“But I still love my sister dearly,” she announced. “Although she truly maddens me at times. I daresay that I am much to blame for our disagreements at times. I am afraid that I cannot hold my temper as well as she can.”
There were times when Cecilia knew that she had spoken harshly to her sister, but pride had kept her from admitting her wrong. She always found it better to simmer in regret than acknowledge defeat. It meant that she retained higher ground in an argument, but Cecilia knew that she was only fooling herself.
Perhaps it was time to set aside their differences and try to become what they once were. It was Cecilia’s hope that what she was about to do would aid her in doing so.
Finally, the carriage entered the estate, sending a flurry of butterflies in her stomach. She gripped it, willing herself to calm down.
“Deep breaths, Cecilia. You are doing this for Elizabeth.”
When the carriage stopped, and her door opened, she could not move.
“Miss?” said the driver. “We are at the residence.”
“Uh, yes, Stanford. Just a moment, please.”
The driver nodded his head and stepped aside. Could she enter this residence knowing that many eyes would look upon her with great disapproval? Her name would be all over the town by morning. Cecilia knew that she was risking more than just her reputation. Percy's parents could make him withdraw his marriage proposal, then where would she be?
“Please,” she prayed. “Let this work.”
With a deep breath, she descended from the carriage and walked to the entrance where a butler stood.
“Good evening, Miss.”
“Good evening,” she croaked. She tried again. “Good evening. May I ask if Lord Cavendish is in attendance?”
"Yes, he is. They are presently in the dining room, but I believe that the meal is at an end. Would you like an audience with him?"
“Yes. Please tell him that Miss Cecilia Ramsbury is here to see him and wishes to speak privately with him.”
“Very well, Miss Ramsbury. If you would follow me.”
The sprightly butler took off with Cecilia following at a respectable distance behind him. The nearer they drew to the dining room, the greater her nerves became. Her palms were damp, wetting the white gloves she wore. While the butler entered the dining room, she waited outside, hoping that Anthony would agree to see her.
If not, she would march into that room and drag him out. She had not come this far to go away without completing her objective.
It seemed like only seconds before Anthony appeared, his face etched with worry.
“Cecilia? Has something happened? Is Elizabeth not well?”
She squared her shoulders, planted her hands on her hips, and hoped that she retained her dignity as she spoke her accusation.
“Lord Cavendish, I wish to speak to you about your foolish behaviour.”
*
Anthony went from fearful to bemused in a matter of seconds.
"My foolish behaviour? I am afraid that you have me at a disadvantage, Cecilia. For I do not know of what you are speaking."
He watched her eyes narrow and her finger come up to point at him. “You have broken my sister's heart!”
The young woman's words both pleased and grieved him, if indeed they were true. However, they could not speak in the open. Anthony could already hear whispers near the door. He could only imagine what was being said. The word scandalous came to mind.
"Come, let us talk in the drawing room, unless you wish for others to hear your message?"
The woman appeared to ponder it for a moment before nodding her head. “Very well.”
She did not take his offered arm but walked beside him until they entered the room. He closed the door firmly behind them, taking in a deep breath as he faced her.
“Now,” he said. “Please explain what you mean by that statement.”
“You and my sister are both fools, Lord Cavendish.”
He smiled. “I believe that we have established that part. What I do not understand is why you would use such a word to describe your sister and I. Surely it is a tad harsh?”
“Harsh? I hardly think so. What is the meaning of your return to Miss Lambert?”
“That is not your concern, Cecilia.”
She spluttered. “Well, best you think again! I shall talk sense into you, Lord Cavendish. Baron or not.”
“Perhaps you should explain yourself rather than throw accusations about.”
“Oh, I sincerely intend on doing that, kind sir. Do not think otherwise.”
Anthony reckoned that her 'kind sir' was not meant to indicate that he was kind in the least. The young woman was a little spitfire, glaring at him with eyes similar to her sister's.
“Come, let us sit.” He led a bristling Cecilia to a seat before sitting down himself, interested to hear what she had to say. “Are you alone?” he asked.
“What of it?”
Her question was sharp, but he saw the fear behind her bravado. She likely knew that her coming here was not a thing to be done, which made what she had to tell him all the more interesting. And what did she mean by him having broken Elizabeth's heart? She had not seemed particularly broken-hearted hours before.
"Nothing, nothing. Please, proceed."
“It is quite simple, Lord Cavendish –”
“Anthony.”
“Lord Cavendish,” she insisted. “My sister has been a different person these past few weeks. She has been happier, far less strained than she used to be, and she has smiled a great deal more than I have seen her do in many years. Up until recently, her whole life had revolved around her music and that accursed pianoforte.”
“Your sister loves to play the pianoforte, Cecilia. I hardly think that it is something for you to disregard.”
“That may be but being around you has opened her world up to another life that she seldom considered. She has changed, Lord Cavendish, and you are the source of that change.”
Cecilia's words would be dangerous to him if he gave into them. He needed to steel himself from getting emotionally involved.
“Did your sister tell you this?”
“No, but she did not have to. Had you seen the despair on her face, you would have known her depth of affection for you. She loves you, Lord Cavendish, and if you are the man that I know you to be, you love her as well.”
Anthony was stupefied. Elizabeth loved him? Could it be true?
“There must be a mistake, Cecilia. You possibly misread her facial expression.”
“I know my sister well. There was no mistaking what I saw. Besides, I know about the plan, and while you may believe that you have what you wanted, I do not believe that my sister has what she wanted.”
Anthony had the sense to feel embarrassed about it. It was not one of his finer moments, but he would not have changed anything as it gave him the opportunity to spend time with a wonderful woman. No. There was something he would have changed, and that was the outcome.
"If you know about the plan, then you know the nature of it. Why would your sister not have what she had wanted? She told me herself that her independence and your marriage is now secure."
Cecilia shook her head. “You are an intelligent man, Lord Cavendish, but your knowledge seems to have failed you. Your false courtship was brief, too brief in fact, to cause a ripple in our lives. Not even my parents have had the opportunity to meet you.”
Anthony brought his hand to his eyes, suddenly realising what she meant. What had he done? Why did he not see it before? He brought his hand down to look at the woman before him.
“I am sorry, Cecilia. I am truly sorry that I was not able to secure your marriage. It never occurred to me that this would happen. I have likely destroyed you and your sister's happiness.”
She looked up. “Never mind my happiness, Lord Cavendish. What of my sister's happiness? Now that I have had the opportunity to think about this situation during the ride over, I see the true dilemma here. At first, I beli
eved that my marriage would be jeopardised by this foolish plan, but that is not the case. Perhaps Eliza is too overcome by grief to see it, but I do not believe that Father would have forced her into marriage, no matter his ultimatum. My sister would have eventually found a way to convince him that she does not wish to be married. So you see, I need not have been truly worried about my future with Percy. There will be repercussions to my coming here unescorted as opposed to anything else."
"Why would your father give such an ultimatum? Elizabeth was anxious about it."
"She was more so worried for me, I believe. Lord Cavendish, my father simply wants the best for his daughters. Forcing my sister to attend a season was his way of making her see that there is more to life than her music. If he had not used an ultimatum, then Elizabeth would have refused to come to London. He is a hard man, but he does love us. My sister does not see this now, but she will soon enough."
“Then why are you here? If your sister will still get her freedom and you will be married, why have you risked everything to come here?”
She rolled her eyes. “Have you not been listening? My sister loves you! She may live her life of music, but she will never be truly happy as she was with you. You are both perfect for one another, and I believe that you could be happy if only you would confess your feelings to each other and stop being so stubborn.”
Anthony could not stop the warmth of hope spreading throughout his body.
“Your sister loves me?”
“Did I not just say that? Hear me well. You are both so alike, both in temperament and your love of music. Eliza believes that getting married would rip her of her identity, but I do not believe that would happen were she to marry you. There has never been a couple more suited than you and my sister, Lord Cavendish. I see my sister's qualities mirrored in you, a perfect reflection. Eliza is an intelligent woman, more so than many people I have met, but you were able to match her and keep her entertained – that is no easy thing to do. You both share a love for music, and I must tell you that I never thought to see another person who could match her talent and skill. Beauty, kindness, a passion for music – you both have it in abundance. Frankly, I do not believe that Miss Lambert will ever give you the happiness that my sister could.”
What Cecilia spoke was true. He and Elizabeth were alike in many ways, it was why they had enjoyed each other's company so well. However, there was still an insecure part of him that would not accept the woman's words so readily.
"What you say may be true. But if your sister did not confess with her mouth that she loves me, then your coming here has been for nought."
Cecilia sighed. He could see that she was exasperated with him.
"Lord Cavendish, my sister did indeed confess that she loves you, but she thinks it hopeless, for you love another."
“She spoke those very words?”
“Did I stutter, my lord?”
Anthony overlooked her cheeky answer, choosing to focus on one beautiful fact. Elizabeth loved him. It was as though a dam had burst forth in his heart, and everything that he had been holding back filled him with indescribable joy.
“No, you certainly did not.”
Chapter 14
Anthony could hardly contain himself. The weight of an unhappy future had lifted off him, and what lay before was something he could look forward to. However, he needed to be wise about how he would go about doing what he needed to do. Cecilia sat before him, eyes bright with emotion for her sister. The fact that she had come all the way here, unescorted, knowing full well that this could ruin her reputation, had humbled him. Not many people would have done what she did, and he was grateful. There was no doubt in Anthony's mind as to what he should do and what he wanted to do. Both his heart and his mind were finally at peace.
“Cecilia, you have done me a great service by coming here. Rest assured that I do indeed love your sister and wish to marry her.”
The young woman breathed out a sigh of relief. "Oh, goodness! I am so happy to hear you say that! It would have been terrible if all had been for nought."
“You did right by coming here, and you need not worry about rumours to follow – I shall quash them myself.”
She smiled. “I was hoping that you would say that, Lord Cavendish. Despite your blunder, you are an honourable man who will make my sister happy. Now, I must return home as I have done and said all that I set out to do. The rest is in your hands.”
She stood up, smoothing down her dress. Anthony stood up as well, amazed to discover that the heavy fatigue that had settled over him hours earlier had gone.
“Let me escort you to your carriage, Cecilia. And I ask you not to breathe a word of what we discussed to anyone else, not until I have made the announcement myself. Do not relate anything to your sister either – I wish to do something special.”
He watched as she scrunched up her face, obviously not too happy about it.
“You are taking the wind out of my sails, Lord Cavendish. My aunt will be waiting to hear what has become of my little adventure, and I am certain that Elizabeth will wish to know where I have been.”
“Please,” he pleaded. “Give me time to make things right. I shall tell you this. I intend on ending my courtship with Diana and proposing to your sister. Expect my arrival tomorrow morning.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Well, I suppose that I can hold my tongue overnight, but do not take too long. I do love a good story to share.”
“And you will have one, as soon as I have proposed to your sister.”
Cecilia nodded. "Very well. Escort me to my carriage and let me be going. It is late, and I have yet to have my dinner."
Before long, Anthony had deposited the young woman into her carriage and saw it off, watching as it grew smaller and smaller. Before he had turned around, he noticed another carriage drawing up to the house. It looked familiar, but in the dim lights of the lanterns dotted about the house, he could not make out every detail. As it drew nearer, he suddenly realised to whom it belonged.
He could not have chosen a better time for his friend to return. He would be pleased to hear of the change in his decision.
He waited for the carriage to stop, eager to tell Felton all that had transpired during his absence. Felton finally climbed down, but Anthony could see that he was not remotely happy to see him. If anything, his friend looked livid.
“You!” Felton shouted. “I have returned to tell you that I refuse for you to marry Diana. I refuse to sit by and have you ruin your life over a woman who will bring you nothing but misery.”
“Yes, I know –” Anthony tried to explain.
"You know nothing!" his friend interrupted. "You finally met someone who is perfect for you, but you instead choose to run after a woman who ran away from you. What kind of an imbecile are you?"
“Felton! Just listen to me.”
“No! I shall do no such thing. You either listen to me or you can consider yourself friendless.”
Anthony had never seen his friend this worked up before. “Old friend, are you all right?”
“How can I be all right when you want to make the biggest mistake of your life? I lost the only woman that I ever loved, and I can never get her back. Elizabeth is still alive, Anthony, she is alive! You have the chance to have the kind of happiness that I shall never have again. Why would you throw it away for a woman who would sooner humiliate you than love you?”
When Felton's voice broke towards the end, Anthony felt a lump form in his own throat. This was a man who had been with him through thick and thin, a man he had grown up with. No one else knew him better than Felton did, and he knew that whatever his friend spoke was out of concern. Anthony was ashamed that he had been the one to bring back painful memories of Henrietta's death. He would do anything to bring her back from the dead for Felton, but it was not possible. However, he could bring some comfort to him by letting him know that he did indeed plan to marry Elizabeth.
“Felton, you were right. You were right all along.�
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His friend frowned. “What are you saying?”
Anthony laughed. “What were you just saying?”
“About Elizabeth?”
“Yes. You were right about it all. I can never be with Diana. She simply is not the one for me.”
Felton's mouth dropped open. “Am I dreaming? I was fully prepared to drag you kicking and screaming away from that witch, but now I find myself not quite knowing what to do. Are you telling me that you no longer wish to be with Diana?”
“That is precisely what I am saying.”
“And you love Elizabeth?”
“With my whole being.”
A Courtship to Remember: A Historical Regency Romance Book Page 22