by Abigail Agar
“One day, Mother. One day, you will come to see what I see,” she said.
With those words, Amelia turned from her mother and came after Liza and Eric.
The three of them exited the tenement, with Amelia appearing distraught, but quiet. She said nothing, and Emma had no intention of prodding her further.
“Perhaps we may rest for a while in my home,” Emma offered.
The man that she loved along with her dearest friend followed her the short distance to her own tenement.
It was empty, with her mother and father both out at work. Eric was seated beside Amelia and Emma made tea for the three of them. She knew that her mother and father would be home within a few short hours, but wondered what they were meant to do to while away the time until then.
Eric tried to comfort Amelia and Emma joined him. Putting their own excitement aside for a time, they both knew that she had to be their mutual priority until she was at peace.
“Everything will be all right,” Eric said.
“I hope so. I don’t know how to make her see,” Amelia said.
Emma listened to Amelia cry about the fact that she was losing her mother in order to gain a brother. She knew that it must have been excruciating, although Emma would never have to experience that sort of divide from either of her own parents.
Still, she wondered what the future might hold for the three of them. She hoped that Amelia would find joy. That she and her mother would find peace. She even hoped that Amelia would find love.
But until then, she rejoiced in her heart for her own sake. The Earl of Thornbury, Eric Price, was in love with her. Her friend finally supported the match.
There was nothing now that could stand in their way. All of the anxieties would have to be put aside.
Emma saw a future that was beautiful and bright. And now, finally, it was within her grasp.
Chapter 37
Eric held to the thought that he had in his mind, setting it aside ever so gently until the right moment arrived.
Emma had mentioned that her mother and father would be home soon enough and that excited him. It was the thing he would need in order to complete his mission. The final piece of the puzzle.
But when they did arrive, it was her father who came first and her mother twelve minutes after.
Mr. Sproul had appeared rather shocked and uncomfortable with Eric’s presence, but he warmed within moments and even appeared humbled, which bothered Eric. He did not want this man to feel lowly.
He wanted to be an equal.
And when Mrs. Sproul entered the home, she had gasped at the sight of him and looked around the room as though she expected to find something very frightening before her.
But she, too, warmed to him within just a moment. Everything was turning peaceful and Emma was busy cooking dinner, alongside Amelia, as he sat and spoke with them.
“We were terribly upset about all of it. But we know that Amelia is a good girl and we don’t want to speak ill of her mother,” Mrs. Sproul said, whispering the last part so that Amelia would not have reason to be offended.
Eric appreciated the care that they took with her, the respect that they showed. It was a kindness that he hadn’t necessarily expected.
“Well, your own daughter is quite a joy to be around,” Eric said.
The two parents beamed with pride.
“That she is. We are so proud of her, delighted by the sort of young woman she has turned out to be,” her father said.
“Yes, yes. Of course you are. You could not have done any better, I don’t think,” Eric said.
“And you find her charming?” Mrs. Sproul asked.
Eric could see that she was asking an entirely different question than the one that dripped from her lips. She was not asking whether or not Emma was charming, she was asking whether or not Eric intended to marry her.
In any case, the answer was the same.
“Mrs. Sproul, I have no words to tell you the gravity of my yes,” he said.
He watched as the Sprouls leaned back, appeased by his intentions. He was glad that they understood what he wanted, and Eric continued to wait until the dinner had been completed.
“Please, gather at the table,” Emma instructed.
“Oh, dear. There are not enough chairs,” her mother fretted.
Eric felt bad, but he found a stool and grabbed it.
“This shall do just fine for me,” he said.
“Heavens, no!” Mr. Sproul exclaimed. “You are the honoured guest, my lord. Please, take my chair. The stool is more than enough for me.”
Mr. Sproul was not a particularly small man, but Eric did not wish to embarrass him. He was relieved when Emma put a hand upon her father’s and gestured that she would take the stool.
Her petite frame was far better suited to it.
Soon, the five of them were around the table and enjoying the meal. Eric could hardly wait for everyone to finish. He had quite an important business to be about.
“Well, this has been quite a day, indeed,” Mr. Sproul said at the end of another telling of the story of what had taken place in the home of Liza just hours before.
“Yes, it was. But, alas, here we are,” Amelia said, swallowing a bite of her meal.
With everyone nearly finished, Eric took his last bite and waited.
But finally, the plates were cleared.
“Mr. Sproul, with your permission, I should like to take a moment?” he asked.
Liza’s father nodded happily and gestured for him to feel free. With this, Eric stood from the table and walked towards Emma, sitting on her little stool.
Eric knelt before her and their eyes were level. Her beautiful grey eyes.
“Miss Sproul,” he began. “I know that every interaction that we have had up until now has been a matter of struggle. We did not think that we could know one another from the beginning and then we found ourselves struggling to control ourselves and even now, we are both well aware of the struggles to come.”
Emma’s eyes were very clearly understanding of the complications about which he spoke. He was relieved to see how well she was able to understand what he was saying and the amount of peace she appeared to have despite it.
“However, despite the past, despite those complications that we shall inevitably face, I must ask you if you would consent to being my wife,” Eric finally said.
Her lips parted and turned into a smile. Eric was relieved that she did not try to speak right away. He was not finished, he realised. He could not allow this moment to go by without telling her the reasons behind his desire to marry her.
“Emma, Miss Sproul, you are the most incredible woman that I have ever known. Your smile illuminates my days,” he said, tears pooling in his eyes and his hands clasped upon his knee to prevent them from straying and taking her hand in a passionate grasp.
“You are the kindest, most loyal, most humble woman that I have ever met. I am astounded when I consider the ways that you have so frequently shown yourself to be a good and virtuous young lady,” he said, flying in the face of all of the rumours that were believed about her of late.
“I mean it when I tell you that I am in love with you. I should hate to ever miss a chance to tell you that. I long to spend my entire life telling you time and time again that you are the love of my life. Please, Emma. Please be my wife,” he said.
The air had seemingly gone out of the room and Eric waited.
But her lips parted into words this time.
“I would love nothing more than to be your wife,” she replied, the words slow and deliberate so that he might savour them as they were spoken.
A cheer rose up around them and Eric’s heart nearly burst with this answer.
He was going to be married. He was going to be married to Emma Sproul, the only woman that he had ever loved.
For a few moments, they did nothing but celebrate. But soon, as they rejoiced with her family and with Amelia, the conversation shifted to the difficulties that
the future would hold.
“We both have ruined reputations at the moment. And most of society believes that we are the ones who ruined one another,” Emma pointed out.
“Yes, but within a few months, they will realise that the rumour of your being with child is false. I am not overly concerned with that now that you will be seen by many,” Eric said.
“Seen, yes. But I shall not be accepted. Not by those who are a part of that very same society that has loved to speak against us for all this time,” Emma said.
Eric was sad to know that she was right. It was going to be exceedingly difficult for them at the first. They would have to prove themselves in society and it was not going to be easy. It was not going to be easy to make themselves out to be a normal married couple when everyone would know that Emma was from a lower class.
“I shall not allow it to get in our way,” Eric said.
Emma smiled and appeared as though she was trying not to laugh.
“What? What is it?” Eric asked.
“You really are an idealist,” she said, giggling. Her mother and father stifled their own laughter, but Amelia just rolled her eyes and nodded at his expense.
Finally, the hour was late and Eric knew that he would have to leave. Amelia had already decided that she would not return home at once, but rather give her mother a chance to calm down.
“Where will you stay this evening?” Eric asked her when the two of them stood alone.
“I am not sure. I thought that I might as well ask Emma if her mother and father would allow it,” she said.
Eric shook his head.
“No. They have a nice home, but it is small. It is only for a few nights. You must come and stay with me at the inn. You are my sister and as such, I will make sure that you have an excellent roof over your head,” he determined.
Amelia grew in her excitement, more and more as they left the Sproul home and made their way towards the inn.
“You don’t think that the innkeeper will mind?” she asked.
“It is painfully obvious that you are my sister. No one who looks at the two of us would question that. I think they will be perfectly all right with it,” Eric said.
In the end, he was correct. There was no trouble at all in having Amelia stay in his rooms. She had plenty of space and it was determined that she would stay where Reginald had previously stayed.
“He is back in London?” Amelia asked.
“He is. But I am looking forward to seeing him. And I know that he would return here if I asked him. He is a very dear friend,” Eric said.
He saw the interest in his sister’s eyes and tried not to let her see that he had grasped it. There was no point now in making her uncomfortable. The time would come in which they could discuss the possibility of a future between Amelia and Reginald.
“I want you to know that I will continue speaking with my mother,” Amelia said, just as his thoughts were directed on setting her to get to know his friend better.
“You will?” Eric asked.
“Of course. I must give her a few days to think through all that took place, but I shall return home. And when I do, I will be sure to continue trying to tell her what a good man you are. I hope that she will eventually listen,” Amelia said.
“As do I. But do you think that she will?” he asked.
“I have hope. I know that she struggles to trust people quite a lot, but I think that, eventually, she is going to come to terms with the fact that you are a good man and you can do a great deal of good in this world. You are right, you know. You are very different from everything that I know about our father,” Amelia said.
Eric nodded.
It was true. Of everything that she had said, this was a great truth. Eric was nothing like their father and he had no intention of ever changing to be more like him. He could not bear the thought of hurting so many people through his selfishness. He could not think that he would make anyone suffer in that way.
But there was a great deal of life ahead and he was mostly just happy that he would get to live it with Emma.
For the rest of the evening, the two of them spoke more about her and things that he could do to prove his love, his affection, his devotion.
Emma would be his wife soon enough. He was determined that they should not have to wait too long before that day arrived. And with his sister at his side, now happily helping him, he believed that he would manage to put everything together as it needed to be.
He could be a good husband and, one day, a good father. Not like his own. But simply himself.
Chapter 38
It was the day that Emma had been preparing for for a number of months. And it was a day she had been hoping for for many years.
Finally, she had found the man she loved. She had found the man with whom she belonged. Not only that, but everyone agreed.
It had been much to her surprise that they had been so accepted throughout society.
Certainly, there were those who still took issue with the union of a man and a woman from two completely different social classes. There were those who were rather prejudiced against Emma and considered her to be a money-grabber.
But, for the most part, they had received an overwhelming sense of support. There had been many men and women who came alongside them and encouraged the union despite all of the challenges that they were sure to face.
Emma had been thrilled that Eric’s mother was so delighted by her. Lady Thornbury, soon to be the Dowager Lady Thornbury, was quite taken with Emma.
But to think that the over-arching society had been so willing to except her, that was something that she had never anticipated.
So, as Emma stood in her room, awaiting her mother’s opinion, she was filled with excitement. It felt as though the whole of London was going to be at their wedding. And although she would have preferred a smaller number, Emma appreciated the fact that this overwhelming support meant that they were off to a good start.
There was a knock at her door, and she knew that her mother was waiting. Amelia helped her to fluff the dress before her mother saw it.
“Here you are. It is all better now. You look the part of an angel, truly. I am amazed at what an incredible job you did on this gown,” Amelia whispered.
“Thank you. It is amazing how much more motivated I was, knowing that it was mine,” Emma giggled.
She signalled for Amelia to open the door, to let her mother in. When Mrs. Sproul entered, her hand flew immediately to her mouth and tears filled her eyes.
“My dear!” she exclaimed. “You look incredible. I knew that you would be lovely, but I had no idea that you would look this stunning. You are such a talented seamstress.”
“Thank you, Mother,” Emma said.
“I know that you are to be a titled woman, a woman of great wealth who has no need of work, but you must continue in your craft. You are too excellent at this to allow the skill to fall by the wayside,” her mother said.
