by Elaine Hart
“Would you rather live the rest of your life regretting that you never took the chance?”
“I am afraid.”
“Love is not something to fear, my lady. You are a fearless woman,” Lady Cassandra said with the utmost confidence and Lady Rebeca wished she possessed confidence as she did.
“Now go. I will be right behind you,” she said.
Lady Rebecca nodded and smiled. “Thank you,” she said and embraced Lady Cassandra.
“You are most welcome, and if you need me, I am here.”
“On the terrace?”
“No,” she chuckled. “But you can find me inside.”
“Very well.”
Lady Rebecca turned and went back inside. She glanced around the ballroom to locate Lord Fennell, and as soon as she found him, she made her way over to him. When she saw Lady Cassandra approach Lord Fennell and Duchess Glastonbury, she stopped suddenly. She was unsure of what to think at that moment. The loving manner in which Lady Cassandra glanced at Lord Fennell made it clear that he was the wonderful man she had spoken of. She turned away and took a deep breath. She shook her head and walked to where her mother and father stood.
“Rebecca, where have you been?” the Duchess asked.
“I was on the terrace. I felt rather warm, and needed fresh air,” she stuttered.
“Are you alright, dear?” the Duke asked.
“What is the matter?” the Duchess also asked.
“I am fine,” she said and touched her temple.
“You are very pale, my dear.”
“Please excuse me,” she said and turned away, trying to leave the ballroom before she fainted in front of everyone, including Lady Cassandra and Lord Fennell.
“It was such a touching story,” Lady Cassandra gushed and glanced at Lord Fennell. “She truly loves him, and he probably does not even know it.”
“Why did this young woman tell you all these things?” Lord Fennell asked.
“I offered to listen. She looked truly distraught.”
“Where is she now?” he asked.
Lady Cassandra glanced around the ballroom and smiled. “She is probably somewhere telling this foolish man that she loves him.”
“Or she is getting her heart broken because she conjured up this entire situation in her head,” Lord Fennell said.
“That not very polite, my lord,” Lady Cassandra said and glanced around her once again. “Perhaps I should go search for her.”
“It is not your duty, my lady,”
Lady Cassandra’s brow furrowed and she shook her head. “That poor girl was distraught and she needs someone. Even if I do not know her, I told her I would be here for her.”
Lord Fennell sighed and shook his head. “Carry on, my dear. Heaven knows I cannot stop you.”
“I am glad you realize that before we are married. Now you have no excuse,” she said with a smile and made her way across the ballroom and into the hallway. She searched the hallways and as she walked past the downstairs parlour, she noticed Lady Rebecca sitting on the sofa, staring at the burning embers in the hearth. Lady Cassandra walked closer and knocked on the door.
Lady Rebecca glanced at her and frowned.
“What happened?” Lady Cassandra asked as she sat beside Lady Rebecca.
“He does not feel the same way,” she whispered.
Lady Cassandra’s shoulders slumped and she sighed. “I am sincerely sorry, my lady.”
“It is not your fault,” Lady Rebecca sighed.
“Is there anything I can do for you?” she asked.
“No, there is nothing anyone can do. Perhaps it would be better for me to leave. I cannot stay here, watching him be happy without me,” she whispered.
Lady Cassandra sighed and placed her arm around Lady Rebecca’s shoulders. “He is truly a fool, my lady. Any man would be lucky and honored to be loved by someone such as yourself.”
“You do not even know me, Lady Cassandra,” Lady Rebecca said as tears ran down her cheeks.
“I may not, but I saw you in your vulnerable state, and that is who we truly are. All of us comes to the surface, even though it is painful and raw.”
Lady Rebecca pursed her lips and closed her eyes briefly.
“Who are you here with?” she asked.
“My mother and father, Duke and Duchess Glastonbury.”
“Glastonbury? Why does that sound familiar?”
“I do not know,” Lady Rebecca sighed.
Lady Cassandra frowned and was about to stand from the sofa when she saw Lord Fennell in the doorway.
“My love,” Lady Cassandra said with a smile.
“Is everything alright in here?” he asked.
Lady Rebecca’s head snapped up and she glanced at Lord Fennell with wide eyes.
“Rebecca?” he asked. “What are you...”
“You know her?” Lady Cassandra asked and stood from the sofa.
“Indeed, she is the daughter of His Grace of Glastonbury,” Lord Fennell said.
“Oh, do give it a rest, Evan,” Lady Rebecca said as she stood from the couch and glanced at Lady Cassandra with a grateful glance.
“My lady, wait,” Lady Cassandra called out to Lady Rebecca, but she did not wait at all. She simply rushed out of the parlour, leaving a rather perplexed Lady Cassandra, and a rather shocked Lord Fennell behind.
Chapter Three
October 1813
Powderham House
Exeter
Devonshire
England
The following morning, Lady Rebecca lay in bed, listening to her sisters playing outside her window. She had neither the energy nor the will to climb out of bed. The previous evening had been a disaster to say the least. She had unknowingly told Lord Fennell’s betrothed what was in her heart, and Lady Cassandra even urged her to tell the man Lady Rebecca loved of her feelings for him. Lady Rebecca cringed as she recalled the expressions on both their faces when Lord Fennell stepped into the parlour where she and Lady Cassandra sat. She could certainly never show her face at Bradley House ever again, not that she had any reason to visit there in the first place.
A tear ran down her cheek and she buried her face in her pillow. Her heart ached even more than it had the last time she saw Lord Fennell at his father’s estate all those years ago, and her sobs caused her body to jolt. She wished that love could be exactly the same as the stories she read in her father’s library, sitting behind the statue of Athena that her father had brought back from Greece. She wished that things were simple, as they were when she was younger. She wished for the carefree days when the only one in Lord Fennell’s life was her.
There was a soft knock on the door and she immediately knew that it was her mother. The Duchess had a certain way about her, and even the manner in which she knocked on the door was very distinguishable.
Lady Rebecca did not answer and she heard the door open.
“Rebecca,” the Duchess said as she entered her chambers and sat on the edge of the bed beside her. “You did not join us for breakfast, my dear.”
“I am not hungry,” she mumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow.
“Have you fallen ill, my dearest?” the Duchess said as she ran her fingers through Lady Rebecca’s hair.
“It is far worse than illness, Mother,” she sighed.
“Whatever is the matter? You can surely tell me.”
“I am much too embarrassed, Mother,” she whined.
“It cannot be as bad as you think it is.”
“It is worse.”
“Tell me, dearest.”
Lady Rebecca proceeded to tell her mother the rather embarrassing story of how she told Lady Cassandra her sad tale, and afterwards finding out that she was in fact to be married to Lord Fennell. After she had finished her tale, she glanced at her mother and sighed.
“I am certain Lady Cassandra had told Lord Fennell and now the entire Devonshire is aware that I love Lord Fennell,” she sighed miserably.
“I think y
ou are wrong. Lady Cassandra would not tell him. You confided in her.”
“That does not mean anything. She is clever enough to figure out that the man I spoke to her about is her betrothed. Why on earth would she keep what I had told her to herself?”
“Perhaps she does not want Lord Fennell to know that you love him. Perhaps she is afraid that he might just feel the same way about you,” the Duchess pointed out.
Lady Rebecca pouted slightly and cocked her head. “That does make sense.”
“Of course it makes sense, my dear. You should not worry your pretty head over something such as this.”
“But what if she does tell him?”
“If she does, then she’s fairly confident of Lord Fennell’s feelings for her.”
“But she should be. They are to be married.”
“Trust me, my dear. No woman is absolutely confident in her husband’s feelings for her.”
“That does not make me feel better,” she muttered.
“Do not fret, Rebecca, all will work out as it should.”
“I certainly hope you are right, Mother.”
“Would you consider coming down for breakfast, dear?” the Duchess asked.
“If it is alright, Mother, I would rather not. I still feel rather upset that I will never get the opportunity to tell Lord Fennell how I feel. I cannot even think of him marrying Lady Cassandra, especially since she is such a wonderful young woman. She offered me a shoulder to cry on without even knowing who I was. If that is not the kind of woman who deserves a man such as Lord Fennell, then no such woman exists,” Lady Rebecca sighed.
“Very well, Rebecca. I will have Esther send your breakfast to your room,” the Duchess said as she stood from the edge of the bed.
“Thank you, Mother.”
“You are most welcome, my dearest Rebecca.”
Lady Rebecca watched as her mother quietly left her chambers, and despite her mother’s advice and reassurance, she still felt rather foolish and silly for what had happened.
Bradley House
Exeter
Devonshire
England
Lady Cassandra stirred her tea and glanced at Lord Fennell with pursed lips. She was still rather unimpressed with Lord Fennell regarding last evening, as he offered no further explanation as to how he knew Lady Rebecca. At first she had thought it did not bother him, but as time passed, she noticed he was rather detached and distracted.
She stopped stirring her tea and placed her spoon on the saucer, still staring at him. She quietly took a sip of tea and said, “I had hoped you would clarify the events of last evening.”
“My lady, there is nothing to clarify,” he answered simply.
“You must think I am foolish to believe that.”
“I do not possess the strength to argue with you, my lady,” he sighed.
“I am not here to argue, I simply wish to know how well you know Lady Rebecca,” Lady Cassandra said.
“Her parents stay in the neighbouring estate and had been living there for as long as I can remember.”
“You have known her for that long?” she asked.
“I have.”
“Have you spent much time with her?” she asked.
“Only as children. We grew very much apart when my father sent me to boarding school in Paris.”
“I see.”
“What did you and Lady Rebecca speak about, my lady?”
“She needed advice and I simply gave it to her,” Lady Cassandra said, being purposely vague.
“What kind of advice?” he asked.
“I feels as though I am being interrogated,” she answered snidely.
“Not at all.”
“My lord, I would appreciate some honesty from you. Is there anything else I should know?”
“There is nothing else you should know, my lady,” he answered confidently.
“Very well. Would it bother you at all if I invited Lady Rebecca for lunch?” she asked.
“Why on earth would that bother me?” he asked with a frown.
“I asked you first, my lord,” she pointed out and raised an eyebrow at him.
“Of course not. You can invite her any time you like. I do have business to attend to today and tomorrow, so it would seem if you invited her today, or tomorrow for that matter, you would have to entertain her on your own,” Lord Fennell said.
“I do not mind. She seems like a wonderful woman who I would love to get better acquainted with. Perhaps we can even invite her to the wedding,” she said with a smile.
Lord Fennell nearly spat out his tea at the thought that Lady Rebecca and Lady Cassandra could possibly become good friends, but no matter what he did, any resistance coming from him would be considered suspicious. The only thing he could do at this very moment to avoid any questioning glances from Lady Cassandra would be to simply agree with her, and allow her to befriend Lady Rebecca.
“That is solely your decision to make.”
“It would be nice to have someone else’s company around the estate, not that Her Grace is not a good conversationalist.”
“I understand what you mean, my lady. You are free to do as you wish,” he said with a smile.
“Thank you, my love,” she said with a smile and stood from her chair. “I will write an invitation to her right away.”
“I will send James to their estate with the invitation,” Lord Fennell said with a forced smile.
“Wonderful,” Lady Cassandra said and walked inside.
Lord Fennell’s smile faded and he glanced in the direction of Powderham House, wishing that he could simply disappear from sight.
Lady Rebecca was uncertain as to what to expect when she stepped into Bradley Hall, but as soon as she noticed that very little had changed in the interior, a nostalgic feeling enveloped her, as comforting as a familiar blanket. She quietly made her way to the parlour, as it was the only place she thought Lady Cassandra would be, since they would be having lunch. Unfortunately for her, Lord Fennell was comfortably seated in his leather wingback chair reading a book, and he glanced at her as she stepped in through the door, but she stopped abruptly as soon as she saw him.
“Rebecca, wait,” he said as she was about to turn to leave.
She glanced at him over her shoulder and sighed. “I do not wish to fight or argue with you.”
“I am not here to fight with you, my lady. I was merely going to ask whether you were alright with having lunch with Lady Cassandra,” he said.
“Of course. I am a grown woman. Why would I not be alright?”
“Your words are true.”
“You are afraid.”
“I beg your pardon?” he asked with a scoff.
Lady Rebecca pursed her lips briefly and said in a softer tone, not to attract any attention to herself, “You are afraid that your betrothed will find out about—”
“I am afraid of nothing,” he muttered softly. “I simply do not wish her to feel threatened by you, as we had known one another for that long, and spent as much time together as we had.”
“Sooner or later, my lord, she will see the willow tree, and she will see whatever you were not telling her as an act of betrayal, but to spare you any more interrogations and discomfort, I will not utter a word, and if it would make your life less complicated, I will never set foot on the estate again, and disappear from your life entirely,” Lady Rebecca said.
“You do not have to do that, Rebecca.”
“Excuse me, my lord,” she said curtly. “Lady Cassandra is waiting for me.”
“Indeed. She is on the terrace, awaiting your arrival,” he said curtly.
Lady Rebecca nodded politely and made her way to the terrace.
“My lady,” Lady Cassandra beamed as she stepped out onto the terrace, looking radiant in a tortoiseshell day dress. Her long hair was loose and tumbled down her shoulders and she was simply magnificent in Lady Rebecca’s opinion.
Lady Rebecca was uncertain why she had agreed to have lunch with
Lady Cassandra, and had decided the only explanation was that she had gone mad with grief. She had read in one of her novels that the heroine had died of a broken heart, but Lady Rebecca was not certain whether that were truly possible. If it was true, then it was a terrible, tragic and very painful manner in which to die. Although she was still unconvinced, judging from the pain she felt in her chest, perhaps it was possible after all.
“Are you alright, my lady?” Lady Cassandra asked.
“I am,” Lady Rebecca said with a polite smile, vanquishing the morbid thoughts in her mind.
“Shall we?”
“Indeed,” she answered with a nod as she followed Lady Cassandra to the table that awaited them.
“How are you feeling today?” Lady Cassandra asked.
“Tired. I barely slept at all last night,” she answered.
Before Lady Rebecca climbed out of the coach upon her arrival at Bradley Hall, she vowed to herself not to tell a single lie to Lady Cassandra. Each question Lady Cassandra asked would have a truthful answer. If it were to create trouble and strife for both herself and Lord Fennell, then so be it.
“I am truly sorry for what you are going through, my lady,” Lady Cassandra said apologetically.
“No matter. There is no reason to be upset,” Lady Rebecca sighed.
“I feel somehow responsible.”
“And why is that?”
“I was the one who encouraged you to tell him how you feel. If not for me, you would not be as heartbroken as you are,” Lady Cassandra pointed out.
Lady Rebecca smiled and lowered her gaze. “Perhaps we can speak of something more uplifting.”
“Of course,” Lady Cassandra said with a smile.
“Where did you grow up, my lady?” Lady Rebecca asked.
“My family are from Cambridge, and I grew up there as well. It was only until recently that I decided to travel.”
“It is also a dream of mine to travel.”
“Oh, you must certainly. I had seen such wonderful things, especially in Paris. It is a beautiful city filled with romance and adventure,” Lady Cassandra answered with a dreamy smile.
“You visited Paris?”
“Indeed, and I would return there at the drop of a hat. Perhaps Lord Fennell and I should make our way there after the wedding. He would certainly have no objection to revisit the places we had been,” Lady Cassandra answered.
