Dear William,
Would you believe that I have ventured into Haram? The place's reputation as Wickhurst's sinful place does not quite suit it. I did find many things that were quite marvellous, in my opinion. For one, I discovered a bookshop that sells the rarest editions. Truly, one ought to give Haram a chance!
As to your inquiry about the cat, it did manage to escape me once again. I am quite inclined to ignore your suggestion not to cage it. I am afraid that it will someday go and never return.
I did read the Herald. It is sad news for Benedict Everard and his wife, really, but I am quite certain that Lady Agatha will soon heal from the loss of her unborn child. I do hope that as a friend of the family, you did find a way to offer them comfort.
Your friend,
Lady Weis
*****
It was not difficult to find a way to deliver her letters to Wakefield. It simply took two maids who were related to one of Samuel Theobald's footman who would in turn post the letter to Wakefield's residence. Either of the maids would then meet with the said footman during one of their trips to the market and deliver any reply from Wakefield straight to Ysabella.
Samuel was forced to turn a blind eye as Ysabella had found out about his well-kept secret. That said secret seemed to be stronger still to this day as no one in the Everard household, except the two very trustworthy maids, knew of Ysabella's secret. Add to the fact that it was Samuel who did challenge Ysabella to write the first letter to Wakefield, the man was very willing to keep his mouth shut to save his own skin from the rest of the Everards.
So, no, it was indeed not difficult to post the letters without getting caught, but to keep it a secret was. She hated that Emma did not know. She had never lied to her sister. But then she merely lied once and it was when she promised to stop sending any more letters to Wakefield as Lady Weis. Never did Emma ask or doubted that she sent more and it had been slowly eating her inside to have kept her sister in the dark for two years now.
She had kept telling herself that she was not doing anything foul. Lady Weis was simply to be one of the reasons for Wakefield to love her. She only wrote to him as a friend, giving him advice on matters at hand and possibly, in the future, advice on love. Yet Ysabella knew she had also been fooling herself. Two years of writing to each other and her infatuation grew to one of love. It could no longer be denied for as Lady Weis she discovered more of the man beneath his rakehell façade. Undeniably, it was the number one reason why she could not seem to stop writing back.
But it would soon have to end. It was not going anywhere. Every moment she tried to bring out the subject of Ysabella Everard as a possible prospect for his attention in her letters, he would simply change the subject or ignore any statement she made regarding the beautiful and vibrant Lady Ysabella Everard. Afraid that he would suspect, she had ceased to discuss herself in Lady Weis' letters.
"Ysabella, dear," Their mother's voice drew Ysabella away from her thoughts, "I have acquired news that Lord Nimrod would also be in attendance."
Ysabella groaned. She saw Aurora and Emma share an amused look. "He is?" she asked dryly, rolling her eyes at their red-haired friend and sister.
"Yes. And if I am not mistaken, he is the best of all your suitors. I wonder why you have not yet considered taking his hand. I would, really, if I were you. He is good for you."
Their mother's blue eyes stared at her with meaning.
"If I may speak, mother," Nicholas said beside her, voice filled with amusement, "I do not agree that the man is good for Ysabella."
Ysabella turned to her brother with a surprised smile. Nicholas slanted his green eyes down at her and added, "He is perfect for her." Ysabella scowled at him while Aurora and Emma chuckled.
"Thank you for your unwanted opinion, brother," she snapped, lifting her chin. "But I can very well decide for myself whom I marry."
"Who? Wakefield?" Nicholas asked, following his question with a roaring laughter.
Ysabella's smile tightened into a grim line. She must stay calm. Her family had never taken her advances toward Wakefield quite seriously. In fact, they, with the entire population of Wickhurst, all believed, save for Emma, that she had merely been making fun of the lord.
"Lord Wakefield may not be the only person out there," she said, pulling at her skirts as the carriage slowed down. "Who knows, brother, I may find myself a more suitable man—far better than Lord Nimrod or Wakefield."
Nicholas gave a snort. "I suggest you take Nimrod now, Ysa, before he and others discover someone else much younger than you."
"Oh, truly? And whom might you be speaking of then? Aurora, perhaps?"
Nicholas stiffened and Ysabella did not miss the look he stole Aurora. "Among others, yes," he replied, clearing his throat. Aurora's face had turned scarlet. Emma threw her a wink of approval. Their mother, entirely ignorant of their secret glances said, "We are here. Best we go straight to our chambers and freshen up before the ruckus begins."
Ysabella climbed out of the carriage with a smile. She had not seen Wakefield for months. He had been very good in evading her presence.
But not at Theobald's, Ysabella said to herself with quiet confidence.
*****
"I am very pleased that you have gracefully agreed to accompany me here," Lady Hayward said as Wakefield guided her toward the first ball of the Theobald party.
He did not mind accompanying the woman, really, but this very weekend party had a reputation of producing marriages, most of them forced or accidental. That very idea drove most eligible bachelors to the gaming rooms outside the ballroom and that was the very first place he was eagerly planning to escape to the moment he delivers his mother to her friends.
"You ought to consider finding someone you might want for a wife, darling," Lady Hayward said beside him, leaning her blonde head closer so she could maintain her whispered voice and still be heard. "Before that sweet Everard girl succeeds," she added with a smile.
"I would not wish to discuss her, mother. You very well know what I think of her. She is my friend's younger sister. She's a child who cannot still grasp what she truly wants."
"A child?" Lady Hayward chuckled. "William, dear, have you not seen the girl of late? She has suitors tailing her at every turn and yet you still see her as a child! Goodness gracious, son, are you blind?"
"She is too young for me, mother."
"So was your great grandmother when she married your great grandfather. He was twenty years older."
"And she went off to run away with a lover," he finished.
"Hmm. I must not have mentioned them after all," his mother murmured. "But if I must be honest, son, I would not mind in the least if Ysabella Everard should be my daughter-in-law." She tilted her head up at him to meet his deep blue eyes. "But I do mind that you do mind it greatly. So be assured that you shall not find me pushing that sweet girl at your direction."
"Then perhaps you would be so kind as well to limit your time entertaining her every Friday," he hopefully said.
"Not a fair chance, dear. I immensely enjoy her company, as well as that of her sister, Emma. I merely wish you would give her the chance to entertain you. You shall find her to be quite fun, really. Do try to come and join us for tea one of these days."
"I would love to join you for tea any day, mother, but not Fridays."
His mother gave a disappointed sigh before she jumped to wave a hand at a friend.
He'd stay a few minutes more before he'd slip into one of the gaming rooms, he thought, eyes scanning the room in full alert.
And then he started to search for someone, someone he had never laid eyes on but hopefully might recognize. She had not shared whether she'd be here, but a man could hope, he thought.
He felt a tinge of anger ebbing inside him, caused by the growing desperation to have a face to the woman who had changed his life. Yet, even he knew her name was not really Lady Weis. He knew she was wise enough to have not given him her real name. If she was here, she'd recognize him, mayhap even be laughing at him and yet here he was, utterly ignorant of her identity.
He shook the thought away. She had her reasons not to reveal herself. He may choose to try to understand them, but he was slowly losing patience. Soon, he knew, he'd find a way to find her.
He'd find her and she would not have a chance to escape for he would not let it.
*****
"You look beautiful in blue, Aurora," Ysabella said to her friend.
"Thank you," Aurora said, shyly fixing the red curls beside her face. "And you do look great in black."
"I wanted to look mature," Ysabella grinned.
"For Wakefield, of course," Emma uttered beside her. "I would gladly be willing to match you with anyone, Ysa, even with someone twenty years your senior, but I just can't do it with Wakefield."
"And I wonder why," Ysabella uttered dryly.
"The man has been making it quite clear that he is not dallying with his friends' kin and you have not seen any hint of success. Not one, really."
"We never imagined Ben would marry Agatha, or that Levi's friendship with Tori could turn to love," she reasoned.
"We simply made a way for the couples to be together, but the truth of the matter is that they were already attracted to each other before we even decided to make a match out of them. We saw the attraction and we worked on that," Emma said. "You are attracted to Lord Wakefield, but I do not believe it is mutual."
"Well, it can turn into—"
"Hello, Ysabella," a very familiar voice spoke from behind Aurora. Her friend turned and stepped aside to reveal Adam Nimrod, a brown-haired man tall enough to tower everyone in the room.
"Adam," Ysabella muttered, giving a short curtsy with Aurora and Emma. "I did not know you are in attendance," she lied.
"I am," the young lord replied, displaying his white, perfect teeth. "How have you been? Did you receive the flowers I sent you?"
"I am...oh, goodness, there is Mother and I think she is looking for us," she uttered, looking behind Adam to where their mother was standing talking with Lady Theobald. "We are very sorry, Adam, but we must attend to Mother. She had not been feeling well earlier and I want to see if she is all right. I hope to see you later, yes?"
"I—of course," Adam said, his smile fading.
Ysabella threw him one last smile before grabbing Emma and Aurora's hand.
"Will you be attending the season!" he nearly shouted after her.
She looked over her shoulder and scowled when Emma answered for her. "Yes, we shall, Lord Nimrod!"
"Come, come," she hastily muttered to Aurora and Emma, "before he decides to join us."
She looked over her shoulder to see that Adam was still looking after them. He raised a hand to acknowledge her and Ysabella turned away, dragging her sister and their friend farther away.
"I believe he has already turned away, Ysa," Emma said, tugging at her hand to stop her. Ysabella paused and checked for herself. Adam was indeed no longer looking at them.
"Why don't you give the man a chance, Ysa? He seems rather nice," Aurora asked, looking at her warily.
"I cannot waste my time with a man when I am in love with another," she answered.
"It is a losing battle to try to convince her that men like Adam Nimrod are good enough to warrant her attention," Emma told Aurora.
Ysabella ignored her sister's remark. She threw Aurora a glance and saw that her friend was looking over her shoulder at Adam's direction.
She had long guessed that Aurora may fancy Adam or may even think herself in love with the man, but she also believed that a pairing between Aurora and Adam would not simply do.
The Nimrod's business had started to decline in the past year, the reason why they might be pushing Adam to marry into a wealthy family like the Everards.
They would not approve of Aurora. She may be beautiful and smart, but her family was not doing well in Granville. They had no title in their name. And while those things may not matter when two people are in love, Ysabella would not wish to see Aurora hurt. Adam seemed determined to follow his family's wishes and it would be quite difficult to make him notice their friend.
Aurora deserved someone who would cherish her for who she was, not what she could offer.
Which is why Nicholas was perfect for her. Their brother simply had to be ready to give up his rakehell reputation and devote his attention on Aurora. And perhaps he should during this weekend party, Ysabella thought as her eyes searched the ballroom.
Aurora and Emma had started a conversation about a book her sister was currently reading when Ysabella's eyes found not her brother but the very man she intended to see tonight.
He was walking his mother to a group of ladies, entirely ignorant of her presence from the other side of the ballroom.
"Excuse me, ladies," Ysabella said, already stepping away from her companions. "I have a dance to claim."
"You mean chase," she heard Emma utter behind her.
A wicked smile curled her lips. Her sister was correct.
It was time to chase a lord.
Again.