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" I t's nearly time for the London season, oh it's going to be wonderful."

"I care little about it, my lady. Except that the festivities give me a chance to see you in a fancy dress."

"Oh, stop."

"Do you wish me to in earnest?"

Daphne Carter sat patiently on the park bench, fingernails biting into the base of her palm as she tried to keep herself steady. She tried her best to tune out the conversation that was taking place beside her, for she had no interest in it.

And neither did the couple have any interest in including her.

Her foot kept tapping against the cobblestone floor, a natural reaction to being ignored for the better part of the hour.

Daphne considered herself to be a patient person, but even her patience was running thin.

Next to her, her older sister Joyce was completely engrossed in conversation with Edward Reeves, the Viscount of Riverton.

They had gotten married some three months ago and were still very much so in the honeymoon phase of their relationship.

The two spoke in hushed tones, laughing at inside jokes that Daphne wasn't privy to. Every once in a while, Joyce would glance at her sister with an apologetic smile, but it was fleeting, gone before Daphne could respond.

It's as though they do not even notice I am here.

Daphne shifted in her seat, deciding that she had enough. She cleared her throat loudly, the sound cutting through the chatter between Joyce and Edward. They finally looked in her direction, their conversation halting mid-sentence.

Joyce raised an eyebrow, a hint of annoyance flickering in her eyes. "Daphne, is something wrong?"

Daphne forced a smile, though the frustration behind it was clear. "Oh, nothing really," she said, her tone deceptively light. "I was just noticing how the weather has gotten quite lovely, don't you think?"

Joyce turned back to look at her husband, "Oh, she is right. It's gotten much windier," she smiled in a sickeningly sweet way that made Daphne avert her gaze, feeling as though she was intruding in a supremely private moment. "Don't you think, my dear?"

Edward, ever the gentleman, glanced around. "Indeed, it is. Quite the astute observer you are, my dear," he replied with a polite nod.

Daphne felt her stomach flip at the words, like she'd just bitten into something sour. She took a deep breath, determined not to gag, and managed a tight smile instead.

"Lovely day for walk by the lake, wouldn't you agree?" she suggested.

Joyce gave a small, dismissive smile, though her attention was already drifting back to Edward. "Yes, it is, but Edward was just telling me the most fascinating thing about?—"

Daphne tuned out the rest of her sister's sentence, realizing her attempt to join the conversation had been swiftly dismissed.

"Excuse me," she muttered, pushing herself up from the bench. "I think I'll take that walk by the lake after all."

Daphne was happy that her sister had found true love. She usually loved seeing her sisters smiling like this. But the idea of awkwardly lingering by them did not seem appealing in the slightest. She felt as if she was intruding in their sweet moments.

And so, before Joyce or Edward could respond, Daphne turned on her heel and strode away. She could feel their curious stares on her back, but she didn't stop. Besides, they would forget about her in a moment anyway, given how engrossed they were in each other already.

As she strolled, a group of finely dressed ladies passed by. She tried not to pay much attention to the way that their gaze seemed to linger on her longer than it ought to, but once they had passed her by, she managed to catch a glimpse of their conversation.

"Look, she's off sulking again," one of them said with a laugh.

"She never knows how to fit in, does she?" another remarked, shaking her head.

Daphne quickened her pace, her heart pounding with a mix of anger and embarrassment. These sort of comments were not out of the norm.

Within the ton , Daphne had developed quite the reputation for being.

.. different. Having lost both her parents at the tender age of eleven, Daphne had been almost singularly brought up by her three sisters – Joyce, Annie and Felicity, the latter of which was the oldest and truly the closest thing that she had to a mother in this world.

While all three were now happily married, they had perhaps always held a soft-spot for their youngest sibling.

Daphne suspected that it had something to do with the fact that out of all of them, she had the least amount of time with her parents.

It was a tragedy if she thought about it deeply, but in a way, it had given her some benefits as well.

For one thing, her sisters spoiled her. They fussed over her so much that Daphne grew up with a confidence, or rather, an independence, that set her apart from the other ladies of her age.

While they were busy perfecting their curtseys and engaging in polite, empty conversations, Daphne was off doing as she pleased.

Her sisters would laugh and cover for her when she was missing from the endless tea gatherings and insipid drawing-room conversations. “Daphne’s in the library,” Felicity would say with a wink, even though she knew what the truth was.

And whenever she was scolded or caught for her “unladylike” behavior, her sisters always found a way to soften the blow. Joyce would whisk her away before their aunt could launch into a lecture, distracting Daphne.

It was as if they knew that Daphne did not quite fit the mold that other ladies seemed so eager to conform to. But instead of chastising her for it, they appreciated her for her individuality.

It was no wonder, then, that she stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the other ladies of the ton . Which they wasted no opportunity to remind her of.

"Is she lost?" Daphne overheard as another pair of young ladies passed her by.

"In life?" another laughed in response. "Yes, I would say so. But I would not be surprised if she was directionally challenged as well..."

Ignore them, Daphne. That was the advice that her sisters always gave her. Those that judge have little better to do with their lives.

And so, it was easy for Daphne to cut past them, even though she could feel their lingering gazes on her as she went.

But with each step, their taunting laughter faded into the distance until she could no longer hear it.

She stopped when she reached the water's edge, letting herself get swept away by the serenity of the water body in front of her.

“Finally,” Daphne sighed, letting the tension ease from her shoulders as she stared out at the quiet expanse before her. “Some peace at last.”

Daphne loved nature. Being surrounded by it was one of her favorite things to do in life. It served as a reprieve for whenever her life felt a little chaotic. She sought refuge in the gentle calm of some natural wonder around her.

She crouched down, brushing her fingers lightly over the water's surface, the coolness of it grounding her. Time seemed to fly past her, and she could not say in earnest just how much time she spent just sitting there like that.

But like all good moments, it had to come to an end.

Joyce might be wondering where I've drifted off to. I should head back.

But as she stood and took a step back, her foot landed on a loose stone, sending her off balance. The ground beneath her seemed to tilt, and before she could catch herself, she felt her body lurch forward toward the water.

A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she flailed, her arms reaching out in a desperate attempt to steady herself. Panic gripped her being – Daphne could not swim.

Simply, no one had taught her to all her life. The lake was far enough from the main park that no one would even hear the sound of her desperate wails to come save her, if she could even manage to before the water filled her lungs.

Daphne's brief life seemed to flash in front of her eyes for a moment as she felt herself falling backwards towards the water.

Oh, but I have not seen anything yet. I have not even found my Prince Charming....

Just as she braced herself for the icy shock, the thunderous sound of hooves pounded the earth, sharp and sudden.

Out of nowhere, a large, dark horse burst through the trees, galloping toward her with speed and precision.

The wind from its approach whipped around her, pulling her hair from its pins as it tore through the peaceful quiet of the lakeside.

Before Daphne could process what was happening, a hand shot out and caught her arm with an unyielding grip, pulling her back from the brink. The force of it sent her spinning, and for a breathless moment, she found herself crashing against the firm chest of a man—her rescuer.

The world seemed to tilt and blur as she blinked up at him, dazed. His horse skidded to a halt behind him, its nostrils flaring as it pawed at the ground, the air still thick with the sound of thundering hooves.

"I've got you," a low and commanding voice spoke to her.

The man who had just saved her.

His arm was wrapped securely around her waist, steadying her. The sensation of solid ground returned as her feet steadied beneath her, the sharp sting of fear replaced by a sudden warmth.

Daphne blinked, her heart still hammering in her chest, as she found herself face-to-face with the man who had saved her. He was tall, his hand still gripping her arm with a reassuring steadiness.

"I....." I was about to fall... The thought lingered, but instead of the cold shock of water, she was met with the warmth of his gaze.

She stared up at him, momentarily dazed. Daphne was the shortest amongst her sisters, and therefore used to looking up when making conversation. But he was tall—taller than anyone she had ever seen—with broad shoulders that made him appear even larger. As they stood, he towered over her with ease.

"Are you all right?" his voice was now tight was impatience, and what she recognized to be a touch of... concern?