“You and I are perfectly aware of what is happening here,” Mirabell answered.
“I know not what you mean, my lady,” Ms. Nora told Lady Mirabell.
“I am not certain whether you are aware of this, but Lord Dunkirk resides in Bath. He was left in charge of his father’s estate when he passed,” Mirabell told Ms. Nora.
“That is very sad, my lady. I remember Lord Danbury quite well. He was rather tall and, to be frank, I was terrified of him,” Ms. Nora answered.
“Indeed, he was terrifying, but he was also Lord Dunkirk’s father, and he loved him very much. Lord Dunkirk had lost his father, and I had been so consumed in my own misery and grief that I was upset with him for no reason,” Mirabell explained. “His father’s passing had been the reason why Lord Dunkirk left Bristol.”
“Now my lady feels guilty about being angered by his actions,” Ms. Nora stated.
“Indeed. I was such a fool, a selfish fool at that,” Mirabell sighed miserably and shook her head looking at both pairs of beautiful shoes as they bounced in the carriage.
“You were not aware of this. My lady should not place blame on thyself. It was out of your hands,” Ms. Nora attempted to reassure her as she patted the detailed lace on the skirt of her dress.
“I was not a very good friend to him,” Lady Mirabell said and lowered her gaze again in shame, “but now I have the opportunity to make it right.” She looked up at once with a hopeful expression.
“And how will you do that, my lady?” Ms. Nora inquired becoming hopeful also.
A smile formed on Mirabell’s lips, and she gazed out of the window as the town of Bath passed by them. “I will visit Lord Dunkirk, chaperoned by you, of course, but only if you wish to.” Lady Mirabell grabbed Ms. Nora’s hands and looked into her eyes excitedly.
“Of course, my lady. I have not let you down before, and I do not intend on starting now,” Ms. Nora answered sincerely.
“Thank you, my dearest Ms. Nora.”
“What of the duke?” Ms. Nora asked.
Mirabell sighed and glanced at Ms. Nora. “Perhaps I shall forgo calls from him until I have decided what to do about Lord Dunkirk.”
“You are still very much in love with him, are you not?” Ms. Nora asked.
Nora’s question took Lady Mirabell by surprise, but she was not certain as to why. It caused Mirabell to realize that although Nora was middle-aged, she was very perceptive and understood Lady Mirabell nearly as well as Lady Marjorie had. Even though Ms. Nora had not been her chaperone until she had her first season, she had worked for the family long before then; she was truly a part of the family to Mirabell.
As children, Mirabell and Marjorie were often accompanied by a young Lord Dunkirk spending a many a late mornings in the kitchen, and even then, Ms. Nora could clearly see that Mirabell adored Fredrick.
Mirabell sighed miserably and glanced at Ms. Nora. “I had never stopped loving him, but I fear it is too late now.”
“When it comes to love, there is no such thing as too late,” Ms. Nora whispered.
“Praise the heavens for you, Ms. Nora. You are truly an angel,” Mirabell whispered in return.
As the two women arrived home, Lady Mirabell approached her mother, who sat casually in the parlor, relishing in the last shreds of sunlight before the darkness set in. Mirabell inhaled deeply, scraping enough courage together to speak with her mother regarding the duke.
“Mother,” Lady Mirabell said as she entered the parlor.
“Good evening my dearest,” Lady Burkett greeted her daughter with a smile. “I trust your stroll with His Grace was enjoyable.”
“Indeed it was, Mother. Although I have had a few things on my mind which I wish to speak to you regarding,” Lady Mirabell answered.
“And what might that be, my dear?” Lady Burkett asked, her smile fading as she gazed upon her daughter’s troubled expression. “Is something the matter? Has something happened? Pray tell, His Grace did not do anything to you.”
“Ease yourself, Mother. The duke was a gentleman, as per usual,” Lady Mirabell assured her.
“Then what seems to be the problem?”
Mirabell pouted her lips and answered, “I found an address of residence for Lord Dunkirk.”
“You have?” Lady Burkett answered, and Lady Mirabell nodded. “And where is his residence now?”
“Here, in Bath. Only a short journey from here,” Lady Mirabell answered.
“What are the odds?” Lady Burkett mumbled in disbelief.
“I wish to visit him, with Ms. Nora as my chaperone of course, if you approve of it,” Mirabell said.
“My dear, do you honestly think that to be wise?” Lady Burkett asked.
Mirabell narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “You were the one who encouraged me to find him, and now you wish to ask me to reconsider?” Mirabell gasped.
“I am most certainly not asking you to reconsider, my dearest. I am simply asking whether visiting Lord Dunkirk is a good decision. What will His Grace have to say regarding this?” Lady Burkett asked.
“It does not matter what His Grace thinks of this. This is my decision, and mine alone. We are most certainly not married or arranged to be married. I am free to do as I wish,” Lady Mirabell answered with a light scoff.
“Mirabell-” Her mother rose to her feet as their opinions diverged.
“And until further notice, I wish to forgo all calls from His Grace. There are a few things I wish to work through on my own,” Mirabell continued.
“What things?” her mother asked with urgency.
“Things which had stirred up inside my heart after I began to read Lord Dunkirk's letter. His words struck me even more than it ever had. There are many things I wish to tell him, things which I have never had the chance of telling him.”
“But what of the duke? What will I say if he comes here calling on you?” Lady Burkett asked incredulously.
“Simply inform him of my temporary need for isolation, and that it is due to something I am currently seeking. Please do inform him that it has nothing to do with him, and please be kind. I will speak with him again soon; I am merely not certain when that would be. If he is still willing to wait while I sort through the muddle in my head, then he will reap the rewards afterward,” Lady Mirabell answered.
“And if he does not?” she questioned in disbelief. Her mother’s mouth sat uncommonly open before and after her words.
“It was simply not meant to be, Mother,” Mirabell answered as she turned to the hallway leaving her mother to watch the back of her beautiful hair as she walked away.
Mirabell made her way upstairs to lock herself in her chambers. She had many letters to read from Fredrick. Mirabell made herself comfortable on her bed, lit the candle by her bedside table and proceeded to read well into the night. Lady Mirabell remained in her chambers for the entirety of the evening and only opened her door when Ms. Nora brought her dinner on a silver tray, insisting she eat something.
Fredrick’s letters were both mesmerizing and devastating, as he sent her through a rather nostalgic journey as he mentioned the most wonderful memories they made together. His words made her smile, especially when he wrote of the one afternoon where they had chased a dog, which had been covered in mud, through the hallways of the estate, leaving the hallways filled with mud and paw prints. Mirabell still recalled attempting to catch the dog, but she and Lord Dunkirk ended up falling, slipping and sliding on the wet floor. Mirabell had laughed so much that day that her stomach ached and she could barely breathe.
Mirabell also recalled having to clean up the mess, along with Fredrick, which had resulted in even more laughter. Lady Mirabell’s parents were not at all impressed when they had arrived home to see their home in such a state, but they were amused by the giggling duo on the floor, attempting their hardest to clean the soiled floors.
Fredrick had been such a big part of Mirabell’s life that she could not believe she had made it without him for as long as she h
ad. It was certainly the worst time of her life, and Lady Mirabell did not intend to drag out her misery any longer. If only she could see him, alone.
Of course, that would not be possible, as she was given very clear instructions by her mother, and society for that matter, to always have her chaperone with her while she was in the company of a young man. Lady Mirabell found that awfully strange, as she had spent much time with Fredrick and Marjorie in the past without the presence of a chaperone and not a word was uttered about it then. Perhaps it was now that she was a young woman that made it seem improper and inappropriate.
Mirabell suddenly longed for the days where her behavior, and whom she chose to spent time with, was not carefully monitored by those with whom she came into contact. She longed for the carefree days where she was allowed to play in the gardens at their family estate with her sister—and Lord Dunkirk. She also longed for the simplicity of life—and the lack of responsibilities and regulations which came with being an adult.
Tears began to fill Lady Mirabell’s eyes once again as she immersed herself entirely in Lord Dunkirk's words, making her fall in love with him all over again. Lady Mirabell was well aware that this would most certainly be an inconvenience if her father and the duke had arranged for them to be married, but Lady Mirabell simply could not help it. Her heart had belonged to Lord Dunkirk for such a long time that it would be nearly impossible for her to simply allow her feelings to fade away, regardless of their period of silence and absence.
Mirabell was also well aware that her mother would not allow her to place a damper on their social activities after Mirabell had agreed that she was ready to take on the world once more, and it was only a matter of time before Lady Burkett were to come upstairs and speak with her. Lady Burkett had been rather shocked when Lady Mirabell announced that she did not wish for the duke, or any other man for that matter, to call upon her, but it had been a decision to which Lady Mirabell would stay true. Mirabell had spent more than enough time apart from Lord Dunkirk, and she would not allow that to happen again, regardless of whether her father had arranged a marriage for her or not.
Lady Burkett did not approve of Mirabell’s decision to forgo any calls from the duke, or any other eligible gentlemen for that matter, and it made Lady Burkett rather anxious. Despite the verbal agreement Lord Burkett had with the duke, Lord and Lady Burkett did not wish to pressure Mirabell into a marriage she did not want. Rather than informing her of their arrangement, they preferred to gently nudge her into the arms of the duke. If, perchance, she did not wish to marry the duke, or found him unsuitable in any manner, she would not be forced to wed him.
Lord and Lady Burkett were well aware of the strong-willed daughter they had raised, and that Lady Mirabell would not be forced to do something she did not approve of. Luckily, to ease Lord and Lady Burkett’s mind, they saw the duke as a wonderful and delightful man, and his age did not matter much to them. The duke’s extra weight made his face look youthful, and this made him appear much younger than his actual age, which was very advantageous to him—and to Lord and Lady Burkett.
Lady Burkett stood from the settee after she quickly formulated a plan to entice Lady Mirabell to accept a social call, as Lady Burkett would not have her agenda put to a challenge. Lady Burkett made her way up the stairs and approached Mirabell’s door.
“Mirabell, my dearest.” She knocked gently; the silver rings upon her wrinkling digits tapping upon the rustic wood before she opened the door. “May I speak with you, darling?” she asked.
Lady Mirabell was seated in the window seat, strands of her brown hair swept upward into the tight bun she often wore these days, her gray eyes peering out the panes as her mother looked in on her. Lady Mirabell turned to peer at her, as she heard her mother’s sweet voice.
“Good evening, Mother,” Lady Mirabell said pleasantly, once again turning to the forced act of kindness she put on for her mother’s sake. It was enough that the poor woman had lost one daughter, she did not need to suffer the loss of another one, whom was still very much alive.
“Tomorrow evening is the St. James Charity Ball. I know I have asked you for quite some time to come, darling, but if you do come with your father and me, we will buy you a new dress tomorrow morning,” Lady Burkett offered.
“No, I cannot, Mother. That is too much for me right now.”
“Well, then, I will ask for something smaller. I was wondering if you would not mind accompanying me to tea with some of my friends this evening?” Lady Burkett asked her, the hopeful glint in her eyes clearly indicating her desire for Lady Mirabell to say yes.
Mirabell’s eyes filled with curiosity. How her mother was able to go through the motions of socializing after having lost a daughter was beyond her understanding, but it was obvious to her that this outing was needed and her mother would only worry more if she chose to decline. This left Lady Mirabell with few options, and as distasteful as the notion was to her, it was much easier to agree. And so, Mirabell found herself nodding curtly to her mother’s request.
“Certainly, Mother, it would do me some good,” Lady Mirabell stated.
Lady Burkett grinned, her eyes filling with gladness upon hearing Lady Mirabell’s reply.
“Wonderful news, my dear, I will have the coach set to pick us up out front,” Lady Burkett stated, turning to exit the room nearly as quickly as she had arrived.
Mirabell gave a soft sigh. She hoped this would not be another of her mother’s attempts to match her with the next eligible bachelor or the duke. Still, the opportunity to distract her mind was a welcome one, and she knew that it would only widen her chances of finding Lord Dunkirk, which was the most important mission she had while visiting Bath.
If only Lady Mirabell had been given the gift of foresight, she might have known that her prayers would soon enough be answered.
Lady Burkett and Lady Mirabell both sat smiling proudly across from one another, each lady dressed in a fine gown of a similar, royal blue color. Lady Mirabell had chosen to wear the gown to appease her mother and found that her nod of approval was just the validation that she needed. Her plans were working well enough, and the bright, gray-eyed girl was happy to see her mother’s cheek tinged with a healthy, red glow for the first time in months since Lady Marjorie had passed on.
Though Lady Mirabell was still apprehensive to the idea of socializing, she was starting to feel the burden of her sadness lifting from her shoulders as she watched her parents finding joy in seeing her possibly behaving as her usual self again. True as it was, however, Mirabell knew that going through the proper motions was required if she really wanted to see Lord Dunkirk again.
As the coachman brought the coach to a halt, Mirabell took in a deep breath and awaited his assistance to depart from the carriage.
“Thank you,” Lady Mirabell murmured, as she stepped to the ground.
Fate had a strange way of handling one’s life, Mirabell was learning, and as her gray eyes focused on the persons in her vicinity, one extremely handsome and familiar face brought a surprised squeal from the vocal cords of the lovely Mirabell.
“Lord Dunkirk!” she said and gasped, mustering all the strength she could to retain her ladylike manners.
The earl was dressed finely, in a suit that rivaled the one the duke had been wearing the day he purchased the peacock hat, and the glint of his pearly smile made Lady Mirabell nearly melt at the knees as he crossed over toward her.
“Lady Mirabell Blackthorn? Are my eyes fooling me to see such an angel on this loveliest of eves?” The earl grinned as he closed the space between them and lifted her fingers to gently press his lips against them. If his demeanor was any indicator, Fredrick was just as overwhelmed with joy to see Mirabell as she was to lay her sights upon him.
“My lord, I am so glad to see you here,” she said with a smile but not revealing that his kiss on her hand had made her stomach quiver.
“Indeed, my lady, the pleasure is all mine. I am truly delighted to see you. After I di
d not receive a response from you regarding my letters, I came to the conclusion you wished not to see me,” he admitted with a slight frown.
“Perhaps you are mistaken, my lord. My parents and I have come to Bath to retreat from the busyness of Bristol. It was merely coincidental that we are now here in the same place,” Lady Mirabell answered.
“Oh,” Lord Dunkirk answered, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. “I was under the impression you are here in Bath—as you have seen the address I wrote on my letter?”
Lady Mirabell smiled, folding her hands before her as she regarded Lord Dunkirk’s handsome features. “It is, but—”
“Hello, Lord Dunkirk,” Lady Burkett said with a smile. “It is wonderful to see you.”
“And you, Lady Burkett,” the earl greeted her in return. “Mirabell tells me that you and Lord Burkett are visiting Bath for a while.”
“Indeed, my lord. It is a welcome break from the city, which is much more rowdy than it had been since you left.”
“I can only imagine,” Lord Dunkirk said and glanced at Lady Mirabell.
“My deepest condolences on the passing of your father, my lord. He was a truly great man, and his presence will be sorely missed,” Lady Burkett said, her voice filled with sincerity and remorse.
“I thank you for your kind words, my lady. It was a shock to most people, as was the death of Lady Marjorie,” Lord Dunkirk answered. “I am truly sorry to hear of her passing as well. She was a lovely young woman, whom I had much adoration for.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Lady Burkett answered and glanced at Lady Mirabell. “Shall we go, my dear?”
Mirabell bit her bottom lip, and a smile formed on Lord Dunkirk’s lips, as she had made that specific yet subtle gesture ever since he had known her, and Lord Dunkirk was well aware of what it meant as well.
Lord Dunkirk cleared his throat and said to Lady Burkett, “I was hoping to speak with both of you a bit longer or perhaps even go for a walk.”
“That would not be possible, my lord. Mirabell and I were on our way to the tea rooms across the road,” Lady Burkett answered, ignoring the pleading glances from Lady Mirabell.
Regency Engagements Box Set Page 77
