Page 50 of A Maid's Fateful Courtship
“I know you only wish good things for me, and that is how I feel about you too, Josephine," Lettie voiced, looking a little sombre. "A part of me is still cast down because you suffer so.”
“No, Lettie. Do not allow my sadness to affect your life in any way. Now, tell me, have you courted Harry yet?” Josephine asked, hoping to take her friend’s mind away from problems that were not hers.
“We are to go to market together at the weekend. I will do some shopping for Mother,” Lettie said, showing her friend a cheeky grin that lit up her huge brown eyes. “He is to drive me in the open cart so that we can bring back the goods. Mother does not know, but he has offered to buy me a small glass of ale at the inn in town.”
“Oh, my! I can see you sitting out in the market square enjoying the lovely sunshine with your mug of ale in hand,” Josephine said. She watched Lettie’s happy face as she too imagined what it was going to be like. “I wonder if you will get your first kiss?”
“Now you are making me blush, stop that,” Lettie chirped. Josephine knew that her friend would be secretly hoping to get that kiss. “Enough about me. I want to know your plans. Please tell me that you are not going to leave me?”
“I have not decided yet, but tell me, Lettie, how goes the wedding arrangements for Ethan, do you know?”
Lettie put her head down to hide her face, showing that she did not want to talk about it.
“Do not worry about telling me, Lettie. I need to know the truth. I am going to find out soon enough, so let it be from you,” Josephine said, assuring her that she was ready to hear the worse.
“They have applied for a special licence already,” Lettie reported. "I wish I did not have to be the one to tell you."
Josephine let out a gasp of surprise at the speed with which the marriage was going to happen. “They have wasted little time then,” she sighed.
“Please, Josephine, do not leave Sarandale Manor, I could not bear to lose you.”
“I cannot bear losing Ethan, especially when he spoke such tender words of love to me,” Josephine replied.
“Lord Ethan does not appear to be happy, if you ask me, I can tell you that much,” Lettie disclosed. “The upstairs maids say he is so quiet and dull, and not his usual self at all.”
“And does Lady Matilda visit him often?”
“She stayed on with her brother for a time after being caught with Lord Ethan in the library," Lettie confirmed. "But I am glad to tell you that they are gone now.
“Yes, but she will be back soon enough. Though I wonder why they are rushing the marriage through?” Josephine questioned with a slight quiver in her voice. “And then, in time to come they will have children, and …and-”
With that thought, a lone tear trickled down her soft cheek. “Oh dear, Lettie, it is more than I can take,” Josephine sobbed as Lettie passed her a small towel for her tears.
“I know I ask a lot of you, do I not?” Lettie said as she watched Josephine dab her eyes.
“I know it is better for you to leave. But if you could take a position that is not too far away from here, we could still meet up in the market town on occasion. It will not be the same as having you here with me. And you will miss your home sorely, I know you will.”
“I know I will too, but what choice do I have?”
A knock sounded out and they both looked over towards the door. Whoever was knocking proceeded to open the door without waiting for a response. Josephine could see that it was Lady Cynthia who entered.
Lettie stood up to curtsy at her presence and made her excuses to leave the room.
Josephine was left alone with Lady Cynthia. “How are you, Josephine?” she asked as she took a seat in the wooden chair at the side of the bed.
“I will be back at my duties tomorrow, m'lady,” Josephine replied, feeling wretched at having to talk to Ethan’s sister.
“My brother has spoken to me, and I decided to come and talk with you. Ethan has confessed his love for you,” Lady Cynthia voiced, at the same time reaching out for Josephine’s hand. “We were like sisters as children, you and I.”
“Yes, m'lady, we were," Josephine said with a firmness in her voice, for she had always acted as the older sister when they were younger. "But now we are adults, and all know our places and what we must face up to with our responsibilities.”
“How wise you are, Josephine,” Lady Cynthia whispered. “My brother’s heart is truly broken. He had sought a meeting with Father, you see, so that he could profess his love for you.”
“No, that cannot be?” Josephine questioned, unable to believe that he would risk such a thing.
“It is true, I assure you," Lady Cynthia explained. "Yet, he does not explain what happened in the library when he was found alone with Lady Matilda. It seems there is no going back now. Do you know what you will do?”
“It is my hope that I will be gone before the marriage takes place,” Josephine replied, knowing that was the only way.
