I can hear the others trying to entertain her in our common room as I quickly tidy up, but she seems to be a master at shutting down conversations about herself, I had left her wrapped in her blanket in one of the armchairs as Thad and Ivo made sandwiches for us all.

I debate changing the bed but I've only slept in it one night and with no way to currently do any washing I didn't want to add to our piles, not until we were sorted. I picked up a pillow and sniffed it, it smelt clean to me but I wondered if she would notice, if I had left a scent on the bed... would she like it?

I couldn't believe she had been under our noses for a year and we hadn't seen her. Were we totally blind or was she just exceptional good at blending in. I had no doubt my 'brothers' were all seeing the same thing, she was perfect. I wondered which one of us would make a move first, how would she react?

I shook my head at my wandering mind, we brought her here to protect her, not seduce her, no matter how much we wanted to. I smiled thinking just how different she was to other girls we knew. They would have been falling over themselves to get close to us, not caring which one of us was interested, they just saw our family bank balances and looks, never the real men behind the faces.

Ivo for all his dominance just wanted to be loved and love someone back, his parents had a whirlwind fairytale meeting and romance, he was the baby of his family with older twin siblings and he wanted that fairytale too, not that anyone outside our group knew that, his front to the world was as a hard to reach playboy, but for us he would move mountains.

Rupert's parents were older and a bit stiff at times but they loved him and his two brothers and he knew it. He too could be a bit rigid it's almost as if the term 'stiff upper lip' had been written about him but when let you in, he was as bad as Ivo.

Thad was the trickiest of us all, he was very good at masking his feelings, an only child, his parents were always busy and he had spent most of our earlier schools coming home with one of us, during the holidays, he was given everything he wanted but he was the opposite of spoiled, never getting what he truly wanted, his parents time and attention, they focused that on each other, never him.

We had all grown up together from pre-prep right through to college now, back then and now we had always had each other.

I heard the voices raise a little and wondered who she had, would anyone be fighting to get here to her. I had heard her tell Thad her full name earlier and when he had queried her family business, I had listened, given my family was in a similar line of work, I was curious.

I had heard of the family, who hadn't in that line of work but I wasn't aware there was a daughter. And from what I did remember about them , I didn't envy her, they were career driven parents who made Thad's seem like cuddly bunny's.

Taking a quick look around I was happy the room was presentable, I grabbed a change of clothes for myself and walked back out into the common room.

Four sets of eyes swung my way and I smiled "The room is ready for you" I tell her and she flushes, looking down.

"You didn't have to give up your room for me" she said quietly "Where will you sleep?" I could see her eyes looking worriedly at the sofa which Ivo and Rupert were sat on.

"I'm going to share with Thad, don't worry, no one is sleeping on that thing" I tell her with a wave at the sofa.

She flushes again as the boys all laugh.

"We were just deciding on a board game or cards" Thad chimed in and I grin ."But Per won't choose" he pouts.

"Poker?" I suggest and they all turn to look at her, she lifts one should in a shrug."Can you play?" I ask her interested.

"Yes, I can play" she confirms softly and I grin again.

"Huh, a girl that can play, let's see how good you are" Thad mutters to himself.

"Good, let me just chuck this in Thad's room and we can get set up" I laugh and we all start moving. I can feel her eyes watching us as we move around her and I like the feeling.

"I'll put your bags in Topper's room" Ivo tells her and before she can reply, he is moving her bags into my room.

"I could have done that" she tells him when he returns and he just stares at her, holding her gaze.

"Yes you could, but I did it for you, just say thank you" he tells her and I see her bristle before taking a deep breath and she mutters out the words he requested.

"Thank you"

"Lets play" I say breaking the tension and reaching for the cards, looking around the group. I paused and shook my head, "This won't do, come on we will have to sit at the table" I order, leading the way as the others moan and follow me, each pulling out their own chairs.

Per is stood looking uncertain at the two remaining spaces and I help her along by pushing out the chair next to mine. "Sit here" I tell her and she does, a pink flush again coating her cheeks before its hidden from sight by her hair.

By the third game it was clear not only could she play she was exceptionally good at it "You're a shark" Thad complained as once again she beat us all and she smiled, looking for the first time relaxed.

"How do you know how to play so well?" Rupert questioned as Ivo got up to grab us all drinks, her gaze followed Ivo and she didn't see us all watching as her face shut down at the question, her walls coming back up.

Rupert raised his hands "Sorry, just curious, its really not normal we know a girl who plays this well" he explains and she turns to face him, her head cocking slightly as she assesses him.

"No, I'm sorry, I just get a bit touchy about questions... my nanny taught me to play a long time ago" she told him and we all looked amazed but Thad voiced our thoughts.

"Damn, I wish my nanny had been that cool, only game she taught me was scrabble" he mutters.

"Oh I love scrabble" Per replies before blushing and looking down.

"We can play that later, if you would like" I offer and she nods silently.

"Later, first we need to try and find some staff, the caretaker or at least some more supplies" Ivo tells us, watching us around the table.

"Okay do we go together or split up?" Rupert agrees, looking at Ivo for the answer.

"Per should stay here, its safer" Ivo instructs, "Rupert and I will try the gatehouse, you and Thad try the staff block again, maybe when we tried earlier no one was up"

"I'm coming with you" Per butts in, glaring at Ivo.

"No, you stay here" he argues and I hide my grin, wondering how long it will take before Ivo gives in.

"If you leave me here, I will just follow you or go back to my own dorm" she growls at him and Ivo brings his hands down on the table with a loud bang.

"I said NO!" he grates back at her, standing now and leaning over the table towards her.

"Okay" she agreed with a small smile and I laugh at the confusion on Ivo's face, and then his growl as he realised she was just humouring him.

"Fuck!" he snapped out and dropped back into his chair. "Fuck... alright your coming with me" he told her and I could see her boring her lip to hide her smile.

"I'd rather go with Thad and Topper" she tells him sweetly and watches her eyes locked to Ivo as he shoves his chair out and stalks out of the room, shouting "No" over his shoulder.

I grinned at Per, "That went well" I tell her with another laugh and grin at the pink flush that stains her cheeks.

"He's so bossy" she argues softly and this time we all laugh nodding.

"That her is sweetie, that he is" I agree. "You better go and get ready, don't keep him waiting" I warn her and she hurries off to find her bags.