Artemis (previously The Lady Lockhart)

Chapter Two

A/N A huge shoutout to @Olivia_Noble for being my very first voter! You've made my week. Lots of love for my second-ever voter @Romeo_Blue_Skies as well. This chapter is for you two lovely people! x L

CAPTAIN PETER JAMISON WAS THOROUGHLY CONFUSED.

Upon arriving at his best friend's home he had learned that the Earl was away. When he asked nobody in particular where that lovely music was coming from, all the servants attending to him had grown flustered, hemming and hawing but not really saying anything. A long series of covert whispers had been exchanged right in front his eyes, as if he was not just standing there, before a young butler was shoved out a service door in a flurry. The music stopped shortly after, and the same butler who had been shooed out of the room rushed back in with a full pot of tea, which he nearly dropped before he set it down. He poured a cup and handed it to the captain, who, despite his bewilderment at how peculiar it was that all the servants seemed to anxious about something everyone but him knew, accepted the drink with a gracious word of thanks.

Sipping on the cup of Earl Grey, he was just beginning to wonder if he should just leave and call again another day when he saw Emmeline Lockhart walk through the door, presumably to meet her guest on behalf of her brother. She was tall and slim, an air of elegance about her as she floated into the room in a beautiful green dress. Although there was nothing remarkable about her features, Captain Jamison noted, she had some intangible beauty – something he occasionally noticed when she curtsied to him in the hallways of the Lockhart house and he bowed back, but stood out to him more now than ever because for the first time she would be having a proper conversation with him instead of remaining a woman he passed by in the hallway.

She nodded assuringly at the head butler, whose terse shoulders finally relaxed. He was not familiar with her and had never actually held a proper conversation with her although they had exchanged polite bows and curtsies whenever they ran into each other when the captain called on the earl for a hunt or a game of cards. Captain Jamison tried to keep the bemused smile off his face as he stood to greet the Earl's sister, who had swept into one of the lowest curtsies he had ever seen.

"Good afternoon, Captain Jamison," she said with a welcoming smile once she had risen, "you are well? I believe the last time I had the pleasure of seeing you was...a month ago?"

"Yes, my lady, you have an excellent memory – I was here to join Emmett on a hunt. I have fared excellently since then, thank you," the Captain answered, nodding politely as he lifted Emmeline's hand to kiss it in the customary greeting. "Oh, yes. I was hoping to enquire after that beautiful music I heard a while ago. The servants did not seem able to produce an answer."

She didn't bat an eyelash. "Of course, Captain. I hired a violoncello player for a brief session – I do love music, you know, all kinds. I really would invite you and sit and listen with me, but unfortunately he was scheduled to leave shortly after you arrived and I have sent him off a tad early."

"I see. Fret not, my lady, I play the violoncello myself and I may listen to it whenever I please." Captain Jamison smiled courteously. "Have you had your tea, my lady?"

Emmeline smiled back, her eyebrows lifting in pleasant surprise. Yet she did not comment on his ability to play the violoncello, which in truth was the only thing he'd said that she took interest in. "I'm afraid not; I was thoroughly enthralled by the music, I love it so. Would you care to stay for some? We have some excellent tea leaves Emmett bought during his last escapade – he says they were grown in the mountains, you know, and I hear the chef will be preparing some excellent French macarons today. It would be a dreadful shame not to share such a delightful meal."