Chapter 12

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Chapter 12

At Winterley Court, Cassandra was sitting with Emilia in her bedroom, making some last minute preparations for the upcoming fight. There wasn't too much left to be done, the arrangements and strategising had all been taken care of. Their final meeting was at Konstantin House in an hour to go over their tactics one last time.

Cassandra, who had been teetering on the brink of exploding with sheer joy, suddenly burst forth, "Em." When Emilia looked up from her knife polishing on the floor, Cassandra continued, "I actually wanted to wait until all this fight business was over, but I cannot wait any longer. There is something I need to tell you."

Seeing Cassandra's face flushed with excitement, Emilia set down her knife and turned toward her friend. "Well, now that you mention it, you are glowing."

Cassandra struggled for a little bit, then said reverently. "Em, I am in love. With the most wonderful man in the world." Cassandra couldn't seem to contain herself.

Emilia's eyes shone. "Oh! I knew it. You and Emmanuel?" At Cassandra's nod, they hugged and giggled like schoolgirls.

"Tell me everything!"

They broke apart, but still remained close. "It really... came from nowhere. Before I knew it, I was in too deep to ever think of extricating myself. Not that I would ever wanted to... Not really." Cassandra sighed. "Oh Em, he is everything I have ever wanted, and more. I never thought I would meet a man who appealed to me on so many levels. He is interesting, noble, kind, honest... gorgeous..." she blushed. "And to top it all I can actually have an intelligent conversation with him!"

Emilia, who had been listening with interest, quipped in amusement, "Well, like you said, I do not suppose it hurts that he is as handsome as the devil and as rich as Croesus."

"Handsome he most certainly is." Cassandra blushed again and then laughed. "And I know that you know I do not care for his money. After all, I have more than enough of my own."

"Has he offered for your hand?" Emilia asked.

Cassandra's gleaming eyes gave it away.

Emilia's eyes bulged. "How? When? Where?"

"Just this afternoon actually..." Emilia sat enraptured as Cassandra preceded to tell her everything.

4 hours earlier

"His Grace, the Duke of Castlereagh to see you, my Lady." Cassandra, who was sitting in the parlour, looked up from her letter from Miranda. Her heart immediately leaped into her throat at the butler's announcement.

"He is here?" she repeated dumbly.

Without as much as a blink, "Waiting to be shown in."

Cassandra jumped to her feet and automatically smoothed her gown. "You may bring him in, please."

In what felt like seconds, Emmanuel was before her, bowing formally. "My Lady." His voice was low, intimate.

Those eyes, she thought. I could drown in them. "Your Grace," she curtseyed. "What a surprise. I had not expected to see you so soon." She sounded breathless. "Would you sit, please?"

Cassandra showed him to the seat adjacent to hers and waited.

Emmanuel was staring at her without a word. His eyes always had a way of shining like the most precious jewels. They looked magnificent with the late afternoon sunlight filtering through the long windows to his left. Compared to her he seemed composed, calm and collected.

Not knowing why he was not saying anything, Cassandra said into the awkward silence, "It was a lovely day, would you not agree?" She gestured to the window and then looked down into her lap at her fidgeting hands.

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