Page 29 of The Earl and Miss Muffet
“Anton hopes to meet you in the library. It’s very important. Are you up for it?”
Elena shook her head quickly. “I . . . I couldn’t.”
Instead of looking sympathetic though, Mary smiled. “It won’t take long, and then you can rest.” Mary slipped inside the room and closed the door behind her. “You should wear your blue dress. I know we wanted to save it for the wedding, but since you are leaving, you should wear it now.”
“But I’m sick.”
Mary nodded. “I know, but you’ll have plenty of time to recover. What he has to say will not take long.” She pulled out the gown of choice and gushed over it anew. “This turned out so well.”
Elena sputtered. “Really, Mary. This is too much. I’m not wearing the dress, and I don’t want you in here. You need to leave.” Mary froze, likely from the harsh sound of Elena’s voice. Elena repeated, “You need to leave.”
“I don’t understand.” Mary’s confused expression pierced through Elena’s resolve, and she almost relented. She only hadto think of past experiences of Bianca’s wrath to fortify herself once more.
“Please, Mary.”
Mary set the dress down and reluctantly left. The moisture in Elena’s throat stung as she resisted the tears. She hated herself. Elena fell back in her bed and begged for sleep to overcome her.
“Well?” Anton asked, when Mary returned.
Mary shook her head. If she was depressed before, now she was nearly despondent.
“What happened?” He climbed off the bed and moved to Mary’s side.
“I don’t know. She was sharp with me. I cannot understand it. What did I do to offend her?”
“I cannot imagine Elena acting that way.” Maybe Anton didn’t know her like he thought he did.
“Have I lost a good friend?” Mary asked.
Anton put his hand gently on her arm. “She is likely upset that she has to return home so soon. There are things about her even I don’t know.”
Mary lifted her eyes to meet his. “You are probably right, but I have failed you. She will not meet you.”
Acute disappointment twisted his stomach in knots. He nodded and left the room. He had just told Mary not to take Elena’s behavior personally, but now he was acting sensitive. His case was hopeless. That night, Elena did not come down for dinner. Anton barely slept, and he was up by dawn. The family was still abed the next morning when Anton found himself in the courtyard facing the Banbury Stone.
“You know why I am here, don’t you?” He couldn’t help talking to the rock. He’d done it since he was a child. “I finally made up my mind. It isn’t to grow taller than my younger brother, or to resurrect my father, or a hundred other wishes in my heart. I think I know what would make me happy. I want a wife and children. I want to grow old in these walls and see my posterity thrive. I want . . . I want Miss Elena Muffet to be my bride.”
He bent down and put his hand on the rock, and though the wish passed through his mind, he was no longer concentrating on the rock. He was communing with God, praying for a blessing that he could not give himself. She needed to return his love, and he needed to deserve it.
“Father in Heaven, thou knowest the desire of my heart. Help me.”
“I wish you could stay for the wedding,” Mary said at breakfast.
Elena wished for the same. She hated to say goodbye to Mary, but she had been grateful for one last moment without Bianca to smooth things over before they left.
“Please forgive me for yesterday. I was not myself.”
Mary nodded. “Of course.”
Bianca strode into the room and sat down opposite them. Elena swallowed and forced herself to say in a brusk tone, “I didn’t really care to attend the wedding. I would much prefer to return home.”
“Are you sure?” Mary blinked, hurt and confusion clouding her eyes.
“Yes, I am quite sure. There isn’t a single reason for me to stay.” The words felt like bile on her tongue, burning and hateful.
She caught movement at the door and saw Anton standing there. His face paled, and he looked as if he had been slapped. She hated herself so much in that moment that she couldn’t remain seated. Jumping to her feet, she darted past Anton. She dashed down the corridors and up the stairs to her bedchamber. Throwing open the door, she froze in the threshold. There on her bed was her new blue gown with deep slashes through the fabric.
No!. A sharp pain pierced her chest, and she clutched her racing heart. No, no, no!
