Something felt different in the room and Lillian was pulled from her nap. Her eyes opened slowly. At first she didn't really understand what she was seeing. A dream? There was a figure in a nearby chair. Her hands grasped for her book as if she could throw it and dispel the apparition.

When her hand came down on nothing and her vision focused Lillian was greeted with the sight of Vance Hamilton sitting there, in the parlour with her.

"How-" Her confusion was clear. A hand came up to her chest as she looked around. Lillian sat up slowly. "Hello, Mr Hamilton."

She tried not to seem to surprised but it was difficult. Her legs shifted, her feet lowered to the floor. She was careful to adjust the skirt so no part of her legs were visible.

"I am sorry. You have caught me off guard. It is nice to see you."  Now, slightly more composed Lillian smiled. Her eyes caught sight of her book in his hands. "Do you always rescue wayward books from the hands of their sleeping reader?"

Her pulse was racing. She was alone in the room with a stranger and while she was not afraid it did bring back some of her rather sensual dreams from the previous night. Dreams that had included Vance Hamilton thanks to Anna's observations.

Lillian had tried to reason that her cousin in law was simply trying to tease but there a small part of her that found herself longing for the attention. She had never been a flirt as Jenny was but she had at one time been far more social than she was at present. Mourning changed a woman's obligations.