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The fear of loss that sprung in her chest coincided with the knock on her door.
I need to find a way to tell him.
Her lady’s maid sprang into action, first rushing to collect the letter from her and hide it under her bedding, before proceeding to unbolt and open the door to her chambers.
She made a nervous attempt to smooth her gown as the butler announced at the door that her father requested her presence in the study.
The lady’s maid received the message and announced that Rose would join her father soon, before walking back into the room and bolting the door.
“I do not know what this is about. I swear to you, My Lady. I have been very careful in my going and in my coming. No one has seen me meeting up with the Marquess’ valet,” Elsa wailed.
When the butler had announced her father’s request to see her, she’d immediately thought that her secret correspondence with the Marquess had been discovered. However, hearing Elsa wail in fright, she knew there was no way her father was summoning her because of the Marquess business. He simply had no way of knowing.
So why has Father called for me?
She was already dressed appropriately, so she calmed Elsa who was hysterical, and proceeded to head for her father’s study.
When she arrived at the study, she found her father standing at the window with his back to her.
“Father? You sent for me?” she announced as she walked into the study and stood behind him.
He turned to face her and for the first time, she saw an opened letter in his hand, its edges flapping gently in the wind that was wafting through the study window.
Her heart caught in her chest instantly as the dread she’d managed to quell only moments ago, resurfaced.
Has Father discovered a letter between me and the Marquess? Does he know?
“Dear daughter, like me, I’m sure you’ve been wondering why the Earl of Rockgonie was absent at the ball,” he announced elatedly.
Her confusion was brief before she understood that the letter had nothing to do with Lord Walsrock. She decided to play along, as she imagined she would have, if she truly was bothered about a lack of response from Lord Rockgonie.
“I have been devastated, Father. How could he treat me this way?” she responded in deceit.
“I know, daughter. However, there is a perfectly good explanation. He is a Lord, after all, and I knew he couldn’t have been willingly absent from the ball,” her father responded animatedly, brandishing the letter in the air.
Her expression changed from that of a helpless and downtrodden lady to one of puzzlement.
In all honesty, she didn’t care what the explanation was. She was only grateful that besides members of her family and that of the Earl of Rockgonie, of course, no one else was aware of their betrothal.
It would have been terribly embarrassing if it was public knowledge. Not mentioning the fact that she wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to meet and dance with the Marquess of Walsrock.
“Read it yourself.” Her father wore an excited expression as he approached and handed the letter over to her.
Reluctantly, she received it and began reading.
At the end, she raised her head to find her father observing her keenly.
She knew the expression on her face was one of indifference. However, she was grateful, knowing her father was likely going to interpret it as anger at the fact that she was jilted.
The explanation in the letter had been simple. A matter with one of the Earl’s family’s estates had come up and he had needed to set out immediately to address the issue. In his haste, he had forgotten about the ball or to leave a note explaining his absence.
Awkward. Who forgets the ball where their engagement is meant to be announced?
Only when he’d arrived at his destination did he remember and had immediately sat down to pen an explanation and an apology to her family. The letter had been addressed to her father and not even to her.
How romantic.
The letter had just arrived and he himself would be following suit in about a week.
