“That sounds terribly lonely,” Tri pointed out.
Korina held up a hand in surrender. “I don’t have much choice now that I’m standing in a room full of married women—” She glanced at Alyssa. “ — or soon to be so. While I’m perfectly happy for you all, trust me when I say I’ll be content back on friendly soil, for I’ve found that most ladies of the ton don’t appreciate an heiress traveling across the pond to snap up their chance to land a duke, especially during times of warfare.”
Since no one had a reply to that, for there was a measure of truth to her words, Triana broke the silence with a clap of her hands. “How about we all sit down and have some tea and place our bets on how many times Rin’s toes will be crushed this evening?”
They all laughed at that, including the lady herself. “While I wish I could say that would be a losing bet,” Korina returned. “I’m afraid someone might gain a rather hefty purse.”
Alyssa sat beside Triana, while the other three women sat across from them. She couldn’t remember a time she had laughed more, and she realized that this was exactly what she’d needed to drag her spirits up out of the mire. Since Aunt Pearl’s death she hadn’t had a chance to talk to her friends. Being surrounded by her fellow ‘spinsters’ again was like opening a window to let in fresh air.
And she had never felt more content.
After a time, once the other women had taken their leave, Tri turned to her with a grin. “I hope that was a good surprise. I thought you might enjoy a bit of a smaller, intimate gathering before they arrive this evening and there isn’t much time to converse as freely.”
Alyssa smiled. “It was perfect. Thank you.”
The butler abruptly appeared in the doorway holding a box. “This just arrived, Your Grace.”
The duchess jumped to her feet enthusiastically. “Finally! I was worried it wouldn’t arrive in time.” She quickly ripped the lid off of the box and reached beyond the wrapping to withdraw a dress. “Voila!”
She held it up in front of her and Alyssa blinked. “It’s… orange.”
Some of Triana’s joviality slipped. “It’s just a few stripes. Most of it is a lovely shade of fawn. And look at the white lace bodice! It’s simply divine.”
Alyssa wasn’t so sure she shared her opinion, but since it was obvious she had put so much love and thought into the design, she couldn’t dash her hopes, even if it wasn’t a gown she might have chosen for herself.
She got to her feet and embraced Triana and the dress as one. “I love it, and I love you.”
When the duchess smiled, it was rather watery, although she said firmly, “We only have a few hours to get ready for this evening and you certainly don’t want to be late to your own ball.”
***
Travell drummed his fingers on his leg and looked out the window, willing the distance between Rosewood and Abernathy House to dissipate as quickly as possible, so that he might hold Alyssa in his arms yet again. The past seven days had been torture without her. He’d quickly come to the realization that he’d been a fool to wait as long as he had to marry her.
The night of her debut ball, when he’d caught her in the garden and kissed her should have been the moment he’d declared his love, but he’d been ignorant enough not to know a good thing when it was directly in front of him.
Thank God he’d come to his senses at last.
“Travell, really, you’re making my nerves scatter.”
He glanced up at his mother who was seated across from him.
“Leave him alone, Amelia,” Lord Trenton said from beside her, while Dr. Perimore relaxed next to Travell. “The boy is in over his head.”
Travell wouldn’t have quite put it quite that way, although he admitted he was rather besotted, enough so that he’d decided to resign from his work for the Home Office. While Liverpool had been reluctant to accept his termination at first, he’d had no choice but to agree, even if more than one of his best agents had fallen prey to the lure of matrimony in recent months.
“You’ve put me in a difficult position, Curdiff,” the Prime Minister had said when Travell had sat down in his office earlier in the week. “But who am I to deny affairs of the heart, especially when it means ensuring the Abernathy line continues?” He grinned. “Perhaps someday I will find to a way to coerce your son into service.”
As Travell walked away from Whitehall for the last time, he had to admit that it was rather bittersweet. He was ready to embark on a new adventure with Alyssa, one that wasn’t fraught with so much danger, and that included starting a family, but it would be a bit of a transition. He considered collapsing the secret tunnel at Abernathy House, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready to go that far just yet. Besides, one never knew when a secret escape route would come in handy.
The carriage rolled to a stop, and Travell alighted with a spring to his step. He forced himself not to run up the steps and dash through the house shouting Alyssa’s name until she appeared, but held out a hand to his mother instead.
He heard the door open behind him, but believing it to be Holmes, he didn’t think anything of it until his father stepped to the ground. With a wide grin on the earl’s face, he looked at something over Travell’s left shoulder.
When he turned and spied the vision before him, he found it difficult to do more than stare. Alyssa was standing on the bottom step with a light smile on her full lips. “Welcome home, my lord.”
“Yes.” He wasn’t sure what he was agreeing to, but whatever she wanted, he would find a way to provide it.
She shifted her gaze to encompass the rest of the occupants. “Lord and Lady Trenton, Dr. Perimore. I trust your journey was without incident?”
The earl gestured to Travell. “Other than that pup’s incessant impatience, it was rather fine indeed.” As he walked past her, Travell saw him give her a wink. “But then, a lovely woman has a way of occupying a man’s full attention.”
Alyssa blushed a charming shade of rose as the trio continued on into the house, leaving him alone with her.
Once they were gone, Alyssa took hold of her skirts and did a slight pirouette on the sidewalk in front of him. “What do you think of my dress?”
He thought it was something of an odd thing for her to say, but he replied huskily, “I can’t wait to peel it off of you later.”
Again, her face reddened. “I meant the color.”
Taken aback, he finally looked at the actual garment, instead of just the woman who was wearing it. “It’s…” He cleared his throat. “Rather orange.”
She laughed. “It was a gift from Triana.”
“In that case,” he murmured, “it doesn’t surprise me in the least.” He reached out and drew her close. He allowed his gaze to roam over every bit of her face, from her dark, mahogany hair pulled up into a sweeping chignon with a few curls left to dangle about her graceful neck, her green eyes filled with a certain measure of amusement and adoration. Everything combined, she presented a rather heart stopping picture.
He reached out and ran a finger along her delicate jaw. “I love you, Alyssa Breyton. Have I told you that yet?”
“No,” she whispered. “But I knew you did. I was just waiting for you to tell me.”
He threw back his head and laughed, and then took her lips in a kiss that left them both wanting more. When he drew back, he said, “Please tell me that we can get married in the morning, even if we have to drag Josiah Adams all the way from Basildon.”
It was her turn to laugh. “I should like that very much, my lord.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, heedless of any of the onlookers that might be passing by or drawing back their curtains to look out their windows. “Because I love you too, Travell Abernathy. With all of my heart.”
After they kissed again, he lifted a brow and said, “You know, we could sneak out to the gardens for a quick tryst this evening. We could even pretend it’s your debut ball all over again.”
She blinked at him. “I wasn’t sure you even remembe
red that night.”
“Of course,” he returned softly. “I remember everything about you. But that was the moment you stopped being ‘little’ Alyssa Breyton and I realized you were a woman grown. It was quite terrifying.”
She tilted her head to the side, her lips twitching. “And now? Am I still so fearsome?”
He tugged on one of her curls, smiling as it bounced back into place. “No.” He shook his head. “Now you’re just mine.”
Epilogue
Once the guests started to arrive for the ball, Alyssa and Travell, the Duke and Duchess of Chiltern, and Lord and Lady Trenton were greeted with a steady stream of well wishes and congratulations. The earl’s resurgence into society had caused quite a stir with many choosing to discount his shady past in honor of his healthy return. And while there were moments that he still appeared confused at times, Alyssa was glad to see that, with the support of his wife and the continued care of the mesmerist, both of whom stood by his side, his violent outbursts had ceased and each day progressed with further doses of reality.
“Lady Alyssa.” She turned to see Mr. Talon Lyridon in front of her. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“Of course,” she returned graciously. “It was kind of you to assist Lord Trenton during his time of need. And Dr. Perimore has been a wonderful replacement.”
“I’m relieved to hear it,” he returned with a delighted twinkle in his silver eyes. Alyssa knew that someday that handsome glint would catch some lady’s eye and she would be lost. “I have some good news I’d like to impart as well.” He paused to make sure he had her full attention. “I convinced my colleague at the Horticultural Society to examine your Blue Ladies, if you’re amenable, of course.”
Her mouth fell slack. “Yes! That would be wonderful. Thank you, Mr. Lyridon.”
He bowed slightly. “You deserve the honor. You’ve accomplished a scientific marvel with your roses, and it should be recognized. I’ll send you a message with all the details in a day or two.”
As he moved away, Alyssa couldn’t quite believe her recent good fortune. First, she gained Travell’s love, and now her Blue Ladies would finally have a voice.
With a wide grin, she greeted the next guest who approached.
***
Korina stood at the fringes of the Abernathy House ballroom and sipped from her punch, as far away from her mother as she could get, otherwise she would be hounded with possible suitors from men ranging from their twenties to their eighties. She also chose to distance herself from Ro and Izzy as they chatted in a circle with their prospective husbands. While she adored her friends dearly, knowing that they were some of the most genuine people in this large city, she found she couldn’t stomach any more starry-eyed gazes at the moment.
As for the rest…
She scoffed as she watched the hum of activity taking place around her. Clusters of matrons fluttered their fans and gossiped while shooting a disapproving glare at their charges for doing the same thing. While the Knickerbockers back home were guilty of a similar offense, it was so much more “proper” in England that it made the stays of her corset tighten with annoyance.
She slipped out onto the terrace, the cool autumn breeze ruffling the hem of her violet puffed sleeves. She fingered the delicate silk and thought of how many women or children that were less fortunate who would benefit from such a pricey garment. The cost would surely buy food and provide a roof over their heads for at least a month.
She looked toward the heavens, but the stars were blotted from view from all the smoke from the numerous chimneys. It was the same in New York City, but at least there she felt as if she belonged. She wasn’t just an outcast in a foreign land.
When she had first arrived in England, she’d tried to do her best to acclimate to her surroundings, but when it became apparent that it was doomed from the beginning, she gave up trying to care. She was accepted among the elite in America, but there, everyone was “new money.” Here, fortunes were passed down from generation to generation, and instead of hard work and determination they gained a title and grounds with little more than the unfortunate death of a relative. Or a snap of the fingers if one wished to inherit earlier. She had no doubt that foul play was how much of society’s wealth was gained.
It was sickening, and she wanted no part of it.
She poured out the rest of her weak punch over the rail, and dreamed of this winter when she could finally make plans to return home and put this awful experience behind her for good.
Author’s Note
Most people are aware of Michaelmas, the celebration that takes place on September 29th of each year. But since my story took place a bit earlier in the month, I decided to prepare for a good harvest. However, as far as I know, no such event ever occurred. Apparently, my villagers just enjoyed a good party. The phrase “a sight for sore eyes,” originated around 1738 by Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels. However, the original one claimed, “The sight of you is good for sore eyes.”
The ‘mysterious poison’ that Sophie used on Lord Trenton was purely fictional. The inspiration for this was Rajaijah Juice, the ‘Poison of Madness’ that was introduced in the book, “The Blue Lotus,” from “The Adventures of Tintin.” Then again, it’s also no secret that the treatments used on mentally ill patients were nothing short of horrendous. Dr. Moniz, who actually won the Nobel Prize for his efforts in the field, didn’t introduce the lobotomy procedure until 1949. However, there have been several instances in historical, Victorian dramas such as “From Hell” and “Penny Dreadful” that mimic the same sort of ‘cure.’ While this was all too late for when my story takes place, I’m sure you can imagine what sort of fate befell Lord Trenton.
While mental illnesses like what the earl suffered has been around for ages, the actual term for schizophrenia wasn’t coined until 1908 by the Swiss psychiatrist and eugenicist Eugen Bieuler. Although some of the earl’s problems stemmed from the long use of poison he ingested, his time at the mental hospital likely added to his deteriorating condition.
I’d like to thank you for purchasing this book. I know you could have chosen any number of stories to read, but you picked this one and for that I am humbled and grateful! I hope that the romance captured your heart and added a smile to your day. If so, it would be awesome if you could share this book with your friends and family and post a review! Your feedback and support will help improve my writing and help me to continue growing as an author. You can find all my links on my website - authortabethawaite.wix.com/romance
Cheers! xo
About the Author
Tabetha Waite began her writing journey at a young age. At nine years old, she was crafting stories of all kinds on an old Underwood typewriter. She started reading romance in high school and immediately fell in love with the genre. She gained her first publishing contract with Etopia Press and released her debut novel in July of 2016 - “Why the Earl is After the Girl,” the first book in her Ways of Love Series. Since then, she has become a hybrid author, transitioning into indie publishing. She has won several awards for her books.
She is a small town, Missouri girl who continues to make her home in the Midwest with her husband and two wonderful daughters. When she’s not writing novels filled with adventure and heart, she is either reading, or searching the local antique mall or flea market for the latest interesting find. You can find her on most any social media site, and she encourages fans of her work to join her mailing list for updates.
www.authortabethawaite.wix.com/romance
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