May 1913
Peter
After the news came out, the Duke made himself much more scarce. Of course Mother and Father knew about it, but I remembered Lottie telling me that he and our parents had quite a past together. No doubt that was the reason.
In fact, the next time I laid eyes on him, it was at our garden party, the second event of the Season. It was rather shocking, that, considering neither Mother nor Father did not like many other members of the peerage much. Too pretentious, Mother said once. They'd rather look down their noses at us and scoff than tell us why.
When I came across the Duke, however, I found him speaking to Grace in a low urgent voice. She was barely moving, gripping her glass of champagne so tightly her hand trembled. Once again, I felt the interloper on a private conversation, but seeing it was my sister's best friend, I did not have too much guilt about it.
"Your Grace," I said, making both of them startle and look around at me. "What a surprise, to see you here."
"I thought it only right to make an appearance, Master Peter, since it is your sister I am courting," he replied tightly.
"Yes, of course." I was forcing as much brightness into my words as possible, but it seemed to be making Grace more tense and not less.
The Duke cleared his throat unnecessarily loudly. "I must be going. Good day to you both."
"Are you all right?" I asked Grace when he was out of range.
"Yes, yes, I'll be fine." She was staring after him, her tone of voice distracted. Her hand was still locked tightly around her glass, small ripples on the surface of her champagne. "Thank you, by the way, for coming along when you did."
"What was he speaking to you about?" I thought of his expression, his golden eyes burning with an intensity I'd never quite seen before in anyone.
"Don't make me tell you, Peter, not here," she said, pleading.
"I want to help you, Grace. Please...just tell me what's bothering you."
"There's nothing bothering me. I'm really all right." Her words were tense and clipped, a sure sign that there was indeed something bothering her.
"Grace." I caught her hand, holding the glass. It shook in mine. "We'll do it in private if you like. I promise you, nothing you say will be a shock to me, not after everything that's happened."
She bit down on her lip, so hard it turned white. Once again she looked away from me, the brim of her hat hiding her face. For a moment, I thought she was about to refuse again, but finally she nodded reluctantly.
I pried the glass out of her hand and set it down on a nearby table. Then, even though I desperately wanted to take her hand, I led her away from the party and around the far corner of the house, towards a small white gazebo. It was covered with new buds, some already revealing their bright pink colour.
As soon as we stepped up into it, Grace began to wring her hands and pace, worrying at her bottom lip. I watched her for a few moments, and just as I was about to ask her what was going on, she began to murmur to herself.
"I can't do it," she was saying. "I just can't..."
"Can't do what?" I said, and that seemed to startle her, because she stopped in her tracks and simply looked at me.
"No." She shook her head and dropped her eyes again. "No. I can't. I won't."
"Grace." I stepped in front of her, blocking her way when she started pacing again. "I cannot see you this way. Please, tell me what the matter is. I want to help."
At first, I thought she was going to try to get around me, or simply say nothing at all. With a start, I noticed the tears gathering in her eyes, and all at once she covered her face and broke down into sobs. I pulled her close, gently rubbing her back.
"Oh, Peter, I..." She took a few ragged breaths, but that didn't seem to help. "I didn't want to...I couldn't betray your trust, not like that..."
"Surely it isn't as bad as all of that," I said, although admittedly it sparked my curiosity. So there was something she wasn't telling me.
"But it is..." She buried her face in my shoulder and clung to me, her whole body shaking. "I couldn't bear to lose you, Peter, not now..."
I said nothing, but secretly I was elated. So she did have feelings for me all along.
"I'm afraid that if I tell you...if I admit what I've done..." She pulled away, turning from me. "You'll despise me...never want anything to do with me again..."
"Grace, there is nothing that would make me despise you. I love you, and I always have, and always will."
Those words had the opposite effect. Her sobs started fresh, and she even pushed my hand away when I caught her arm. I couldn't let her cry, not like this. After a few more minutes, I pulled her back into my arms until they quieted into uneven breaths. She was shaking, and her body against me was tense.
"Grace," I began again. "I said it before and I'll say it again. We've had a few pieces of shocking news in the past weeks. I cannot think of anything else that would possibly change that, unless there are privileges that have been revoked without my knowing."
"No!" She broke away again, managing to sound astonished and a little appalled. "It's nothing like that, not after what we went through to get here."
"Then what is it?" I tried not to sound frustrated, but I was, and fed up with the not knowing.
She just shook her head, her breaths coming fast and hard. She went to the rail and looked out, removing her hat to fan her face with it. But suddenly, she tensed and coughed, pressing a hand to her stomach. Of course, her corset. I'd forgotten all about the bloody thing.
"Grace?" I made my way towards her. "Are you..."
"I can't..." she gasped. "I can't breathe..."
And with that her knees buckled and she fainted. I rushed forward and caught her under the arms before she went down completely, easing her onto the bench nearby. She sagged sideways, and I propped her back up against the post.
I had to take a few moments and think of what to do. This would look bad to anyone who happened to come across us, but for the moment the coast was clear. I glanced around us, spotting a small handbag next to her fallen hat. I reached over and picked it up, prying it open. Inside was a little bottle, and I recognised it from when I'd glimpsed something like it among Lottie's things. They were smelling salts.
I took it out and unscrewed the top, the smell coming to me instantly and making me sneeze. Once I recovered I tipped it forward, gently cupping Grace's cheek to keep her head from falling straight into it. It took three passes, but she came to quickly, coughing delicately and sitting up.
"Hello again," I said, smiling.
"I fainted, didn't I?" She blushed deeply, pressing her knuckles to her lips. "I didn't mean to, I..."
"Grace, you must see that we are not doing anything indelicate. You fainted and I caught you and revived you. That is all." I took her free hand, gently kissing her knuckles. "How are you feeling?"
"A little better, thank you." She dropped her eyes to our linked hands, but unlike every other time, I didn't let go.
"I was going to ask you..."
"No." She shook her head, pulling her hand away. "No. I know what you're thinking, but it's for the best, Peter. It truly is."
"What is?" I caught her face between my hands, and that seemed to stop her movement. "I won't know unless you tell me. Then I can decide for myself."
"I don't want to lose you, Peter," she said in a small voice, her tears starting again.
"You won't, I promise you." I wiped some of them away, even though they kept coming.
She bit down on her lip as I let go, sitting down next to her. "You must also promise me you won't get angry."
"All right," I said, despite my confusion. "I promise."
After a few shaky breaths, she told me: the Duke's request to accept my proposal to court her, and his simultaneous offer to court my sister. It was for protection, she said, to make sure that two of the most prominent members of the Elemental community came to no harm by anyone associated with Huntley. Then he'd had another favour to ask, to make sure Radford could collect the Essence jar sent to us. Her family had received one very soon after ours did, and it clearly unsettled her parents. And to top it all, Alexander was the one she'd asked to do it, because everyone knew how much families like ours trusted our servants. By the time she was finished, she was wringing her hands and tears streamed down her face, pleading with me to not be angry with her.
I pulled her into my arms again and let her cry. I wasn't angry at her. How could I be, when it was clear she'd had no choice in the matter? The Duke clearly got by on manipulation and intimidation, and I found myself furious at him, for taking advantage of one to get what he wanted out of Grace and using the other on my sister. He didn't really care for her after all. He'd only seen the opportunity of her situation and nothing more.
"I was so afraid, Peter...that you'd storm off...never would want to see me again...and all those times you told me you loved me...I wanted to say it back, I did...but...then I thought of this, and..." Her words broke off into sobs.
"Grace, listen to me. You're not to blame for any of this, I can see that now. This is all the Duke's doing. He was the one who asked you to do all those things, and didn't offer you a way out. He didn't let you refuse. He made sure you never knew all the information. And of all things, he used Lottie to gain our trust." I felt my fists clench. I couldn't tell her, but I'd punch him in the face the first opportunity I got.
"You mean...?" Grace pulled away, eyes still filled with tears searching my face. "You're not angry with me?"
"No, Grace, no. Of course not." I cupped her cheeks and wiped the tears away. "You've been an unwilling pawn in the Duke's game, as it appears we all have been. I cannot fault you for that."
She took a deep breath, and then closed her eyes, dropping her forehead against mine. Tears still leaked out, even as she took one of my hands and kissed my palm gently, folding it between hers.
"Thank you for...understanding, Peter, I..." She let out the rest of her breath shakily, her hands tightening around mine. "I cannot even imagine what you must have thought of me...the way I treated you..."
"I knew you would warm to me eventually," I said, making her smile faintly. "I had to accept these things take time. Much more time than I would have liked, but still."
"No matter what you might think, Peter, I love you. I do. I did, from almost the moment you confessed the same for me." She let go of my hand and caught my cheeks. "I never once doubted it."
I smiled, because I knew she spoke the truth. I'd sensed that somewhere, deep down, she had felt the same way I did about her, and was only waiting for the right time to admit it. She smiled back, and we only pulled back far enough for a second of eye contact before I moved forward and pressed my lips to hers when they parted.
At first, she didn't react, instead squeaking in surprise. But that did nothing to deter me, as I once again took her face in my hands and deepened the kiss. At that she gave in and responded, catching my necktie and pulling me closer. She spread her other hand in my hair at the back of my head, preventing me from moving even a hairsbreadth away.
I lost myself in her kiss. She tasted like the champagne, sweet and bubbly. The rest of the world melted away, leaving only her and me and the feeling of her lips against mine and returning my kiss. I was flying, filling up with light, so much that I felt I would burst. We kissed and kissed and it felt as though it would go on forever until it didn't. Much too soon she was breaking away, flushed and short of breath, eyes bright.
"Grace..." I brushed her cheek with one finger. "I..."
"I've never done that," she said, her voice breathy as she looked away and anywhere but back at me.
"That was my first attempt as well," I said, and she blushed.
"Now that the truth's out...I suppose we are free to..."
"I would never force you to do anything you don't want, Grace, I assure you." I took her hand and rubbed it between mine. "I hope you know that."
"I do, Peter, thank you." She smiled, cupping my cheek and pulling me in again for a second kiss. This one was lighter and sweeter than the one a few seconds ago, with a sort of newfound freedom to it.
"We should probably get back," I said after a short silence, because now that we were not kissing, the moment felt awkward.
"Our mothers will probably be wondering where we got off to," she said, taking the hand I offered and pulling herself up. "I doubt mine would ever expect me here."
"Or mine." I offered her my elbow, and she slid her hand through it. "Mother tells me I am not one to take risks, especially in this regard."
"I suppose that means things are changing," she said, and when she smiled up at me I felt a warmth spread from the center of my chest and out.
"Yes, I suppose it does." I could forget about the Duke for now. All I wanted for the rest of the afternoon was Grace next to me. I wanted it for the rest of my life, truthfully, but that would have to wait. I was content with what was here, in the moment.
||
Grace
Now that the secret was not plaguing me anymore, I felt much more confident telling Mother everything I'd told Peter. Her eyes darkened to the colour of heavy-bellied storm clouds as I did, about to release the flood. Her hand tightened on the head of her cane, making her knuckles turn white.
"I knew we shouldn't have trusted that Duke. I knew it." Her jaw tightened. "And poor Lottie...when she finds out..."
"He won't tell her, will he?" It was clear the Duke was not as forthcoming as any of us, keeping his movements quite secret.
"I doubt it," Mother said, scowling at the arrangement in the center of the table. "I wanted to warn her against him the last time she was here, but she would have none of it. You know Lottie. Always has to see the good in people, no matter how small."
I nodded. That had come from the Countess, Mother had said once, because despite all the evil that she'd seen and experienced in her life, she still believed there was some good, somewhere, no matter how black-hearted that individual seemed.
"And as for you, if he ever tries to keep you alone in a room with him again, he will have me to deal with." Mother thumped her cane on the floor a couple times and then pulled it apart, revealing a long shining blade. "I have not forgotten what his father did to me."
"That will be enough to keep him away, Mother?" I asked, eyeing the blade with uneasiness. She'd never shown it to us before, but perhaps that was because we would have been too young to understand. "I did not realise you knew swordplay."
She moved then, so swiftly I didn't see it, slicing the heads off two flowers with a thwack. She glanced back over at me. "You will find, Gracie, that many people can surprise you."
I had a hard time hiding my blush at that statement. I'd tactfully left out the bit about Peter kissing me, but when he had, all my doubts fell away. I'd felt a heat spiral out from where his skin touched mine, spreading until it was everywhere. And I couldn't help but want it again.
The sound of a door opening distracted the both of us. Alf was looking in, his hair tousled. His eyes widened at the sight of the gleaming blade in Mother's hand, even as she slid it away and it became a cane once again.
"Alf, darling, what is it?"
"We...erm...have guests, Mother. And they're requesting they see you right away."
"Me?" Mother seemed surprised. "Why would they want to..."
She had no time to finish. Burton poked his head in and announced them, His Excellency Friedrich von Wittenberg himself and Arthur Kingsley, Lord Radford.
"Send them in," Mother said, although I could see she was visibly unsettled by the two men's sudden appearance.
They entered, Wittenberg thin, fair, and blond with startling green eyes. Behind him followed Lord Radford, intimidating as always, his eyes a steely grey and his moustache twitching in contempt.
"Your Excellency, my lord," Mother said, giving both of them a brief nod. "To what do I owe this...unexpected visit?"
"I have been around to other Elemental households, my lady, collecting the fake Essences. His Excellency has offered to assist me." Radford seemed as taken aback as we were.
"Has he?" Mother took a glance at Wittenberg, who was the only one who seemed unsurprised by this news. "I am glad someone is taking interest in our anonymous enemy, Your Excellency."
"I am happy to do it. And I am honoured to finally meet you, Lady Burnham," said Wittenberg, bowing both to her and to me. "And your daughter. The resemblance is striking."
For once Mother seemed lost for words. I wondered if she'd been building up a fearsome image of him in her head from the time we'd first heard his name.
"All niceties aside, my lady, there is another issue we must discuss," said Lord Radford, tugging at his sleeves and his waistcoat impatiently. "It involves the Earl of Heacham."
"What about him?" Mother said, and I noticed Wittenberg's eyes narrow, nearly imperceptibly.
"We have been doing some investigating...raids and all that business. It appears he does have ties to Huntley, because it seems he has been attending meetings garnering support. There were leaflets in his desk to prove it."
"There are Huntley supporter meetings?" Mother's voice came out hoarse, and it was a wonder her knees were not giving way.
"Yes, my lady," Wittenberg chimed in this time, much to Radford's irritation. "It is how they are finding pockets of Elementals, and how they know where to send these Essence jars."
"The only thing we don't know," said Radford, his tone considerably tighter. "Is how they are managing to extract the Essence."
"Because the Essence Machine was destroyed," Mother said, more to herself than any of us.
"Yes, exactly," Radford said, conceding reluctantly. It was clear he hated being upstaged by a woman. "There is no recreating it. Huntley left no instructions, no drawings, no plans. In fact the only drawing of it exists in the Elemental history that is going to be published by the end of the year."
"Then what do you suggest we do?" I finally had to ask, because there was no possible way I could absorb everything and say nothing.
"We have agreed, by contract, that His Excellency will keep his eye on that particular aspect. He has disclosed to me all the knowledge he has of Huntley, and I believe he may carry the task out without suspicion." Radford glanced over at Wittenberg, who seemed to take that as his cue.
Wittenberg rejoined immediately after. "You must lie low for the moment, my lady, your family and others, while we continue this investigation. We are aware of the Duke of Tonbridge's affiliation, and he may be our next subject of interrogation."
"Serves him right, in my opinion," growled Mother, earning the first flash of confusion from Radford, slowly turning into comprehension. "He has been manipulative and scheming from the day he entered our lives."
"I see, finally something we agree on." Radford's expression was smug. "I never trusted him, but you and your husband and Emma–"
"We are not revisiting this again," Mother snapped, and just by her expression I knew this was their bone of contention. "How were we to know, my lord? Exactly how?"
"Because Huntley is his father, that's why," Radford said, flinging the words back into her face. "You tell me not to blame the son for the father's crimes, but now you see that the apple does not fall far from the tree."
"You cannot blame us for not realising, Arthur." Mother's eyes narrowed. "We wanted so greatly for Huntley's son to be the opposite of his father, to be good and to despise his ways. And for a while, it seemed we were right. You know that as well as I do."
Radford's breaths rasped in and out, his chest heaving like a bellows. For a moment, I thought there would be some sort of shouting match or Air-Elemental dispute, the way their eyes locked and never wavered. Both gleamed a bright silver, daring the other to back down.
Surprisingly, Radford did first. He broke eye contact, shot his cuffs, and his calm demeanour returned.
"If you have the Essence jar, my lady, it would be good of you to bring it forward now."
"Yes, my lord," said Mother, with an edge. "I will have Mr Burton bring it to you on the way out."
"Good day, my lady, and Lady Grace." he bowed, just briefly, to both of us and went out, with Wittenberg trotting behind like a puppy. Mother sighed heavily and followed them, leaving me alone and trying to comprehend everything I had just heard.