Playing The Part (please help with editing)

Chapter 2- Journey of Illness (need help with new title for this chapter)

The next three weeks were absolute hell for Abrielle. As she'd thought, she was spending much more time with the ladies of Venice. She was forced to speak to insufferable women who only thought to speak about other women who weren't at the 'meetings'. The worst thing was that with all of the teas and parties she'd been attending, Abrielle hadn't had a spare minute to visit or send a message to Franco. She missed his touch and his lopsided grin. She had tried to feign sickness but Dolores saw through any act and wouldn't let Abrielle miss even one of the events.

Abrielle sat on her bed reading a letter from her sister that she had received the previous week. It was the only letter she'd received yet and she kept reading it over and over again.

Dearest twin, Abrielle,

By the time you get this letter I will probably be well settled in Mr. Kingsley's home estate. I am writing this while the carriage is moving so please excuse the messy handwriting.
I have been spending the last three days wondering how to write this letter to you. It is very strange writing to you instead of just conversing with you so I decided to say these words aloud instead of simply writing them. That way I can pretend I am actually speaking to you rather than writing. I can only wonder what everyone else is thinking right now but they have not spoken up asking why on earth I am speaking to myself.
We are only a few days away from Florence, it is very exciting being this close to the big city. Do you remember when we were eight years old and you asked Mama and Papa if we could visit Florence? I remember you begging and begging but in the end they simply said that Florence was boring because everyone was a tourist there and if they weren't a tourist they weren't as exciting as everyone thought. You argued and argued until father told you in detail everything in Florence and you simply grew bored of the idea. It was quite amusing to watch.
I am quite excited to arrive. I wish that you were with me. I have been told horrendous stories from the women back home that vampires and other demons lurk in Florence. If you were here you would be able to assure me that those women are absolute- what do you call them? oh yes- Gossip Breeders and do not know at all what they are speaking of.
I can imagine that Aunty is making you attend those parties and teas. How are you coping with them? I can just see you telling them all that they are the worst kind of leeches of society. They aren't that bad though. Very lovely ladies.
Have you met Francesca Florentine's daughter yet. She looks like a jewel (though she cannot compare to our beauty) but is quite strange. Everyone has heard the rumors about her. You should ask one of them when Franny isn't listening. Her name is Valentina Florentine. I tried speaking with her once. Rumor has it she is being sent off to become a maid servant soon.
Oh how I have gotten carried away. You must be so displeased with my attraction to this piece of gossip. But even you will want to know about this one.

Please reply.
Much love,
Louisianna Bianche.

Abrielle folded the paper back into the folds of her dress. It was lovely hearing from her sister. She was glad that Louisianna was enjoying the trip and couldn't wait until she received the next letter. But since the first time Abrielle read the letter she'd struggled to think of anything to say to Louisianna. That she was absolutely miserable without her. Abrielle hadn't even looked for Valentina Florentine so she couldn't even share her own findings.
Abrielle sighed and fell back on the bed, letter clutched in her hand.
"Abrielle are you ready for Franny's party?" Abrielle heard Dolores call from downstairs. Abrielle groaned but stood up from the bed, patting down her ridiculously revealing dress that Dolores had picked out.
Abrielle barely had any cleavage and the tightness of the corset made her look desperate.
"Coming Aunt," she called back. She picked up one of Louisianna's spare fans and moved slightly to get a glance of herself.
She was holding her chin high and shoulders back but it made her look more snobby than confident. Abrielle let her shoulders fall slightly and her chin drop at least an inch. She smiled at herself before picking up her skirts and rushing downstairs.
"Don't run," Dolores chided. Abrielle slowed down and looked down at the flooring, not wanting to look at her aunt's leather like face.
Abrielle would never call her aunt old...to her face. Dolores was nearing her 60th birthday which was surprising because she was Abrielle's father's sister. Dolores had been born twenty-five years before Abrielle's father, Angelo, was born. Dolores was kind to take Louisianna and Abrielle in when their parents died and she was constantly reminding them that.
"After all I've done for you, taking you in when you were young, you can't even be on time," Dolores said. Abrielle resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was a habit she had to stop.
"I'm sorry Aunt." Abrielle bowed her head and walked past her aunt out the door. The carriage waited. She'd been riding in carriages all her life but for some reason that day she felt nervous, like she couldn't get in that carriage. As she neared the carriage her stomach turned.
"Aunt." She turned around to face her aunt. "I am feeling ill." Abrielle wrapped her arms around her stomach. Dolores groaned but pressed the back of her hand to Abrielle's forehead. Dolores, being the only person in Venice shorter than Abrielle, had to stand on her toes to reach Abrielle's forehead.
"You feel fine," Dolores said suspiciously. "But if you say you are ill..." Abrielle grinned and gave her aunt a kiss on the cheek.
"Grazie Aunt." Abrielle walked back to the estate slowly, listening to the horses neighs as they sped away.
Her legs were as heavy as led as she dragged them back up the stairs. Why, all of a sudden, did she feels so ill? She was fine upstairs, a little bit despaired to be going to another tea, but not ill. She touched the brass door handle, closing her eyes for a moment. What was wrong with her?
"Senorina Abrielle." The call came from behind but a wave a tiredness swept over Abrielle, not allowing her to turn around. She felt a cool touch on her elbow, soft but enough to keep her standing.
"Senorina you must be careful." The voice was highly accented, giving Abrielle the impression that she mainly spoke italian unlike her own family that was much more fond of English. Abrielle could tell it was female from the pitch and the size of the hand holding her upright. The girl turned the door handle and pulled Abrielle gently inside. She led Abrielle towards the lounge, the girls dark hair the only thing Abrielle could focus on. The shade of her hair was familiar as was her accent but Abrielle didn't think on it. The girl helped Abrielle sit on the couch.
"Do you have any tea?" the girl asked. Abrielle nodded weakly, her head feeling like it weighed 100 pounds. "I'll go get you some." The girl scuttled away, reminding Abrielle of the old kitchen girls. They'd been forced to get rid off all of the kitchen staff except the cook because of finacial problems. No one knew of course, it would ruin the family if anyone else but they knew. Abrielle had befriended the cook's daughter, Sophie. They had become very close but when Abrielle was 14, Sophie, along with many of the other staff, had been sent away to work someplace else. When they found out about removing the staff, Abrielle hadn't been worried because she knew the cook was staying so of course Sophie would stay as well but even the cook's daught couldn't avoid being sent away. Abrielle was miserable for the weeks after and it didn't help that Louisianna was out of the house every second of the day. So Abrielle would sit in the kitchens reading a book while Cook bustled around with the pots and pans. She was skepical at first but soon Cook loosened up. Abrielle wouldn't call it friendship between her and Cook but they were certainly allies. If Abrielle got hungry after her meal Cook would give her the leftovers and everytime Dolores got cross with Cook, Abrielle would make the situation seem small and stupid so Cook wouldn't get fired.
"The cook said she would finish the tea for you," the girl said, returning to the room. Abrielle looked up at her face and recognised it immediately. It was Francesca Floretine's daughter, Valentina Florentine. She was beautiful, like Louisianna had said. Her full lips pursed and dark hair cascading over her shoulder. Her eyes were almond shaped and brown looking like the held some secret. All of Valentina looked like it held a secret. The brown dress she wore hugged her curves and pushed tight against her chest causing her breasts to practically fall out of the ensemble. The dress looked more like a servant girl's dress than a dress a ladies daughter would wear. Abrielle tried not to think on it.
"Thankyou Valentina," Abrielle said graciously. Valentina looked up, surprised, obviously, that Abrielle knew her name. She smiled slightly.
"It's fine," she said, bashfully. "I recognized you from my mother's ridiculous teas and thought you looked ill. Abrielle looked down at Valentina's hands that picked at her dress. Abrielle furrowed her brows then remembered something Louisianna had said in her letter.
Rumor has it she is being sent off to become a maid servant soon. Abrielle looked at the look of despair that washed over Valentina's face.
"My sister told me about you in one of her letters to me," Abrielle said, making Louisianna look up. She furrowed her brows, obviously trying to figure out what Lousianna must have said.
"Well your sister used to be the one coming to the teas so I would assume she saw me once or twice." Valentina looked back down. Abrielle searched her face but Cook came in with the tea.
"It is hot Senorina," Cook informed. "Be careful." Abrielle took the tea out of Cook's hand giving her a nod of thanks. The cook shuffled away, mumbling to herself.
"She is a strange woman," Valentina commented. Abrielle glared at her.
"Cook has been here a long time," Abrielle said with a bite in her voice. She didn't know why she felt so protective of Cook but she did. "And her daughter was forced to move away from here 5 years ago." Abrielle crossed her arms over her chest. Who was Valentina to judge weirdness? Louisianna said that Valentina was strange, odd.
"Mi dispiace Senorina," Valentina said, embarrassed. "I didn't mean to offend you." Abrielle relaxed her ams and smiled at Valentina then realized that she'd kept calling her Senorina.
"Valentina, why do you keep calling me 'Senorina'?" Abrielle asked. It was unusual for a woman with the same social status as another to call the other woman 'Senorina' and Valentina obviously knew Abrielle's first name.
Valentina blushed and looked down, picking at her dress more furiously now.
"My mother has disowned me and sent me to become a maid girl," Valentina explained, almost inaudible but Abrielle heard it and was shocked. She thought it was only a rumor and didn't know thetat Francesca would actually send her daughter to be a common servant. Abrielle imagined if her aunt did that to her. She shuddered.
Valentina looked up, tears in her eyes. Abrielle felt a sympathy for this girl. This girl she barely knew and Louisianna had claimed was strange.
Abrielle reached across and took Valentina's hand in her own. Valentina smiled weakly and let some of the tears fall onto her olive colored cheeks.
"You can talk about it if you want," Abrielle offered. Valentina shook her head but then all of it came out
"She always threatened to do it but I never dreamed that she would," Valentina blubered. Abrielle kept a firm hold on Valentina's hand. "She said I was socially awkward and would never fit in with society. That I wouldn't be able marry because no one would want a girl like me. She said I would most likely become a-a-a-" Valentina broke down in tears but Abrielle could guess what she was going to say.
A knock on the door stopped Valentina's loud sobbing. Abrielle gave Valentina a fleeting glance before moving toward the door.
The mail boy stood at the door with a letter in his hand. His cheeks were red and he was sweating. Abrielle rose an eyebrow at him but took the letter from his hands.

"I was told it was urgent," the boy says breathing heavily between words. Abrielle looked at the envelope addressed to her. She smiled and nodded at the boy before pulling a gold coin from her pocket. She put the coin in the boys hand before closing the door. She walked back to the lounge whilst attempting to open the letter. Valentina looked up as Abrielle walked back in the room but didn't question anything.
"Sorry to be rude," Abrielle said, "but I was told it is urgent." She pulled the letter out and began to read.

Dearest Abrielle,

It is I, your Aunt Janice.

Abrielle stopped reading. Aunt Janice was another one of their aunts, the one that lived in Florence. She was helping with Aunt Dolores's plan to get Louisianna married off to the English lord. She was supposed to be looking out for Louisianna while she was there. Abrielle was confused at why she might be writing to her but kept reading.

Your sister, it seems, has become violently ill the past week. We assume that she has picked up an illness from the road. She has been in her room the past few days and we have been explaining that she has a headache but we do not know when she will be well again. She will only be able to use the 'headache' excuse for another week. If Mr. Kingsley learns of Louisianna's illness, we fear he will discard her not wanting a sickly wife.
So here is where you come in. Because you an your sister look so similar, we have decided that you would be a perfect pretend Louisianna for the time being. I have mailed your other aunt already explaining that this might happen and she agrees. We have organized a carriage that can by no means stop at all so you can arrive as fast as possible. If you truly care about Louisianna you will do this one kindness for her.

Yours Sincerily,
Janice Bianche.

Abrielle stared at the letter in shock. Louisianna ill? Abrielle filling in?
The truth of it sunk in just as darkness filled Abrielle's vision.