THE Marquis's Mistress: Historical Fiction

CHAPTER 13

‘Thank you,’ the tears streamed down Crystal’s cheeks.

‘I will teach you how to cut patterns,’ Natasha offered.  ‘So you can make the gown for Lady Louisa.

‘You will?  Oh Natasha I do not deserve anything from you.’

‘Perhaps not,’ Natasha laughed softly, ‘but I want you to do well in school.  So I want to see you doing a good job for Lady Louisa.

‘I have some beautiful material myself,’ Natasha hinted.  ‘You will only see the gowns, when I have completed it, not a moment before.

‘Oh I can not wait,’ Natasha received the first genuine smile from Crystal.

‘Natasha what happened?’ The baroness Sadie rushed into the library almost in hysterical tears.  Surely she was groomed to exercise some restraint in view of the hired labour.

‘My lady?’ Natasha exclaimed, dropping the journals on the floor.   ‘Is ---something wrong with the duke?’  Natasha gripped Sadie’s shoulders with concern.

‘I overheard father and Benedict setting the date for his marriage to Lady Louisa,’ she answered with a distraught voice.  A searing pain like a knife twisted at Natasha’s heart.  She had not seen Benedict in the last four days.  He seemed to be heeding her appeal to stay away.  Sadie’s words just escalated the debilitating loss she felt.  Natasha’s hands dropped from Sadie’s shoulders.

‘You must know it was the duke’s plan for Ben---Lord Benedict to wed the Lady Louisa,’ Natasha spoke quietly, turning away from Sadie.

‘But Benedict cannot she sobbed.  ‘He does not love her.  I know he does not.  I have seen the way he looks at you.’

‘Just let it be, my lady,’ Natasha whispered.  Her eyes tightly shut.  She did not need to hear what she knew in her heart.  She tried to block the embattled words that Benedict had cried out four nights ago when he had held her in his arms.  Perhaps she should stop working for Benedict.  It was way too painful being here, secretly hoping he would walk into the library, yet reason was telling her he should keep away.  The only reason she had not yet quit, was the more than fantastic wage she received each week.  And every week she observed, it was higher than the previous week.  Benedict seemed to justify that she was not only keeping the ledgers.  She was also still the nursemaid, so essentially she should be paid more.  When he had put it that way, she was able to allow her conscience to then increase the purse she was storing for Benjamin’s medical studies.

‘How can I let it be?’ Sadie cried openly.  ‘No wonder my brother leaves home before you get here each morning, and only returns after sunset.  He seems to spend his days toiling on the farm.  I bet he is just punishing himself.’

‘Stop it please,’ Natasha begged.  ‘Do you know what you are doing to me?  Do you think it is easy for either of us?’ 

It was absolute torture every day and every night, when she did not see him, or hear his voice.  She missed Benedict dreadfully.

‘I do not understand.  Help me understand,’ Sadie urged.  It was not Natasha’s place to speak on Benedict’s behalf.  She could not school Sadie on the ducal politics that the Brinleys faced.  Sadie would have to question her brother if she wanted answers.

‘There are more significant things at play here than an attraction between Benedict and I,’ Natasha breathed, finally deciding to forgo the formality of addressing Benedict.

‘For the life of me, I could never imagine my Nicholas sacrificing his love for me for his father or mine,’ Sadie claimed.  ‘Nicholas was prepared for us to escape to the continent, if my father did not consent to our marriage.’