Page 110 of The Curious Story of the Missing Lady
“M’Lady, as I was saying, it is an honour to serve this house and all those who inhabit it. But there are matters that go beyond mere industry in this world, M’Lady. Matters that you may not understand, being a woman of so young an age. I am ... quite happy ...” His voice broke, and his eyes moistened. “And in regards to serving this great house, I can only say that, were it not so great an honour, my time here would have been worth every second and millions more like them, for I have known you, Lady Madeline. I have watched you grow, blossom from a sweet child to the wonderful, angelic, poised Lady I see before me now. I do not know what I would have done if you were never found. That sad time has reasserted what I already knew to be the case: that it would be the greatest injustice in my life if I were to lose you. And now, I feel as though I am losing you all over again. But I know that you will be happy in your marriage. And that, Lady Madeline, is everything to me.”
She threw her arms around him. “Oh, Foster,” she said, her voice catching in a sob. “You are the most wonderful man in the world.”
Her tears were not joyful.
When she pulled away from him, she gazed upon his gentle face and caressed his cheek with her hand. “You are a credit to men everywhere, Foster. Remember I said that. They should all be like you.”
“Well then,” he said, regaining his composure. “I have a great many things to accomplish. Excuse me, M’Lady.”
She watched him descend the stairs, and her tears began afresh.
What on earth was she about to do?
#
One hour to go.
She heard the bells signalling the arrivals of guests, and she heard coaches pulling up, their horses whinnying, as if they were trying to signal her of the mistake she was about to make.
“I know,” she answered them.
“You know what?” said Lisbelle.
“Nothing, Lizzy.” She turned to the maid. She was in full matrimonial regalia now.
Lisbelle clasped her hands before her. “Oh, you are indeed a sight, My Lady. Precious, dear me, precious.”
“Lizzy, how many times are you going to say that this day?”
“But it’s true. I can’t be faulted for speaking the truth, can I?”
“Speak the truth but once, Lisbelle, and have done with it.”
“The heart governs the tongue sometimes, M’Lady. And so, I say it again. You are indeed precious. But let’s just get that hair straightened out, shall we?”
She went to the vanity table and grabbed a brush.
“There you are,” she said after a few strokes. “Every artist in the world should be begging to have you as a subject, M’Lady. You are a study in beauty.”
“I wonder if everyone has arrived,” said Madeline, turning to the window.
Her heart almost stopped in her chest. There below, disembarking from a carriage, was Lord Peter.
“Oh my heavens,” she said.
“What is it?”
She turned to Lisbelle. “It’s Lord Peter.”
“Of course,” said Lisbelle. “You didn’t think your mother and father wouldn’t have wantedhimhere, did you?”
“I guess I didn’t think of it,” she said, wringing her hands.
“Well if that don’t beat all. Of course they wanted him. He delivered you back to them. What did you think? You think they’d send him a basket of oranges with a note that said ‘Best Wishes’ and think it sufficient thanks? Like it or not, M’Lady, he is held in high regard by this family and will be forevermore.”
Madeline sat down. “You’re right, Lisbelle, as always.”
“Of course, I’m right. I’ve had a lot of years on this earth to think things through.”
