“What is happening?”
Helena swept her gaze over Chastity and gasped in surprise. Her sister was wearing her sleeping gown; her hair had obviously been pulled down from a chignon. In the corner of her chambers, hanging over the back of a chair, was the discarded gown that was to be her wedding gown.
“We have tried everything,” Faith said to Helena. “Sally came running to my room. Grace was with me when it happened. Sally said she was looking for you, but you were not in your chambers.”
“Chastity?” Helena approached her sister slowly.
“I cannot do it, Helena. I cannot.” Chastity cried.
“You cannot do what, dearest?”
Helena knew the answer, of course, but she was trying to buy time while her mind whirled with differing thoughts.
“It has nothing to do with Matteo; he has been all that is good, all that is chivalrous, but I cannot do it.”
Chastity started to cry. She pressed at her eyes, as if stemming the flow of tears.
“But it has all been arranged. Everything was done to save you, your name and reputation, Chastity,” Helena continued.
Chastity whirled at Helena, and she clutched at her older sister’s arms.
“I would rather be a ruined woman, a spinster, than to be married to someone I cannot love as a husband should be loved! Who cannot love me as a wife should be loved!”
Tears started to form in Helena’s eyes, but she blinked them back.
Chastity lifted her hands up in a plea.
“I cannot live a lie, Helena! What kind of life would that be? I cannot hurt myself in that way. Nor can I hurt you and Matteo in that way either.”
“It is a safe life, Chastity, a secure life!”
“No!”
“But it is to protect you!”
“Helena, how can I? How can you think me capable of that? To marry the man my sister loves! What kind of person would I be to do that?”
“No, Chastity, I do not lo—” Helena reached for Chastity’s hand only to have her sister slap it away.
“No! Do not lie to me!” Chastity shouted.
Chastity covered her face, her sobs getting the better of her.
“Do not tell me that you are not in love with Matteo! Because you are, and he loves you!You! I know he was willing to marry me for you, for your sake. It was all for you, Helena; he did it all for you. I cannot have you sacrifice yourself and Matteo for me, who is so undeserving.”
“Do not say that!” Helena shouted as well. “You are everything that is deserving, you are a good person to whom a very bad thing has happened! You deserve to be loved as well.”
Chastity went to her sister and, this time, took Helena’s hands and gripped them in hers.
“Exactly. And Matteo cannot give me that. Not the kind of love that I want. You must let me go, Helena. Trust thatthisis not my fate.”
“Chastity.”
“Do not waste this chance, Helena, there is so little love to be found in our world, it is so rare, do not waste it as mine has been wasted! It is rare, it is precious.”
Then, almost in a whisper, Chastity pleaded.
“Please, Helena, take it. And give your love to Matteo freely, as you have always done with us. You still have a chance to be happy. Here is a good man who will do anything for you. He loves you so much that he is willing to give his life away to serve what is important to you.”
