A/N: Apologies for the long wait, my new job has been kicking my butt (and my muse's butt). I sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know if you do! Thanks as always to SunFlowerFran for making this readable! XOXO Valerie21Malfoy

I put my finger to my lips and reached my hand out to stop Alice from going any further down the hallway.

"Look," I let out a breath of a whisper and pointed into the cloakroom. I am glad my best friend is such a smart woman because understanding instantly dawned on her face.

I tucked myself into the cloakroom, and Alice followed before I quietly closed the door behind her.

"Victoria is still here … She did not leave with the others," I informed her, still talking quietly. I had no proof, but the entire situation gave me an off feeling, and I would much rather err on the side of caution.

"It's strange for sure," Alice nodded and looked at the gray coat and raised an eyebrow.

"Mr. Mason is here as well," I answered her unspoken question.

"When did he arrive?" she asked, her eyebrows higher than ever. That both Masons were in my home was quite the mystery for Alice, and truthfully, for myself as well. Why Edward Mason was enlisting my husband's help was beyond me. And the conversation I overheard before their arrival was still at the forefront of my mind. What was Victoria hiding from him?

"He arrived with Victoria," I said before giving her a quick recap of the unusual interaction between the Masons. One might even call it an argument.

"Odd … to say the least," Alice commented, her eyebrows knit together in deep thought, likely trying to process exactly what was going on with the Masons. I saw you. The words spoken by Edward were still fresh in my mind. What had he seen?

"The question now is, where on earth is Victoria?" I said, as a sensation of foreboding passed through me. I did not like that woman. I did not trust her either. She seemed to be an even worse version of Irina. What was she capable of?

"Let's go see," Alice suggested before she quietly exited the cloakroom. I was not far behind.

Lucky for us, we had light footsteps as we walked back down the corridor to the sitting-room door. The pocket door was still open, and I peeked my head around the corner of the threshold.

There she was, sitting at my writing desk in the furthest corner, her hand furiously scribbling away on my stationery. My jaw dropped, and my brown eyes narrowed. The nerve of her!

I did my best to back away and ushered Alice across the hall into the reception room. This was the second time today I had taken haven there.

"She's sitting at my desk, writing a letter to God knows-who," I whispered angrily to Alice. How rude Victoria was to use my desk, my pen, and my stationery without even asking.

"Do you think it has anything to do with what you told me about the argument between the Masons?" Alice whispered, trying to be helpful.

I shrugged my shoulders slightly. It was impossible to say without further investigation.

"Perhaps, but I'm not sure. Should I confront her?" I asked, knowing Alice would only ever give me the absolute best advice in such a strange situation.

"We shouldn't confront her, but follow my lead Bella," Alice took charge confidentially. Without another word, she exited the reception room, looking to me.

"My, Bella, I would say that was an extremely successful tea! Even with the cold," Alice spoke loudly as she crossed the hall and headed back to the drawing room.

Inside, we could both hear the rustling of paper and the scrape of my desk chair across the parquet floor.

"Thank you for helping me, Alice, It was lovely catching up with all the ladies," we faced each other in the threshold of the room, pretending not to see Victoria in the corner.

The red-headed woman quickly came into view, batting at her purple skirts, a tempestuous smile on her lips.

"I apologize, Bella, I am still waiting for Edward to finish up with your husband," she explained herself, still fiddling with the skirts of her gown. I can hear the soft crinkle of paper, and suddenly Victoria is coughing, a clear attempt at disguising the sound.

Alice and I share a knowing look.

"Don't worry; you're more than welcome to sit with us until the men finish," I answered her with a fake smile. But inside, I am boiling.

What on earth might she have been writing about that required her to do it away from her own home? My stationary carries my name and address; will the person who receives her writing think it has come from me?

"Shall we have more tea?" Alice suggested, going to sit at one of the recently vacated couches.

"Yes, of course. Victoria, let us have more tea while we wait for the men to be finished," I agreed tightly, trying my very best to contain my annoyance.

I sat down beside my best friend, leaving Victoria to sit down in one of the chairs across from us. While I was allowing her to stay in my home, I was no longer going to go out of my way to be especially hospitable. She would have to pour her own tea if she wanted it.

It seemed that for a few minutes, we stared at each other, waiting on the other to break away first. I could not tell if the glint in her blue eyes was one of mischief or pure wickedness. My suspicions were on the latter. There was certainly the feeling that she knew I had caught her, and she was daring me to say something. But I bit my tongue.

Finally, I tore my gaze away, afraid I might well and truly erupt with anger.

Alice felt the tension, and in true Alice fashion, immediately sprang into action to dissipate it.

"So, Victoria," she began, pouring the last of the tea into a cup for the red-head, and handing it over. "I'm not sure if it was discussed today, but how are you taking to Chicago?"

It was such a polite question. But I did not care how Victoria was enjoying Chicago. Perhaps I was still too mad, but I now saw her in a completely negative light. The strange, aloof air about her, coupled with the fight she had with Edward, and now this treacherous use of my personal letterhead to write letters to a mystery correspondent, have cemented her as a negative person, and one I hoped to not associate with further.

I know that I was one of the first to jump to her defense in the eyes of the social circle, but this is something I know I will be unable to get around in the future. Besides, now that it seems Irina is interested in her, she does not need my help any longer.

"Well, it's much bigger than Cleveland," she started, holding the teacup from Alice in her hand but not drinking from it. In my opinion, she looked bored to still be with us. But there was something else besides disinterest in her demeanor.

She reminded me of a wild animal that was being kept in a much too small cage. There was just an odd energy currently emanating from her. Maybe she really was waiting for me to snap at her. If that was the case, I would not give her the satisfaction.

I decided to throw myself earnestly into the conversation. Maybe it would prove to be to my own benefit.

"I've never been to Ohio, but I'm sure Chicago is bigger than most places," I chuckled pleasantly. It felt all wrong, to be attempting this conversation with Victoria, knowing that she was up to something, and involving me in the process.

Victoria did not laugh with me; her blue eyes were set in that same strange manner, looking at Alice and me, but also looking beyond us. I had half a mind to turn my head and see if there was something behind me. But something else told me that whatever Victoria was looking at did not exist in this room.

"But I miss it terribly," she finally spoke, her eyes finally focusing back on the here and now, her wild attitude from before melted into something quite vulnerable. It was unnerving. Victoria did not strike me as the type of person who would ever willingly show any type of vulnerability. From the short amount of time I have known her, she has always looked to have the upper hand in every situation.

Alice, of course began, to look at the other woman with concern. And yet I could not feel the same way. A nagging voice in the back of my head told me that she was putting on a big act.

"Of course. I cannot even imagine how I would feel if Jasper moved us away from everything we have ever known here in Chicago," Alice agreed with her eyebrows knit together with empathy.

I felt the hairs on my arms stand up as a sudden thought popped into my head. Perhaps it was all connected - moving to Chicago, the argument, and the note. Had the Masons moved from all they knew because of something Victoria was involved in and unable to let go of?

I decided to press Victoria for answers.

"What do you miss the most?" I asked, trying to keep my voice soft and full of faux concern. Her blue eyes suddenly locked onto mine, and a furrow worked its way into her forehead as her brows narrowed in annoyance. I swear it is the first imperfection I have ever seen in her perfectly smooth skin. Clearly, my terrible acting did not convince her.

Her mouth opened to say something, and judging by the glint in her eyes, it was not going to be anything nice.

But the sudden sound of thundering footfalls on marble caused it to shut as her head snapped towards the sound.

"Victoria, we're leaving!" Edward's voice boomed down the hall and into the drawing room. He sounded mad, incredibly so.

When his figure finally appeared in the doorway, he was carrying his coat and Victoria's purple mantle in his arms, and looking incredibly aggravated and impatient. Even so, with his brows set in a hard line, and his mouth turned down, he was still incredibly handsome.

I wondered if Jacob might tell me what has caused Edward's bad mood. Knowing we have hardly talked in days, I sincerely doubted it.

Victoria stood at once, setting down her teacup as she did so. There was an almost defiant look in her eyes, as though she might tell her husband that she would stay. Except, it would only hurt her to do so. I know she wanted to leave my home just as badly as I wanted her to.

"Coming, dear," she answered him with the same slight mocking intonation on the pet name as she had when they arrived.

Clearly having no patience for his wife, he all but tossed the purple coat into her arms before turning on his heel and storming down the hall, donning his jacket and hat before I lost sight of him. The front door was could be heard opening and then slamming roughly, causing the lead glass panes to reverberate in their frames, the sound trailing all the way back to the drawing room.

Yes, Edward Mason was very, very mad.

Victoria smiled meekly, knowing that appearance was everything, and what just transpired was enough to get the gossip mill going if Alice and I were to let these events spread.

"Thank you very much, your home is truly lovely," she tried to end things on a positive note as she wrapped her mantle around her shoulders before seeing herself out of the drawing room. I simply nodded, not sure yet what I was going to do about what happened today.

I heard Mr. Peters open the door, exchange a quick goodbye with Victoria before the door closed, much gentler this time.

Finally, the Masons were gone.

Alice looked at me with brows raised, for once at a slight loss for words, "What an odd couple they are."

I could say nothing in return, still shocked from the whole of it, and also knowing I ought not throw stones in my own house of glass. I, too, was part of a very odd couple, the half of which I hope my best friend will never find out about. Jacob's heartbreaking secret is one I intend to take to my lonely grave.

But the question remained, why had Edward been so angry in the first place? What had first seemed a mild annoyance was clearly something deep and faceted and personal.

As far as I was concerned, it was likely one of three things: His wife, who was clearly up to something behind his back, my foolish husband and his recent lack of legal acumen, or perhaps it had to do with his business venture. I would never gamble, but I would put money on the root of his troubles being his wife. I would also bet that my foolish husband also has had something to do with it.

Regardless, now that I have been personally involved, I intend to find out what it was all about.