"Janet!" A voice shrieked.

Startled from her thoughts, Janet let the small silver tray crash to the floor.

"Now look what you've done, you silly girl!"

Janet quickly picked up the tray and offered a voice of appology to her aunt.

Her aunt looked down her nose at her but waved her hand in a dismissal. Janet quietly left the great dinning hall and headed back to her servant quarters. She really should be thankfull to her aunt and uncle. They were the only ones in polite society who had taken her in after that horrible evening three years ago.

Pushing her long honey blond hair behind her shoulders she told herself that it was useless worring about the past. Tommorow was the third year anniversary of that awful night. She had had three years to get over it, and on with her life!

"Pardon me Miss? But could you tell me where I might find Lord and Lady Pembroke?"

Janet stiffned. She knew that voice. God! It couldn't be.

She cramed her servant hat on top of her head and slowly turned around.

"Lady Pembroke is in the dinning hall sir, just down the hall to your left."

Janet kept her eyes on the floor, praying he didn't recognize her voice.

Without even so much as a thank you, the man walked away, heading down the hall.

Janet lifted her head and stared mouth open as the Earl headed down the hall.

The Lord of Scandal had returned!

**************

Sebasian DeLoix felt like he was ready to strangle the simpering women in front of him.

"Lady Pembroke." He tried again. "I really must find your niece. Are you possitive that you've never heard anything from her in these past three years?"

Lady Pembroke sipped her tea. "My Lord, I'm sorry, but no one in the entire family has heard a word from her since she ran off after…"

Sebasian shook his head. "I don't understand, I didn't ruin the girl. The whole of society knew that, it was just a mess up and misunderstanding. Why would she think she had to leave England?"

Lady Pembroke smiled gently. "Really My lord, Janet was such a shy girl. And only seventeen."

Sebasian shook his head, "If I had known what had happened I would have returned much sooner."

Lady Pembroke nodded her head to the clock. "I'm sorry to push you out the door M'Lord, but I have to get ready for the dinner I am giving this evening…would you care to stay?

Sebasian smiled. "I would be honored Lady Pembroke."

*************

Janet watched from the top floor balcony, what was he still doing here? The Earl of Sutton appeared to be staying for the dinner this evening. What was her aunt thinking!!

"What'cha find so interesting?"

Janet jumped as Marie came up next to her.

"Don't scare me like that Marie."

Marie, a short little fiery maid, looked over the balcony. "Oh I see…it's his lordship that's caught your fancy."

Janet stiffned. "He hasn't caught my anything!"

Marie winked at her.

Janet groaned. She wasn't about to let history repeat itself, but fate seemed to have a different plan.

Marie grabbed her hand. "Come on, we'd better get to the kitchen and get ready!"

****************

Janet lined up with the other servants waiting for the head housekeepers choices. 'Please don't pick me…please don't pick me' Janet kept repeating the phrase. She did NOT want to have to serve that awful man!

"And…Janet. That's it, all of the rest of you, may finish your chores."

Janet wanted to stamp her foot in protest.

Marie grinned from ear to ear and pinched Janet's side. "Looks like we'll both be getting a closer glance at the Earl."

Janet shruged out of her plain grey appron and hat, she was handed the crisp white appron and the brand new white hat with the Pembroke rose embroidered on the side.

Marie put hers on enthusiastically, "The guests have started to arrive. We'll be starting with the drinks I suppose."

The Head Housekeeper appeared again. "All right everyone. Take a tray, procedd around the lounges. No mistakes, or it will mean your job!"

Everyone nodded their heads. Janet grabbed one of the champagne trays and headed out. She took a deep breath, here was hoping he wasn't really there!

************

Sebastian smiled with an effort as he watched the local London society gather in Lord and Lady Pembrokes fashionable country estate. Why had he agreed to stay? He wanted to continue on his search for Janet.

Suddenly he turned and nearly ran into a tiny servant.

"So sorry M'Lord." The girl mummbled, her head downcast.

She quickly turned to flee.

"Wait. I would like something to drink miss." Sebastian said.

The girl turned, somewhat slowly, and lifted the half empty tray to him.

Sebastian took one of the offered glasses with a nod of his head.

"My Lord Sutton!" Lady Pembroke exclaimed as she moved up beside him.

The servant girl next to him was so startled she dropped the tray.

Lady Pembroke face turned into rage. "Stupid girl!"

The servant fell to her knees trying to quickly gather all the broken glass off of the floor.

"I'm so sorry Lady…"

Lady Pembroke gasped and reached down grabbing the young girl by the arm. She turned her to the side door.

The young girls white servant cap slilped off, revealing soft honey hair. She happened for just a second to turn and look over her shoulder at Sebastian.

Sebastian felt the glass stem under his fingers snap! "Ja…"

It couldn't be!

Not carring about the curious glances from anyone else around him, Sebastian quickly moved through the crowd, following Lady Pembroke.

***************

Janet cringed as her Aunt threw her into the small broom closet. "You will stay here until the end of the eveing do you here!?"

Janet cringed as the wooden door slamed shut and left her in darkness.

"Lady Pembroke?"

Janet's head jumped up. It was Lord Sutton.

"Lord Sutton," Her aunt said. "Whatever are you doing in the kitchen?"

Lord Sutton came so close that Janet could make out through the crack in the door, his outline.

"I followed you here Lady Pembroke. I was wondering…where did that servant girl go?"

Lady Pembroke sttutred. "I sent her…home My Lord. She has been let go."

"Do you know her name?"

Lady Pembroke shook her head.

Janet suddenly inhailed a gust of dust. She was going to sneeze! She grabed her hand over her mouth to stop it, but it came anyway.

Lord Sutton turned to the closet. "I belive there is someone in your broom closet Lady Pembroke."

"Probably a mouse your lordship. Shall we return to the party?"

"Interesting Lady Pembroke, I've never heard of a mouse that could sneeze."

The handle on the closet turned.

"Lord Sutton, really…there's nothing…"

Janet blinked as the door opend and light spilled into the small closet. She looked up from her sitting position.

Lord Sutton looked down. "Miss Wentworth?"

Lady Pembroke gasped. "How dare you sir!"

"How dare I? I am not the one who turns my own family into the help."

Lord Sutton reached down for Janet.

"Don't TOUCH me!" Janet screamed.

Lord Sutton flinched, "Come up out of there Miss, there's nothing more to fear."

Lady Pembroke tried to move Lord Sutton out of the way. "Madame! Contain yourself!"

Janet stood up. "Please move out of my way sir."

Lord Sutton turned his attention back to her. "Miss Wentworth, I've been looking for you for three years. In fact, most of London has."

Janet frowned. "What?! So that I can be ridiculed once again?"

Lady Pembroke tried to pull her niece away. "Be quiet Janet!"

"What do you mean ridiculed? You've been missing since the night of your come out ball!"

Janet blinked. "I haven't been missing! I was destroyed that night…by you!"

Lord Sutton frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Lady Pembroke yanked Janet out of the closet and away from Lord Sutton. "You've done enough Lord Sutton, leave my niece in peace!"

Lord Sutton's face looked thundurce. "Madame, I have no idea as to what you are reffering!" Janet was complety confused with this conversation.

Lord Sutton grabbed Janet's other arm. "Miss Wentworth here has been reported missing for the past three years, after the night of her debutant. Your entire family offered a reward for her return from whomever had kidnapped her. As that was what you belived it was!"

Janet frowned. "I don't understand…wait! I was told that I was ruined by polite society that night."

Lord Sutton looked at her. "For doing exactly what?"

Janet turned to her aunt, her aunt shook her head.

Janet sighed. "You know perfeclty well Lord Sutton, you escorted me outside of the ballroom, in those miniets, I was…ruined."

Lord Sutton face turned into comic disbelife. "For that? Who told you that? Your family?" Lady Pembroke groaned. "Damn it Janet! You couldn't keep your mouth shut!"

Janet shook her head.

Lord Sutton took both her hands in his. "Don't you know what has happened Lady Wentworth? No…of course not…your family has kept it from you. Your parents, when they died left the entire estate to you…when you disappeared and everyone assumed you were kidnapped. Your esate was transferred…to your aunt and uncle. They have been living off of your fortune Lady Wentworth!"

Janet shook her head. "No."

Lady Pembroke looked very angry. "We should have shipped you off to the United States cousins."

Lord Sutton pulled Janet forward into his arms. "It's alright. Don't worry, it'll all be explained. I think I'm also assuming that your aunt and uncle never told you that your parents and mine were good friends. The reason I was there for your come out ball, and why it was exceptable for us to head out on the balcony those three years ago…had been because we are engaged Lady Wentworth."

Janet's mouth parted in a wide 'oh'.

Lord Sutton smiled down at her. "I thought you had been kidnapped and I would never see you again…but now I've found you."

Lady Pembroke made a groaning nausiating sound. "This is stupid! No one will beilve this little trollop is Lady Wentwroth."

"I will…and so will all my close friends Lady Pembroke!"

Lady Pembroke paled. "What do you intent to do?"

"I think it's time for Lady Wentworth to make her second debut."

*********