Chapter 60
Chapter sixty
Mr. Nethenabbi finally came to Longbourn that afternoon, three days after the derby, somber and immaculately dressed.
He did not greet Alyce with his typical smiles, or make small talk with Mamma as she greeted him at the door.
He went straight into Papa’s study, and they met for a worryingly long time.
Nethenabbi came out smiling (Papa was frowning). He rushed to Alyce and took her hands with joy; the whole house let out a sigh of relief. The wedding was still on. Alyce returned Nethenabbi’s smile with enthusiasm, reflecting back at him bliss.
Valeraine found it difficult to celebrate.
It was her recklessness that had led to this precarious situation, her acting wildly that had cast the whole house into despair.
If Nethenabbi had been a little less in love, this would have been the end of Alyce’s happily ever after, all because of a wicked sister.
Did Valeraine regret any of it? The derbies. Standing tall for herself.
If she were to do-over the last year, would she do anything differently?
Thinking of the perfect flight this morning, she wasn’t sure she would. She had found her freedom. And, it seemed, not at the cost of Alyce’s. It was good enough for her.
A small part of her wished she could still accept Mr. Pemberley. It was swiftly squashed by remembering him cradling her egg. And — thinking of his proud and offensive proposal — there was never a version of her who could have said yes to that.
Papa, hanging in the doorway to his study, asked, thoughtfully and gravely, “Val, will you join me?”
Valeraine went with him to the office. The drapes were pulled shut, leaving the room gloomy. The stacks of books on Papa’s desk, once homey and familiar, now seemed a wall — a tower between her and her father. Perhaps he would fire arrows at her from the ramparts.
“Mr. Nethenabbi was understandably worried about allying himself with Longbourn house,” Papa said. “He required some assurances.”
Valeraine waited for the news.
“I told him I could not guarantee your actions, nor would I try. You may ride again, and I will not act against you.”
“Thank you, Papa.”
“But this only concerned Nethenabbi farther, with a future scandal only too possible at your wild hands. I helped him to see that it was hardly possible you would ever attract more attention than arguing at the winner’s ceremony of the Royal derby.
Does this match your assessment of your plans, or will you kidnap the Prince Regent next? ”
Valeraine chuckled nervously, glad he was in a good enough mood to jest.
She didn’t know what her future plans would be. It seemed impossible to continue in the derbies, even if that’s what her heart yearned for. Would she really be satisfied with a quiet spinsterhood of farming life? Hardly.
“I will not be causing larger scandals in the future,” Valeraine said. That felt true. Whatever she did next, it couldn’t possibly be a larger scandal.
“Very good. To entice Mr. Nethenabbi to keep the engagement, I signed the contract to sell our tenant plots to Netherfield, transferred over the coming years.”
Valeraine nodded. It was the sensible thing, the only real thing to do.
There was no room at Longbourn for an egg anymore. There would be barely enough funds to support Lelantos, with their land sold away. Certainly not enough to support a growing dragon who couldn’t assist in the farming.
“I grew up believing I would be the last dragoneer of Longbourn,” Papa mused.
“Then, Lelantos kept living, and you deftly succeeded me. It has brought me happiness to see you do so, because you felt such joy doing it. Not because of the accolades (or the notoriety) that you brought to the house. What makes you happy, Val?”
Valeraine’s heart knew this answer. “Flying. And my sisters.” Her heart added a salute, given by an earnest Pemberley. Then, remembering him stealing her egg, her heart broke again. “You,” she added, not wanting Papa to feel left out. “And Mamma,” for fear that leaving Mamma out would summon her.
Where would she find her happiness from there? Perhaps she would become an old maid at Longbourn, living out her twilight years with Lelantos, diving through the sky and racing the birds, and they would die on the same day.
Papa said, “Is there anything I can do for your happiness, my dear?”
“We need to handle Kesley,” Valeraine said. He would nag at her contentment as long as he was on the estate.
“Yes, I’ve been considering dismissing him, if that’s agreeable to you?”
She nodded.
“Wonderful. I will write him —”
“Papa, can I be the one to tell him he’s sacked?”
“Certainly,” and Papa’s smile was one of a proud father, seeing his daughter get a well deserved treat.