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“Theo! Where have you been?” he exclaimed rather pensively. Apparently, I would be overrun by children today. “You promised we would go out riding.”
“Forgive me! I forgot. Can we go later?” I replied, messing up his hair to his annoyance.
“There is no time later. You have a letter and soon you will be busy,” he grumbled.
And just as I prepared to argue, other footmen came forward with a letter. Alexander exhaled deeply, his point proven.
“It shall take only a moment!” I assured him before lifting it. Sure enough it was from Verity. Quickly I opened it as we entered.
September 19, 1813
Dear Sir Theodore Darrington,
I congratulate you on your knighthood, may it fit nicely with your bachelorhood! As you have displayed not a care for my welfare in the past days, I shall not care for yours.
Lady Verity Eagleman.
I tried not to laugh. You would have thought it had been months since we had spoken to each other and not merely three days.
“Would you like tea, sir?” the maid asked as I moved to the drawing room.
“I am fine,” I replied.
“I want tea!” Alexander said, following me.
Taking a seat at the desk, I grabbed the paper and ink to begin my response.
“Who are you writing to so joyfully?” asked my father as he entered.
“Lady Verity,” Alexander grumped as he sat upon the chair drinking his tea. “It is always Lady Verity he writes to. Now she’s going to write back. And he will wait so he can write back and we will never go riding.”
My father tried not to laugh as he glanced at me. “Would it not be much easier to go see her?”
“Yes, it would be. However, I have been forbidden.” I sulked.
“Forbidden?”
“Yes, her family says she must focus on the wedding planning and I am a distraction.” Why such plans took so long was beyond me. They had chosen to have the wedding here in London while everyone had gone back to their country estates for the fall so it would not be such a big society affair, and because I had hoped to convince my uncle and grandfather to attend.
“Surely there is not much to prepare, as the wedding is tomorrow,” he said, moving to my brother. “There is no reason you cannot go see her now, should your brother allow you to miss today’s ride.”
I looked to Alexander and he shook his head no.
“We’ll ride twice later, and I’ll get you the cake you like.”
He grinned and nodded.
And I was bolting to the doors.
Verity
Hearing giggling from behind me, I turned to see Aphrodite sitting with her book by the window.
“You are laughing at me!”
“You merely remind me of Hathor right now,” she said, as if that was not harsh.
“In what way?”
“Your impatience and overreaction.”
“He has barely been able to see me, for you all keep him away with threats of postponing the wedding. In public gatherings, we are not able to speak freely. All I have are letters,” I replied.
“Yes and the poor footmen are fatigued by how often you both send these letters back and forth down the street. How many letters have you sent today? A dozen?” she teased.
“I have sent only one so far.” I frowned. “I thought it fitting, as he has not replied to me for three days.”
“Was that not because he was out of London to see a patient?”
I glared at her. “You are no better than Hathor, the way you pick on me now.”
“What has Hathor done to pick on you?”
“Each time I see her now she calls me a liar and traitor.”
“Liar and traitor? Why? Because you shall wed before her?”
“That is exactly the reason. She also blames Abena for cursing her.”
She laughed outright and shook her head at me. “Hathor shall get over it in time. Now, is it not best for you to get some sleep? Tomorrow is a rather big day.”
When she said it, my stomach began to quake once more.
Tomorrow I was to wed. I could hardly believe such a day had finally come. It had taken months but just as my godmother said, Theodore had been given a title, and thus she along with everyone else could no longer turn up their noses at him.
“Your Grace?” Eleanor said as she entered the room.
“Yes?” Aphrodite replied.
“Sir Theodore Darrington has arrived in hopes of speaking to Lady Verity.”
I rose so quickly I nearly knocked over my chair.
“He is here?” I gasped out, quickly moving to adjust my clothing and hair. And Aphrodite giggled at my expense once more. I found myself feeling rather silly.
“Send him please,” I said, trying to be calm.
“I think not,” Aphrodite stated, drawing my attention. “I believe he was instructed to wait until the appointed hour—”
“Aphrodite!” I snapped.
“Very well, send him in.”
I moved to see him standing at the door with a bouquet of red roses. He did not look to me but instead focused on Aphrodite, bowing his head to her.
