"Harriet!" Lady Dumbray ran over, pulling her friend back. "Stop this, this instant."Beth reeled back from the slaps. She fell back but quickly caught the arm of the chair so she would not fall to the ground. She could not believe it was happening again. She had feared a reoccurrence, hence her caution around the Lady. It was unimaginable that she would strike her again after the warning Lord Carlisle had given.She breathed repeatedly trying to contain the pain. Unlike before, the ache came immediately after the strike. Lady Cossington's finger had gone into her eye and it turned red immediately. Her neck started to hurt as the force used against her had move her head. She held onto her face, refusing to let the tears flow. She would not be defeated a second time.Still it hurt."We should leave." Lady Dumbray pulled. "We are leaving this instant." She told the other lady who seemed not to be satisfied with her assault."Don't tell me what to do." She pushed against her friend, stru
Anna busied herself, running to the bath to dampen a cloth and after massaging Beth's face, proceeded to brush down her hair slowly, removing the hairpins one before the other, hoping not to cause her mistress any more pain than she was already in.Beth held the wet, cold cloth to her hot cheek, it stung for a moment, then it was soothing. A sharp pain tore through the wound and Beth flinched. Her mind was made up. She would put the afternoon behind her. She would continue with the planning for the Christmas Ball, the repainting, redecorating and all. Her resolve still held.And tomorrow, if any one came calling she would receive them all, even if they would only come to mock or insult her. She would be present at luncheons, attending balls and tea parties, with or without Lord Carlisle. Listening to people talking about her and calling her names, until they tire of her and move to the next person.The cut stung again, and Beth quickly removed the cold cloth. She was looking at the mi
They were back to the topic. Alexander was like a bloodhound who would never let go of something he was really after. "You asked the last time.""You evaded the last time."This time, it was Charles who exhaled. "It is not so young anymore."Alexander kissed his teeth as he waved. "That is all for show. You are newlyweds, it does not matter. What goes on in the bedroom is all that does matter." Charles turned away. He opened his cigar box that lay on the table. Then he heard Alexander's voice. There was surprise. "You are not sleeping with her?!"Shocked, he quickly looked around to make sure no one heard him. None did. "Perhaps you should raise your voice a bit more, Your Majesty. Most haven't heard you." He said through clenched teeth. His emotions bothering between uneasiness and irritation."What is marriage if you cannot have your wife at will?" He asked, his voice greatly reduced."And her will?""She can have you too." He said matter-of-factly. "I have no reserve with whoever i
The day broke with plenteous possibilities and for Beth, the will to live; the will to truly live. She had made a great decision the day before: to stop feeling guilty for the life she was living, the life that had been bestowed on her and to no more permit the likes of Lady Cossington to faze her. She would live her life for herself, attending to her duties as asked of her by the ton, but far from their will and orders. She would live for no one but herself. And if Lord Carlisle would allow her, she would live for him too.Beth's hand searched underneath her pillows and she retrieved her journal. The brown, leather jacketed book had for long been her friend and her confidante. Its pages had always listened to her complaints, collected her words as a friend and agreed with her as an ally. She smiled and began to flip through it.She recalled to memory every event that led to the words on each page. Her fingers rubbed the watermark her tears when she told the pages of Lord Carlisle's a
The maids quickly finished, and with endless bows to him, left the room, leaving it almost as empty as when he first arrived. He was getting impatient. Where was she? Why was she late? He had caught from her conversation with her maid that she was headed into the kitchen. If the maid had prepared the table, then where was she?Charles scoffed, mocking himself. He had gallantly kept away from her for months, what was a few minutes more to wait? He could wait for her all day, he thought and realized it was true.Knowing she would finally come, he could wait for her for a lifetime.When the doors again opened and closed with a light bang, Charles turned to look and his heart did an unnatural flip.She had come.Beth strolled into the dining hall wearing a yellow dress, with a black shawl over her shoulders. The dress was simple and gorgeous, just like the lady who wore it. She walked to the table, smiling at the lilies she held, repeatedly sniffing them. Flowers? Had his mother come call
Charles was in the ninth heavens. Beth was speaking to him like it was the most natural thing between them to do. Her lips as they moved, her hands as she gestured and her voice were exciting him all over. He had no knowledge she affected him so. And her hair, it bounced as she spoke, coming to life with each movement. He almost reached out to touch it. He quickly sent a good amount of peas into his mouth.Breaking out of the trance her hair had put on him, he asked. "Do you want to? If not, you could simply say so." He placed a small piece of cold turkey on her plate. She hesitated but ate it. He released the breath he did not know he was holding. He ate a piece too."Lady Marjorie says it is a family tradition. I suppose I could. I am_ I am Lady Carlisle after all." His heart missed a beat.A family tradition? Charles almost scoffed. The Carlisle Christmas Ball had only been ever since his mother joined the family but he would not tell Beth. He shovelled a hefty portion of mashed po
* * *His solicitors sat before him in their office defining how the cost of the project was not worth the funds he intended to invest. They and the head of builders argue to and fro the amount, quality and quantity of each material to be used.Jack hit his hands repeatedly on the table. "Even if they are to pay rent, it would be ages before His Grace would get back the money for the project. And here, there is no rent to be collected." He harrumphed. "I reckon the prices for the materials to be cut down. Drastically."Henry, the head of builders yelled. "And how would you manage the mishaps that would occur, because a number of them are sure to.""Do you intend to cause mishaps on purpose? For extra funds?"Henry gasped. "That is absurd. Are you bringing ridicule to my work? Or do you want to perhaps think I glory in the misfortune of others?"The men argued on and on but Charles did not listen to their annoying voices. Would they be done with their quarrel and let him know how much
Charles halted his next step, and turned slowly.Lord Denney, hasting down the steps, rushed to him with a smile. He stopped and stood straight, standing a few inches shorter than Charles, waiting for the latter to bow to him. Charles obliged, unwillingly inclining his head halfway. "It has been a long while. How do you do?""I am fine." Was the simple answer.Lord Denney wouldn't care either way. He sighed. "I had hoped to speak to you in private and when I saw you at The Fox, I thought what luck is this?" Charles's eyebrows rose at the dramatic man. "But it was no luck of course, you were not alone." He signed as though disappointed. "There would be other days, I concluded."Charles sized him up. A balding, old man who the former King had been kind enough to let live after his almost act of treason. He was a selfish bastard who would do all it took to get what he wanted. Too bad what he wanted this time was out of his reach for Alexander would do all it took to keep his crown.It was