"The more I get to know him, the more my soft spot for him intensifies, and that has been bothering me quite a lot recently." Nancy walked across the school courtyard with none other than William Cooper, talking about her confusing feelings for his best friend. It was a strange thought, but for some reason, she felt she could trust him.

William looked thoughtful for a while. "Nancy, I will tell you this: Andrew's family is very powerful and very influential. He has always had a rather rocky relationship with his parents, who have neglected him ever since he was born. When he was young, they would always leave him at their town house in Bedfordshire while they spent most of their time in London before they moved there permanently. Soon after that, Andrew moved to Oxford, alone again. But no matter how tough he acts, he has never gone against his parents' will...until now. Because of you."

"Me?" Nancy was surprised.

"His family would never approve of him being involved with someone of a...well, a lower status than them," he finished apologetically. "But he is ready to risk the wrath of his parents just for you."

Nancy processed that information. "He is not involved with me though."

William rolled his eyes. "He can't exactly openly court you and then marry you. He has to work strategically." They had reached the gates now and exited the campus. "Should I walk you home?"

"If you want," Nancy said nonchalantly, her thoughts still on Andrew.

Her mother, however, was delighted when she saw William Cooper at her doorstep. "Lord Cooper, please do come inside!"

"Mrs. Brooks." William smiled pleasantly. "I would love to, but I have to get going. I regret to say that I have important business to deal with right now."

"Of course!" Her mother was practically glowing with happiness. "You are a busy man, of course! Do visit someday, my dear!"

When he was gone, she turned to her daughter. "I am so proud of you."

Nancy rolled her eyes. "Ma, I am not some kind of social climber."

"I don't expect you to be, but this is so good for your future, dear."

"You should not be walking home alone at night, Nancy." Andrew caught up with her as she left the campus premises.

"I will walk home alone whenever I want," she retorted, irritated. She had lost track of time in the library and had not realized that it was already dark. "I am not one of your delicate dependent ladies who needs a chaperone with them all the time."

"I know you don't need a chaperone." He grinned. "But it wouldn't hurt to have someone who could act as one. Me, for instance."

"No." She quickened her pace. He followed her easily, his longer legs giving him an advantage over her smaller frame.

"I never did ask you," he said. "Why do you want to study at Oxford anyway? It is not what women do, and I know it hasn't been easy for you."

Nancy sighed. "Maybe I would have a better shot at finding a job after getting a university degree. I know someone as privileged and spoiled as you would know nothing about working, but for ordinary people like me, it is probably the most important thing in our lives."

He ignored her sarcasm. "That can't be the only reason, can it? I can see that you just love all these books and this rubbish, useless knowledge."

"It is not useless!" Nancy exclaimed. "I spent most of my childhood in the local library, and nothing gives me more joy than learning something new." Her eyes lit up. "I just want to do something other than look for a husband. I just don't see the purpose in that."

"Why not?"

"I find a husband and then we have children, a daughter perhaps, who would go through the exact same cycle of life. What is the point if I am not even using my potential to do something for this world if ever I get the chance?"

Andrew processed this for a while and then nodded slowly. "And are you happy here?"

"Happiness is relative." Nancy looked up at him as he watched her carefully. "Things have been a lot better since you stopped your stupid little games. I am not eligible for a real degree, but I'll take what I can get." She smiled.

He returned her smile before his eyes widened as he spotted someone over her shoulder. He hurriedly pulled her into a nearby alleyway. Nancy looked back to see what was bothering him and saw Roger and Benjamin passing by, engrossed in conversation. She looked at Andrew questioningly. He shook his head.

"They would just distract you from me, and I want you all to myself right now," he said teasingly, causing her to roll her eyes.

"As appealing as that sounds, I really should get home." She made to start walking again but he stopped her, grabbing her wrist and turning her around. Nancy realized how close he was standing and tried to back away, but there was a wall behind her.

"Andrew..." she began, but a part of her wanted to kiss him, wanted to keep walking with him for hours no matter how angry his quips were making her. All thoughts left her mind as his lips met hers. The kiss was fast and fierce, unlike the gentle way he had kissed her before. She held on to the back of his head, returning the kiss with the same force. When he broke away, she pulled him back and restored contact between their lips.

"Easy there," he teased as he pulled away, looking at her flushed cheeks. Then they heard a noise behind them and the sound of hurried retreating footsteps. Andrew frowned, walking the length of the alleyway to check who it was but finding nothing. "Probably just a cat. Let's get you home now."

"And don't do that again," Nancy said dryly.

He laughed. "You seemed pretty enthusiastic a few minutes ago."

Dear Miss Nancy Brooks,

This is to inform you that, based on the advice of the board of governors of Oxford University, the administration has decided to make you a full-time student here. You will be allowed to take all examinations and will receive an official degree upon completion of your degree plan. Please visit the office of the assistant dean, no later than the end of this week, to finish the official paper work.

Thank you,

Simon Poleman

Registrar Office

Oxford University

Nancy smiled as she read the letter. She knew who was behind this. Later, years later, she would wonder when exactly she fell in love with Andrew Montgomery. She would never figure it out, but she knew that it was no later than this moment—that there was no moment after this that she did not love Andrew Montgomery.

"Congratulations, Andrew. You have officially taken my place as the most disgraceful member of the Montgomery family." A young woman of around Andrew's age entered his bedroom without knocking.

"You look too happy, cousin," Andrew said grumpily, sitting down on the sofa where Sarah Smith had taken a seat. "What are you talking about?"

Sarah smiled happily, holding up the morning paper. "The photographs."

"What photographs?" Andrew said, not paying too much attention until his eyes fell on the paper in her hand. He grabbed it from her, startled. There, in the middle of the newspaper, was a photograph of him and Nancy Brooks walking down an empty street together. A thousand thoughts swam inside his head—the footsteps the other night, his parents, Sarah, her past life...

"Fortunately, her face is not too obvious here, but it would not be difficult to figure out for someone who wants to investigate." Sarah's smile faded. "How could you be so careless, Andrew? Do you not care about what happens to her?"

"I am not going to let anything happen to her." He put the paper down calmly.

"I said those exact same words six years ago. Andrew, you have not forgotten the series of events that led up to my wedding, have you?" She looked at him sadly.

Sarah's parents had died in an accident when she was only a child. Duchess Grafton had taken in her late sister's daughter, but no one had ever been able to control her rebellious side. Sarah had fallen in love with a man who was far below their status, and Andrew remembered that those times were when Sarah had been the happiest he had ever seen her. But Duke and Duchess Grafton had fiercely disapproved of their relationship. They tried every means to keep them apart, and when nothing worked, they forced Sarah to get engaged to Cormoran Smith, a rich and respectable earl. Even that did not daunt Sarah's spirit; the day after her engagement with Cormoran Smith, she planned to elope with her lover. But he never showed up at their meeting point the night they were supposed to get married, and he seemed to have mysteriously disappeared. Sarah and Andrew did not discover what had happened to him until a weak later, when Sarah had a mental breakdown and cried for three days straight. That was when Andrew's mother informed them that she and Duke Grafton were behind the disappearance of Nancy's lover—only to save the family honor, of course—and that Sarah would do well to forget about him and marry Cormoran Smith. Sarah had always been a tough girl, but she was inconsolable after that. She did not even protest the marriage. To this day, no one had ever found out what had happened to her lover.

"Nothing will happen to Nancy, Sarah. I would die before I let anything happen to her." He picked up the newspaper and began to casually flip through the pages.

"Well, you might be right." Sarah's face lit up. "Fortunately for you, you have something I did not have—and that is me."

Andrew frowned at her. "How are you of any use to me?"

"I'm going back to London tomorrow." Andrew lived alone in his family's town house in Oxford, with a few servants to take care of the place. The rest of his family lived in London. "I will meet with your parents and convince them that this is just another casual fling that so happened to catch the press's attention."

"Nancy is not a fling," Andrew said instantly, still flipping through the paper in his hands.

"You have said that before, Andrew." Sarah looked at him disapprovingly. Andrew put down the paper and turned to his cousin.

"Look, Sarah, Nancy was just supposed to be another person I was going to bully just for the sake of it. I wanted to break her and then move on with my life. But then that girl decided to fight me instead and argue with me about everything there is to possibly disagree on and say things to me no one else would ever dare say. And now I look for her everywhere I go. I look for ways to get her to argue with me, because I like the way she looks when she is angry. Sarah, I'm in love with her. She is not a fling."

Sarah stared at him. "Oh dear," she said. "It really is real this time. Well, you better be ready to face the consequences. I will help you where I can, but I can only do so much. You know what your parents are like."

Andrew nodded. Sarah stood up.

"Can't you stay a little longer?" Andrew asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but Sarah heard the hopefulness in his voice. She knew how lonely he was—and had been throughout his childhood—most of the time, despite the fact that he had so many friends.

She sat back down, grinning. "For you, cousin, anything."

Andrew returned home late one night after making sure Nancy was safely inside her house—he had been doing that quite a lot recently, ever since the photographs in the papers—and walked purposefully toward his study, waving away the servants who tried to help him out of his coat or asked him if he would like to have dinner.

When he reached his study, he was completely caught off guard when he saw a tall, thin woman in a long black dress standing with her back to him, staring out the window. The elegant cut of her dress and her long silvery hair gave away her identity immediately, even though it had been quite some time since Andrew had seen her.

Duchess Grafton did not turn around to face her son. Instead, she continued to stare out the window at the city below, even though Andrew knew he had made enough noise to alert anyone in the room of his presence. When it appeared she would not acknowledge him, he walked over to his desk and sat down, searching for the book he had come there to find in the first place.

Slowly, the woman turned around to face him. He continued to search his desk, not looking up or showing any sign that he had seen her.

"I wonder whether you come home this late every day or if today is an exception." Her voice was chilly and cold.

"What a nice greeting for a son you have not seen in almost ten months." Andrew found the book he had been looking for and opened it. "In fact, I should just be happy that you finally noticed you have a son. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Ma?"

"I noticed because my son needs to be reminded of who he is."

"I know who I am," he snapped, irritated.

"You are the future Duke of Grafton. You are a man who has the duty and responsibility of upholding the reputation of his family name at all times."

"Very well. I understand. Now I will see you in another ten months, I suppose." He stood up, walking toward the door.

"Andrew." His mother's voice was low and deadly. "Do not acquaint yourself with that girl any further. You are aware of the consequences that befall those who associate themselves with undesirable members of society. If you have forgotten, ask Sarah. She has personal experience."

Andrew met his mother's stare for a measured moment and then, without a word, left the room.

Nancy could see Andrew through the window, pacing across the balcony, as she stood talking to Roger, Benjamin, and William in the private room of Alnick's Inn, which was very crowded today. She thought she was the only one who had noticed until Benjamin glanced toward him and then looked at her.

"What has got our friend in such a fit?" He raised his eyebrows. "Did you fight with him again, Nancy?"

"We're always fighting," Nancy said dismissively. "Why would that have any effect on him now?"

"Everything you do has an effect on him," Benjamin replied easily.

"That's not it, though." William's voice was quiet. "Andrew is always like that when one of his folks is in town."

"Is one of his folks in town?" Nancy asked.

"His mother is." Roger looked at her apologetically. "And with those photographs in the newspapers..."

Nancy understood. There was an uneasy, sinking feeling in her stomach. Soon after, Andrew walked over to them.

"Ready to go home?" he asked Nancy.

Immediately, Nancy felt irritated. "I can get home on my own."

Andrew smiled in the infuriating way that always made Nancy angry. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I let a girl walk home alone at night, Miss Brooks?"

"Is this part of your duty as her new friend?" William asked, slightly raising his eyebrows. Andrew looked at him.

"The streets are not always safe for such stubborn girls, William." Andrew's tone was light, but Nancy saw something more meaningful in the look that passed between the two best friends.

"My house is just down the street now," Nancy said. "You came this far. You can go now."

"If I came this far, I can walk to your front door too." Andrew matched her stubborn glare with his own, folding his arms and looking down at her.

"No, you cannot." Her voice was fierce and unwavering.

Andrew sighed. "All right. You walk to your door and I will watch from here till you are safely inside. That seems like a fair agreement."

Nancy knew this was probably the best agreement she would get. Andrew watched as she walked to her front door and waited till he heard the door click shut and saw the lights turn on.

"I know you're there." He didn't take his eyes off the house, and his voice was dangerously low.

Two men came forward out of the dark side street they had been hiding in. They still stood in the shadows, and their faces were covered by black masks. Andrew slowly turned around to look at them.

"If I ever see you—or any of your friends or acquaintances—near this house or the girl, I will kill you."

One of the men shuffled his feet uncertainly. "We were going to quit this job anyway, m'lord. We don't like following young women around anymore than you do."

"But there are others who would do this if we don't," the second man said. "There is a large amount of gold being offered."

Andrew's cold, hard expression did not change. "I will correct myself. If you ever even look at the girl again, I will kill you." The two men could sense the seriousness behind his words and knew that he was capable of doing what he said. They nodded and quickly retreated. Andrew listened to the sound of their footsteps until it faded. He wondered who would hire men to follow—were they only following?—Nancy Brooks in the middle of the night.

Only two people came to his mind.

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