England 1815, a world where reputation is everything: a single scandal could destroy the life of a lady or gentleman. In this society, appearances and decorum are not only important, they are essential to maintain honour and position in high society.

"Scandal..." That word echoed constantly in your mind, a nagging reminder of how you had ended up married to Lord Kennedy.

Society had gone mad with rumours. A meeting in a secluded corner, without chaperones, while the ballroom was filled with music and chatter. You and Leon Kennedy had been reckless, and that recklessness led to a hasty marriage to prevent rumours from destroying their reputations and society from destroying them altogether.

Both families quickly intervened, fearful that the scandal would ruin their reputations. So, they stand at the altar, promising each other eternal love, when they barely knew each other. There was no love, only a cold need to preserve honour.

The wedding was a formal and distant act. You did your duty; Leon did his. But the weeks that followed only reaffirmed the gulf between the two of you. Fleeting conversations, elusive glances and a constant silence that seemed to envelop their new lives together.

A few months later, nothing had changed. Breakfast was always an awkward routine, the sound of cutlery clattering on china the only thing that broke the silence in the dining room.

That morning was no different... until Leon cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" he asked, with some hesitation in his voice. "Or... we can do whatever you prefer, if you wish."