“What is the meaning of this?” a woman Lydia did not recognize asked even before Lydia and Matthew had been helped to safety over the garden wall.
Lydia fought to breathe, unused to such exercise in the confines of her corset stays, while Matthew looked around at the faces of those who had gathered. He looked to Lydia and noted the helpless worry on her face, and smiled.
“Lady Lydia fell over the wall, and in my attempt to help her, I fell as well. It’s rather funny, actually, now that we know our necks are not broken and we did not drown in the river there,” he said, pointing down the hill. “It shall be an amusing story to tell our friends, I’m certain of it.”
“But how did she possibly fall, and how did you chance to be close by?” another guest asked.
Matthew looked to Lydia, who looked to the small crowd of frowning guests. Her reputation was hovering over the precipice, she was sure of it, and she had no answer. She blew a long tuft of grass out of her face only to have it fall forward again from its stronghold in her hair.
“Well, I was here because, as you see, I was… well, I was speaking with her as we strolled about the garden, and…” Matthew began, stammering as he sought a plausible excuse. The looks of angry judgement prevented any further explanation from entering his mind. “Because I have asked Lady Lydia to marry me.”
“No no no no no no no,” Lydia whispered, but Matthew could not hear her.
“And I am delighted beyond all measure to inform you that she has said—”
“No no no no no no no,” Lydia repeated, but her inaudible cry went unheeded.
“Yes.” Matthew attempted to smile proudly for the group, though their reactions were mixed. Some clutched their hands in front of them and returned his proud expression, while others looked at each other in confusion.
“But what of the Viscount?” one woman asked. Others murmured in agreement while Lydia let her head fall forward, thinking of the devastation Matthew’s simple response had caused.
“The Viscount? Which one?” Matthew asked.
“This one,” a man’s voice boomed as he came closer. “They would mean me, I should think.”
“Vincent,” Lydia breathed, looking at him imploringly. “This is not as it appears.”
“Unfortunately, my dear, how it appears is precisely all that I need to know. I should think I do not need to pay a call tomorrow after all,” Vincent said before turning on his heel and stalking away.
Oh heavens, let me die this instant, Lydia thought miserably.Only let the ground open up beneath my feet and engulf me in my grave right now.
Instead of responding, Matthew looked around awkwardly then took Lydia’s hand, smiling as though to prove all was well with the happy couple. A few of the more suspicious guests watched him carefully as they turned and sauntered away, whispering amongst themselves. Others, the more oblivious of the assembled, congratulated the couple and wished them well.
* * *
“Why?” Lydia moaned when they were finally alone. Matthew merely looked at her, confused. “Why did you do that?”
“Because the mob was about to burn you at the proverbial stake,” he hissed. “In an act of stupidity and chivalry, I prevented it by throwing away my own happiness.”
“Your happiness?” Lydia cried angrily, balling her fists and leaning towards Matthew. “I was already betrothed! The contract was to be signed in a matter of hours, you fool!”
“Then pray tell, My Lady,” Matthew argued hotly, “what were you doing in the garden with me? Where was this beloved fiancé of yours while you and I were reminiscing about our happy childhood?”
That silenced Lydia, and Matthew felt a spark of triumph. “You don’t actually love your dear Viscount, do you?”
“What is the purpose of love,” she hissed as though he were addled, “when those you give it to so freely are happy to toss it aside and move to China?!”
Matthew blinked in response. For her part, Lydia looked appalled that she had confessed such a thing. They stood in uncomfortable silence, watching each other intently, waiting for the other to say something that would mend this.
“I had no idea,” Matthew finally whispered. “We were but children, how could you possibly have loved me?”
“I do not know, I only know that I did. And you broke my heart when you ignored my letters,” Lydia said, openly confessing all that she had held inside. “I waited and waited for you to return, foolishly hoping that you were to be a part of my future somehow. And when the day arrived when I should have anticipated you knocking at the door and asking me to go for a ride as you had done countless times before, you never came. I had to find out through our scullery maid that you had left England entirely. I mattered so little that I did not even get a letter that you were leaving.”
“Lydia… I’m sorry. For all of that and more, but for what I have just done,” Matthew said. “There must be a way to undo this damage.”
“There is not,” she argued, tears of anger coursing down her pale cheeks, “not without ruining me. There are witnesses to not only my inappropriate behavior but also to your declaration that you proposed and I accepted. What’s worse, you have no intention of marrying me and now Vincent will not have me either! My father’s will is clear, and I am to marry by September. Now I have no one, and my sister and I will suffer greatly for it.”
“Lydia, I’m so sorry!” Matthew said again. “It was all I could think to do at the moment. It was to spare you any harm.”
