Page 63 of Duchess in Disguise
“I could not sleep. I tried and tried – I even counted sheep like Valerie taught me, but nothing worked. And I thought… would you mind if I stayed with you for a little while?” he said quietly.
Isobel’s heart softened, and she stroked the child’s hair gently, smiling kindly at him. There were very few memories of this place she would want to hold onto after she left, but she would cherish every moment she had spent with Cecil and Nora.
“I have an even better idea,” she told him gently. “Why don’t I accompany you back to your room and keep you company until you fall asleep?”
“Y-You would do that?”
Isobel nodded. “Certainly. I would love to help, however I can. And this is my last night here, in any case. I would love nothing more than to spend my time talking with you.”
Her sincerity seemed to reach him, and the distress on his face melted away. Cecil nodded excitedly and took her hand, leading the way.
“Valerie used to read to Nora and me when we were little. She told the stories so… vibrantly. Nora would fall asleep before I did, but I would beg for more stories. She always read one more– a short one, before she left me for the night.” Cecil told her quietly.
It was clear he missed Valerie greatly, and Isobel couldn’t help but feel disheartened for the young boy. This time was meant to be spent reliving childhood memories together, while reaffirming the bond they had as siblings, before Valerie was whisked away to her husband’s house.
Instead, they had to spend the days leading up to the wedding apart, with Valerie in isolation.
So many things about this situation hurt Isobel greatly, and it strengthened her desperation to find and reveal the culprit. They must pay for the hurt they caused to her family.
“My oldest sister, Margaret, used to read stories to me, too. Scottish folklore was tales of fantastical creatures. She used to regale me with stories about merfolk, selkies, ghosts, and household spirits.” Isobel said as they entered his room.
Cecil’s eyes widened as he climbed into his bed. “Were you not afraid? Those sound like horrid tales to hear before bed.”
Isobel chuckled, drawing the covers over him warmly before she sat at the edge of the bed.
“Some of them were quite scary,” she nodded. “Like the blue men of the minch. They were little creatures that had blue skin and looked like you and me sometimes. And they would causestorms to sink ships at sea. But they mostly attacked pirates. But there were also nice creatures, such as brownies. They are household spirits who help with chores. Rather precious – but apparently, they could become mischievous if they were offended.”
Cecil’s eyes sparkled with interest, and Isobel smiled. “I do not remember most of the stories,” she admitted, a little disheartened as she realized that was truly the case. “But we do have a large book that has accounts of many such tales, just… sitting at the family house. I will send it to you as an early birthday present.”
“You would do that? For me?”
Isobel nodded. “You are my family too. The stories filled my childish heart with much wonder when I was your age. They would serve you better now, rather than gathering dust in my house.”
Cecil looked so utterly pleased; Isobel felt proud of the decision she had made.
“Thank you. That means a lot to me,” he whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear.
“Of course. It is the very least I could do. It is quite a large book, so you must be careful not to drop it carelessly. Unless it is on someone you do not like. Then… by all means.”
Cecil chuckled, surprised by the suggestion.
“You cannot just… give me permission to hurt someone.”
“That was never my intention. I only wish to let you know that you have my blessing if you wish to retaliate against an offender. I have once fantasized about throwing it at my brother’s head after he upset me. Alas, I was a wee lass, and he has always towered over me. I settled for kicking his shins. My mother came to my rescue before he could punish me,” she smirked coyly.
Cecil stared at her in surprise, then he laughed so hard that she was worried he might choke. Isobel watched him silently, a gentle smile overtook her features as she recalled what it was like to be his age, with no worries.
She missed how much simpler those times were, how her family felt so impervious to any form of downfall, and how she believed everything would go smoothly with her life.
But none of the aspirations her siblings and parents had for her came to pass as they had hoped. She had a disappointing first season and a scandal that ruined her. Because it did not seem like a worthy matter to resolve, she had given up and left London.
Her brother and sisters raised no qualms with her decision, but she could not help but fear they were worried about her. She would feel the same if something like that had happened to Nora or Cecil and had forced them to retreat.
“I have… I have never met anyone like you. So open and bold, so unapologetically yourself. We might not know each other very well, but I like you, Isobel. I think you are an admirable older sibling.” Cecil said after his wheezing had calmed down somewhat.
Isobel felt something in her chest melt into a puddle.
“That is rather nice of you to say. In Scotland, being this way is admired, but here, it could cause a lot of unwanted trouble. I was not liked at all… during my first season. My mannerisms, the way I spoke, seemed to irritate people, and they gossiped about me quite blatantly. And rather than try to fix it and adapt, I chose to leave. I wonder sometimes… if I had taken a rather cowardly approach to handling the situation.” Isobel admitted gently.
