𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒

Chapter 5

"WEREN'T THEY SUPPOSED TO BE here for business? It seems quite odd that they'd stay for the fair," Lady Diana Beaumont observed the following morning as they reflected on the past events.

"They are trying to secure our interest," Lady Alicia Kirkpatrick murmured a little faintly, as she sipped her tea. "Or at least—Lord Buxton is. Yours, I mean." 

Diana furrowed her brows. "He wasn't the one to suggest—" 

"Maybe he asked Lord Algernon to inquire on his behalf," Alicia interrupted, setting her half finished tea cup aside. "We cannot really know, can we?"

"Alicia, are you alright?" Diana observed her cousin's dismissive manner, her flitting eyes, and discomforted shifts with worry. 

Alicia sighed, before slowly meeting her cousin's eyes in defeat. "I just—I'm worried things are changing. Rebecca will be married soon, hopefully. And that is completely alright, I am happy for her, but then these gentlemen show up? Lord Buxton, of the notorious Buxtons, is now trying to secure your interest?" 

"When you danced with him, I thought nothing of it. But goodness Diana, he sought us out with his friend on our ride in town, and then they ask to escort us to the fair?" Alicia brought her voice to a whisper, being conscious of the presence of our cousins and aunts in the background of where we had laid our scene—the east drawing room of the Mansfield estate. "I only just met Lord Algernon yesterday, but they are very forward men. If our parents hear of this, you are as good as engaged." 

"I believe what I'm trying to say is," Alicia closed her eyes and reopened them again. "I do not want to lose you just yet. In Paris I missed you so much, I could not wait to return. And now I feel like everything will just change quickly whether I like it or not." 

Lady Diana Beaumont listened to her cousin's predicament, a frown on her face as she leaned in to embrace her friend.

"Don't be silly," She spoke softly, separating from the hug. "Nothing is going to change between us, alright? And as for Lord Buxton, you're absolutely silly to assume, Alicia. Just because he is forward does not mean I would fall for it. I don't even know him. We were wrong to assume what we did about him, but other than that, he is just a stranger." 

Alicia nodded, trying to silently convince herself. 

"And besides," Diana mused, leaning for a biscuit on the tray. "Did we not make a pact to marry brothers one day, so we could see each other always?" 

Lady Alicia Beaumont laughed, her initial predicament taking the curtain call as she helped herself to the biscuits too. 

A loud off key music note sounded then and the ladies looked towards their little cousins in the far end of the drawing room. Frances and little Fanny were in the middle of their music lessons with their music tutor, Mr Humbert.

Frances had quite gotten hold of her piano lessons; she was able to play five precise compositions, a handful of notes from each, on the instrument with ease. Little Fanny however was having all the fun she could with her little golden harp. The mismatched tunes she stringed bounced off of the walls of the room. Mr Humbert tried as hard as he could to get the little girl to co-operate, but Fanny really did really have a heart and mind of her own.

"Lady Beaumont, there's a letter arrived for you," A maid spoke as she came in the drawing room. She had a silver tray in her hand, on which lay the letter. Diana nodded and smiled, gesturing for the maid to bring her the letter.

As she leaned in to take it from the tray, she read the sender's information and a smile spread across her face.

"It's from Jessie Churchill," Diana spoke, and then she opened the letter.