Isobel fell silent, but a part of her was deeply frustrated that even though her father’s tone sounded genuine, he wouldn’t look straight at her while he said the words she could only hope were true.
“I do not want to argue about pointless matters now. What’s done is done. There is no use dwelling in the past when we have more pressing matters.” He added moments later.
It was almost ironic, how he claimed that she was vital to him, yet quick to dismiss her as less than the sister she would have to risk herself for. And although Isobel’s sympathy was with Valerie, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy over her father’s commitment to the daughter he had chosen to keep and adore.
However, it was truly unfair for the bride to be, and if it had been any one of Isobel’s siblings — be it Margaret or Catherineand even Graham — she would have done anything to help and protect them.
“Is there no other way? Surely someone else can –”
“Isobel. If there were another solution, I would have employed the necessary methods already. This is all we can do in hopes that she can still marry in due time. Think of your sister, Isobel,” Gregory told her, his voice low and pleading.
The situation was less than ideal, but logically speaking, she might be the only chance that Valerie had.
“A-All right. I’ll do it. I will help her,” Isobel agreed, her heart throbbing at the thought that she had now willingly put herself in harm’s way and was risking her life.
“Excellent,” Gregory nodded. “Your sister will appreciate your assistance greatly. For now, she has been hidden away in the attic for her protection and to ward off any suspicion. You will be staying in her room for now.”
Isobel could tell that her father had put a lot of thought into this, but she still had concerns about her role.
“I am not sure if I will be able to impersonate Valerie adequately. What if I get caught —”
“We simply must ensure that it will not happen. Many of the people here for this party know her well enough toknow when something is amiss, but none of them are aware of your existence. And as such, they might not suspect too much; however, to be on the safe side, I will tell you a few characteristics of your sister that define her personality.” Gregory proposed.
Isobel leaned in, suddenly eager to learn more about the sister she had wanted to meet for so long. It was a shame that this was what eventually brought them together, but she was committed to doing all she possibly could in order to help Valerie.
“Valerie — your sister is quite well-behaved. She has done an exceptional job as my oldest daughter, making such a valuable match that will raise our family’s status greatly. She is respectful, kind, and a reliable example to her younger siblings.”
“You had mentioned them… earlier. I must admit, I did not expect to hear that you had other children.” Isobel could not help but say, a tad surprised to realize that she had not misheard him when he had talked about them briefly.
Gregory’s expression turned sheepish for a moment.
“Yes, a boy named Cecil and another daughter named Nora. They adore their sister immensely, and it is imperative that they do not find out about this. All my children are quite close and as you might imagine, they care about each other deeply.”
“I am all too aware of that, as my siblings and I care for each other as well. I understand better than anyone what is at stake here, and you have my word that I will do everything in mypower to ensure that we get to the bottom of this. The sooner, the better.” Isobel told him, folding her arms.
Graham would take on the world if it meant protecting his sisters. All her siblings would do the same, and for Valerie’s sake, she now had to step in and take over the role of protecting Cecil and Nora.
And the only way to do so was to solve the mystery of who had attempted to poison her as soon as possible.
“I am glad to see you taking this seriously. Valerie is not as… determined as you are. More graceful and gentle, that one. But she is rather sharp sometimes. As a child, she was dreadfully afraid of small animals, but she loves horses. She would spend all day riding if you left her be,” Gregory tutted in disapproval. “But she is charming. Many of her peers and relatives admired her for her voice because she liked to sing during gatherings. Well, let’s see… She does not like beans —”
“Why not?” Isobel questioned, confused.
Gregory blinked at her, confused. “Why not… what?”
“Why does she not like beans? I like beans. So does my sister, Margaret. My other sister, Catherine, gets sick if she eats it, but our brother Graham doesn’t mind it. Why doesn’t Valerie like beans?” Isobel pressed.
It was rather strange, hearing such nice things about someone she did not know but bore a deep connection to. There was a pang of jealousy within her as she wondered if her father had ever thought about her and wondered if she was as exceptional as the daughter he had chosen to keep by his side.
Valerie sounded like a true gem, and they couldn’t be more different — except when it came to animals and beans.
Because she was closer to Graham in age, Isobel spent a lot of her childhood following her older brother anywhere and everywhere she could. To Graham, there was nothing better for him to do than share his hobbies and interests with his sister, so he taught her a lot.
She was very fond of knowing how to catch small animals, how to keep them as pets for a minimum of two weeks. At least before her father, Fergus, inevitably found out and nearly passed out from a heart attack as a ferret climbed onto the dinner table and ran into his bowl of soup.
She also learned to ride from Graham, and they would spend warm afternoons galloping through the woods together. So there was something she had in common with Valerie.
But the beans… Isobel liked beans. Especially the way her mother, Mary, used to cook it. That meal was one of the things she missed about her mother.
