But she was also eager for the freedom his absence would bring. She would finally be able to take control of her courtship and meet regularly with suitors without the overprotective glare of her older brother.
Upon arrival at his estate, which was only ten minutes away from their father’s, she noticed that his servants were already placing his luggage on top of his carriage.
“Ah, dear sister. Have you come to wail how much you will miss me in my arms?” Cecil grinned, poking his head through the doorway.
Nora let out an undignified scoff as she walked towards him, smiling and nodding in the direction of the staff who greeted her with a call of “Good morning.”
Once she was by his side, she swatted at his arm, rolling her eyes at his dramatic wince.
“I am sure you wish that were the case. However, I cannot wait until you are far away from me. It is so hard to think with all your nagging.” She stated.
Cecil stuck his tongue out at her, and she did the same immediately, then moments later burst into laughter, her heartwarming when he joined in with deep chuckles.
“I will miss you. Do you promise to be safe?”
“As safe as one can be in a foreign land,” he declared, glancing back at the door.
“Do not forget your manners. Be polite whenever you meet a local and do not shy away from asking for directions beforeyou begin to roam around with their livestock.” She grinned, squealing when he playfully swiped at her.
“Oh, the irony of your words. I have a better sense of direction than you do. You spent a ridiculous amount of your childhood lost in the maze in the garden of our childhood home.” He remarked with a snarky tone.
“It was very confusing and scary!” Nora exclaimed.
“The hedges only went up four feet! A simple hop would have helped you figure out where the exit was. I had to ‘rescue’ you each time you went in there, and you never stopped going in.” Cecil said, fondly exasperated.
“I cannot wait for you to be gone,” Nora sniffed, turning away.
“Of course, I am sure.” Her brother laughed, his eyes once more returning to the door.
He seemed distracted. As though he was waiting for someone or something, which was strange because he was about to embark on a journey that would last weeks. Who could he be waiting for?
“I cannot wait to be at sea. It is meant to look even more beautiful when you are sailing upon it than when you observe it from land.” Cecil sighed.
“Where will you go first?” Nora asked, curious about his plans for his grand tour.
“Rome. I have a friend in Italy who has sworn on his life to show me around all the most beautiful places – and introduce me to the most beautiful women as well.” He shifted out of Nora’s reach as she took a swing at him.
“I should’ve known you were particularly excited to break the hearts of unsuspecting damsels,” she jeered with a look of disapproval.
“I can’t help that I’m so charming,” he shrugged, smiling coyly.
“Your vanity shall be your downfall,” she tutted. “Where will you go next?”
“France. I look forward to visiting the museums and mingling with pretentious artists who are stricken with the grief of their unique talents.”
Nora perked up. “Will you bring me souvenirs? From every place you visit?”
“Of course. How else will I gloat about my experiences if I have nothing to show for it?” he gave her a mock blank look before reaching out to tap her nose with the tip of his finger.
He often did that when they were much younger, in a bid to rid her of whatever upset plagued her young, fragile heart. Growing without a mother had been hard, but Cecil and Valerie had done their best to ensure that Nora would not miss her too much. Since their father felt his efforts were better spent gambling anddrinking with his peers while boasting of wealth he did not have, the siblings relied on each other for support.
With Nora and Cecil being closer in age, they did almost everything together. Nora had latched onto her brother like a young hatchling, following him around eagerly. Their older sister, who had been raised in Scotland, Isobel, had noticed this trait and remarked on the similarity to her own childhood.
“I used to follow Graham around like that, too,” she had told them with a bemused smile when she visited them in Valerie’s estate after Valerie’s wedding. “There was no tree he climbed that I would not attempt to raise myself into. I nearly gave my mother a heart attack each time she spotted my skinny legs dangling from below my skirts as I clung to a branch. I always wanted to go further, if it meant I could hold Graham’s hand again. I missed him terribly when he moved to London, even more so when he got married. I understood it was necessary that he follow his heart and start a family of his own. But you will always be attached to your first family. They will always be special to you.”
Nora knew her sister was right. Cecil was the only one left by her side, the reason why her life was not filled with dark loneliness alongside her father. But she knew she had burdened him too much. He had given a large portion of his life to look after her, and she needed to learn to be independent.
Which was why she was excited for the freedom his trip would bring. She would find a suitor who was better than the first, andonce she was engaged again, Cecil would no longer worry about her.
