“Pathetic,” Juliet murmured.
“Aunt, it does feel like a moment to hear of Count Tulerstein again,” Viola said. “That would give us reinforcements in our hearts so we may stoically stand up against Van Doren’s tiresome rants.”
Though they had heard the story many times, the girls all nodded in agreement. Every so often a new detail regarding one of Miss Mayton’s tragic European love affairs emerged, though they could never be certain when that delicious circumstance might occur.
Their dear aunt had been dreadfully loved by so many interesting gentlemen, but they had all been doomed in one way or another.
The sisters settled themselves comfortably, ranging themselves across Beatrice’s bed.
“Poor dear Hans,” Miss Mayton said, sitting her ample frame in a nearby chair. “It was a case of instant love, you see. I was attending a reception at the palace in Stockholm in a rather fetching gown of blue silk. Hans understood his heart was no longer his own the moment he clapped eyes on me. I ought not to have been surprised by it—instant love is terribly common if the love is true.”
Beatrice nodded. She was rather counting on it being the case. She had resolved that in London she would look about her and wait to be instantly struck by her one true love. Once identified, all she need do was wait for him to prove his love by feats of passion and daring.
“Frommyside,” Miss Mayton went on, “I liked Hans well enough. But did I really wish to live in a luxurious castle and have so many servants that they were always underfoot and so many dresses that I could not keep track of them all?”
“You did not have the true love in your heart for Hans, to be able to put up with it,” Juliet said gravely.
“Just so,” Miss Mayton said, nodding. “And, well, you know how it ended.”
“But you must tell it,” Viola said. “Describing it makes it more tragically romantic.”
“Very well,” Miss Mayton said, looking very encouraged. “After the reception, we were walking in a high meadow of the Alps for a picnic. It was quite beautiful—snowcapped mountains in the distance and cliffs that dropped hundreds of feet into rocky ravines.”
Miss Mayton had a faraway look in her eyes, as if remembering the grandeur of the setting.
“As I was admiring the scenery and trying to stop Hans from holding my hand, he suddenly flung himself to the ground and begged me to become his wife. He did not kneel, you understand, but was prone on the wildflowers to better make his point of abject love.”
“Flat-out prone,” Viola said softly.
“Well, I had to regretfully decline because of the so many servants and the too many dresses and all the wealth and now the attempt at handholding. I only wish I had known…”
“What did he do next?” Cordelia asked, her voice no louder than a whisper.
Of course, they were all well aware of what Hans had done next. Still, it was always thrilling to hear it told.
“Hans was, naturally, entirely undone. That was to be expected. When a gentleman realizes that he is not to have his one and only true heart’s desire, it cannot be stood up against. And so, he raced to the side of a cliff and threw himself to his death, crying, “My heart will live forever in these mountains—my dearest Eloise, I am eternally yours.”
The girls all sighed in perfect satisfaction. Of all their aunt’s many romantic interludes, poor Hans’ tragic death was one of their favorites.
“Right over the edge in his dark green coat,” Miss Mayton said wistfully.
“That is a new memory!” Cordelia said excitedly. “We did not know it was agreencoat.”
“Oh yes, I can see it in my mind’s eye,” Miss Mayton said. “The last I saw of him were his green coat flaps going over the side.”
The sisters spent some few minutes considering the green coat flaps of Hans’ final adieu.
Viola rolled off the bed and said, “Now we can go to dinner fortified with romance in our hearts. Good luck to Van Doren to get it out of us.”
Yes, indeed, Beatrice thought. Good luck to Van Doren.
*
Matthew Lawson, ViscountVan Doren, rode down the wide and winding path that led through the oak wood dividing Faversham Hall and the Westmont estate. He had made the ride so often that he knew every tree and patch of wildflowers.
He did not see any of it at the moment. His thoughts were far too taken up with what was ahead of him in the coming months.
Matthew had successfully delayed Beatrice’s come out for two seasons by making various arguments of sense to the earl. But that was all the success he’d had.
