Chapter 12
At Winterley Court, Cassandra was sitting with Emilia in her bedroom, making some last minute preparations for the upcoming fight. There wasn't too much left to be done, the arrangements and strategising had all been taken care of. Their final meeting was at Konstantin House in an hour to go over their tactics one last time.
Cassandra, who had been teetering on the brink of exploding with sheer joy, suddenly burst forth, "Em." When Emilia looked up from her knife polishing on the floor, Cassandra continued, "I actually wanted to wait until all this fight business was over, but I cannot wait any longer. There is something I need to tell you."
Seeing Cassandra's face flushed with excitement, Emilia set down her knife and turned toward her friend. "Well, now that you mention it, you are glowing."
Cassandra struggled for a little bit, then said reverently. "Em, I am in love. With the most wonderful man in the world." Cassandra couldn't seem to contain herself.
Emilia's eyes shone. "Oh! I knew it. You and Emmanuel?" At Cassandra's nod, they hugged and giggled like schoolgirls.
"Tell me everything!"
They broke apart, but still remained close. "It really... came from nowhere. Before I knew it, I was in too deep to ever think of extricating myself. Not that I would ever wanted to... Not really." Cassandra sighed. "Oh Em, he is everything I have ever wanted, and more. I never thought I would meet a man who appealed to me on so many levels. He is interesting, noble, kind, honest... gorgeous..." she blushed. "And to top it all I can actually have an intelligent conversation with him!"
Emilia, who had been listening with interest, quipped in amusement, "Well, like you said, I do not suppose it hurts that he is as handsome as the devil and as rich as Croesus."
"Handsome he most certainly is." Cassandra blushed again and then laughed. "And I know that you know I do not care for his money. After all, I have more than enough of my own."
"Has he offered for your hand?" Emilia asked.
Cassandra's gleaming eyes gave it away.
Emilia's eyes bulged. "How? When? Where?"
"Just this afternoon actually..." Emilia sat enraptured as Cassandra preceded to tell her everything.
4 hours earlier
"His Grace, the Duke of Castlereagh to see you, my Lady." Cassandra, who was sitting in the parlour, looked up from her letter from Miranda. Her heart immediately leaped into her throat at the butler's announcement.
"He is here?" she repeated dumbly.
Without as much as a blink, "Waiting to be shown in."
Cassandra jumped to her feet and automatically smoothed her gown. "You may bring him in, please."
In what felt like seconds, Emmanuel was before her, bowing formally. "My Lady." His voice was low, intimate.
Those eyes, she thought. I could drown in them. "Your Grace," she curtseyed. "What a surprise. I had not expected to see you so soon." She sounded breathless. "Would you sit, please?"
Cassandra showed him to the seat adjacent to hers and waited.
Emmanuel was staring at her without a word. His eyes always had a way of shining like the most precious jewels. They looked magnificent with the late afternoon sunlight filtering through the long windows to his left. Compared to her he seemed composed, calm and collected.
Not knowing why he was not saying anything, Cassandra said into the awkward silence, "It was a lovely day, would you not agree?" She gestured to the window and then looked down into her lap at her fidgeting hands.
Slowly, Emmanuel leaned forward and covered her hands with his own. "Cassandra." Her eyes jerked up to his.
"You know why I am here, so let us not pretend."
"About the kiss," she blurted and then realised what she had said and balked in mortification. Her cheeks bloomed as she hastened to say something, anything, but nothing came to mind. Her dry throat constricted, and her lips moved, but no sound emerged.
Emmanuel chuckled quietly. "That... and more," he agreed.
Reaching for her right hand forced her eyes to meet his. "Cassandra," he began and then swallowed. "Since our very first moment together, I have felt a pull, an attraction to you that was so foreign to me. I have never felt the array of emotions I have felt these last few weeks. Then getting to know you - your bravery, your caring and compassionate disposition, your deep sense of loyalty and enormous capacity to love, your trusting nature, inner and outer beauty - those tentative ties became more binding as each day passed." He searched her eyes, as though looking for some sign.
It was the first time since he had walked in that Cassandra sensed his vulnerability. He looked so grave and sincere. Hearing him speak set her heart soaring, but she kept her emotions in check and held back.
He took a breath. "It had not been long before I realised that I had never met a woman," he clarified, "that there could never be another woman who would ever compare to you. You have captured my heart, my Lady, and I would have it be yours for the rest of my life if you were of a mind to accept it."
His dark lashes rested briefly on his cheeks as he sought courage. When they opened, those brilliant blue eyes, were filled with emotion.
"I love you," he said simply, "and would be honoured if you would agree to be my wife."
Filled to capacity with a love so overwhelming, Cassandra could barely speak. Her throat burnt with unshed tears as she stared at the amazing man who had just laid his heart bare before her. He was the dream she had always dreamt.
On an ecstatic laugh Cassandra launched herself at him, toppling him backward onto the sofa. She went red, but this time, didn't care. Her eyes sparkled with luminescence, as they stared down into his startled ones, "Yes, Your Grace. I would be thrilled to be your wife."
Emmanuel was quite taken aback. Although he expected the lady to consider his proposal, he had not been assured of her acceptance. Cassandra's avid response sent ripples of pleasure radiating through him.
He had landed on the sofa, and Cassandra was on his lap. "This is entirely inappropriate, Cassandra."
His eyes smouldered. Cassandra laughed, feeling carefree. "How scandalous, indeed."
She caught his head in her hands and held his eyes as she softly whispered, "I love you." Before her lips descended, she said the one thing he had asked her to repeatedly, but never had. She said his name.
"Emmanuel, I love you."
4 hours later
Both women sighed as Cassandra concluded. "He went to speak to James immediately thereafter. I have not seen James this happy in a while. I think he hopes this would put an end to my nightly duties."
Emilia's eyes were filled with tears. She hugged her friend again. "Oh Cassie! I am so very glad for you. You deserve every happiness."
Cassandra sniffed and returned her friends embrace. "Thank you, Em."
They broke apart when there was a knock at the door. Rose entered, curtseyed and hurried to deliver a note. Cassandra scanned it quickly and then turned to Emilia.
"It is from Elizabeth. There has been another murder. The body has been found in the Thames. Rose, the carriage, at once, please."
Without another word, they hastily gathered their belongings.
In the library at Konstantin House everyone was on edge.
"This last murder was by far the most violent." Mick's eyes were blazing as he addressed the small group seated around him. "Our secret is in danger..."
Elizabeth stood and walked to her husband's side. She touched his arm comfortingly. "Soon this will all be over, my love."
Jasper, who had been in a foul mood all day added, "Bloody hell! These fools have no idea what they are doing. If we become exposed, I would rather torch myself than give anyone else the satisfaction!"
Elizabeth glanced at her brother sharply, "No one will be torching anything."
Emilia watched the siblings before Jasper returned to brooding in silence. Since their kiss, they had not had a single moment alone. In all honesty, she was glad for it. She did not know how to handle what had happened, and would rather not deal with her conflicting feelings. His comment about torching just brought what he was back to the forefront. A vampire.
She did not want to continue her troubling train of thought. "Should we move our plan forward, or do we leave things as is?"
"I think we should leave it as is. We have made all the necessary plans and moving now could mean that we jeopardise things by being overly emotional." Emmanuel aimed the latter comment at Jasper.
"I agree," Mick concurred and looked around for everyone's consensus.
"I agree that we wait until tomorrow. It is best to bide our time," Cassandra finished. She and Emmanuel had not announced their engagement yet. They had agreed to wait until the fight was over. That didn't stop them from staring at each other from across the room.
"Lovely. There is nothing else to do for now, so I suggest we all take some refreshment," said Elizabeth, ever the attentive hostess.
Emilia was becoming increasingly annoyed with herself. She couldn't stop her eyes from seeking out Jasper. She needed some air. "I will go and tell the servant." At Elizabeth's protest added, "I know my way around quite well."
"All right. Jasper, accompany her, please. You know where to find our choice of drink."
Jasper didn't look too happy with the edict, but did not say a word. Emilia didn't want to protest, knowing it would be rude. She led him out of the room.
In silence, both walked in the direction of the kitchen. Jasper, still brooding, did not seem likely to say anything.
"You would really torch yourself?"
Drawn from his private thoughts, Jasper smiled dryly. "No. I would never take my own life. Chalk my comment down to my irritation at this entire situation."
The way he said the last word made her believe he was not referring to the murders.
"Oh," Emilia said, not knowing what response to make.
Jasper stopped suddenly outside the ballroom. It was her reflexes that prevented their bodies colliding. He turned and went inside. Emilia stood outside for a minute, unsure what she was meant to do. In the end, she followed him, expecting he might have heard a servant.
As she walked over the threshold, the door closed behind her. Emilia looked at Jasper in surprise. He didn't say anything, just looked at her quizzically for a moment, as though wishing he could probe into her thoughts.
Running a frustrated hand through his curls, he started pacing. "I am sorry to have led you in here..." he began and then stopped as though re-evaluating his words, "the thing is... bloody hell... you see I..."
Confused at his stop-go sentences Emilia looked at him questioningly. At her glance he took a deep breath and then faced her.
"I am in love with you." There, he thought. Deal with that.
Jasper was too busy pacing to notice her jaw drop in disbelief. "I know that you feel something for me - an attraction perhaps - but I am hoping that it is more. I realise that in declaring my affections to you, I am putting you in a rather awkward position. I am what I am, there is no changing that, but...," he paused. "I am hoping that you could look past that."
He glanced at her for the first time since he started his tirade and was silenced by the look on her face. She seemed incredulous and a bit panicked. He stepped forward to take her hand but she took an alarmed step backward. Away from him, he noticed.
"Jasper..." she started, her voice distressed.
"Let me finish." He did not move any closer, merely stood rooted, watching her face. If he did not say this, he might never get another chance.
"I have fought this attraction harder than I have fought anything in all my life, because no one knows better than I, exactly what I am. I also know how impossible a relationship between us may seem. But I have battled in vain. You have captured my heart and I think of nothing else but being able to make you happy, for as long as you wish it. Everything about you seems to draw me in. I find that I cannot go another day without letting you know how I feel. I want to be with you, Emilia, no matter what, even though you are mortal and I am not."
Silence followed his passionate declaration.
"A response, Emilia, if you please."
She opened her mouth a few times, but no sound came out. He was a vampire, dead but living, and he had just told her that he loved her, wanted to share his immortal life with her. Good God! This was all too much! Could she get involved with him? Should she? The very thought had her panicked.
She looked at him, saw his distress in the stoic way he stood, jaw clenched, fists balled behind his back. Her heart squeezed. Perhaps in another lifetime. She needed to get out of there so she could pretend this had never happened.
She moved past him.
"You have nothing to say?" He sounded outraged.
Emilia stopped and whispered without looking at him. "What you said... What you ask of me... I do not know..." she could not even say it out loud.
"Do not alarm yourself, my Lady, and please forgive my sentiments. It was said, and now it is over."
"Jasper I-" He moved past her in a hurry. She hardly saw him, so great was the speed of his exit.
Emilia was left standing in the ballroom, not quite sure what had just happened. Misery settled over her like a thick cloud of smoke. It was dense, and it was heavy, and as if it were real, the smoke caused her eyes to sting with tears, and her chest to burn in pain.