Author's Note: Hello! What I should have done today is work on my current WIP. What I did instead was start a new one. This, for those who don't know, would be essentially part 4 of my Regency Reylo series. Technically you could read this without having read the other three, though of course I would always suggested starting at the beginning with A Scandalous Match. This won't be a super long fic. I'm hoping to keep it at 5 chapters or less, but we shall see how it shapes up! Anyway, I hope you enjoy and thanks for reading. :)

Chapter 1

Gwendoline Phasma, Mrs. Phasma to the inhabitants of the manor, rose as she did every morning, promptly at 4:30. As housekeeper of the large estate, it was her duty to see to the running of the household staff, alongside the butler, Mr. Mitaka.

She quickly unbraided her hair, pinning it up in a simple bun, before dressing in the same black servants' uniform she did every morning. She attached the ring of keys to her waist, the weight a comforting reminder of all she had achieved in her relatively young life.

After lacing up her shoes, she left her quarters, heading first to the kitchen to ensure that Cook and her assistants had started preparing the morning meal. The Duke was an early riser, unlike most of his class, and his wife, the mild-mannered Duchess, had taken to rising with him. It meant that Gwendoline and the other servants had to rise earlier than usual as well, but as it was their job, she didn't mind.

Gwendoline nodded to the cook, giving the day's menu a once-over, ignoring the little flip in her stomach as she read over the dinner menu. Mr. Armitage Hux was to arrive in the afternoon that day, so a special meal was planned to welcome him. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that it did not matter that Mr. Hux was arriving, as it was her duty to remain carefully out of the way of the home's guests unless called upon.

"I assume you have everything you need to run a smooth kitchen?" she asked Cook. The old woman was up to her elbows in dough and grunted her agreement.

"Excellent," Gwendoline said, turning on her heel. She glanced at the clock on the wall, noting it was now 5:00, and walked back to the servants' quarters and rapping sharply on each door to alert everyone that the day had begun.

Once the day went on its way, Gwendoline forgot to worry about not worrying about Mr. Hux's imminent arrival as she saw to all the little details needed to keep a manor of this size running smoothly. She took great pride in her abilities as a housekeeper, especially given her unusually youthful age.

Most housekeepers were well after their prime before they climbed the household ranks to housekeeper. Gwendoline, though ambitious, had always known the furthest her ambition could carry her would be to climb the ranks of servant. She had never been one for romantic aspirations, finding she quite enjoyed running a household without all the other nonsense that came with being a wife. A life of sewing and gossip had never appealed to her. She had said as much to the previous Duke, Mr. Snoke, when applying for the position. Her mother, had she been living, would likely have cracked her soundly on the knuckles for being so brazen as to apply for a position well above her current, but Gwendoline had seen the opportunity and seized it.

Of course, life in the manor had changed dramatically from when she was first given the position. Now there was a much younger Duke, his even younger wife, and their twin daughters, just old enough to cause trouble if their nanny, Miss Konnix, took her eye off them. Gwendoline had ordered all valuables moved well out of reach of the now-two-year-olds the moment they had started walking. However, though the small and growing family had changed the landscape of the manor, it had done very little to alter Gwendoline's own life and schedule.

Before she realized so much of the day had passed, there was a commotion at the front door, signaling the arrival of Mr. Hux. Gwendoline stepped back into a hallway, away from prying eyes, leaning against a wall, hand over her heart as it began beating erratically. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she tried to calm her sudden onslaught of nerves. It was ridiculous to allow herself to react so severely to the man. It had been many years since their ill-begun affair had ended, and it caused her no end of grief that his mere proximity had such an effect on her.

They had both been much younger, Gwendoline no more than a scullery maid, when she had accidentally spilled ashes all over Mr. Hux's shoes. She had been very flustered as she attempted to clean her mess, babbling her apologies and trying to ignore the handsome man staring down at her. Later, as she reflected on the incident, she had berated herself for allowing a man's good looks to agitate her. She reminded herself that she had no aspirations of becoming a wife and determined that would be the end of it.

Mr. Hux, however, seemed to have had other ideas. Despite doing her best to remain out of sight, she had run into him everywhere she went. He had taken to doing odd things such as bringing her wildflowers, claiming he wanted her to put them in a vase for him, or requesting her specifically to come clear the ashes from the fireplace in his quarters. It had been very unseemly, but Gwendoline, being so very young and not yet set in her desire to end her life an old maid, had been flattered.

She pressed a hand to her cheek now as she recalled the occasion, just before the arrival of the elder Mr. Hux had put a stop to his son's nonsense, when she had allowed him to kiss her. It had gone no further, but had they been caught, Gwendoline would likely have been dismissed on the spot.

The memory of how little care Mr. Hux had shown for her propriety was just the sort of thing she needed now to douse her rising emotions.

Exhaling sharply, she patted her hair, ensuring it was still in place, and ran a hand down her skirts. She was being ridiculous. It had been nearly a decade since her lapse in propriety and nothing had since occurred to give her any cause to believe Mr. Hux even remembered her. He might well be engaged by now; she hardly kept up with his affairs.

She squared her shoulders and stepped out of the hall, nearly running straight into the man in question. They both took a step back, Mr. Hux's wide eyes likely matching her own. Shock pulsed through her at finding herself in such close proximity to the man.

They stood, neither speaking, all words having flown straight out of her mind as Mr. Hux stared at her rather comically with his mouth open.

A throat cleared behind Mr. Hux, shaking Gwendoline out of her stupor.

"I see you have wasted no time in reacquainting yourself with my housekeeper, Hux."

Her employer, the Duke of Ren, walked towards them as Mr. Hux pressed his lips together, irritation in his eyes as he turned. Gwendoline's cheeks heated, despite not being caught in the wrong. The current Duke of Ren knew nothing of her feelings for his friend and peer, nor their near-disastrous affair all those years ago.

The Duke was not known for his lively disposition, though his wife's presence had done much to reduce his more severe tempers, but the corners of his mouth were turned up as he shook his friend's hand, and if Gwendoline didn't know any better, she would swear there was laughter in his eyes.

"I beg your pardon, Your Grace," she said, bobbing her head. "I was not looking where I was walking." She resisted the urge to glance at Mr. Hux, whom she could see out of the corner of her eye had turned to watch her. "If you'll excuse me, I'll get out of your way and be more mindful of my steps in the future."

His Grace nodded back at her, before raising his eyebrows at his friend. "I've no doubt Hux will be very careful of where he wanders in the future, as well."

Not stopping to wonder at the note of teasing in her employer's tone, Gwendoline curtsied and then hurried on her way.

The rest of the day went by without incident, and by the time she retired, Gwendoline scoffed at her ridiculous behavior. It had been quite long enough for her to put away such a foolish feelings. She was nearing her thirty-second birthday, and it was near unheard of for someone her age who had not previous been widowed to marry. Even if she had wanted to pursue the option, Mr. Hux was still a gentleman of means, and she a now-orphaned servant.

When Mr. Hux did choose to take a wife, he would most certainly marry within his class, as was expected. The current Duke and Duchess of the estate not withstanding, it was unheard of to marry someone so below your station in life.

Armitage Hux took a long drink of his brandy as his host prattled on about his children. It was ridiculous how the mann carried on about them. As if he hadn't already disgraced his family by marrying so below his station – however pleasant the Duchess was – he now insisted on spending time with their children, even going so far as to usurp the nanny's duties and help his wife in the night after they had been born.

Hux exhaled sharply out his nose, his thoughts turning to his run-in with Miss Phasma – Mrs. Phasma now that she was housekeeper. Truth be told, at least half the reason he ever bothered visiting the Duke of Ren was for the chance that he might see the charming housekeeper.

Though nearly a decade had passed since their fateful kiss, with almost no interaction between them, Hux found his heart still vexingly set on the woman. His father's passing had left him quite the eligible bachelor, a position he found more irritating than he had realized it would be. He couldn't enjoy a night at the opera without mothers dragging their exceedingly dull and dimwitted daughters over to speak with him. He had stopped agreeing to meet with men at his home, hoping it would stop the women from approaching him.

When that had failed – when they had instead approached him at balls – he had stopped attending parties altogether. Part of him delighted in being surly, of turning his nose up at the innumerable plain women in his company.

None of them held a candle to Gwendoline Phasma, at any rate. She was tall enough to make him look ridiculous next to her, but he didn't care. The years had been kind to her. She had hardly aged a day, her hair, though pulled back rather severely, still shone brightly, and there was nary a blemish in her complexion. As well, though she was a servant, she carried herself with more pride and confidence than most women or men in his company. She had risen to the highest rank she could hope for, proving she was a woman of ambition and know-how.

No. No matter how much he wished away his troublesome feelings, his heart refused to obey. Thus, he had decided he would go the way of the previous Duke of Ren and remain a perennial bachelor. He had cousins enough to leave his wealth to when the time came.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're thinking of a certain flaxen-haired housekeeper in my employ?"

Hux started, narrowing his eyes at Ren to cover his embarrassment. "Are you still on about that?" He sniffed, raising his chin. "I've told you countless times before that there is nothing there."

Ren had his lips pressed together, looking as if he were barely restraining a smile. Hux ground his teeth together, tipping back his tumbler and finishing the rest of his brandy in one go.

"It's getting rather late, and I had a long journey here."

Setting his tumbler down, he rose, straightening his jacket as Ren stood, finishing his own brandy.

"Yes, it is getting rather late, isn't it? I should be getting to bed myself. The girls do like to wake their mother and I before the sun."

Hux barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes as he nodded at Ren and left without word.

Once in his bed, he found himself tossing and turning, unable to stop replaying his brush with Mrs. Phasma in his mind. It was absolutely ridiculous that he be so caught up in an interaction that had lasted less than a full minute, but less than a minute was all it had taken to reinvigorate his desires.

He was going to be staying no less than a month with the Duke and Duchess of Ren, and within the first five minutes of his arrival, his heart had decided to govern his mind with thoughts of Mrs. Phasma. Less than a full minute of interaction had dominated his entire day.

How was he ever to survive the other twenty-nine?

A/N: Thanks again for reading and reviews are always welcome. :)