by Joyce Alec
“I do not think you failed, but it gives me comfort to know the truth.”
Silence once more fell around them, and John felt a question hanging in the air between them. He knew that there was much to discuss between them, but there was one that they could not escape if they wished to continue any further down this path.
“Is that…what you want? To end the engagement?” He asked, knowing that she would not voice it herself.
She looked over at him. “Do you?”
He shook his head. “No, not at all. I never did.”
“You told me that you did consider it at one point,” she replied, as calm as he had ever seen her.
“I felt as if there was no choice,” he replied. “However, I see that that isn’t the truth.” He looked intently at her. “And I realized that we did have a choice last night at the ball. That was when I changed my mind.”
“What changed your mind about ending the engagement?” she asked.
He smiled foolishly. “The honest and simple answer is that I saw you with another man, and my heart could not stand it.”
Her eyes widened.
“Jealousy was not something I ever thought I would struggle with, but when I saw you dancing with Lord Yorbourgh, I felt as if you were slipping through my fingers and…” he looked down, nervous about what he was going to say next, “I was terrified that I was going to lose you. The reality was far too painful for me to consider, and I decided right then and there that I would fix all of this and that if I cared for you so much that I reacted so strongly, then this marriage is worth fighting for, and I will make myself worthy of you.”
She studied his face for a long moment, as if searching for the truth that he hoped was obviously written there.
He swallowed hard. “But, Lady Agnes, you have not answered me yet.”
“Answered you what?” she replied.
His gaze settled on her. “Whether or not you wish to end the engagement.”
It was the first time during their conversation that he had been nervous, truly nervous, about the outcome. Everything was in her hands now, and he was not sure that he was safe.
She sighed, looking down at her hands.
Here is the truth, he thought sadly. She does not feel the same way that I do. How in the world am I going to explain this to my parents?
“Hearing how you feel about it has come as quite a shock, my lord,” she began slowly.
Even as he listened to her, he longed for her to tell him quickly, so he could be sure. The anticipation alone was enough to drive a man crazy.
“And I shall not lie to you and tell you that I feel the very same way, for I have done much to protect my heart over the last few weeks. I have guarded myself, wondering if perhaps there was little hope of there being a wedding at all.”
“I see,” John began, the weight settling on his shoulders heavier than he thought he could bear.
He felt her warm hand close over his own. Startled, he looked up at her.
“I believe you are a kind man, Lord Bridgewater. And I think that you have been very honest with me today about everything that has transpired between us. I hope that you know that I have not been angry, and that I believe I understand why you acted the way you had. I…” she looked around.
“Yes?” he asked, when he was not able to handle the hesitation in her voice. “What is your choice? I leave it up to you now.”
She looked at him. “This is what you want, then? To marry me?”
He felt his affections growing for her, despite the fact that she had the power to crush them. “It is what I want more than anything.”
Her eyes softened and her demeanor changed. “I can see that you tell the truth. And that I have been wrong about you all along. I am glad for it.”
He was nearly out of his mind with fear. Come now, good Lady! Just tell me your decision already!
She nodded her head, and tears formed in the corners of her eyes. “Yes, Lord Bridgewater, it is what I want as well.”
The fear disappeared, and a dizzying joy overtook him. He immediately rushed over to her and knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in front of him.
She laughed, the tears shining on her cheeks, but she allowed him to take her hands all the same.
“I will be honest and say that I would have given you a much different answer this morning had you asked me, had you not explained all of this to me,” she said, smiling down at him. “Oh, what a sad thing that would have been. The Lord is good and allowed us to speak so honestly with one another.”
John felt a laugh escape him, and he nodded. “He is indeed good. I would have said no yesterday evening myself.” He shook his head. “How foolish I was.”
“How foolish we were,” she said.
He made to protest, but she shook her head.
“It is true,” she said. “We could have missed out on a marriage that I believe will be a wonderful one simply because we allowed our own assumptions of each other to predominate the truth. Had we simply faced one another instead of our own thoughts, perhaps it would not have been so trying for us.”
John sighed happily. “My lady, no truer words have been spoken.”
He rose to his feet and pulled her to her feet as well.
“Perhaps we should inform our families that there is to be a wedding after all, since I believe most of them will be doubting it.”
“I think that is a wonderful idea.”
Epilogue
Lord Bridgewater and Lady Agnes were married on a sunny afternoon in late June. She wore a beautiful dress adorned with pearls and lace, and he wore the same hat that he had worn to the ball held for their engagement. Neither of them had been happier in their life.
Both sets of parents were overjoyed that they had chosen to follow through with the marriage, and even more so when they realized that their children wished to enter into the union based on more than just obligation.
The manor was abuzz with the changes coming to the family. John and Lady Agnes were now moving to the estate he had inherited, along with all of the new staff. The newlyweds would have to get used to the responsibilities that came with running a household.
One evening after a large celebratory dinner when John and Agnes were back from their honeymoon, John sat beside his siblings, sharing laughs and discussion about what had transpired since he had been gone.
John looked at his brother, who was fixated on his glass of wine in front of himself.
“So, dear brother, when is it your turn?”
Robert turned and looked at his brother, scowling. “I do not have an idea what you could possibly mean,” he replied. He promptly looked back at the glass as if it were far more interesting than his brother.
“Come now, I know that you are quite the catch yourself.”
Robert said nothing, but his expression softened.
“A strong man with a strong faith. Intelligent, caring. It’s a great combination. There should be some sort of woman out there who would be satisfied with that combination.”
Robert twisted the glass in his fingers. “Brother, just because you have been married, it doesn’t matter that I need to be married as well.”
“But you are next in line!” John said, clapping his hand on his shoulder. “Don’t you worry, Father will be knocking at your door very soon. The girls will be married off soon enough, and where will that leave you?”
Robert looked up the table at his sisters.
“Have you not thought of it at all?”
Robert shrugged his shoulders. “On occasion.”
“Is there no one who has caught your eye?”
Robert looked up and down the table. “Honestly? There are plenty of wonderful woman that I have met, and yet, I have not seen a woman who is…” he looked at his brother. “Not a woman who is like Lady Agnes is to you.”
“Don’t worry, a woman will come into your life. Perhaps Father has another connection for you.”
“They have never been
as interested in my match as yours,” Robert said. “Which is perfectly acceptable.”
“But think of it this way,” John said. “You have the ability to choose for yourself. Any woman you would wish. It is a wonderful opportunity, brother. And I think that you will do well in it. A woman will come along soon enough. And you will be the happiest man in the world when you do.”
Robert smiled at his brother. He lifted his spoon to his glass and tapped it lightly to get everyone’s attention.
“Everyone, I would like to make a toast,” Robert said, getting to his feet.
Everyone looked up at him with full concentration on his words.
John glanced lovingly across the table at Lady Agnes. She beamed back.
“To my brother, and his lovely new wife!” Robert said, lifting his glass high in the air. “And to all of the rest of our siblings; may we find as happy and wonderful marriages as they have found!”
“Here, here!” Everyone around the table said.
Robert raised his glass, and they all toasted his words. John clapped him on the arm when Robert sat down again.
“Thank you,” John said. “That was very kind.”
“I meant every word,” Robert said. “And you are right. We will find someone eventually, all of us. And how exciting it will be.”
THE END
Part V
Forbidden Heart
Edgefield Dukedom: Book Two
By Caroline Johnson
1
The Flame Dances
The bird songs were frequent and pleasant that morning. The air was clear, warm, and fragrant with the recent rose blossoms that filled the grounds. And Lord Robert Stone was meandering slowly down the long, winding drive up, hoping to reach the new home of his eldest brother before luncheon. Otherwise, he knew, his brother’s new wife, Agnes, might never forgive him.
Robert loved the fresh air and chose to walk, rather than take a carriage. He whistled as he strolled, twirling the small package he had in his hands as a gift. He had seen his brother only briefly after they returned from their honeymoon and had not yet had a chance to ask them how they enjoyed their month-long tour of the countryside. Many couples spent time in London, Bath, or perhaps at the summer home of their families. But not his brother and his wife; no, they decided that moving from village to village, visiting various friends and family members was what they wanted to do. Robert thought their honeymoon choice sounded exhausting. He hoped that when he was married one day, he and his wife would go somewhere quiet, where they could spend time alone, getting to know one another.
He ran his hands through his thick auburn hair that never seemed to stay where he put it. The marriage of his brother caused every member of his family to think about their own future marriages, including his three younger sisters. His sisters would have no issues securing suitable matches, as they were the daughters of the Duke of Edgefield, one of the richest dukes in England.
Being a son, but not the heir, had been a point of contention between Robert and his brother, John, for as long as he could remember. It was not as if he despised his brother’s birth order. Robert wasn’t even jealous of the wealth his brother would inherit. No, it was that as a middle child, and a man, not a woman, his position in his family was very much glanced over.
There would be no grand land he would inherit, and most women would look over him for other men for their status. He knew his family was very well respected, and that alone could secure him a decent match. However, he hated the politics of marriage. He was a simple man with simple wants; how was it so hard for everyone to see that?
Robert’s maternal grandfather had been the one person that cared deeply about Robert’s future. The two had always been close. His grandfather suggested that a respectable thing for Robert to do was to join the church.
Robert scoffed at the idea. The son of a duke? A vicar? It seemed preposterous. He had higher hopes for himself. He wished to see the world, travel, and perhaps spend time in London studying literature and science. He would have much rather become a professor at Oxford, rather than a shepherd of a flock.
It certainly was never that he had a lack of faith; in fact, he was perhaps the most devoted to his beliefs and his love of the Lord of his whole family. So much so that he was quite dogmatic about what was right and what was wrong. It often got him in trouble as a child.
Over time, he began to wonder if joining the church was not such a bad idea. He would have a meager living compared to his current lifestyle, but his connections with his family would certainly help. He could provide for a family and still remain close to where he grew up, near his family, and hopefully, near his future wife’s family as well.
The large manor across the hills came into view, and Robert smiled, as he was looking forward to spending time with John and Agnes. He was pleased that they were home again. The home that his brother and his wife moved into was not as grand as the estate that his father and mother owned, where he currently resided, but it was larger than some homes that he had attended balls in, and he knew his brother would be proud of it. There was a large lake out back and a large apple tree in the side yard that Agnes—his brother’s new wife—was looking forward to making use of in the fall. All in all, he was happy for his brother. It was where he was meant to be for his entire life.
It only took him another half an hour to reach the manor. Robert was eagerly greeted by his brother’s butler, Mr. Garrison, who came highly recommended by a friend. John was pleased with the butler’s kind demeanor, and Robert immediately liked him when he noticed his genuine smile.
“Brother!” He heard from the front of the foyer. He looked up to see John standing inside the hall, wearing a casual weekend outfit. A tall man with sandy blonde hair and a thin frame, he was handsome and had been sought after by quite a few women, but he and his wife had an arranged marriage, and Robert was now glad for it. He had not been so at one point.
Robert all of the sudden felt very overdressed, yet he crossed the distance to his brother and embraced him.
“It is good to see you,” Robert said, clapping his brother on the shoulder when they separated. “And you look well.”
John smiled and nodded. “I am well. It has been the most wondrous few days, getting settled into my own home. I must tell you, brother, it has been very strange to not hear you or our dear sisters chattering away at all hours of the day. I have actually had a chance to do some reading in peace.”
Robert smirked. “Well, I am glad to hear it. Where is your lovely new bride?”
“Upstairs. Can I give you the full tour?”
Robert rolled his eyes. “It is not as if I have not been in this house before.”
John grinned. “Yes, but you have not been here when it has been mine. Come, luncheon is not ready yet, and then we shall enjoy some tea out in the gardens. Agnes dearly wished to spend the afternoon with her horse; she has not had the chance to do so since we have returned.”
Robert sighed. “All right. Let us have the tour.”
Robert patiently allowed his brother to describe the home in detail in each room, and he spent special time in the library. Most of his favorite books had been moved from their father’s library into this one, and he was most pleased with how he had decided to arrange them.
“Ever the perfectionist,” Robert said.
John sighed. “What, do you not appreciate it?”
“It’s not that,” Robert replied, laughing. “I just know you. That’s all.”
“There you are!”
Robert and John turned to see Agnes step into the room. She was closely followed by a woman, likely her new lady’s maid, with the brightest shade of red hair that Robert had ever seen. It reminded him immediately of fire; bright and powerful, and yet, it belonged to a very gentle-faced woman with pale grey eyes that were wide and curious.
Her gaze met his, and he felt as if his tongue caught in his throat. She was absolutely stunning, and Robert was entirely sure that he had never
seen another woman like her. She had high cheekbones, a pointed chin, and pale pink lips. She was very fair, and she was not very tall.
“It’s so wonderful to see you, brother!”
He felt arms around him and quickly realized that he had not been paying attention to a single thing that had been happening outside of the red-haired woman. Agnes embraced him, and Robert returned her embrace.
“Agnes,” he said cheerfully, greeting his sister-in-law. “Or should I say Lady Bridgewater?”
Laughing, Agnes replied, “Oh, Robert! Isn’t my new title grand? I love the way it sounds.”
Robert looked over to John, who was thrilled with his wife’s happiness.
Robert continued his conversation with Agnes. “It is good to see you in such good spirits. I trust you are settling in well?”
Agnes nodded, moving to stand beside her husband.
Still, the young woman with the red hair stood patiently beside the door, her gaze moving quickly between him and Lady Bridgewater.
“Everything has been marvelous since we began our life together here. I have my own space, my own stables, and my own dining room. The home has begun to look as if it belongs to us and not just an empty shell any longer.”
“That’s wonderful,” Robert replied.
“I am especially pleased that my maid from home has followed me and has been promoted to my lady’s maid.” Agnes gestured to the red-haired woman, who bowed deeply to them. “This is Miss Alice Thompson, and I have known her for many years now. I consider her to be like family.”
Alice smiled at those words, and Robert could see the warmth between the two women. It drew a smile to his own face.
