Chapter 25
Cressida forced a smile as Ambrose twirled her around, trying to ignore the smell of too much cologne clinging to him. His dark hair was slicked back, and his beady eyes watched her as they danced, with an amusement she didn’t understand.
“It’s a beautiful night,” Ambrose said, parting from her briefly to switch partners before coming back to her. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t think there was going to be much to do when I came to town, but when Conrad told me about the festival, I had to come.”
“You and Conrad are close, then?” Cressida asked, trying to keep the conversation polite even as the longest song ever seemed to just continue instead of coming to an end.
“We’ve been business acquaintances for a while. The last time he came to the city, he told me that I had to visit town one of these days, so here I am.”
Cressida nodded, her gaze darting around the edge of the town square again, looking for any sign of Ronan.
He had said that he might be there, but he never said he would be. She felt her heart sinking.
“Mind if I step it?” Etta asked, not bothering to wait for an answer before taking Cressida by the hands and pulling her away.
Ambrose looked annoyed, but his smile was back in place in a moment, nodding to the pair of them before he disappeared once more into the crowd.
Etta smiled, but Cressida could see the exhaustion creeping in, the way she moved a little slower, and the way her smile didn’t climb as high as it had before.
“Thank you for agreeing to this,” Etta said, her gaze locking on Cressida’s, the wet glisten of tears in her eyes.
Cressida smiled, forcing tears that had been brimming in her own eyes away. Ronan was gone. Etta needed her now. This was Etta’s night. Her sister’s day to enjoy everything that her injury had taken from her for so long.
“I’ve been holding on too tight.” Cressida reached up and brushed some of Etta’s hair back from her face and behind her ear. “I’ve spent so long worrying that something else is going to happen to you that I’ve spent a lot of time holding you back from your life. That’s not fair.”
“No, it’s not,” Etta said as the song came to an end. “But I would treat you the same way if the same thing had happened to you. Honestly, after your fever, I’m considering never letting you out of my sight again.”
Cressida laughed, taking Etta by the hand and pulling her off the dance floor to go sit down at one of the tables. Tobin came over with three glasses of lemonade in one hand, the rims clasped between his fingers, and a large plate of food balanced on the other.
“I brought you ladies something to eat and drink,” he said, his tone gruff as he set down the food and drinks before sitting beside Etta. “I hope I’m not invading an important conversation.”
“You? Invading?” Cressida waved a playfully dismissive hand. “I doubt you could at this point. It’s almost like you’re becoming part of the family.”
Tobin’s cheeks colored a pale pink as he glanced at Etta. “I’ve grown rather fond of you both as well.”
Etta looked at Tobin like he hung the stars in the sky, a smile curling the corners of her mouth. “I think we’ve grown rather fond of you, too.”
Cressida picked at some of the roast pork, picking up a crispy piece of skin and crunching on it while she looked around at the people dancing. Everyone seemed so happy. Was she the only one sitting there with her heart crashing through her chest, her disappointment dragging her down?
She wished Ronan were there to see the merriment, but she understood why he wasn’t.
Crowds seemed like something he would hardly enjoy, and though she was content to sit on the farm and spend their days beneath the sun together, there was a part of her that hoped she would get a chance to dance with him.
The hair on the back of her neck rose, and she felt like someone was watching her.
She glanced around the festival, watching people beneath the shining lamps, but there was nobody.
Etta grinned and bounced to her feet, wincing slightly, her cheeks flushed. “I think we’re going to go dance a couple more times before it’s time to go.”
Cressida reached for her lemonade with a nod. “Have a good time. I think I’m going to sit out the next couple dances.”
Tobin took Etta by the hand, leading her out with the other dancers, the song slower. Cressida watched as he leaned closer to her, whispering to her, grinning when she beamed up at him.
“I thought I might find you here.”
For a moment, she thought it was Ronan again, but the pitch of his voice was wrong.
When she glanced over her shoulder, Conrad was standing there with a smile. Thankfully, there was no sign of Ambrose.
“I was wondering if you would like to dance,” he asked, holding out his hand, making it clear that no wasn’t going to be an acceptable answer.
Cressida could see people watching them from the corner of her eye, like all of them were expecting her to take Conrad’s hand and let him sweep her off her feet.
She wanted to say no, to remind him that she wasn’t interested in his advances.
Instead, she put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet, knowing it would just draw more attention to herself if she didn’t.
“I’m glad you came tonight,” Conrad said, spinning her beneath his arm before pulling her closer.
She didn’t miss the way he glanced at the band and nodded, the music slowing down more, something close to a waltz. She hardly knew how to waltz, but she stumbled along, her cheeks warming the more eyes she felt turning to her.
“Here,” he said, pulling her closer, making her skin crawl. “Just follow my steps.”
“Okay,” she said, at a loss for words.
He was putting on a show for the people around them. She could see that much.
And it was working. People were gathering around the edges of the dance floor, unmarried women and their mothers whispering and casting longing glances at Conrad like they wished to be the ones in his arms.
Cressida wanted to tell them that she would happily trade with them, that they could be the ones to be swept off their feet, since she had no interest.
“There,” Conrad said, his voice soft and smooth, you’re getting the hang of it. You just have to move like you’re walking on air, as impossible as that seems.”
She forced a thin smile, wishing the song would hurry up and be over.
Conrad stared down at her, his gaze trying to lock on her, but she kept her own bouncing around the area. Etta stood off to the side, her eyes wide, shaking her head like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
I know, Cressida mouthed, rolling her eyes when Conrad finally looked away from her.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something rather serious,” Conrad said, looking down at her with the corner of his mouth curling up.
“Oh?” Cressida didn’t think they had ever had a serious conversation, so what would he possibly have to say to her in that moment?
He took her by the hand, stopping their dance, leading her over to an arch that had been decorated with beautiful flowers in pops of pink, yellow, and white.
Conrad stood beneath the arch with her, fixing a bright smile on his face. “I’ve been thinking about the future a lot lately.”
Cressida flinched, wanting to pull her hands from his, but people were gathering around. People were watching them.
Blood was rushing in her ears; she could see his mouth moving, but for a second, she couldn’t make out the words he was saying. She needed to find an excuse to leave.
Why? She didn’t know, but everything in her body was screaming at her to run far and run fast.
Conrad cleared his throat, his smile wavering just slightly before plastering on his face once more.
“My future is bright, but it’s lonely. I’ve spent a long time looking for the right woman, the one who could brighten my days with only a smile, one who loved others fiercely.
I was looking for someone who would be a good mother to our children, a good partner in life, and I believe I have found that person in you. ”
No, no, no, no, no.
Her stomach turned, bile rising in the back of her throat. This wasn’t happening. There was no way Conrad truly believed it was a good idea.
They hardly knew each other.
He had ambitions that didn’t align with what she wanted for herself.
She had told him multiple times that his interests were appreciated but unneeded.
And now here he was with what sounded like the start of a proposal.
“Conrad, you should stop,” Cressida said softly, trying to keep her voice low enough that the others around her wouldn’t hear. “You don’t really want to do this. You don’t even really know me.”
“I know you well enough to know that by my side is where you belong. You should stand with me as the mayor’s wife. Your compassion and love for others are exactly what this town needs. What I need.”
And yet he’s not asking what I need.
Conrad cleared his throat, his thumbs brushing over the backs of her hands. “Cressida, would you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Her mouth went dry. She couldn’t turn and run; she couldn’t say a word.
All she could do was feel the weight of the people in town staring at her.
The same ones who had met her with nothing but opinions about what she should and shouldn’t do when she was a child.
The same ones who were determined to whisper about her after her husband had died, speculating about when she would marry again.
The worst part was that she wouldn’t be able to refuse.
She couldn’t bring shame to him publicly. Every fiber of her being prevented her from doing so.
Conrad smiled at her, but when she looked up to finally meet his eyes, there was a cold and calculating glint there. He knew what he was doing. He knew that he was trapping her, forcing her into a situation where she had no choice but to say yes.
And if it had only been the two of them who would bear the shame, she would turn him down.
But there was Etta to consider.
Etta, who deserved a good life. A happy future. To not be shunned from town because of the choices Cressida made.
A heavy thud saved Cressida from having to answer, gasps going up around the crowd.
She was relieved…until she turned and saw that it was Etta on the ground.
“Etta!” Tobin shouted, dropping to the ground beside her, holding his fingers to her throat.
Cressida flew over to him, her entire world shrinking down to Etta lying there, tears flooding her eyes. “Come on, Etta, wake up. Open those pretty eyes of yours and look up at me, let me know that you’re going to be all right.”
Tobin cleared his throat, his eyes shining. “She’s got a pulse.”
“This hasn’t happened in a long time.” Cressida’s voice broke as she looked up at him. “We just need to get her to wake up. She’s going to be a little dazed and confused, but she should come around soon.”
“Etta, wake up,” Tobin said, smoothing her hair back from her face.
“Please,” Cressida said, tears starting to streak down her cheeks. The hair on the back of her neck prickled as people started gathering closer, whispers running through the crowd.
This couldn’t be happening. Etta had been good for so long. There were rough days, yes, but the last time she fainted had been nearly six months ago. Cressida thought they had finally reached a turning point. She thought one day they were both going to be free from everything that had plagued them.
Etta’s eyelashes fluttered, a soft breath falling from her lips.
Cressida wiped her tears, forcing a smile even though it was the last thing she felt like doing. “That’s it. Wake up. You can do it.”
Tobin said nothing, his lips pressed in a thin line, his fingers still tracing the curve of Etta’s cheek like a simple touch could will her into waking up. Cressida hoped for his sake that it would. She could see how much he cared about Etta.
“Cressy?” Etta whispered, a slight rasp to her voice as her eyes opened.
“Thank God!” Cressida breathed out, throwing her arms around Etta, being careful not to put too much weight on her as she hugged her. “I was so worried about you.”
“I’m sorry,” Etta said, her throat thick. “I’m so sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” Cressida whispered in her ear. “Nothing in the slightest.”
“I pushed so hard for this, and I could feel my body getting tired, but I just…I just wanted to be normal for once. I wanted to have fun.” Etta sobbed, clinging to her.
Cressida looked up at Tobin, but to her surprise, he hadn’t moved an inch, his hand only moving to rub up and down Etta’s arm instead, comforting her in the only way he could.
Swallowing hard, her throat thick, Cressida realized how special it was to have someone who loved her sister as much as she did.
Conrad appeared beside her as she helped Etta up and into a chair. “What do you need me to do? I can have my driver fetched, and we can take you both home.”
“I’ll send one of my men for the doctor,” Ambrose said, turning and whispering something to a large man.
The large man turned and disappeared into the crowd.
“Thank you,” Cressida said, her heart hammering as she held a glass of lemonade to Etta’s lips, waiting for her to take a sip before setting it to the side.
Conrad turned to one of the people in the crowd, a young boy. “Go to where the buggies are parked and fetch my driver, please.”
Tobin hovered near them. “I’ll follow behind you with mine.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Ambrose said, eying him. “We’re more than capable of taking care of them.”
“I’m going to follow,” Tobin said, his tone gruff, the look in his eyes leaving no room for argument.
Cressida stayed kneeling in front of Etta, her hands shaking, thoughts of how much worse this could’ve been running through her mind.
It’s over now. We’re going home. She’s going to be just fine.
Hopefully.