by Elaine Hart
“You never need to worry about that. It was you I saw all along,” she answered and brought her hand up to his face, touching his cheek. “It was you I have loved all along. I was also too silly and foolish to realize it.”
“You love me?”
“I do, and you are all that I see, Erasmus,” she answered.
He smiled slightly as he brought his hands up to her face, pulled her close, and kissed her under the soft light of the stars, as he had done countless times in his dreams.
The sweet kiss ended and he opened his eyes, gazing directly into hers, into the bright blue pools that overflowed with love, and he finally realised that his reality was now much better than his dreams and he would do everything in his power to keep this dream going forever.
The Heart of a Lady
The Daughters of Devonshire
Prologue
July 1803
Bradley Manor
Exeter
Devonshire
England
“Rebecca!”
His voice echoed through the garden and ten-year-old Lady Rebecca whirled around and glanced around the garden. Apart from the sudden calling of her name, it was now quiet around her. The lush green gardens of Bradley Manor surrounded her, but it had been the single place on this earth, apart from her father’s estate, where she had felt the most at home.
Bradley Manor was the home of the Duke and Duchess of Pegram and their son, Lord Fennell, or more endearingly known to Lady Rebecca as Evan. They lived on neighbouring estates in the Devonshire countryside, and Lady Rebecca and Lord Fennell had been friends since they were born. Lord Fennell was a mere two years older than Lady Rebecca but they were very much alike. They enjoyed the same things and enjoyed the out of doors tremendously. The Duchess would often find them in the garden, or under the large willow tree behind Bradley Hall after dark, and Lady Rebecca had to be collected by her father.
The young pair of friends were never scolded for their behaviour, and even if they were, it would certainly not stop them from repeating or continuing their antics the following day.
Lady Rebecca was often told by her parents that it was not appropriate for her to spend as much time with Lord Fennell, but it did not make much sense to Lady Rebecca. Lord Fennell was her dearest friend, her companion, her partner in adventure, and she did not quite understand how it would be deemed inappropriate.
“Evan! Where are you?” Lady Rebecca asked, as she ran excitedly through the maze-like hedges, which she was barely tall enough to peer over.
When he did not answer, she grew impatient and said, “If you do not show yourself at once, I am leaving.”
She was not very good at finding him in the garden, and was rather ungracious when he found her easily. She stomped through the path, following the hedges, and as she rounded a corner, Lord Fennell came running towards her, laughing heartily.
“You thought I was gone,” he laughed.
“I did not,” she muttered.
“Yes, you did. The look on your face says so.”
Lady Rebecca crossed her arms and glanced at him angrily.
“What is the matter?” he asked and suppressed a smile.
“I do not like this game,” she answered. “I cannot find you.”
“That is the objective of the game.”
“It does not feel fair to me. I cannot even see over the hedges,” she complained.
“That certainly is not my fault, Rebecca.”
“Perhaps you can tell me where you are hiding,” she suggested hopefully.
“That would defeat the purpose of our game. It is called hide and go seek, not hide and tell Rebecca where I am hiding so that she can easily find me and win the game,” Lord Fennell said with a smile.
“Perhaps I should go home.”
Lord Fennel smiled at her and said, “Perhaps we can try one last time.”
“Alright,” she said with a smile and pursed her lips.
“I will most likely be hiding at the fountain,” he said nonchalantly.
Her smile widened and she nodded.
“Turn around and count to ten,” he said.
She did as she was told. She turned around, closed her eyes and counted to ten, with a smile on her face.
“Ten,” she exclaimed and turned around. She ran to the fountain and found Lord Fennell crouched beside it in a feeble attempt to hide himself, but Lady Rebecca did not care. He had kept his word that he would allow her to find him, even if it was entirely posed and intentional.
That was what Lady Rebecca adored about Lord Fennel. Not only was he a kind-hearted and honest boy, but he made her feel safe and secure, while causing her cheeks to ache from laughter. He was a good-looking boy as well, with a mop of dark brown hair and the clearest and brightest set of green eyes Lady Rebecca had ever seen. His laughter was intoxicating, and more often than not Lady Rebecca felt her ribs ached from all the laughter.
He was also noble in his actions, and there was nothing on earth that he could not do, or so Lady Rebecca thought. He had shown her his music room and even played her a melody on the piano, the violin, as well as the clarinet and the cello. Lady Rebecca was truly amazed at how he mastered all those instruments in such a short period of time. He sang songs to her that he had written himself while they sat under the willow tree, and it would transform the ordinary garden into a magical world filled with music and the sweet baritones of Lord Fennell’s voice.
Even though Lady Rebecca was only ten years of age, she was infatuated by the young Marquess and certainly hoped that they would someday be married.
“I found you,” she suddenly exclaimed as she snuck up behind him.
As he turned his body, he seemed to lose his footing and fell down on the ground with a laugh.
Lady Rebecca giggled and held her hand out to him.
“Indeed you did,” he said, taking her hand and allowing her to pull him up from the ground. “You are a master seeker.”
“Perhaps, but—”
“You are, Rebecca,” he interrupted her and dusted himself off.
“Thank you, Evan,” she said with a smile.
“Lord Fennell!”
The sound of his governess, Ms. Bertram, echoed through the garden and Lord Fennell and Lady Rebecca glanced in the direction of Bradley Hall.
“I do not like your governess,” Lady Rebecca said rather tactlessly.
“She does have impeccable timing,” Lord Fennell said with a hint of sarcasm.
“I gather that it is time for me to leave,” Lady Rebecca said.
“Only until tomorrow. I thank you for coming, my lady,” he said with a smile, bowing slightly.
“Thank you for having me, my lord,” she reciprocated his gesture.
“Lord Fennell,” the governess called out once more.
“Will you be alright getting home?” he asked.
“The hole in the fence is still there. I have walked that path many times,” she said with a smile. “You need not worry about me.”
“Perhaps you do not think that,” he said. “You are my dearest friend. Is it not my duty to worry about you?”
“Worry all you wish, but if we do not make haste in going our separate ways, we will both be in trouble,” she pointed out.
“See you in the morrow, Rebecca?”
“In the morrow,” she said, and after a slight hesitation, she turned and ran through the garden to the fence where she would climb through to her father’s estate.
She ran as fast as her legs would take her, running to the back of the estate, using the kitchen entrance.
“His Grace has been wondering where you were, my lady,” Esther, the cook, said to her as she opened the door of the kitchen.
“Is he in a dudgeon, Esther?” Lady Rebecca asked.
“I would say so, Miss. We heard His Grace and Lady Caroline in the parlour this morning,” Esther pointed out.
“What did they speak of?” Lady Rebecca asked.
“My lady, I did
not eavesdrop, but His Grace’s voice was very stern, and loud might I add.”
“As all their conversations are, Esther,” Lady Rebecca sighed.
“Here,” Esther said as she sneakily handed Lady Rebecca a handful of grapes and winked at her.
Lady Rebecca smiled gratefully and said, “Thank you, kind Esther,” before running through the kitchen.
She glanced down the hallway, in search of her father, and as she stepped onto the stairwell, she heard him behind her.
“Rebecca, there you are.”
She turned around slowly, wiping her hands, which were now empty, on her skirt and smiled at her father.
The Duke of Glastonbury was a tall, handsome man but he possessed an intense stare which instilled fear in the hearts of his four daughters.
All except her eldest sister, Lady Caroline, who seemed unaffected by their father’s authority. She was very independent and strong-willed, and Lady Rebecca admire her sister for that. She hoped one day to be just like her sister, who would certainly not settle for anything but the best. For the past few months, however, Lady Caroline had mentioned Oxford University to her father, which clearly led to more than one disagreement between the Duke and his eldest daughter.
Lady Rebecca, however, was too young to understand why exactly her sister wished to go to a university that was far away, but of course, she was none the wiser.
“Father,” she said, as she swallowed the last grape in her mouth.
“Where on earth have you been,” he asked with his hands on his hips, “or should I guess?”
“I was with Evan,” she said simply.
“Indeed.”
“Is there a problem, Father?”
“Perhaps we should speak privately,” he said and motioned to the parlour.
“Am I in trouble, Father?”
“Of course not, but there is something that we should discuss.”
Lady Rebecca stepped out of the stairwell and followed her father towards the parlour. Once inside, the Duke turned to her and smiled slightly.
“I spoke with Duke Pegram this morning,” her father said.
“I am in trouble,” she muttered.
“You are not, my dearest.”
“What did you and His Grace speak of? Me, no doubt. Do they not approve of my friendship with Evan?”
“Lord Fennell will start attending boarding school in January next year.”
“Boarding school?” she asked and her father nodded. “Where?”
“Paris, in France.”
“Is that far away?” she asked.
The Duke glanced at his daughter and his heart broke when he noticed the expression on her face. There were tears in her eyes and she pursed her lips.
“My dear,” he said as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her narrow shoulders.
“But he is my friend. He cannot leave. Who will I play with?” Her tiny voice was muffled against the fabric of her father’s jacket.
“He will still visit during the holidays.”
She pulled out of her father’s embrace and glanced at him. “That is not fair, Father.”
“It will be alright, Rebecca,” he said in an attempt to reassure her, but it seemed rather futile.
She shook her head, spun around and rushed out of the parlour.
“Rebecca,” she heard her father call out to her, but she was too quick for him.
She ran up the stairwell and to her room. She threw herself on her bed and sobbed into her pillow. It may have been a slight overreaction, but she did not care. She was on the verge of losing her dearest friend in the entire world.
Chapter One
September 1813
Powderham House
Exeter
Devonshire
England
Lady Rebecca ran through the halls of Powderham House, clutching a letter tightly in her right hand. She made her way to her chambers and clambered onto her bed. It had been nearly a year since Lady Caroline had been whisked away by Lord Erasmus, the son of the Duke of Fursdon. The pair was engaged for nearly ten months before they were married in a beautiful and exquisite ceremony at Fursdon House, which only fuelled Lady Rebecca’s romantic nature to a new level of intensity. She opened the letter with excitement and read her sister’s words. Lady Caroline and Lord Erasmus had travelled to Italy immediately after the wedding for a holiday and were returning soon. Lady Caroline had promised that Lady Rebecca could visit as soon as they were settled in at Fursdon House. Lady Rebecca’s smile widened as she read that her sister and Lord Erasmus were hosting a ball to celebrate their return, and that Lady Rebecca had been invited.
She shrieked in excitement and she fell back against her pillows.
A knock on the door made her sit back up again and she called out, “Enter.”
The door opened and her mother, the Duchess Glastonbury, entered with a smile.
“Mother,” Lady Rebecca said with a smile, “Caroline sent me a letter.”
“Is that why you ran through the halls like a March hare?”
“I do apologise for my behavior, but I could barely contain my excitement when I saw the letter addressed to me in Caroline’s writing,” she said with a sigh.
“That is quite alright, my dear child,” the Duchess said and approached her.
“Caroline and Lord Erasmus will be returning soon, and they are hosting a ball to celebrate their return,” Lady Rebecca said with so much excitement in her voice that the Duchess’s smile widened.
“It warms my heart to see you as enthused as you are now,” the Duchess said.
“It has been rather lonely after Caroline left the estate, Mother. She and I used to spend much time together,” Lady Rebecca said.
“I understand that, but you ought to be happy for your sister. She has married a wonderful man and is happy,” the Duchess said as she sat on the edge of Lady Rebecca’s bed.
“I am happy for her, Mother, but I cannot help what I feel in my heart. I am aware that I will not feel this way forever. I simply miss her presence at the estate,” she answered.
The Duchess smiled and ran her fingers through her daughter’s long, light brown hair. “Perhaps a trip into town will lift your spirits.”
“A trip into town, Mother?”
“We do require gowns for the celebratory ball, do we not?” the Duchess pointed out.
“Indeed,” Lady Rebecca said and sighed miserably.
“Does the thought of it not lift your spirits?” the Duchess asked with a perplexed expression on her face.
“The mere thought that Lucy and Diana will be joining us only guarantees mayhem, Mother,” she answered.
“I do not believe I mentioned they were joining us,” the Duchess said and she winked at her daughter.
A smile broke through the sorrowed expression and Lady Rebecca giggled. “That would be wonderful, Mother.”
“Ready yourself,” the Duchess said and stood from the bed. “I will inform your father of our plans. I am certain he would not mind in the least looking after his lively daughters for the rest of the day.”
Lady Rebecca giggled as she imagined the expression on her father’s face when her mother would inform him that they would be gone for the day and that it was required of him to look after the two youngest daughters.
Lady Lucy and Lady Diana were as lively as they were beautiful, and the Duke certainly had his hands full being surrounded by women at all times. His daughters were challenging in their own ways, which only added to the mayhem which the Duke and the Duchess experienced on a daily basis.
A short while later, Lady Rebecca and the Duchess were on their way into town in their coach and Lady Rebecca felt her excitement rise up inside her. They visited various dress stores and Lady Rebecca had found an exquisite rose-colored gown with delicate sleeves of lace and an intricately embroidered bodice. She was most certainly instantly smitten, and the Duchess was only too delighted that her daughter had her sense of fashion and style.
“My dear, do you fancy a cup of tea at the tea garden?” the Duchess suggested as they climbed into the coach. “I am absolutely famished.”
“That is a wonderful idea, Mother.”
The Exeter Tea Garden was a delightful place with a terrace that extended into a conservatory overlooking the beach. It had a serene and rather romantic atmosphere which appealed very much to Lady Rebecca.
They were seated at a table and enjoyed a lovely lunch and delicious tea.
“Your Grace,” a voice suddenly said and the Duchess and Lady Rebecca glanced in the direction.
“My dear friend,” the Duchess said with a bright smile and stood.
Lady Rebecca immediately recognised the Duchess of Pegram and smiled politely at her.
“How wonderful it is to see you, Duchess,” the Duchess Pegram said as she embraced the Duchess Glastonbury. She turned to Lady Rebecca and smiled. “Lady Rebecca, I recognised those eyes immediately. You have grown into a very beautiful young lady.”
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Lady Rebecca smiled at her.
It was the first time she had seen the Duchess Pegram in a very long time. After Lord Fennell had been sent to boarding school, Lady Rebecca had not spend as much time at the neighbouring estate. In fact, she was heartbroken after Lord Fennell left.
They spent a few summers together when he visited his home, but things were suddenly different. He had other interests which did not involve her, and she distanced herself from him. Instead, she turned to romantic literature attempting to mend her broken heart with flowery words inside these novels, and attaining an illusion of love that was simply not realistic. She and Lady Caroline had many disagreements with this, but ultimately Lady Rebecca would dismiss any claims her older sister made, claiming that Lady Caroline had never been in love, and was therefore not at all entitled to preach to her about love.
After she and Lord Fennell had not seen one another for three years, she pretended she was no longer affected by his absence, but deep down she still longed to see his face.
“Fennell will be most delighted to see you,” Duchess Pegram said.
