Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
“Are you excited to be wed? My mother says there’s no better feeling than finding one’s match. I have not been as fortunate as you were to find someone who cares for you so deeply, but I am sure my father will find me a match if need be.”
Isobel pursed her lips, trying to keep herself from saying something that might upset the lady before her. She was doing her best to be as polite as possible, but the conversation had been quite full since it began fifteen minutes ago.
She blinked at the lady who blinked back, and she eventually realized that she was expected to respond.
“Yes! Yes, I am. Quite excited, as a matter of fact. There is… no one kinder than my — Duke. His Grace is truly the epitome of graciousness, and I cannot wait to be his duchess.” Isobel quickly said, trying her hardest not to flinch at her babbling.
The young woman before her smiled and nodded, before pulling her into an embrace as she said,
“I wish you nothing but happiness ahead! Remember to put his needs ahead of yours. My mother tells me that a satisfied husband will bend to the will and whim of his wife.”
Isobel frowned. “Should he not be willing to fulfill my wills and whims because he loves me? Must his needs take precedence? What about my needs? Must I manage both our needs for the sake of the things I want? Can it then be said that he loves me?”
The woman was quiet, and then she pulled back from the hug, regarding Isobel with a confused expression on her face.
“I don’t know,” she stuttered with a laugh. “I was just telling you what my mother told me —"
“It’s all right, I understand. I merely… got a tad nervous. But I know that is not what my husband-to-be is like.” Isobel paused, and then she laughed. “Oh God, I hope not.”
The woman laughed along with her, the air around them tinged with awkwardness. Isobel decided this was a good time to slip away, making up an excuse about her presence being needed before she walked away.
Once she was far enough, she let out a deep breath, her shoulders sagging with exhaustion.
Because her father had named ‘hostess’ as one of the roles Valerie had been handling before her… incident, and as such, Isobel needed to fulfill that duty as well.
But all the interactions she’d had this far have been quite alarming. Everyone was so pleased that Valerie was getting married, and while Isobel shared some of their sentiment, she did not understand why they all acted as though marriage was the end-all be-all.
She had chosen to remove herself from such ideals, and there had been no devastation to her life, only freedom.
Additionally, everyone was so utterly kind and thoughtful, with their too-bright smiles and loud remarks that left Isobel a little disoriented as she tried to find the person who had poisoned Valerie.
Ten days did not seem like nearly enough time to solve this mystery, and she was worried that if she was too late, the consequences would be dire.
“Well, well,” a voice called from behind Isobel. “If it isn’t the princess of Gramfield estate.”
She turned and came face to face with a woman who appeared to be her age, if not a tad younger. The young woman was truly a beauty to behold, with blonde hair curled into ringlets that cascaded over her shoulders and down her back, and brown eyes that shone with mischief.
Something about her seemed familiar, but Isobel could not seem to put her finger on why that was, and because she still had not been informed about the people who made up the guest list, it was all she could do to keep a blank expression on her face.
The tone that had been used to address her had been overly sweet, and it suggested that perhaps the words weren’t said in a joking manner, but rather mocking, and Isobel raised an eyebrow at the woman before her.
“I beg your pardon?”
The young lady shrugged, her curls bouncing lightly as she said,
“Do you not think you have behaved rather disrespectfully to us, and therefore an apology is in order? It was rude for you to confine yourself to your room all day because of a headache, when all the guests present are here to see you. As the host, you should do more to ensure that all your guests are taken well taken care of, rather than selfishly hiding away.”
Isobel was immediately irritated, wondering who this woman was and how significant she was to Valerie because Isobel was not going to let such blatant disrespect go unpunished.
“And do you know that speaking to me in such a manner is quite rude?” Isobel countered, resisting the urge to fold her arms and stare the lady down.
The lady looked taken aback, and Isobel hoped that this conversation had come to a close, startled when Deborah walked up to them.
“Ah, Valerie, it is good to see you in such high spirits today! Oh, there you are, dear. Have you seen your brother?”
The lady who had been with Isobel shook her head as she folded her arms, “He is a man old enough to handle his affairs. Do not coddle him so.”
Deborah looked aghast. “I never said he was not old enough to handle his own affairs, and I do not coddle him! I merely asked because I have not seen him all morning, and I thought you might know his whereabouts. I told him to inform me before he left the estate —”
“Why must he do that? It is not as though he is going to run away, Mother. Just leave him be.”
Mother? Isobel glanced between them, noting that they did have similar facial features, and she realized the reason she had been looking at the lady closely was because she recognized the resemblance she bore to Deborah.
Deborah sighed, smiling apologetically to Isobel.
“Forgive our little…banter, Valerie. It seems I have tasked Bridget with far too many roles, and she has grown rather tired of indulging me.” The older woman said in her usual sweet manner.
Isobel could not help but stare at them both in disbelief that the two of them were actually related.
Where Deborah was gentle and sweet, her daughter bore a slight sneer on her lips, and she looked very displeased to be in their presence. It struck Isobel as odd how Bridget had spoken to her earlier, her tone carrying a malicious edge that was suspicious.
Did she not like Valerie? If she had a reason to dislike her cousin, was it dire enough to warrant poisoning? Could Bridget be responsible?
Isobel was still in deep thought when she felt a presence at her back, her spine going rigid as a voice whispered in her ear.
“Meet me in the library by midnight for your first lesson. Do not be late.”
She recognized the voice and considered chasing him away by ‘accidentally’ hitting him with her elbow, but the feeling of his breath against her skin had suddenly overwhelmed and confused her thoughts.
Her heart was racing too, due to the closeness, and the reaction was so foreign, she wondered if perhaps she had truly fallen ill.
It wasn’t until Richard had stepped away from her that she regained some of her strength, and she frowned, wondering what it was about this arrogant man that affected her so greatly.
“Oh, good morning, Your Grace,” Deborah greeted with a smile.
Bridget smiled too, a genuine one, at the sight of the Duke, curtseying demurely as she peered up at him through her lashes.
“What a delight it is to see you, Your Grace. I’d hoped we would cross paths eventually.”
“I can’t imagine how you missed him previously, when he has a knack for appearing where he isn’t exactly wanted,” Isobel muttered with a roll of her eyes.
Richard’s cold gaze slid over to her, and she pursed her lips together, blinking innocently and drawing a small scoff from him.
“My apologies, Miss Wightman. I have been occupied by a rather… troublesome situation, and my focus is required to handle it appropriately. But when I can gain some freedom from my duties, I will seek you out, personally.” He said to Bridget with a smile.
The way he interacted with Bridget made a surprising sight to Isobel, who would never have guessed that this cold Duke had a charming side. It irritated her for some reason, and rather than continue to witness it, she quickly spoke up,
“I, too, have duties to attend to. I bid you all a good day.”
Before anyone could respond, she gathered her skirts and walked away, unease spreading within her as she wondered what would happen when she saw Richard again tonight.
Isobel wished she could have forgotten that she’d been told to meet the Duke at midnight.
Instead, the invitation has remained at the forefront of her mind, casting every other thought and concern aside until she was focused on nothing other than glancing at the clock to check the time.
Dinner was a bustling affair, with many people voicing how eager they were to witness Valerie get married. She received many cheers and well-wishes that left a bitter taste in her mouth because she felt undeserving of their attention and kindness.
Valerie should be where she was seated. She should be the center of attention. But instead, she was still unconscious and possibly in pain because someone had tried to hurt her for some reason that Isobel needed to uncover.
The rambunctious laughter and ceaseless chatter made her long for her own family, to see her siblings again soon.
Her decision to become a nun had barely been contested, but she had felt a little twinge of disappointment as she wondered if perhaps she might’ve liked to be just as happy as her brother and sisters were, with their husbands and wife.
If all went well, Valerie would be married next week, and Isobel… she would still be alone.
After dinner, she retired to her room, turning down invitations to sing as her aunt played the piano. They pestered her continuously and seemed very surprised when she opposed them stubbornly.
“I suppose Valerie doesn’t refuse them often enough,” she tutted as she closed her door, after she had managed to chase the others away, finally.