Tempted by Curiosity

by Angeleke Kaldis

  “Father, we have extra rooms to spare for Lord Westbrook and a few of the Officers. I propose that they stay on with us for a few days while you and Lydia heal. Alexander can help you with your finances, as well as your business papers. It would also give you and the rest of the family a good chance to get to know him a lot better before the wedding.”

  Lucinda and Bernice walked in from the backdoors, and asked in excitement unison, “What wedding?”

  Marcella showed them the ring and they gladly congratulated her with big hugs. The Stansfield daughters were country girls of a rather peaceful nature, they rarely faked their emotions, and that was what made them so pure of heart. Marcella knew that they were honestly excited to hear about her happy news.

  As the merriment between sisters was going on, Lady Stansfield was whispering to Lord Stansfield. He listened to her intently, and then nodded to his wife in agreement.

  The way Lady Stansfield was whispering to Lord Stansfield made Alexander smirk.

  He then nudged Marcella, “You know, you do that to me too.”

  Marcella jokingly nudged him back, but he was right. She was just like her mother after all. She loved her mother more than words could describe. Marcella had learned to be a better person because of her mother.

  They’d gone through many tempestuous moments together, but through all of those rough times Lady Rowena had taught Marcella how to be a better person, and to overcome her strong emotions for the better.

  Lady Stansfield then smiled with an overwhelming amount of confidence as her husband spoke, “Oh fine Rowena, you win. Go ahead, tell them all.”

  Lady Stansfield walked to the center of the parlor and announced to the whole room, “Officers, and Lord Westbrook. My husband and I would like to invite you all to stay in our home for a week’s time. His lordship, and our daughter Lady Lydia, will still require some assistance through this arduous time. They would be grateful for your help.”

  Officer Grahams bowed to them and then replied, “Thank you Lord and Lady Stansfield. Officer Paul and I will stay on with you and your family. My other men have much paperwork to handle when they get back to the city. We also happen to have an undisclosed case to further investigate that needs much attention.”

  The men agreed with their commanding officer at once. The lady of the house then looked to Lord Westbrook for his answer.

  “Thank you Lord and Lady Stansfield. I would be most delighted to stay on here with my new family for the week.”

  A simple yes would have sufficed for the Stansfield’s, but by calling them his new family Alexander had won them all over.

  That was it.

  He was theirs now, he was one of them.

  A week in the Stansfield’s home felt more like several months. Alexander would break his fast every morning with everyone in the dining room. All the Stansfield’s, as well as both Officers Grahams and Paul, were very early risers.

  After Alexander would look over and organize Lord Stansfield’s extensive papers, he would have afternoon tea with everyone on the back terrace.

  After that he would discuss all of those papers with Lord Stansfield in his private office. Once Alexander and his future father-in-law were done for the day, they would join the rest of family and the two Metropolitan officers for evening supper.

  While Alexander became acquainted with Lord Ernest Stansfield and his financial situation, Marcella would spend her time discussing potential wedding ideas with her mother and sisters.

  In a week’s time, Alexander and Lord Stansfield had become close, just like a father and son. Halfway through the week Lord Stansfield had solely named Alexander as his head financial advisor, and even declared him as his future heir.

  Alexander had been very busy with the whole process of entailing the Stansfield home and lands back into the Stansfield family’s name. He had declared all five Stansfield daughter’s as the heiresses to the estate instead of declaring himself Lord Stansfield’s sole heir. It was possible to do since the Stansfield family had been gifted their titles directly by the crown.

  Alexander made sure that all that he did was put into writing and processed correctly because he wanted Marcella and her sisters to be the true heirs to their land and fortune.

  Thankfully, Alexander had really good friends in very high legal places, and they could easily validate all of this for him when it was done and ready to be looked over.

  Alexander wanted his future wife, and all four of his future sister-in-law’s, to have sizable dowries that were worthy of them.

  He’d also made certain that his sister-in-law’s future husbands couldn’t touch the dowries without written permission from the Stansfield ladies themselves. This land, and the money that came with it, was theirs and they all deserved to keep it.

  After a few days time, Lydia was also improving. She could finally walk without limping as much. Her bruises were still there but they were now turning yellow, and the cut on her head was heeling well.

  Lydia would speak with Officer Paul on a daily basis about her time with Mr. Coll. Regardless of the darker turns that their conversations would take, the handsome young officer always found a way to bring a slight smile to her face.

  That was good, but Lydia continued to have nightmares when she slept, and her once rebellious personality had not been the same since the incident. Marcella was extremely worried about her sister.

  Lydia hadn’t just changed due to what had happened between her and Mr. Coll, but also because she falling in love with Officer Paul. He was solely focused on his career, and he was not very interested in getting involved with a young wild girl at this time.

  Marcella realized that Lydia wasn’t the only one who had become utterly besotted by Officer Paul. The rest of the Stansfield girls had also become infatuated with the angelic man, and his kind demeanor.

  Officer Grahams, on the other hand, had fit right in with the Stansfield family. He felt right at home with all of the red-haired people around him.

  Nonetheless, he had left in the middle of the week in order to return to his own young family, and all of the work that awaited him at the office when he got back to London.

  Before Officer Grahams left, Marcella had given him letters so that he could send them out to her friends. Marcella wanted to reassure them all that she was fine, and that Mr. Coll had been defeated with the help of the Metropolitan Police.

  Marcella had decided not to tell her friends about her engagement to Alexander in her letters because she wanted to tell them the celebratory news face to face and with her dear Alexander standing by her side at Lady Westbrook’s Tea Gathering.

  Alexander and Marcella both knew, and decided together, that this gathering was where all of their closest friends would be. That was why it would be the perfect place to announce their engagement.

  A day after Officer Grahams’ departure from Hertford three letters arrived from Belgravia, Kensington, and Mayfair. All her friends had written her back immediately.

  They were all glad that she was safe, and that her family was also out of harms way.

  Each lady mentioned how much they missed her, and how they couldn’t wait to see her again soon at Lady Westbrook’s private event at her home in Mayfair.

  A knock sounded on her bedroom door and Marcella turned around from her desk to see her future husband standing at the threshold of her childhood bedroom door.

  He was wearing her Grandfather’s favorite plum-colored coat. Alexander had needed some new clothes to wear while his were being washed and cleaned for him.

  Luckily for him, as well as for Officer’s Grahams and Paul, the Stansfield’s had spare clothing tucked away in the attics.

  Alexander then leaned against the doorway nonchalantly. Marcella could have stared at him in that position all day. He was such a breath of fresh air, not just for her, but for her whole family as well.

  “Ready to take a walk?” Alexander asked her with a titillating tone.

  She nodded like a li
ttle child and stood up from her chair, putting the letters that she had just read into her pale-green cotton day-dress pocket.

  She reached out for his hand and he took hers happily, with no hesitation and no worries about who might see them being so intimate with one another. They walked out onto the back terrace towards the garden.

  They waved out to the three younger Stansfield sisters as they were playing lawn games. Lydia had chosen to sit at an outdoor table with Officer Paul instead.

  Marcella could tell that Lydia was nicely sketching Officer Paul, whose first name happened to be Stephen. It was nice to see that she still loved to draw, and that her sketching was approving.

  Lydia had finally shared some of her artwork with her family, all thanks to Officer Paul’s insistence to focus on what she loved to do in order to battle the darkness within her. She had several sketches of people, and animals as well.

  There were several sketches of rabbits.

  Alexander and Marcella had claimed the garden as their little secret spot to venture out to, even if it really wasn’t that top secret.

  There was a bench that Alexander and Marcella would come to sit on when they just wanted a moment to be alone together. They would talk about their return to London, and their reentry into society as a newly engaged couple.

  “Alexander, I think that we should get married soon.” Marcella laid her head upon his shoulder as they sat together on the bench, hand in hand.

  Alexander looked down at her and asked, “Are you eager or with child?”

  She shrugged playfully, “A little bit of both I suppose. I’m not certain yet, it feels too early to know, but I have been feeling quite ill. I was sick this morning, and from what I’ve been reading these feelings could all possibly be a sign of a baby or maybe even just stress.”

  Alexander stopped her with a rapid reply, “The eighth of November.”

  She looked perplexedly up at him, “My birthday? What of it?”

  Alexander stood up, “If you’re pregnant, then we can get married and no one will know that you’re with child because you’re not showing yet. I’ve also been writing to the private chapel near our future home in Cambridgeshire, and they’re ready for whenever we are to get married. Also, wouldn’t a wedding be the best birthday present that you’ve ever received?”

  Marcella looked up at the man standing in front of her with exhilaration. She was deeply in love with him, and she would do anything to see that effortless smile on his face all the time.

  The idea of having a wedding on her birthday was growing on her. It could surely work out if she was indeed with child, and it would be a birthday she could never forget.

  Also, Marcella would never be able to forget when her wedding anniversary was because it would be on her birthday each year. It all worked in her favor.

  She stood and put out her hand, “Deal.”

  He shook it, and then pulled her into him for a deep and passionate kiss that made everything quiver with pleasure within her.

  Alexander meant the world to Marcella, he was her everything, and she was his in return. He was her first kiss, and he would most definitely be her last.

  Marcella wanted the taste of his lips on hers forever, but then Alexander mentioned that tomorrow they would both have to travel on back to London.

  “The Pinkerton’s simply cannot wait for your return. You have made quite the impression on them Marcella. When Louisa told me what had happened, I thought that she would seize up, but she bravely spoke through all of her erratic sobbing. It’s nice to see she has an array of emotions.”

  Marcella quirked an eyebrow as she gave him a hard side glance, “What ever do you mean by that?”

  Alexander shrugged, “Rachel has always been the center of attention in society, and because of that popularity not many people were aware of another Pinkerton daughter. Until this season of course, Louisa has proven herself a pearl of the first water.”

  Marcella agreed with him on that, but she just hoped that Louisa could prove to be her own unique person. Not just Rachel’s little sister, or the other Pinkerton daughter.

  A voice sounded from across the field as Alexander and Marcella exited the garden, “Hurry up! They’ve gotten out again!”

  Marcella frowned, “Ugh, not again.”

  Alexander asked, “What’s going on? Who has gotten out again?”

  Marcella pointed to a white rabbit that hopped happily past them, “The white rabbits got out again, they were a gift from my Grandfather before he passed away. There are five of them, one for each Stansfield girl. Come on, we better find them before the sun goes down.”

  He nodded dutifully, with his future wife by his side, they ran after the white rabbit, which was faster than Alexander had originally assumed. It took them a couple of hours, but thanks to a full team effort, they’d found all five of the rabbits and put them back into their little home.

  Officer Paul had chosen to stay the whole week with the family to make sure that Lord Stansfield and Lady Lydia were both on the rightful path of healing from their wounds. Physical, and mental.

  All the Stansfield daughters enjoyed his presence in the house, but Alexander was a bit hesitant when it came to the young officer. His brotherly tendencies were kicking in super hard, and he didn’t want to see his new sister Lydia fall so hard in love with a man who was clearly emotionally unavailable to her.

  Sometimes in life, you had to become heartbroken so that you could come back down from the clouds above and find your right path on the earthly ground again.

  The sun had set rapidly that day, and supper was being served on time as usual.

  This was the last night that all of the Stansfield’s would be spending together until the Westbrook wedding next month in Cambridgeshire. Marcella announced that the wedding would take place on her birthday next month at the Westbrook chapel and home estate in Cambridge.

  Her parents agreed to the date, they didn’t even ask why it was planned so soon. The only one who was curious about the quick nuptials was Lydia.

  “Why next month? Isn’t that quick? Do not proper courtships take months before a wedding date can even be decided on?”

  Lucinda kicked her from under the table.

  “Father! Lucinda has kicked me from under the table again.” Lydia spat.

  Lord Stansfield took a spoonful of his mushroom soup and then said, “Oh Lydia, you know that my lovely Lucy would never do such a thing.”

  Lucinda was sitting there like an innocent miss, and that made Lydia roll her eyes hard. Now there was that little bit of Lydia that Marcella remembered so well.

  Father always took Lucinda’s side. That was because she looked like their mother.

  Lady Rowena decided to give a toast, “As this is the last night that we’ll all be spending together here in Hertford until Alexander and Marcella’s wedding, I propose this toast. May you both love each other, and learn from each other. Lord Stansfield and I wish you both all the best that life has to offer you both. We are so happy to finally have a son, and Alexander you are everything we could have ever hoped for. We would also like to thank Officer Paul for staying with us this week, we appreciate your time with us Stephen and we hope that you’ll visit us again some time soon in the future. In happier circumstances, God willing. Glasses up everyone, may we all have a peaceful evening. Sláinte!”

  Everyone raised their glasses and replied back to Lady Rowena, “Sláinte.”

  They then clinked their glasses with one another and the rest of the evening meal went on splendidly. They all laughed and spoke of their childhood. The gentlemen at the table were amused by all the tomfoolery.

  Officer Paul enjoyed Lydia’s humorous retorts and they looked smitten with one another. Flora had laughed so much that she had fallen asleep at the dining table from a happy exhaustion. Lucinda and Bernice had been rather quite that evening, but they were also smiling along with the rest of their family.

  Alexander and Marcella held hands underneath
the table and smiled until their faces ached. The loved this loud and boisterous bunch sitting before them at the dinner table. This was what family was supposed to be like.

  Alexander had always wanted to be a part of a family, and in a month’s time he would have a whole new family of his own.

  Growing up around his friends and their families was a wonderful experience, and they had always made him feel a part of their own families, but now he would have a family of his own. He no longer felt like he was imposing on others, because he and his mother would now be a part of a large family of their own.

  The next morning came way too early. Alexander and Marcella were packed up and ready to travel back to London. They needed to start planning their wedding under the watchful eye, and the rightful guidance, of Lady Scarlett Westbrook.

  After all, the wedding would be held at the Westbrook’s home in Cambridge. Whom better to consult with than the current lady of the house?

  Tomorrow was Lady Westbrook’s Tea Gathering. Marcella would be staying with the Pinkerton family once more tonight in their Kensington home.

  All of her belongings were still there after all that happened this week, so it was the obvious choice to go back to them.

  No one had even known that Marcella had even left London, which in hindsight had been the best predicament for her.

  Officer Paul had also decided that he would leave Stansfield Manor the same day as Alexander and Marcella. He would follow behind the newly engaged couple in a smaller carriage to be certain of their safe arrival back into London.

  Lydia was sad to see Officer Stephen Paul go back to London, but he reassured her that she could write to him anytime she wanted to talk about anything.

  Her nightmares still haunted her every other night. In a way, Stephen had become Lydia’s little safe haven this week in Hertford. He had occupied her mind with happier thoughts, pushing the bad thoughts away.

  Marcella was worried about Lydia, but she listened to Alexander’s advice on staying out of her sister’s business. Lydia needed her own time to heal.