Sorry it's taken so long for me to update! I had some serious writer's block but I think I've got over it. I hope you enjoy...please comment and let me know what you think :)

Enjoy!

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When Lavinia woke up again, she was in another unfamiliar room. Charles was sitting in a chair next to her bed reading a book and watching over her as she slept. He looked up when she took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

"Good evening," Charles said.

"How long have I been sleeping for?" Lavinia inquired, realising that the sky outside was only just beginning to grow dark.

"Almost a full day, it's six o'clock now," Charles said. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, my head still throbs but not nearly as much as before. Where are we?"

"We're still at Caleb's house, he wouldn't let me take you home and said to let you just sleep it off. Seems he was right."

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door and Charles went over to open it. Lavinia closed her eyes for a few moments as her brother's back was turned. She didn't want to worry him, her head was a lot better but still far from being back to normal. Charles and Caleb spoke in hushed tones clearly about Lavinia but she couldn't bring herself to care about what they were saying.

"Lavinia? Do you want some more laudanum?" it was Caleb that spoke, causing Lavinia to snap her eyes open. They were both looking at her with concern.

"No, it makes me drowsy," she answered.

"Are you feeling well enough for some dinner? You could come down and dine with us," Caleb offered.

"Caleb, I don't thi-"

"Yes, I'd be delighted to, thank you," Lavinia cut off her brother. She had to show him that she was better or else he would never let her out of bed.

"Splendid, we'll begin once you are ready," Caleb left her alone with Charles.

"You really shouldn't get out of bed Lavinia. You had a horrid head injury."

"I'm fine Charles, honestly. Besides, I do need to eat and if that is here or downstairs it makes no difference."

Charles simply rolled his eyes knowing that there was no point in arguing with her. She didn't often dispute against him, but when she did he knew she would win every time. He left her to clean up a little and prepare herself.

Walking over to the dresser was a lot harder than she had thought. Her legs felt clumsy and she was a little off balance. As she looked in the mirror to see herself she groaned. Caleb had seen her like that? But why should she care what Caleb saw her like? It wasn't like she even liked him...right? Lavinia's perception of Caleb had changed almost overnight. His actions towards her, his rescue and care, his concern for her safety and wellbeing, all testified to his loyal and kind nature. She knew that his only interest in her was as Judith's friend and Charles' sister but he had truly changed from the cocky and disrespectful man she had met on her birthday.

A knock sounded at the door and Lavinia called them to 'Enter' until she saw who it was.

"Anne! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed, she didn't trust herself to get up quickly.

"When Master Charles told your Aunt that you were ill she asked me to bring you some clothes and to stay and help you should you stay any length of time," Anne explained. It was only then that Lavinia noticed the dark, royal blue evening dress Anne had over an arm. She lay it down on the bed before coming up behind Lavinia and brushing her hair out, avoiding the area with the stitches.

"Are you alright m'lady? Does it hurt ever so much?" Anne questioned curiously.

"I am fine, a little shaken and it doesn't hurt as much as yesterday but it is still throbbing," Lavinia told her.

"We were all worried when you didn't come home last night, but your Aunt assumed you had been invited to join Lady Judith for dinner. I hear we are in Lord Alder's debt for your safety though?"

"Indeed, we are," Lavinia said. "He is much changed since his horrid display at Chatsworth House and he has apologised excessively for it. He has now become a gentleman."

Anne couldn't help but grin at her mistress' conclusions. Lord Alder had always been a kind and caring gentleman in Anne's mind. Her brother worked for him as a footman in his country home and when their mother had passed away in her sleep he had allowed James to take a week's paid leave to organise a funeral and mourn her properly. Anne would never forget his kindness as it gave her brother some time to get over his grief properly.

"It certainly is kind of him to allow you to stay here, m'lady," Anne remarked.

"It is," Lavinia said as Anne helped her into her dress and laced up the back. "He wouldn't allow Charles to take me home, Charles was saying. I'm glad he has allowed me to stay, I don't think my head could survive my Aunt's talking and my brother will no doubt try and keep me housebound for the rest of the season."

"I'd like to see him try and keep you anywhere, m'lady," Anne joked.

Lavinia laughed merrily. "He may try but he cannot always get his way."

***

Caleb wasn't sure why he felt so nervous. She was just Charles' sister for goodness sake. He waited for them both in the parlor, attempting to read a book, as Charles had insisted on waiting outside her room to escort her downstairs himself. But the prospect of sitting down, eating dinner and talking to Lavinia was making him nervous. He didn't know how to act, what to say, what to do. He was so caught up in his thinking that he jumped up when the door opened and his angel walked in on her brother's arm.

Her caramel coloured hair had been carefully tied away from her face with the rest curled down her back and shoulders. Her face was pale and the bruise on her cheek had been barely covered by some makeup. Again he felt a surge of anger at the man who had hurt her so brutally, however, when her warm brown eyes found his, he smiled unconsciously at her. She made him calm and happy again with just a glance, how?

"Hello," he said rather stupidly. Blinking out of his gaze, Caleb cringed at his own idiocy.

"Dinner is ready, shall we?"

They both followed him into the dining room and Charles pulled out a chair for Lavinia as Caleb sat too. The footmen came forward and served the first course.

"Thank you for letting me stay Caleb," Lavinia began. "It is very kind of you."

"Not at all, it would put my mind at ease to know that you are safe," he replied.

"May I ask what you were reading?" Lavinia enquired.

"It is a new book, I am rather into novels," Caleb admitted sheepishly. He knew that it was unconventional for men to read novels, but he read non-fiction books almost daily at Oxford and he enjoyed just relaxing and allowing his imagination to take over. "It is Sense and Sensibility by 'A Lady'. She has written it under that pseudonym, however her work is remarkably good. I am rather enjoying the style and characters and plot."

"Your read novels?" Lavinia remarked in pleasant surprise. Caleb still cringed at how dim witted he must seem to her.

"Yes, Lady Lavinia, I do. I read so many nonfiction books for Oxford that I like to enjoy a novel every now and then."

"And do you prefer the work of men or women?" Lavinia asked teasingly.

"I have only read this one novel written by a woman and so I could not be a fair judge on that," Caleb replied honestly.

"What is it about?" she asked him curiously.

"It is about a family of three young ladies and their mother who are thrown out of their home by their stepbrother on the death of their father. The eldest sister is full of sense and the second eldest is full of sensibility, hence the title. They struggle in their impoverished state and also with their own matters of the heart," he summarised, looking down at the last part to avoid eye contact.

"You certainly do think rather deeply into the novels as well," she said with a slight laugh. "Oxford has taught you well I suppose."

"Why must you mention Oxford sister?" Charles sighed. "We have our break now and I do not want to think of it any longer. What social events have you attended so far Caleb? I hope we are not stopping you from any this evening."

"No, I have none tonight," Caleb assured them. "I am looking forward to Mrs Jones' ball tomorrow night. I suppose you will be going Charles? Lavinia is welcome to stay here if required."

"Absolutely not," Lavinia said before Charles had a chance. "I cannot stay in bed the whole season. I shall be going to Mrs Jones' ball too."

"Lavinia," Charles said in a low voice. " You are not nearly well enough for a ball yet."

"I can rest tomorrow and then be ready for the evening Charles," she replied, determined to go.

"Let's have the doctor decide if she is ready or not, Charles," Caleb suggested, hoping that his friend would agree.

"I am almost a doctor Caleb," Charles argued sternly, glaring at Caleb for not siding with him.

"Almost, Charles," Lavinia said. "I won't go if the doctor says that I am not ready."

Charles sighed with no choice but to agree. to agree.

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Caleb, nervous? He's usually so cocky and sure of himself...could this be love?

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