Love, Liberty, and Other Bad Ideas

10. The Messenger

Catherine was utterly unaware of the fate that had befallen her sister, she believed her to be the luckiest girl in the world to be engaged to a duke. "Oh, Elizabeth, that is wonderful news!" She beams.

Elizabeth had no option but to go along with this, as she did not wish to anger the Duke who was still stood beside her. "Yes, Catherine, it is very good news indeed."

At this moment, Mr. Pimston had re-emerged from the stables, a large chestnut coloured horse in tow, and Catherine called to him across the large open clearing. "Pimston!" She beckoned, and he politely joined them. "Pimston," she started, quieter now that he was closer, "have you heard the news? Elizabeth and Duke Dashner are to be wed."

"I have heard," Pimston replies softly, hiding his true emotions. "I hope the two of you will be very happy together."

"And we will, no one could make me happier." The Duke replies, "I beg you excuse me, for I must inform Mr. Eastcombe of his sister's future betrothal with me." He goes to leave, but looks to Pimston with a sinister eye and utters, "I believe you are needed somewhere else, Pimston. You need not stay here. The stable boy would be better suited to introduce us the the horse."

Pimston understood his threat instantly, handing the reins to his stable boy before departing. "Are you coming, sweet Elizabeth?"

"May you give me a moment alone with my sister? We will be only a few short minutes." Elizabeth asks him politely, and he looks her up and down, suspecting her. "I only wish to discuss our father, but it is family business you see."

"I will stand just over here, but I will not let you out of my sight." He instructs her, then walks away just a short distance, still in earshot if Elizabeth were to talk usually.

"Catherine," Elizabeth whispers, so that the Duke cannot hear her. "Whatever you do, do not respond to what I am about to say. The duke cannot suspect that anything is wrong."

"What is it?" Catherine responds with a fake smile plastered on her face, obeying her sister's wishes.

"I will explain properly later, but for now, you must know that I do not wish to marry the duke and it is Mr. Pimston whom I long to be with."

"But Elizabeth," Catherine starts, utterly shocked, but she quickly hides her astonishment, "I never knew. When did this happen? I always believed the two of you to be good friends."

"It does not matter now, like I said, I will explain everything later when we are alone, but for now you must go to Pimston and deliver a message for me. The Duke is an extremely jealous man and if he knew that I was holding any affection for another man, he would not take the news lightly. I fear for what he would do to poor old Pimston."

Her sister takes in everything her sister says, "what is the message?" She asks, "what would you like me to tell him?"

After telling her younger sister exactly what to say to Pimston, Elizabeth rejoins the duke as if nothing was wrong. "Come now, Elizabeth," the Duke starts, "there is no point moping in despair, this is a most joyous union."

"I know, your Grace," Elizabeth starts with a sweet smile, "the truth is that I am glad you detest of Mr. Pimston. The man is obsessed with me, you see, and I have been wanting to be rid of him all week. Now that we are engaged he has no choice but to leave me alone and I could not be happier."

"Truly?" The Duke questions, wanting to believe his fiancé, "I believed you to be rather fond of the man."

"I was just playing the part so he would not cause a scene." She tells him, fooling him completely, "and Pimston will soon move on, he will not be a part of our lives much longer. I am sure it is just an infatuation, you see."

"I see." He replies with a devilish grin, believing he has won the little war he has with Mr. Pimston.

Meanwhile, Catherine runs across the green, disregarding all forms of decorum in order to deliver her sister's message. "Pimston!" She yells, getting his attention, "Mr. Pimston!" She yells one more time, and comes to a halt just a few yards from where he is stood.

"Lady Eastcombe? Whatever is the matter?" He asks her in an extremely concerned tone. It must be an important matter, he thought, for her to conduct herself in such a fashion.

"I must speak to you at once," she tells him, attempting to catch her breath, then turns to Mr, Grogan, whom Pimston was conversing with, "my apologies Mr. Grogan, but it is an urgent matter that cannot wait."

"Of course." Grogan replies with a nod before departing.

Catherine does not give Pimston a chance to question her once more and precedes to deliver her message, "Elizabeth has asked me to tell you that she wishes more than anything to speak to you herself, but that she cannot risk it with the Duke keeping a watchful eye." She starts, looking around to see if anyone is listening in. "She has told the Duke that she never held any feelings for you, that she was telling you what you wanted to hear, but this is not true. She will be at your townhouse tonight, at the servant's entrance so that no one will see her."

"I will leave it unlocked, tell her to let herself in so that she does not risk standing outside for long periods where people could see her." He tells Catherine in reply, a smile starting to form on his face. There was hope now, a small slither of hope that they could still be together. "I look forward to seeing her."

"Promise me you will not believe the whispers of anyone suggesting that she is in love with the Duke," Catherine continues, "for her heart belongs to you and you only."

"Those words are music to my ears, Catherine," Pimston replies with a wide grin. "I promise to never let my faith in her waiver."

"Good." Catherine replies, "but now that I have delivered my message, I must leave so that I do not draw suspicion." She tells him, but this is only partially true, for she also wished to depart to set her own plan in motion. So she turned her attention to a certain Mr. Grogan.