Important author's note. PLEASE read.

Yes, this fanfic is supposed to be a romance. I've already written a Sebby/OC fanfic and it wasn't exactly a romance because I don't really approve of Sebby romances but this time I'm being a hypocrite and attempting to write a Sebby romance. This started out like more of a challenge than anything. I was talking with a friend about how could Sebby possibly fall in love. She said it could be done so I took the challenge. However, don't expect this to be one of those they-lived-happily-ever-after-married-and-with-kids. No. Not a chance.

Something else you need to know is that my source of inspiration for this are Jane Austen's novels. Most of the names (of characters and places) are taken from said novels. The story is also set around the same time period.

For various reason, don't expect regular updates. This story is meant to provide a means of procrastinating or whatever else, not a serious priority, I'm just putting it out here because I'm a sucker for notification e-mails. There, I said it. My inbox has been lonely lately.

So, enjoy. If you have time for a review, I'll be more than glad to hear from you.

Chapter I

"Well, this looks a lot worse than I had expected."

Gripping his cane, Ciel brought a gloved hand to his hat to keep it from being swept off by the wind.

His faithful butler was by his side. "Indeed."

They were both staring at the decrepit façade of an old country house, rough and discolored where the ivy couldn't conceal. The wide lawn spreading out front, once well kept and trimmed, was now overgrown into a jungle of weeds and shrubs.

With a sigh of disappointment, the young Earl got back into the carriage, hoping the rest of his journey across the lawn wouldn't be as difficult as it had been through the woods surrounding the manor. Thinking how beautiful the estate of Norland Park must have been in its days of glory, Ciel couldn't help but sigh again.

"It's been ages since a human set foot in here," he said, standing at last before the large front doors. The hinges were rusty, as was the chain keeping the doors closed.

One-and-seventy years, to be more exact, Sebastian felt like saying, but he checked himself and proceeded instead to unlock the doors. It would have been easy to just knock them down but he didn't want that. He didn't want to hurt this precious nest of reminiscences any further.

They walked in, slowly and cautiously, raising dust in their wake. Ciel coughed and rushed back out for a breath of fresh air. As if spring hadn't caused him enough trouble.

"Young Master, why don't you wait in the carriage while I clean up here?" Sebastian suggested, narrowing his eyes at the heaving boy.

Ciel coughed a bit more. "Very well, Sebastian. But be quick."

"Yes, my lord." The butler bowed then walked his master to the carriage. "Wait here until I come to get you."

The young Earl noticed the out-of-place, authoritative tone of his servant but didn't make much of it.

Sebastian returned to the house in the blink of an eye and slowed down as he sauntered across the main hall to the ancient, creaking staircase. It seemed to be talking to him, crying, mourning the loss of delicate feet that he, too, knew too well.

Despite the bright light outside, the manor was dark and cold. The windows that weren't broken were layered with grime or shut out completely by wooden planks.

The darkness made no difference to him, however. He knew every nook and cranny of this house, could wander about blindfolded and wouldn't get lost.

That thought reminded him of a certain game of blind man's buff and he couldn't withhold a smirk as his nerves recalled the heat of 'its' body when she tripped and fell into his arms, or the sound of her bashful laugh, or the scent of her ivory skin—

Sebastian stopped at a door ajar. It was crooked and screeched as he pushed it open, welcoming him.

Upon entering the deserted bedroom, he was greeted by the illusion of a fair head wrapped in dark burgundy curls, adorned with a pair of emerald eyes and soft plump lips curved into the finest smile a man could ever wish to see.

But, it was just that. An illusion. A memory he believed had faded away after one-and-seventy years.

Apparently, it hadn't. Not one bit.