Chapter Twenty-Nine
You’ve Got Mail
My dearest Mil Adaline,
How strange to be addressing a letter to a name other than Millie.
I shall miss that, I think. Though should I try a thousand years, properly conveying my happiness that you and she are one and the same would prove an impossibility.
Perhaps you shall remain Millie in our private moments, if only for nostalgia’s sake.
I am considerably less happy that I have no news from you in three days.
My wretched misery grows by the second, and I fear your silence is the unfortunate consequence of your family’s reaction to our news.
If their ire was similar to my own family’s…
well, suffice it to say, my anxiety to see you knows no bounds.
I must pray that Mrs. Harrow will once again act as an intermediary on my behalf and deliver this letter to you.
I have attempted several times now to deliver a missive to your home.
Each time, my messenger has returned with the letter undelivered.
And when I attempted to call and ascertain for myself your condition, I was denied entry and told no one in the family was at home, though I knew that to be a lie.
If Mrs. Harrow refuses, I may have to resort to hiding in the bushes or throwing rocks at your window. Actions I will gladly undertake take if necessary. But it will be exceedingly simpler if Mrs. Harrow is amenable one last time.
My darling, I have not yet had the time to properly convey the strength of my love for you.
Though had I a hundred lifetimes, it would not be enough.
I love you to distraction. It’s an odd feeling, love.
One would think one falls in love and that is an end to it.
Instead, this feeling for you grows, doubles, trebles, every day.
Every minute. Until I cannot function for thoughts of you are all that fill my head.
My family fears I have gone quite mad, and I cannot fault them as they are likely correct.
I am mad. And you are the only cure. This situation in which we currently find ourselves is untenable. It cannot continue.
To that end, I have formulated a plan. I have told no one, not even Arthur, as the danger is too great.
I must see you, my love. We must be together.
And we must not allow the prejudices of our families nor anyone else to stand in the way of our happiness.
For I will be honest, my love. I have no wish to continue through this life without you.
I can only pray that you feel the same. That somewhere along the way, you have also stopped seeing me as your greatest enemy and by some miracle now view me as your dearest love. As I do you.
If you feel as I do, I beg of you, meet me tonight at midnight. In front of Mrs. Harrow’s shop. And we shall make our own plans for our future. Our families be hanged. Let us go where they cannot touch us. Where our decisions are our own, our happiness in our own hands. Come with me, my love.
I know this may seem sudden. Rash. Foolish. I do realize I am possibly—or entirely—dicked in the nob. If you’ll pardon the vulgarity (and I know you will as you have forgiven me far worse). I fear I cannot be otherwise but entirely mad, such is my fear of losing you.
Meet me, I beg of you. I shall await you until the sun rises.
Always faithfully and forever yours,
The Marquess of Mayhem
Postscript. I shall likely wait until long after the sun rises, such is my desire to steal you away. But I do feel obliged to mention that it will be considerably easier to run off to Gretna Green if we leave under the cover of darkness. Should you be so inclined.
H.
Adaline reread the letter thrice more, then lowered it, her smile growing as she read the postscript one last time.
“Cheeky, foolish man,” she murmured, though her body trembled with a nearly overwhelming mix of excitement, anticipation, and sheer, unadulterated happiness.
“Well?” Lucy asked. “What did he say?”
Adaline glanced up. “My family, it seems, has been keeping Hugo from me. He has tried to call and write several times, all to no avail.”
Lucy nodded. “I thought as much when he arrived at my door begging me to deliver this to you,” she said, waving at the letter. “But what did he say? Something has put that bloom back in your cheeks.”
“I…” Adaline let out a nervous laugh. “I suppose I have a decision to make.”