff. Crossing his leg over the other, he shrugged. "Ali loves my beard."

"No, she does not. She fancies a bare-faced man!"

Oliver's eyes slanted toward Aliya who immediately stood, clearing her throat. "Come, Delaney. We should change into our—"

"Did your first flower have a bloody bare face, darling?" Oliver asked as Aliya led Delaney out of the room.

"We shall return for our afternoon walk, Mother," Aliya said to Natalia, completely ignoring Oliver's brooding look.

"Ali, I am not done! I am shaving my beard this instance!"

"Oh, stop the nonsense, Oliver. You are beating my ears!" they heard Natalia scold.

Both sisters chuckled as they ran up the stairs to change.

"Now, do refrain from telling Ollie anything about my past preferences. He can be jealous," Aliya said to Delaney much later as she helped her sister with her hair.

Delaney laughed and looked at her through the mirror. "Past preferences? Aliya, are you telling me that your preferences have changed?"

"Yes. Unwillingly, I am afraid."

"Because of Oliver?"

Aliya shrugged. "The moment you realize that your preferences have changed into the person you are facing is the moment you realize you are falling in love."

Delaney frowned. "I do not quite understand."

"You will," Aliya said, bending low so her sister could hear every word. "When you are in love, your heart wills your mind to forget the idea of someone in your head because it has found a different standard."

"And Oliver is your new standard?"

"He is the standard," Aliya replied, laughing when Delaney's face crumpled with playful disgust. "You look beautiful," she said moments later, looking at her sister in her fresh light blue dress and green shawl.

"No, you are," Delaney said, taking her hand. "It is a shame you are no longer a Belle, but you look happier now."

Aliya squeezed her sister's hand. "I am beyond happy, Delaney, now that you are here." She saw something flash before her sister's eyes but she ignored it. Delaney had much to adjust to, Aliya thought. But it would not be long before Delaney could see the true wonders of actually being free.

As they descended the stairs, they noticed that the villa had gone unusually quiet.

Walking back into the drawing room, they found it empty.

"Where are they?" Delaney asked.

"They should be here somewhere," Aliya said. She took Delaney's hand. "Let us wait for them in the parlor.

She opened the door to the parlor and stopped short when she noticed that it was nearly packed.

Oliver was standing with his hand resting on the back of the chair that was facing away from their view and turned to face her with a smile. Natalia was sitting in a chair with tea in hand, her eyes expectantly waiting. A man sitting adjacent to Oliver had stood up, beside him a young woman with auburn hair who jumped to her feet with an excited smile.

Aliya blinked for she did not recognize them, although she thought she should because of the expectant look on their face.

It was not hard to identify the pair as brothers and sisters, but why were they here?

As Aliya swerved her gaze back to Oliver, her husband walked to the chair that was facing away from them. He bent low and whispered something to the person sitting there.

Delaney stepped beside Aliya, equally curious as to why her sister was just standing there.

Slowly, Oliver helped the occupant of the chair. Aliya's heart began to hammer when she saw a woman with auburn hair slowly turn, and then burst into tears as her gaze fell on Geneva Guideville's face. She let go of Delaney's hand to cross the distance between her and the woman she had not seen for a very long time.

Without words, Aliya wrapped herself in the woman's embrace, the two of them already sobbing.

"I'm sorry, dear..." Geneva Guideville whispered. "I'm sorry..."

Aliya shook her head, tightening her arms around the woman.

It took her a while before she could finally get the courage to step back and look at her aunt. Choking in her own tears, she finally had a good look at the woman. She had aged, but her brown eyes seemed to not be looking straight at her. It was blindly looking somewhere distant.

Sensing that she had noticed, Geneva blindly searched for her tearstained face. "I suffered a blow in the head while escaping your father's enemies, dear. I became blind as a result of that. No, no, do not cry..." the woman said as Aliya burst into renewed tears. "We have much to discuss. We have much to say..."

Aliya turned around and found Delaney standing alone near the door. "Delaney, come... it's Aunt Geneva!"

Delaney reluctantly walked toward them and Aliya realized that her sister did not recognize the woman.

"It's Aunt Geneva," she said, taking Delaney's hand and tugging her closer.

"You must not remember me, darling," said their aunt to Delaney, extending her arm.

"I told you about her," Aliya said to her sister, wiping tears from her face. "I told you, remember?"

Delaney only nodded, slowly taking Aunt Geneva's hand. The woman pulled her closer and as her arms wrapped around Delaney, her sister began to silently cry.

Aliya turned to her husband. His arms were ready for her when she rushed toward him. "How did you do it?" she asked, no doubt that he was behind all of this.

"It took months to get them here, but it was quite easy to find them. Mr. Hayhurst is quite a wealthy man. He owns many ships in the Americas that travel to Sutherland."

Aliya sniffled against her husband's chest. She tipped her head up and kissed his lips. "Thank you."

*****

The rest of the afternoon was filled with tears and laughter.

Aunt Geneva introduced her son, Christopher Hayhurst, a black-haired, charming man who was a year older than Oliver, the cousin Aliya and Delaney never got to meet because their father had been insistent in the past that he could not leave the Americas because he was too young to travel. He was the heir to the Hayhurst empire and now that Mr. Hayhurst was gone, Christopher managed the shipping empire.

His sister, the cheerful and bubbly Patricia with the same hair as her mother and Aliya, was merely six and twenty. Like her brother, she was never permitted to go with her mother whenever Geneva visited the Guidevilles in Sutherland.

It was the first time they met, and yet both brother and sister seemed to know so much about Aliya and Delaney.

"We have been trying to reach out to the both of you for a long time," said Christopher, holding his mother's hand. "But Belcourt made it impossible."

Aliya's jaw tightened and so did her husband's hand on her shoulder.

Geneva reached for her hand. "I am sorry for what my brother has done to us, Aliya."

"Do you know where he went after that night?" Aliya had to ask.

"He was killed by one of the sons of a man he killed. He tried to come and join me in the Americas but he failed. My husband was not pleased with the accident I had to suffer because of him and he made certain Newton could not step foot unto his destination." Taking Delaney's hand in her other hand, she added, "You are no longer alone, the two of you."

Much later, as Natalia and Geneva got acquainted after dinner, Aliya and Delaney spent more time with their cousins.

"Will there be balls we can attend?" Patricia excitedly asked.

"You will not have a chance in Sutherland as much as you don't have any back home, sister," Christopher said with a roll of his eyes.

Aliya and Delaney smiled. "Tell us, Christopher, are you married?" asked Aliya. "Do we have nephews or nieces?"

"Ha!" Patrica incredulously huffed. "You tell them, Christopher. Tell them about the number of women you think you may have gotten with child—"

"I never got any woman with child, Patricia—"

"Then what of the three women who burst into your offices claiming they were carrying the future heir of Hayhurst?"

"I never touched those women," he said, lifting his hands.

Aliya laughed and looked at Delaney who was merely smiling faintly. She took her sister's hand and squeezed it.

Much later, as the Hayhursts were guided into their respective bedchambers in the villa, Aliya went to her sister's room. "What is wrong?" she asked Delaney, taking the hairbrush from her sister's hand to do the job herself. Searching the woman's face through the mirror, she smiled. "Do you feel odd about everything?" she asked.

Delaney nodded. "Aliya, I do not remember them."

"You do not have to," she said. "They understand that you were too young, Aunt Geneva the most. And I know nothing about Christopher and Patricia as well."

"But you remember them from Aunt Geneva's stories. I only have to rely on what you told me."

With a sigh, Aliya stopped brushing her sister's hair and held her shoulders. "Delaney, as I have said, you do not have to remember them. We simply have to build more memories with them now."

Delaney slowly smiled. "Patricia proposed that we come with them to the Americas."

Aliya's smile widened. "That is a grand idea! I am certain that you will enjoy a new country."

Delaney frowned. "Will you not be coming with me if I go?"

She blinked. "I will, so we can spend time together and enjoy something we have not both shared before. But I will have to return to Sutherland after I see you settled there if you find the place to your fancy."

"Is it because Oliver will be here?"

Aliya nodded. "I cannot leave him alone for too long, Delaney. Oliver also has struggles of his own that need my help." She could not tell her sister about Oliver's problem with drinking for it would mean telling her sister of the evil things their father had done in the past. It was enough that she hated Newton Guideville for the two of them. As far as Delaney knew, their father did bad things and he killed a few men. She did not have to know what he did to Oliver and the St. Vincents. And most importantly, Delaney could not know about the Royal Circus. At least not for now.

Delany nodded in understanding. "Perhaps I will go home with you," she said. "Natalia has also said that I can go home with her to Herst if I wish it."

"Herst is a wonderful place. A few people are also waiting there for you."

"Who?"

Aliya winked. "That is a secret," she said.

No, Delaney did not also know about Mason. Fatima had begged her not to tell Delaney because it was dangerous to keep such a secret while in Belcourt. But now that Delaney was out, she could meet the child.

Aliya left Delaney's room to join Oliver in their bedchamber.

She climbed the bed and wrapped herself around him. He enveloped her in his arm and kissed the top of her head. "I love you very much, Oliver St. Vincent."

"I confidently know, darling."

She scoffed and closed her eyes, her hand absently caressing her abdomen.

"Do you know what joy feels like, Ollie?" she asked.

"Being happy?"

"No, happiness is shallow. Joy is... joy is this."

*****

Since the arrival of the Hayhursts one week ago, breakfast was louder and busier than usual in the villa.

And Oliver was happy to see his mother trying hard to hide her chagrin as both Patricia and Christopher bickered openly—and loudly—over breakfast nearly every day as they were doing now, threatening to throw whatever was on the table at each other. Their mother, obviously blind to the situation, could only say, "Children, you are no longer children."

"I love your family," Oliver whispered to Aliya and saw his mother's disapproving look upon hearing his words.

While Delaney and Patricia were planning a shopping trip that afternoon with Aliya, Jason walked in with a red envelope.

Oliver opened and read the contents, and closed it without a word.

With Christopher as chaperon, the younger ladies left for their afternoon shopping. Natalia stayed behind with Geneva while Oliver set out to Sinclair.

When he arrived, the room was almost empty. Nearly all other Royals had left Coulway to go home.

"What is it?" he asked. "What has happened?" he asked Blackwood.

"Mariam has been put on trial last week."

Oliver stiffened and looked around the room at Rider, Tanner, Trent, Stefan Northcott, and Robert Dior. It was Rider who added, "She was sentenced to Sinhold."

"How did it happen? What was she accused of? Surely she did not tell—"

"We are yet to find out."

Blinking in disbelief, Oliver asked. "Then who is the new Mistress now that—"

"Who do you think?" Tanner asked, stealing Blackwood a look.

Oliver scoffed. "You cannot be utterly serious, Eaton," he said in disbelief, turning to Blackwood.

West's jaw tightened. "Do you think I like the news more than you do, St. Vincent?"

"Then what do we do?"

Blackwood stiffly walked to the table, opened a drawer, and pulled out a red envelope. "Darcy has sent another letter with instructions I agree to. Prepare, gentlemen. More challenges are on the way."

*****

Aliya's aunt and cousins decided they could stay in Sutherland for a few more weeks while Delaney was trying to decide if she should travel back with them to the Americas.

No one was forcing Delaney to make a hasty decision. Everyone was patient, most particularly Aunt Geneva whom Aliya talked with at length about their life in Belcourt and how it might have affected her sister more as she had come into the institution at such a young age.

"Everything is still new to her," she had told her aunt. "She could barely remember her life outside Belcourt. She has glimpses of memories, but even she is not certain if they were hers or mine."

Patricia was a great help in making Delaney feel normal. The woman's carefree spirit, albeit different from most ladies in Sutherland society, was very much American. Aliya supported the friendship that was growing between Delaney and Patricia, even giving the two ladies their own time when they would choose to talk in whispers and giggle like young, naïve girls.

But as Oliver's news about Sasha becoming the new Mistress of the Court of Flowers would often cross her mind, Aliya was very much hoping that Delaney would decide to go to the Americas. She was willing to travel to the Americas to make certain that her sister arrived there safely. Delaney had to be as far away from Belcourt as possible.

Oliver agreed and even suggested that she could stay there for a while. But she would not have it. She told him that she would go with Delaney, but she wanted to return. She did not fear Sasha.

Her fear, however, came in the form of the woman herself one night.

Jason entered the parlor where they were enjoying a parlor game after supper, announcing that someone is calling on them from Belcourt.

"Who?" Aliya asked, her cold voice eliciting a look of curiosity from the Hayhurst siblings, a frown from Natalia, and a look of concern from Delaney.

"Lady Sasha, my lady," Jason said, face tight. "I can tell her you are all indisposed—"

"Lead her to the drawing room," Aliya said, standing to her feet. Oliver followed her and so did Delaney. The Hayhurst siblings looked on without a word. Her aunt was blinking with equal curiosity while Natalia remained where she was, stiff as a statue, but looking very much furious as Aliya.

"Stay in the parlor, Delaney," said Aliya coldly, exiting the room.

"I will go with you," her sister sternly said beside her.

"Delaney—"

"I do not know her too well, Aliya," her sister said, stopping in the middle of the corridor, "but if she is from Belcourt, and if the news is correct that she is the new Mistress of the Garden, I want to be inside that room with you." Delaney looked at Oliver. "And if he can join you, why can't I?"

Aliya resignedly sighed. "Very well."

Without a word, Oliver led them to the drawing room where they stayed to wait for Sasha.

Finally, Jason opened the door and dutifully announced Sasha's presence.

The lady entered, clad in her red cloak, her face impassive. Aliya's eyes went straight to the familiar gold brooch pinned on the left side of the woman's chest. She did not have to peer closer to know what the insignia looked like: a rose.

The Rose Shield could only be owned by the Mistress of the Court of Flowers.

Aliya's lips curled. "Congratulations, Sasha, you finally reached your dreams," she said, standing to her feet. "Are you here for us to bless your newly acquired Shield?"

Sasha's smile did not reach her bluish-grey eyes. "I care not for my Shield, Aliya, but I am proud to wear it." Her eyes traveled from Aliya to Delaney, to Oliver, and then back at Aliya. "I was sent here because Belcourt wishes to claim your Vow."