That night, lady Anne had decided to take her two oldest children to the opera. Andrew was not a big fan of the arts of acting and singing, but he was a better option than Thomas or Mary. Twould also be a good way to have him spend some time outside the house.

Many people had come to see the opera. Mostly women were most excited, but for this one, many men had decided to come as well. Some had even brought their children to enjoy the spectacle.

Lady Anne and Elizabeth had often gone to events like the opera or theatre. They knew many people, for they often saw the same ones at different plays. Just like them, they wanted to see each one in London, and even some outside the bustling city.

Andrew had walked off while Elizabeth and her mother had found lord and lady Morris, a couple lady Anne had befriended during her first visit alone to the opera. The couple was not very influential, but their name was widely known, and they were very loyal to the Brompton family.

"I have heard about lord Byron's newest play," lady Morris told them. "Their practice has not yet started, but people seem to think it is a success already."

"I have heard the actors are the best," lady Anne agreed with her friend. "But also that it is a very expensive spectacle."

"Lord Byron can afford a lot," lord Morris reminded them. "And if the play is already loved, then he shall have no trouble selling tickets and regaining it all – more even."

"I am very curious about how the story will look on the stage," Elizabeth told them.

"Me too," lady Morris said. "I wonder how they will change from inside the house to outside the house."

"Truly," Elizabeth agreed, vehemently nodding her head. "For the outside has a pond. How will they bring that to the stage?"

"I hope it is not a bath," lady Anne jested, making the entire entourage laugh out loud. Elizabeth was certain lord Byron had thought of a much better way to bring the pond to the stage, and she was to know soon – tomorrow to be exact.

"I hope you are not laughing at of me," a voice spoke behind them. Elizabeth could hear her mother sigh as she saw who was coming toward them. Peter Carr, a man who fancied lady Anne, but did not realize his love was unanswered. He did not see that her heart would always belong to her dead husband and the best father of her children.

Elizabeth believed the man only came to the theatre because he might see lady Anne, and not because he genuinely loved the art. She could imagine him at every performance, watching the crowd rather than the stage, only in hopes of spotting her mother.

"I shall fetch Andrew so we can go to our box," Elizabeth whispered to her mother. The lady nodded with relief painted on her face, and Elizabeth turned around to look for her brother. He was quite easy to see, for he did not go far. He was not supposed to leave them as he was their protector for the night, but he knew both ladies could take care of themselves.

She interrupted Andrew's conversation with another lord by calling out his name. "Mother would like to go our box now."

Andrew turned his head to his sister, and so did the lord he was speaking to. Elizabeth's heart stopped moving for a second and her face fell.

"Elizabeth," he said surprised. He was here. William Brown, lord of Hawthorne was back in London. The man who had left her to deal with the hardest years of her life was right in front of her.

She had shut him out of her mind, trying to forget about him. Every once in a while, a memory would come to her mind, but she had lived a peaceful life since he had left. Yet now he was here, and everything came right back. The happiness as well as the pain he had caused.

And he still looked handsome. One look at him made her heart skip a beat, and the sound of his voice made her want to wrap her arms around his neck and press her lips against his. She thought she was over him, that she did not want him anymore, but seeing him again after all those years made her realize she had never forgotten him. And she feared that she never would. She still wanted him.

Breaking through the daze he had brough upon her, she curtsied to him, then turned around and waked away with her head held high. There was no way she was going to show him what his presence did to her.

She heard Andrew follow, but could not catch up with her until they were in the hallway with their mother, walking toward their box.

"Are you alright?" he asked. His voice sounded worried, like he was frightened she would tell him not to speak to him anymore. She would never do that, for William was the only friend Andrew had. Not only did she not want to see her brother completely alone, she also did not want to show that she was bothered with his friendship.

"What is he doing here?" she whispered loud enough for only her brother to hear.

"He has returned," he simply answered. Elizabeth was certain he was only going to tell her what she wanted to hear, so she asked more questions.

"When will he leave?"

Andrew remained quiet, and when she looked at him, he was avoiding her gaze.

She stopped him from walking and turned him to look at her. "He is leaving, yes?"

Her brother still did not answer and pretended to find his shoes more fascinating than his sister.

Closing her eyes and trying to remain calm, she let out an angry sigh before she turned to follow her mother again. Andrew stopped her and turned her back to face him.

"He is merely here for work and his family," Andrew told her. "He did not mean to bother you."

"He is back. Of course it will bother me. And why is he here, at the opera?"

"Because he loves it, just like you."

She let out a frustrated sigh while doubting if that was truly why his was here. Was she thinking too far if she thought he came here looking for her?

"Him leaving London does not change what he likes and dislikes, Elizabeth. He came to enjoy his evening, just like he did in the past."

"He does not even write reviews for operas," she sighed loudly.

"You read his reviews?" Andrew asked surprised.

"No," Elizabeth lied, her eyes wide from the shock that she let that slip out of her mouth. "I have heard people talk about it. He is very loved because of his work. But that does not matter, what matters is that he is here and you did not bother to tell me."

"Because you would not want to know," he argued truthfully. Yet if Elizabeth could change the subject to him instead of her and William, it would make the conversation a lot easier.

"Who is here?" their mother's voice suddenly spoke from behind them.

Elizabeth tried not to groan. "No one, Mother," she tried, hoping the lady would not want to know more. But she ought to have known her mother better...

"Is he here?" she asked unbelievable.

Elizabeth saw Andrew's face turn toward their mother and she gave him a look that begged "do not tell her," yet he said: "yes, Mother. William is back."

"O dear."

O dear, indeed, Elizabeth thought before turning around and walking to the box, ignoring her mother and Andrew. They silently followed her and took their seat in the box, but after a short silence, lady Anne could no longer stay silent.

"Do not bother about him," she said to Elizabeth. "I shall save you if he comes near."

"I do not need saving, Mother," she complained.

"He is not a bad man," Andrew told lady Anne.

"I forbid you to talk about him like he is a nice man – now, that is," she ordered her son.

"He is not not nice," Elizabeth argued.

"And I forbid you," lady Anne told her daughter, "to speak good of him."

"Mother-"

"No, you shall not speak of him. And neither shall I, so you do not have to worry about him. Besides, he is in the past. There is nothing you can change about it, you merely ought to live with it. But that is quite easy if you-"

"Mother," Elizabeth interrupted with a groan, "can we please talk of something else?"

"Of course, darling. I merely want you to know that I support you and that you do not have to be frightened by him. If you want me to chase him away, you merely-"

"Mother!" Andrew reprimanded.

That seemed to make the lady quiet, yet after a few minutes, she opened her mouth again. Luckily twas about a different subject. "O dear, Peter Carr found our box."

Andrew chuckled, but Elizabeth could not find the humour in it, for William had also found their box and was looking right at her. Her gaze was stuck to his and she was not able to move, not even to turn her head away . This man had been her dream once, yet now he was a nightmare returning to hurt her when she least expected it.

Her view of him disappeared as the room turned dark and music started to play, indicating the beginning of the opera. And while lady Anne was avoiding Peter Carr's looks, Elizabeth was trying not to look at William.