Page 38 of The Scandal of the Deceived Duchess
Yes, thank goodness,thought Amelia, despising the prospect.I would rather have the hunting enthusiast any day. He sounds like much more fun than the inflated future Duke of Brandon.
Thinking of Scotland and the Highlands reminded her of Jonathan. He was originally from there, she remembered. A twinge of pain pierced her chest as if a knife stabbed her body.Is this what heartbreak feels like? We never even had time to truly be together.A frown creased her brow as these tumultuous thoughts raced through her mind. In essence, Jonathan is a laird of Scotland and equal to a lord in England. Maybe if I told my parents, this they might consider a betrothal to the man I love. He has the proper station and judging by the size of his Virginia estate, a very rich man.
It would never be possible, and she knew it. Jonathan’s ancestors were considered traitors to the crown – he had said as much about his grandfather and the way he had left his homeland. They had fled after the Battle of Culloden. But that was long forgotten now, surely? Presently, the Scottish formed an integral part of the British army and bureaucracy. Thinking about it all made Amelia dizzy. She missed the man she loved more and more as the days passed her by. She did not know how she was going to survive without him. Already, the sea voyage had been sheer agony.
Amelia steeled another glance at her mother. She hadn’t stopped talking for a single moment. Currently, she was on the subject of the upcoming events in the capital city. She insisted Amelia attend them all and most importantly one particular one.
“Anyhow, as I was saying, not to make an appearance at the Duchess of Waverly’s ball this weekend would result in social death. And we wouldn’t want that, now would we, dear? Especially now since you are so well engaged to the son of one of the foremost peers of the realm.”
Amelia let her mother warble on about this and that. None of the words registered or made it past her impenetrable wall of melancholia that consisted of a vapor of happy memories with the man she loved hanging about her head. Leaving him behind was the hardest thing she had ever done in her life. It was like dying she imagined. And poor old Anna confirmed her pain. Her habitually chirrupy friend had turned glum. The way her lady’s maid felt was to be seen in everything she did.
Oh, how I wish we had made it back to Fair Weather Heaths’ in time.Jonathan had left it too late. Amelia pressed her lips together.Well, I didn’t make it easy for the poor man. I literally spurned him. It was a surprise he even came at all. Oh God, but he did…he loves me…will I ever see him again?
She wondered what her Jonathan might be doing. Naturally, she had received news on the happenings of the war in the Americas. It was said that the British Navy had sealed off the entire American coast. It was even rumored that an attack was planned near to where Jonathan’s estate was located. Amelia worried for him a great deal.
The memory of their kiss still hung in her mind like a persistent afterthought. It never left. It was everywhere she went. Amelia prayed every night for the day she would be back in her love’s arms again. It was all that mattered to her. Even the prospect of leaving England forever did not trouble her as much anymore.
It would have to happen quickly for Amelia’s destiny was in the making. There was the Duchess of Waverly’s ball this weekend, and before that, Airey was scheduled to drop by to take her for a stroll in Hyde Park. Amelia’s mother had heralded the event as even more important than the ball because it was their coming out as an engaged couple in society.
“Won’t it be lovely to have the dashing Lord Templeton French escort you to the ball this Saturday?” asked Mother as if reading her mind. “And your walk tomorrow,” she clapped her hands, “how delightful. Oh, the pleasures of being young. Young love is so beautiful.”
Amelia did not respond. It did not matter; her mother gushed enough excitement for the both of them. “I hear that Lord Templeton French will bequeath you with an engagement ring. It is said that it has been in his family for generations.” Mother tittered again. “I wonder if it is a vulgarly large diamond…Oh, I am certain it is. What else would the future Duke of Brandon give to his bride to be?”
Listening to the talk about engagement rings, Amelia felt a shiver slide down her back. It made her think of the beautiful ring Jonathan had given her before they were so rudely separated. It pained her all the more because she could not wear it. If her mother ever saw it, the most precious thing Amelia had would be discarded immediately. Her betrothal to the son of a duke was far too important to her family. It promised advancement beyond her parents’ wildest dreams.
She had given the ring to Anna for safekeeping. It was a risk because if something of such value was ever found on her person, it would invite questions, none of which Amelia and Anna would be capable of answering.
“What say you, Daughter, about that little promenade with Lord Templeton French on the morrow?”
Amelia rolled her eyes. What did she have to say? Nothing! She dreaded the prospect. As etiquette dictated, Lord Templeton French would be allowed to escort her without a chaperone. They were engaged, after all, meaning that they were even permitted to hold hands in public. Oh, how Amelia wished it were Jonathan coming around to see her.
Mother pleated her brow in thought. The expression on her face lit up. “Don’t forget to mention the wedding date as well. We must know exactly when it is to take place. The talks came to a halt due to your absence.” As usual, mother made it sound like it was Amelia’s fault she was abducted.
Amelia swallowed deeply. No matter how obvious the suggestion was; the notion of going through with the actual wedding seemed so far away and unreal. It was something that had always loomed over her head but never seemed to strike. Hearing her mother actually mention it came as a kick to the gut.
“I am certain he will be the perfect gentleman. Your father told me the other day that he had a very profitable voyage in Canada. He will have certainly discussed the matter with his father. After all, marrying is one of the most important decisions one makes in life…” continued Mother as if she had never asked a question. It was her way. She remained unrelenting with her incoherent shower of thoughts that had no particular pattern. They were just all jumbled together and spewed from her mouth like hail in a storm.
“Yes, I am sure,” said Amelia, lacking anything else to say. She could not get the thought of standing next to Airey in front of the altar out of her mind. She dreaded the prospect. All manner of forms of escape dominated her mind. For a heartbeat, she even contemplated killing herself.
“Anyway, I suggest you wear the pretty walking dress in green. It matches your eye color, and the dainty little garment is sure to get Lord Templeton French’s heart racing. We mustn’t allow him to regret his decision to marry you, eh, my dear?” Mother started to pace up and down in Amelia’s room. She behaved as if it was she that was to be married.
“Yes, Mother…the green dress sounds lovely.”
“You could sound a little more enthused,” Lady Carlyle, 1st Baronet of Windom, said spinning on her heels and creasing her brow. “Poor dear, you really must be tired. I dread to think what you have been through being held captive by those American savages for so long. Fortunately, they were stupid enough to bring you so close to British territory, or you would never have been found.”
Her mother’s words were like a dagger to the heart. Amelia knew it was her fault, but hearing it spoken out so unashamedly reminded her of the fact. If only had she not been so stubborn, then maybe they might have never left Fair Weather Heaths’ and she and Anna would still be with the men they loved.
“Best rest today so that you are at your best tomorrow. It wouldn’t do to disappoint your betrothed, now would it?” Mother turned to Anna. “Inform the kitchen that my daughter will be taking her food in her chambers today.” She placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “I am so excited for you, Amelia. You are the luckiest young lady in Britain.”
Amelia pressed her lips together.If only I was the luckiest young lady in America, I would be so much happier.
Chapter 19
The Park
London, England, May 1814
It was a glorious late spring afternoon, boasting a perfect blue sky with hardly a cloud. The sun hung languidly in the heavens inviting the birds to sing their merry tunes. Couples strolled together over the lanes that crisscrossed London’s largest park in the center of the city that expanded outward in all directions. Equestrians took their daily ride, making Hyde Park seem more like a spot in the country rather than a part of a city.
