An heiress to one of Britain's most impressive fortunes, Cordelia Gardiner has always done what her strict father expects her to, manage the estate, host dinners, mind her manners. After years of adhering to his demanding expectations, however, Cord...
"Good morning, Lord Elderwood. This is my father, Lord Alfred Gardiner, who's just come in from our estate to discuss a...delicate...matter with me. Is it perhaps possible to borrow the privacy of one of your rooms for our discussion?" Elderwood, still in his robe and looking hungover from a night of drinking, seemed completely perplexed and lost as to the drama unfolding in his foyer at such an hour in the morning. Absently, he gestured his hand to his hallway of offices, parlors, and salons, and Cordelia grabbed her father's arm and dragged him down the hall into one of them.
"Father, would you care to explain why on earth you've followed me to London?" Her voice came out in a low hiss, and she surprised herself, for she's never spoken to her father this way.
"Cordelia, you will watch your tone with your father immediately! I've already informed you as to the reason for my visit, but perhaps I should show you why I came." He rummaged through his briefcase and threw some publication's gossip page down on the desk for Cordelia to plainly see.
"'Heiress finds herself at seedy pub, and even seedier bachelor's estate.' I had hoped, daughter, that the headline and subsequent article would be wrong, that I wouldn't actually find you...here..." He said, ending his accusation with a sneering mouth.
Cordelia's brown eyes skimmed the paper as yesterday's disastrous events at the pub flooded back into her mind. Her father could be as mad as he wanted, but he wasn't there, he didn't know what had really transpired. "Father this-this, tabloid," she spat out, "doesn't reveal the whole truth, if you were there yesterday you would know-"
"What actually occurred is of little importance to me, Cordelia, what matters is what the people read. Do you understand how hard I work to try and keep this family out of London's papers? For years I've followed every rule of society to its "t" in an effort to save the Gardiner name from further humiliation." He sat down in one of Elderwood's chairs, his stern brow looking up into Cordelia's worried face.
"I met my mother yesterday, aren't you at all curious about how that went?" She asked, trying to tactfully change the subject.
"I'm sure she filled your head with all sorts of nonsense, lies about my cruelty and tales of her sorrowful plight to Covent Gardens, eh?" He was waving his hand dismissively in a circle in the air, and when he was done speaking, rested it against his head.
Cordelia calmed, and sat beside her father as she continued. "I saw the side of her that you'd warned me of, Father. She's a greedy, obstinate woman, who cares very little for the wellbeing of myself or her family." Alfred looked shocked at his daughter's confession, and hardly knew what to say in response. He was almost certain that Margaret would have done her best to turn Cordelia against him, to make the young woman feel for Margaret's "hardships."
"If your feelings towards your mother are true, then you must have realized by now that this journey to town was in vain. It's time to come home Cordelia, let's return back to Loddington, just you and me." He rose and began to collect his things, leaving Cordelia frozen in place. She couldn't leave now, she and Charles were just beginning to figure out their relationship.
Alfred interrupted her brainstorming with a slam of his briefcase against the floor. "Cordelia, are you even listening to me?" She shook her head, and her father rolled his eyes. "I was saying how we are expecting a visit upon our return to Loddington from Lord and Lady Bishop, along with their son, you remember their son William, don't you? Strapping young lad, if I do say so myself..." Alfred continued, but Cordelia went back to ignoring him.
Her father intended to try his hand at matchmaking again. Aside from the embarrassment she was feeling, she also became worried. What about her newfound love and relationship with Charles? Alfred would never understand, he would force her to marry the next eligible beau with the biggest fortune, with no care for the suitor's treatment of Cordelia, and certainly not caring if it was a marriage for love. "Father?" She said, so quietly that he continued speaking, not hearing her speak up.
"Father, I'm not leaving," she started, finally finding her voice.
"My dear, we are leaving whether you like it or not. You have proven on this...expedition of yours that you cannot handle yourself appropriately outside of Loddington's grounds. It is time to return home, Cordelia. Besides," he said, picking up his briefcase and grabbing her small arm roughly, "what could be so important here that would convince you to stay?" He had turned around to face her, and behind him, Charles had just walked into the room, a look of concern from having overheard the conversation on his face. He was still in his pajamas and robe, and Cordelia had to stifle a smile at his hair still ruffled by sleep.
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Looking into his eyes, Cordelia felt assured, that familiar feeling of strength she always found when Charles was around.
"Him," she said, tearing her arm away from her father and pointing behind him towards the love of her life.
