AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes! And it is the most beautiful of feelings. And he is the most wonderful, tender man I’ve ever known.” Victoria tugged on Lavinia’s arms and swept her in a giddy twirl.
Lavinia looked around as they stopped and spotted a bench by the wall of the corridor. She tugged Victoria toward it, and they both sat down. “If that is so, why are you not open about your love? Why do you not tell your uncle about him?”
Victoria’s smile turned into a grin. “Oh, I will. I mean, he will. He told me that he is going to speak with my uncle. Mayhap before the end of the week.”
Lavinia frowned. “Why not earlier? Why not today?”
“He is very thoughtful, and he wants me to be certain about my affections. Isn’t he wonderful?” Victoria clasped her hands in front of her chest, her gaze dreamy.
“Yes.” Something inside Lavinia rebelled at the idea that a gentleman would be sneaking around with the lady he claimed to love. Wouldn’t he want to claim her as his?
Oh, who am I to judge?
Nevertheless, she knew from her recent experience that although women were eager to wed, gentlemen didn’t mind dallying without the thought of serious intentions. “Victoria. I don’t want to discourage you, trust me. But I do worry about you. What if this gentleman doesn’t have honorable intentions toward you? How do you know that he even shares your feelings?”
Victoria chuckled. “You are very pragmatic. And I am certain you wouldn’t do anything as foolish as sneak around, stealing kisses with the gentleman you fancy. But I am a romantic.”
Lavinia squirmed in her seat. Pragmatic, indeed. The memories of last night came unbidden, and her entire body heated.
“I just don’t want you to regret it in the future.”
“Do not worry, Lavinia. He is a perfect gentleman. He stole a few kisses, which I didn’t mind. But we spend most of the time just… talking.”
“You do?”
Victoria’s smile softened. “Oh, Lavinia. We can spend nights discussing the most fascinating things. I love how his mind works. I love to listen to him talk. And he doesn’t find my opinions and ideas foolish at all. But it isn’t just conversation. I can spend hours with him in silence, and I will never get bored.”
“How interesting.” Lavinia turned to fully face Victoria. “Well, tell me more about him.”
“Oh, Lavinia. My heart sings every time I see him! He is made of dreams and fairytales and all those novels I’ve been reading, which my sister recommends to me.”
“But what do you know about him? And is he titled? How old is he?”
Victoria bit her lower lip. “He is not yet thirty. And no, he is not titled. But he is a duke’s son! That should be enough, shouldn’t it?”
A duke’s son was still a potential heir to a dukedom. Who would have any reservations about that? “I think it is wonderful,” Lavinia said softly. “But are you certain you are in love?”
Victoria nodded vigorously.
“How do you know it’s love?” It wasn’t up to Lavinia to question Victoria, but for some reason, Lavinia felt very protective of her, and she wanted to be certain of her feelings. Especially since the gentleman was giving her that freedom.
“Oh, it is simple,” Victoria answered excitedly. “I feel this pull toward him. Every time I walk into a room and he is there, I can feel him before I even see him. And when we lock eyes, the entire world disappears around us and nothing else matters. Something beckons me to come closer to him, be closer to him always. It is like a… magnet, do you know? It’s like that. Love pulls two people together.”
Lavinia contemplated Victoria’s words. She’d loved Dane for longer than she remembered and yes, there was a pull she felt toward him, but he’d never felt the same. “But how do you know that he feels the same? What if the love is unrequited?”
Victoria laughed. “Oh, it is not love then.”
“How do you mean?” Lavinia frowned.
“Love can only be between two people. You can have admiration, affection, even tenderness toward another person, and love is that, too. But for it to be love, there needs to be a mutual pull toward each other.” She paused. “It is not love unless reciprocated.”
Lavinia was about to protest, but she was distracted by Lord Roth’s low voice. “Victoria! I’ve been looking for you for the last half hour!”
Lavinia and Victoria hastily stood. Victoria turned toward her uncle, but Lavinia could not look his way. He moved closer, and she could feel every step he took like a lightning bolt.
“Lady Lavinia.” His voice was as soft as silk.
“My lord.” Lavinia forced herself to look his way, but she couldn’t look into his eyes. So, she concentrated on the intricate knots of his cravat.
