His Candlemas Hope

by Marly Mathews

  “Aye, so do I. We must fight that wicked part of ourselves,” Hope murmured.

  “We wouldn’t…we wouldn’t want to wander into that dark territory, would we?” Faith asked.

  “No. I am content with the way we use our abilities now, Faith. I don’t think we would be comfortable embracing the full extent of the power we wield, and Papa’s warning about our fairy light being a beacon for other of our kind, still scares me enough. I do not think we could handle coming under their scrutiny. I wouldn’t want someone stronger than us to find us and decide to use us as their personal form of entertainment. I also don’t want us to come to the attention of the pixies.”

  “I don’t think they care about the war between our kinds anymore,” Faith said softly.

  “I wouldn’t want to test it. We are not strong enough for such a thing.”

  “You are quite right about that. I worry about Desi sometimes. She takes our gifts for granted. She didn’t have Papa around long enough, I don’t think. He adored her, and she adored him, but she was so young when he died, and…”

  “And you fear that she didn’t take his warnings as seriously as we did,” Hope murmured.

  “I believe so. She doesn’t fear having outsiders discover us the way that we do. She…she is like a giantess the way she stomps about using her magic.”

  “I know. One of these days…it’s going to catch up with her. One of these days she is going to use enough to bring herself unwanted attention. And it will all come down raining around our heads. Even the little things she does are bound to gain attention,” Hope sighed heavily.

  “Right now, I think we conceal it enough. I worry…I worry what will happen as we all go our separate ways. You will be married within the month, and then…well, we might be able to find the same happiness…what will happen to Desi?” Faith sighed, mournfully, worry creasing her brow.

  “There is no other way around it. We will all have to stay close to each other until Desi comes to her senses, and realizes that she can’t be a wayward little imp all of her life. She will have to realize someday that her antics could come with a pretty hefty price. Don’t fret, Faith. All will be well.”

  “That is exactly what Papa used to tell us. I don’t know if I can keep on believing it.”

  “Let us cast aside all of our worries for today, Faith. Mama is looking forward to a day of shopping, and I must confess—so am I. I don’t know how we will get back in time and get dressed for the ball…but I suppose we shall deal with the hurly-burly nature of it all. Town life is never peaceful,” she chuckled.

  “Oh, but we can have such a jolly good time here, and this shall be Desi’s first Season…we…we are fortunate indeed that Uncle Christian is willing to pay for it all. Now we can call the little imp, Desi the Deb. I know that Mama is looking forward to presenting Desi at Court. She shall be one of the prettiest debutantes there, and one of the most mischievous as well,” Faith said, a twinkle in her blue eyes. “As for our day of shopping, the Burlington Arcade is one of the best things about coming to Town, and Mama delights in the serene atmosphere. It is such a soothing place to be.”

  “As long as you have the money for it,” Hope quipped.

  “Yes, indeed. I suppose we don’t have to worry about our funds the way we used to before Papa passed away. Uncle Christian’s generosity has been overwhelming.”

  Silently, they reflected upon the past five years. Hope’s reverie was interrupted by Ariel, who had jumped back up onto the bed, and was presently putting her arse in Hope’s face. It was her way of telling her to get her own arse moving because she wanted to eat.

  “Oh, Ariel, you are quite the little imp as well,” Faith murmured. She reached over and gathered Ariel into her arms. “Since I am already dressed, I shall take her to the kitchens to see what they have for her.”

  “Thank you, Faith.” Faith took Ariel from Hope, and clutched her close to her.

  Faith nodded her head at her. “Remember, I will endeavor to help you with Lord Langford tonight,” Faith said, opening Hope’s bedchamber door.

  “You are a lamb, Faith.”

  “Oh, aye, Faith is a lamb, but what does that make me?” Desi asked, poking her head into the room.

  “That makes you a little beast,” Hope said bluntly.

  “I thought I was an imp,” Desi said petulantly.

  “Oh, you are that, too,” Faith said, laughing. “Come on, Desi, come with me and stop pestering Hope,” she said.

  Desi eyed Ariel ruefully. “She’s not going to growl at me again, is she? Those claws of hers are wicked.”

  “Not if you don’t act like a little brat, she won’t,” Hope murmured.

  “I think I like Felicity better,” Desi said, sticking her perky little nose up into the air.

  “Aye, Felicity doesn’t know what a bothersome little pain in the backside you can be,” Faith said. “If she did, she would eye you with contempt, too. We shall see you at breakfast, Hope. I would make haste, Uncle Christian likes us all to eat together.”

  “I know.” With that, Hope closed her bedchamber door behind them, and went to ring for a maid. Whoever was available would come and attend her.

  As her maid helped her to dress and fix her hair, she remembered the nightmare, and tried to recall the bits of it that featured the mystery lad. The sooner she figured out his identity, the closer she would be to solving the riddle of Gilbert’s nightmares.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Burlington’s Arcade had been a feast for the eyes.

  It was relatively new, having opened in 1819. They walked through it with the watchful eyes of their Uncle Christian and Felix keeping guard for any unsavory sorts. She caught sight of several of the Burlington Arcade Beadles in their uniforms that included top hats and frockcoats. She, her mother, her uncle, sisters, Fanny, and Felix browsed several of the shops, and picked up a few purchases along the way.

  Fanny bought Hope a pair of green jade and gold drop earrings from one of the jewelers. The color was a nice rich green, and closely resembled the shade of her eyes. Fanny bought the rest of the girls’ bonnets from the milliners, and for Elizabeth and the rest of her aunts, Fanny bought them shawls and gloves.

  When they were about to leave the Arcade and head home, Gilbert showed up. Hope’s heartbeat quickened at the sight of him. He looked fashionable, and his handsome visage made her heart skip a beat. She studied him intently. He whisked his hat off to grandly bow to them all. His dark hair looked wavier than usual. He didn’t use pomade quite so heavily in his hair the way that some men did. He didn’t look at all tired. She looked worse than he did, and she was years younger.

  Either he had a way of covering his exhaustion, or he was one of those men that could survive on three or four hours’ worth of sleep. His dark sparkling eyes swept over all of them, and she thought that they lingered on her a little longer than they had on any of the others, making her warm at the thought.

  “Lord Langford, you shall either have to excuse us, or you are welcome to come with us. Why don’t we go and have a refreshment at Gunter’s and then return home? It shall give you all about four hours to ready yourselves for the ball. I can only hope it will be sufficient time,” Christian said, chuckling.

  “Oh, Christian,” Elizabeth laughed. “You can be so cheeky at times. We shall make do with whatever time you give us. I think going to Gunter’s sounds heavenly. I do so like the treats they have there.”

  Elizabeth was in good spirits. Nothing made her happier than shopping, and buying things that she actually had the money for. Gilbert seemed intent upon avoiding Hope. Faith eyed her, and she knew she was thinking the same thing that Hope was thinking. However were they going to arrange a private meeting between the two of them? Breaking free of chaperones were harder than she had thought it would be.

  Had Lord Langford decided not to court her? Or had he decided to marry her whenever her Uncle told him to, and then, treat his bride like a stranger?

  Why was he be
ing so deliberately cruel?

  She listened to him as he talked in low tones to her uncle. Sighing heavily, she wandered away from the group and holding her reticule tightly, she hailed a hackney-carriage. “Are you mad?” the familiar voice made her shiver. “You cannot go traipsing around Mayfair without a chaperone. Your Uncle looked as if he was going to have a fit when he realized that you had wandered off. Your mother wasn’t even nonplussed. She said you could take care of yourself, but she did worry about someone else seeing you alone and talking about it.”

  “That’s my mother for you. Always worried about keeping up appearances. I am exhausted. I decided to return to Blessing House and have a rest before I bathed, and dressed for the ball tonight.”

  “I think you wandered off because I wasn’t paying any attention to you. You had the same sulky expression on your face that Miss Desi so often employs.”

  “And yet, you are here alone with me. Why would they allow us to be left without a chaperone?”

  “I think they allowed it as we are going to be married shortly.”

  “They shouldn’t have.” Still, she had gotten what she wanted. A moment to have a private word with Gilbert, and now, she wanted the hell away from him.

  He helped her up into the carriage, and then he settled his lanky form on the seat across from her. She wanted to slap him. Instead, she merely eyed him with contempt.

  “I think…I think there is enough fire in your eyes to reduce me to a pile of ash,” he remarked, his eyes still dancing. “I wonder…is that something you can do with your abilities?”

  She leaned forward. “I didn’t think you cared to know anything more about me. I rather thought that you might grudgingly do your duty—marry me, and then treat me like a stranger.”

  “I had thought about that. But then…I decided doing that would be absolutely no fun. No matter how much I want us to remain strangers, I do not think I am strong enough to stay away from you.”

  “Strangers do not share the same dreams, oh, I am sorry, they cannot be called dreams, can they? Nightmares, more like.”

  This statement caught him off guard. He swallowed thickly, and leaned toward her.

  “What are you talking about?” he asked, his voice almost a low growl. Alarm danced in his eyes. She had finally managed to unnerve him.

  Good.

  “You know precisely what I am talking about.” She leaned back, attempting to shake the feelings that his stormy gaze elicited within her.

  He moved quickly, and settled next to her on the seat. “Tell me…tell me what you are seeing,” he said hoarsely. “You need to tell me everything, and then…you need to get the hell out of my head.”

  “I don’t think this is the time for me to tell you everything, and if I had any control over staying out of your head, I would. Besides, I am rather tired. Those nightmares of yours disturbed my sleep. You, sir, are the one that should be apologizing to me. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “I…I am sorry.” True regret tinged his voice, and his shoulders slumped. “Whatever sort of spell you have wrought on me, break it, so that you won’t share my dreams anymore. They aren’t…they aren’t meant for you. I do not know how you are not a bundle of nerves. Most women wouldn’t be able to handle what haunts me.”

  “You should know by now that I am not most women. As for you thinking you are under a spell, that is fustian nonsense. I haven’t worked any spell over you, and you should know that by now. I share your nightmares for one simple reason…”

  “That reason being that you have placed a love spell on me.”

  “Nothing of the kind,” she said hotly, trying to edge away from him. “I…I cannot fight the effects of true love, and that is what you are for me. You are my true love, and that sort of a bond affects both of the individuals caught in it, in some rather startling ways. Some part of you reached out to me. It called to me when you needed me the most, and because of that, you let me into your dreams—or rather your nightmares. I…I have no control over it. I can pull out of them if I wish…but doing so expends a lot of energy, and will keep me off my feet for the next day. It’s easier to just stick it out, and attempt to find some way to help you, and right now, I am at a loss. I do know that you are haunted. I don’t know who the boy is…but…”

  “Wait,” he said, grabbing her hand. “Did you say boy?”

  “Aye. Well, he’s a boy on the cusp of being a man, actually,” she said, nervous at the angry glint that had entered his eyes. His defenses were up. She could tell that she had struck a nerve, and he would do all he could do to make her feel small and unworthy.

  “Leave it alone,” he said huskily. “Pray, take yourself out of my head. And take the next day to recover. If it doesn’t kill you…then, do it. I don’t want your help. I don’t need your help. You just keep to yourself, do you hear me? I don’t want anything to do with that fairy magic of yours.”

  “I told you, I cannot stop it.”

  “I heard you, and I also heard you say that you can pull yourself out of my dreams. So, you do that, little miss. Is that understood?”

  “It won’t ever end, Lord Langford. The nightmares will never end until you come to terms with the guilt that is weighing heavily upon you. You have to do it, or else, well, it might eventually drive you mad. No man can deal with what you are suffering alone. You need help. I hate to see you in pain. I cannot take it much longer. That boy is the key, and you must…you must tell me who he is, so I can help you. Pray, pray let me help you. Please, Gilbert.” Her heart ached for him. She wished he would take her into his arms, and confess all to her. She could take it from him, but that was the ultimate invasion, and she and her sisters had never done that before.

  “I don’t need your bloody help, Miss Fortescue. I don’t need anyone’s help, least of all an interfering little chit like you.”

  Pain stabbed her heart at his cruel rebuff.

  The carriage rattled to a stop, and he sighed, and opened the carriage door. She declined his offer of assistance, and stumbled down the steps. He tried to take her arm when it looked as if she was going to take a tumble. She shook him off. “Don’t you dare touch me, Lord Langford! Not after what you said. You sealed your own fate, sir,” she murmured. He jumped away from her, fear in his eyes. “I don’t want to see you ever again. I will tell my uncle that everything is over between us. I would rather face the flames of scandal, over marriage to you. I, sir, do not wish to live a life of drudgery leg-shackled to you. You are a beast, and you have the manners of one. You might have been ennobled, but you act nothing like a gentleman. You shall never be a proper lord, no matter how hard you try, and others in the ton shall never accept you. You haven’t raised yourself past the station of your birth. I thought you had. I wished you had.” Now it was her turn to hurt him. And hurt him, she would. “You speak like a lord with a refined accent that is obviously not your own. You dress like a lord, and you act like a lord, up to a point. Your manners are something to be desired. You, sir, are common, and you do not deserve me. I hail from the Noble House of Fortescue, and you…you are just a Jones. You are worse than the last man who wanted to marry me, at least he wasn’t beneath my touch. Why don’t you marry Lady Doris? I hear she is quite desperate, and she will take anything with a title now. You fit that criteria,” with her last parting scathing insult, she raised her head high, lifted her skirts and made for the steps that led up into the Palladian style townhouse. She hoped he hurt just as much as she did.

  Haughtily brushing past him, she heard him intake his breath. He had felt that jolt again. That jolt meant they were made for each other. The problem was, he didn’t deserve her. He was a bloody devil. She didn’t want to see him ever again. Fury raged through her body, making her shake. Without waiting for the butler to open the door to Blessing House, she used her powers to open it, praying that the butler was somewhere else in the house and wouldn’t see what she had done. If he had, she would have to alter his memory a wee bit, and doing that ki
nd of magic was risky.

  “Blast and damn, woman,” she heard Gilbert say. Blessing House was set back a bit, and it had privacy that some of the other houses on the Square lacked, and no one else would see what she had done, as the Square wasn’t exactly bustling with people or carriages.

  Releasing her anger, she turned back to look at him, and pointed her finger imperiously at him. “Don’t call on me ever again, Lord Langford. You are dead to me, sir,” With those harshly spoken parting words, she slammed the door shut, only having to lift one little finger. He now had his suspicions confirmed, and she prayed, she prayed that she had put the fear of God into him, by showing him exactly what she could do, if someone pushed her hard enough.

  Somehow, someway, she had to break the bond that had been forged between them.

  Hell would freeze over before she married Gilbert Jones.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Gilbert was stunned. Utterly and completely shocked.

  He stood looking in astonishment at the closed door for nearly ten minutes before he collected his senses, and turned away from the grand townhouse. He was tempted to go inside and argue his case with her. He hadn’t meant to infuriate her into such a state. She was riled into such a temper that he feared what she might do left alone to her own devices. He doubted she would attend the ball tonight.

  He should be happy to be rid of her. He should be rejoicing. Instead, his heart felt heavy. His fondness for Miss Fortescue had grown over the time since they had first met, and he was starting to acclimate himself to the thought of a marriage to the mercurial little fairy. She was everything he had ever wanted in a wife.

  With a few harsh words, he had obliterated all of that. She had looked at him like he was a monster, and pain crept into his heart, as he reflected upon it. He didn’t want her to be sore at him, and he certainly hadn’t meant to raise her ire to the point where she would forbid him from ever seeing her again.