by Fanny Finch
Liliana let out a frustrated groan, wishing she could shake senses into her sister.
“We owe him nothing,” she gritted. “Absolutely nothing.” Oh, but if only Nora knew.
She would. It was only a matter of time. The whole truth would be out for the entire world to see.
“Leave. You have delivered your message. Now, you can leave.”
“Lilly…”
“Don’t call me that. You lost the right the moment you took that man’s side instead of your sister’s.”
“It is for our best, Liliana! Why would you not see that?”
Nora was naive. Unbelievable so, for how flighty she was.
Liliana was shaking her head as she answered. “When would you understand, Nora? He only cares for himself. Everything. Everything is only ever for his own good! Now please, leave. I find it I am starting to have a headache. You have denied me my freedom, do not take away my peace too.”
That did it. Saying nothing more, Nora turned to leave.
It was only when the door closed behind her that Liliana let herself break down and cry.
_
Sebastian found himself at Rothwell’s home, two days before his wedding.
He had been here only two times since the whole entire proposal scandal had been sorted. In all honesty, he still could not remember what had happened that night, but it was so many people’s words against his.
Sadly, he had no words, for he had no memories. He could not deny and he could not affirm. Nevertheless, in the presence of two to three witnesses, the truth was established.
There had been four witnesses. After giving it a good thought, he supposed it was not so awful.
He had planned to do it in a more beautiful way but somehow, he had gotten himself… drunk- he still could not believe that by the way- and ruined it all.
He knew he would never be able to redo that moment, but he hoped to redeem himself. Mayhap, their wedding day would be a better moment to tell her those three words.
Right there at the altar, as he said his vows, looking deeply into her eyes.
Indeed, he had wanted for this to be all over before taking their relationship to another level, but things had ended up working for good. He was going to get married to her anyway, why not just get it done with?
Still, many things bothered him. It was why he had been working hard in the past two weeks to bring everything to a wrap and it would end soon. They were close, he knew this.
As for the evil men… they had been awfully quiet. It was the kind of calm that came before a storm. Eerie, and very disturbing.
He shook his head, trying to get himself to stop worrying. Come what may, all was going to be fine. He believed this.
Good will prevail. Evil would be punished.
As Hortcroft let him into the house, he quickly told him that Lady Liliana was on the balcony, soaking in the sun.
Thanking the man, Sebastian offered a curt nod in his direction and began to go after his woman. The tingles in his belly began to rise, eager to outdo the flips of his heart.
He smiled, aware that this always happened when she was near. He could not wait to see her. Oh, he had missed her so terribly.
Given, there still was something odd about her, but he supposed every bride got shy before their wedding.
The house was busy, maids scurrying here and there. He managed to stay out of their way, nodding here, smiling there, as they greeted. Wedding preparations… ah… his house was just as mad.
He soon found the balcony, and there she was, sitting, eyes close and face facing the heavens. She looked like an angel. So beautiful, she made such a lovely day pale in comparison.
He stood at the door, contented with just watching her. He found it he could not bring himself to disrupt such beauty.
Thankfully, he did not have to. A maid, who was tending the garden, did so for him.
“Lady Nora! Come See! I found butterflies!”
Her eyes fluttered open in a moment and she sat up, her face instantly taken with glee.
“Butterflies, where?”
Hmm… that was strange. Liliana had never shared that she was so fond of butterflies. But… that was not Liliana, was it? The maid had called her Nora.
Oh… Hortcroft must have been mistaken. Liliana was not out here. It was Nora.
Nevertheless, it would not hurt to say hello. He hadn’t seen Lady Nora in a while. It would appear she was finally over her illness.
Stepping into the balcony, he revealed himself. As he came into view, the maid and Nora saw him.
“Lady Nora! It is wonderful to see you again after all this while. I hear you have been sick. I see you are fully recovered now.”
“Sebastian! Oh no, pardon Abigail. She was mistaken. It is me, Liliana!”
Oh… was it? Now, he was confused. He looked from the maid to Liliana? And from the look of their faces, he could tell that something was amiss.
Hmmm… mayhap, he had been looking at this the wrong way? At the ball, the next day when he had returned with an apology and a formal proposal and two days after… it had always occurred to him that Liliana felt different.
Was it possible that he felt that way, because she was indeed, different?
What if it was not Rothwell, or wedding jitters? What if this woman in front of him was simply not his Liliana, but a very clever impostor, and who better to pull it off, than her completely identical twin sister.
Identical, save for the eyes. Right.
Smiling to hide all the thoughts raving in his mind, he started to approach her. He was soon right in front of her and under the sunlight, he could see her clearly.
Those were not his lady’s eyes. At the ball, it had not been the lightning. It had simply not been that shade of amber he knew so well.
Goodness! He had been played. Completely had! No wonder. No wonder his heart did not seem so frantic when he was near. It knew. It knew this was not whom it beat for her.
Lord! It was almost laughable. They had played a clever one, but he would get to the end of this.
He was immediately worried. Where was Liliana? What had they done with her?
Had Rothwell?
He stopped himself before completing the thought.
No. Surely not? The man was mad but he would not act so foolishly. Liliana must be here somewhere, hopefully safe. For if Rothwell had touched one hair on her head, Sebastian could not guarantee that he would not harm the man himself.
“Oh of course! I thought so. Pardon me, my dear. I know that we have known each other a while and even engaged to be married but you are still an identical twin and sometimes, my eyes fail me. Hortcroft told me you were out here.”
“No need for apologies, Sebastian. We are mistaken all the time. I have grown accustomed to it. I did not know you would be calling today, but it is always such a delight to see you!”
“The pleasure is mine, Liliana, I assure you. I suppose I felt it would be thoughtful to drop by one last time before the wedding. I see that preparations are heavily underway.”
“Ah yes. Father wants everything to be perfect. I have been quite occupied, myself. I had just finished my dress fitting and I though to rest a short while. The sun is so nicely warm today. Come, sit.”
He did as she asked, taking the seat beside her. She too sat and as she did, he turned, so he would face her.
He observed her clearly and he could see it. As much as she tried to seem like her sister, as identical as they were, under the eyes of a man who loved one of them, dearly, he could see differences.
“Thank you, my dear! Ah… look at us. Soon to be wedded. It seems only like yesterday, when we met. Yet, we have come so far. Who would have thought that the lady who stole my attention in a mask, would take a piece of my heart at a lake. Remember the lake, Liliana? I think that was where it all truly began.”
He was watching her and he saw it. The uncertainty, the fear… as she contemplated what to say next.
Liliana had kept
her visits to the lake a secret from everybody, including her twin. If Nora would not know anything, it was what had happened at the lake.
“The lake?”
“Yes. Don’t tell you have forgotten so soon! You met me there, remember. You had come for some time alone, and you were sad to see that you had forgotten to bring food for the swans. But I had remembered. So, I offered to share mine, if you would not mind the company. You said it was a fair deal so we stood side by side, feeding the swans, while we talked about our lives and how much we detest feeling locked up.”
She grimaced when he said the last word and he knew… he knew Liliana was here somewhere, locked up. Good lord! That part was true. Liliana could not stay in one place for too long.
They were likened in that. Free birds, who always wanted to fly.
“Yes, Sebastian. I remember now. It was a very lovely evening.”
Something moved in his chest. Alas, it had been confirmed beyond doubt. This was not his Liliana. He gritted his teeth, his anger building at the thought that her own sister had agreed to whatever scheme this was!
Goodness! If this was not Liliana, was the proposal even real? Or was that too, simply a lie? A part of this elaborate sham?
He was disappointed. He would never betray Hanson this way. He wondered what Rothwell had on Nora, to make her choose him, over her sister.
That was why she had been so nervous around him. Afraid of failing at pretending to be her sister and being caught. Rothwell would not take that lightly now, would he?
For some reason, the man needed him to be married to Liliana, so desperately he would go to such length of deceit. Well, he simply needed to find out why.
“Indeed, it was. Oh well… Liliana, you must pardon me but I am afraid I must leave. I suddenly feel unwell. Mayhap, it was something I ate.”
A mask of concern immediately covered her face.
“Oh dear! I am sorry. I do hope it’s nothing to grave.”
“Do not fret over these things, my love. I shall be just fine. By the time we meet at the altar in two days, I will be as good as new. Until then, my dear, fare well.”
She smiled at him and even more, he saw how this could not be Liliana. His heart ached with a desperate need to find her but he knew he had to be careful.
More importantly, he needed Rothwell to suspect nothing if all were to go according to plan. Their plan depended on that.
Dropping a quick kiss on her cheeks, he stood to leave. Only, as he did, he managed to corner a maid.
He immediately flashed her a pouch of money to buy her cooperation. He saw as understanding dawned in her eyes, followed by two nods.
“Is Liliana well?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Is she safe?”
“Yes, my lord. The master has kept her locked in her chamber and guarded. We do not know why, but Lady Nora has been pretending to be her.”
That much he had figured out on his own. At least, now he knew she was well, safe and in her chambers.
“Thank you,” he said, giving her the pouch.
He ached to go to her, to see her for himself, affirm that she was indeed, alright but he could not.
So, he simply held on tightly to restraint, said his farewell to Hortcroft on the way out, and begun redesigning their plan.
Chapter 35
When Sebastian arrived at his home that afternoon, guests were waiting for him. Ramsey, Sam whom he had confided in as his other friend of the crown had to leave London on business, Evelyn, whom Sam had told everything, and a young lad who for some reason, seemed vaguely familiar.
Sebastian heaved a deep sigh as he took his seat, after ushering them all into his study and locking the doors.
“I have news,” he announced.
“As we all do,” Ramsey responded. “However, I think we must wait for this young lad here to speak. He has been very insistent on waiting for your arrival. I think you would find what he has to say, very interesting, in fact.”
Brows furrowed, Sebastian turned to look at the lad. It all clicked into place.
“You… I know you! You are the serving boy from the ball! You served us water. Myself and the lady. Wait… it was you, was it not? It was you who had me drugged?”
“Oh well, it looks like you figured that one out yourself,” Evelyn muttered.
The panic in the boy’s eyes was all Sebastian needed to see. Rising, he walked to the lad and held him up by the shirt.
“Have you any idea what you have done? Tell me! What do you have to say for yourself?” he bellowed.
Sebastian watched as the boy broke out in sweat and started to whimper. He almost pitied him.
“I apologize! I… I… I… swear, I’m… I am deeply sorry! I had no idea what it was! Lord Rothwell simply gave it to me to put in the drink. He swore it was not to harm you, and he… he paid me. I only heard of what had happened afterward. I have been eaten by guilt ever since. I simply could not take it anymore so I came to you, to confess my sins. You were not drunk that night, my lord. I do believe, you did not make any proposal, either.”
“Ah oh well, I bet there were no witnesses too. They too had simply been paid, like you.”
Sebastian sighed, shaking his head as he released the boy.
“You may go. You were simply a pawn in all of this. I have no score to settle with you.”
“Really? You are letting me go? Just like that?”
Sebastian eyed him, wondering what he was supposed to do with him, anyway.
“Do not make me change my mind.”
No more words were needed. The boy scurried away like a rabbit with its tail between its legs.
Sebastian sighed again as the door slammed shut.
“Younglings…”
Turning to the rest of his guest, he asked.
“So, what is the rest of the news. Do I go first?”
“Somehow… you already knew you had been drugged?” Sam was the one to ask.
“Yes. I also happened to learn that Liliana had been locked up in her chamber by her stepfather and her twin, Nora, has been taking her place since the night of the ball.”
Evelyn’s gasp was the loudest. “Oh dear goodness! I do hope she’s safe.”
“Oh she is, and well. A maid ascertained that. Although, I could not see for myself. The house was very busy with wedding preparations and I was told her door was being guarded. I could not risk being seen or letting Rothwell know that we already know of his sham.”
“I knew there was something odd about her at the ball! At first, it was as though she did not recognize us. And then, she could not recall our conversation at the park, but I presumed that was simply a cleverness on her part, to keep us from discussing it in your presence,” ended Evelyn.
That got Sebastian’s attention.
“My presence? Pray tell me, what are you two keeping from me?”
A sheepish smile immediately took over her face. “Oh well, nothing much. Only that when we were at the park, I saw that Liliana’s feelings ran deeply for you and she ached, not knowing where she stood with you. So, I told her to try to make you jealous. I mean, it worked with Sam. I assumed seeing her with another man would make you realize what you were holding out on and you know, go for her.”
“Wait, you tried to make me jealous, intentionally?” Sam asked, bewildered.
“Oh well, you did not exactly leave me any choice. But it worked, did it not? Finally got you to see me.”
“I suppose it did,” Sam answered, now smiling. It was nice to see that he had taken that well and was now cradling his wife.
The sight made Sebastian smile. Ah… it felt right with these ones. This friendship. He supposed, coming to London had done more for him that he had thought it would.
Friends he could count on, a woman he loved dearly and who he now knew, loved him in return, and his brother’s murderers behind bars- in due time.
“That was really sweet, Evelyn. Not that it would have been necessary. I have loved L
iliana for the longest time now. I simply wanted all of these to be over, so she would not be a part of my mess. Not that that sorted anything. She’s locked up now, all because of me.”
“Not the time for regrets, I am afraid. Thankfully, this is indeed, all almost over.”
Ramsey nodded at Evelyn, agreeing with her. He spoke afterwards.