Miss Amelia's Match Making service

The Secret Lover

After some time spent spying on Lady Lilith, Amelia concluded that her guess had been spot on.

The man embraced Lady Lilith and kissed her head tenderly. Martha gasped at the close relationship between the young lady and the unknown man.

Amelia quickly covered Martha's mouth so they wouldn't get caught. But luck didn't seem to be on their side. The embracing lovebirds put a stop to their embrace.

Lady Lilith turned directly toward where they were hiding. Amelia was sure they were about to be caught. Lady Lilith looked around suspiciously before turning back to her secret lover.

She exchanged a few words with him before pulling her cloak hood back on and walking out of the room. Amelia was relieved that they hadn't been caught.

She poked out her head and looked closely at Lady Lilith's supposed secret lover. He looked charming indeed, but he had flour all over himself and his face.

This pointed out that he worked at this exact bakery and didn't appear to have any noble blood.

The young man walked through a door, vanishing from Martha and Amelia's sight. They both quickly stepped out of their hiding spot.

"Martha, I think we might need to investigate a bit more into this," Amelia said, looking at the door the young man had gone through moments before.

Martha got up, dusting herself off. Her mistress was truly something, and now she was involved yet again.

Soon they asked around about the young man and learned quite a lot about him.

His name was Jacob. He didn't seem to have a last name. He had shown up in town a few years ago and started baking bread.

His prices were low, so immediately the commoners loved him, and nobles sometimes visited to get a taste.

No one really knew much about him. This intrigued Amelia more. A mysterious man showing up and suddenly opening a bakery.

She asked around more but got little information. Soon she decided to call it a day and went home with Martha.

As they entered, still in disguise, they suddenly heard a startled voice. They both turned, breaking away from the conversation they were having regarding Lady Lilith.

The voice belonged to none other than Amelia's younger brother, Roland Ashford.

He stood at the foot of the stairs, a broken glass in front of him.

It seemed he had come out for a drink but had been frightened by them. He looked at them and they stared back.

"Who are you people and why are you roaming around?" he asked, taking a step back.

Amelia quickly took off her fake beard and walked over to him.

"Roland, it's me, your sister Amelia," she said, stepping over the shattered glass toward her scared brother.

Roland looked her over and, for a moment, wasn't sure what was wrong with her. He knew she did some crazy things, but this? Their parents would be worried about her if they found out.

"Amelia, are you sure?" he said, touching her cheeks. They were soft and delicate. His face quickly changed from scared to irritated.

"Amelia, why in the heavens were you dressed as a man?" he asked, getting up.

That was her brother, acting like he was a grown man even though he was only eleven years of age.

"Looks like Attitude Roland is back," Amelia said with a laugh before getting up.

"Well, it's simple. I was doing my work," she said, removing the cap from her head. Her hair fell down as the night wind flowed through it.

"Your work?" Roland repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, my work."

Roland crossed his arms.

"I fail to see how dressing as a man and sneaking about London qualifies as proper work."

Amelia placed a hand over her chest in mock offense.

"I shall have you know that I was conducting a very important investigation."

"That sounds even worse."

Martha struggled to suppress a laugh. Roland immediately turned toward her.

"Martha, please tell me you did not encourage this."

"I tried, Master Roland," Martha said honestly. "Unfortunately, Miss Amelia had already made up her mind."

Roland sighed heavily.For an eleven year old boy, he sighed far too much.

"You are going to give Father grey hair."Roland said sighing.

"He already has grey hair."Amelia responded.

"You are going to give him more."Roland retorted back.

Amelia laughed.

Roland shook his head before glancing toward the staircase.

"So what was this important investigation?"Roland asked curious to know.

Amelia's expression brightened immediately.

"Lady Lilith Williams."Amelia said a hint of pride in it.

"The Count's daughter?"Roland asked a bit invested.

"The very same."Amelia said.

Roland regretted asking the moment he saw the excitement in her eyes.

Whenever Amelia looked like that, it meant a long explanation was coming.

"I discovered she has been secretly meeting a gentleman."

Roland blinked.

"That is all?"

"That is all?" Amelia repeated.

"Yes."

Amelia looked genuinely offended."Roland, this could completely affect her future match."

"Or perhaps she simply likes him." Roland said casually.

Amelia froze and Martha quietly looked away.

Roland continued "If she likes him and he likes her, then surely that is the end of the matter."

"It is not the end of the matter."Amelia said back

"Why?"Roland asked not sure what Amelia meant.

"Because I know nothing about him."Amelia said back her eyes filled with curiosity.

Roland shrugged."Then learn about him."

"That is precisely what I intend to do."

Roland immediately regretted speaking again. Amelia pointed dramatically at him.

"Excellent suggestion."Amelia said eyes now filled with excitement.

"I was not helping."Roland said back

"You were."Amelia teased back knowing her little brother truly did wanna help.

"I truly was not."Roland said back a hint of red forming on his ear tips. He was either embarrassed or getting angrily irritated.

Amelia ignored him.Her mind was already racing with possibilities.

The baker called Jacob remained a mystery.

No family.

No known history.

No title.

No connections.

Yet somehow he had managed to capture the heart of a young noble lady.

The more Amelia thought about it, the more curious she became. A smile slowly spread across her lips.

Martha noticed it first, "Oh no." Martha's said knowing her mistress too well.

Roland noticed it second.

"What?" Amelia asked innocently.

Neither of them trusted that innocent look.

Not for a single moment.

Because whenever Amelia Ashford became curious, trouble was usually not far behind.