I shall be in Hyde Park this very morning, in which you may all witness my victory—or my demise. I am laying my entire heart bare for the world to see. I am on hands and knees, pleading that I might win this fair lady’s hand. She is perfection itself and whether or not I am left standing alone at the end of the day, it is not anything less than I deserve for my past transgressions.
While Miss N— was supposed to be the one writing an article about me to showcase her writing talents, I fear these words had to be left to me in the form of a sincere apology. I know I have used her most ill, but I vow that I will spend the rest of my days atoning for my sins if she would just meet me today.
With bated breath, I await…
Lord B?—
“When did this happen, Meliah?”
Meliah slowly lowered the paper. She considered adding to her list of transgressions, the lies that continued to mount, but instead, she leaned back in the chair and felt her chin quiver. She covered her eyes with her hand. “I hardly know where to begin,” she whispered.
“How about from the beginning?”
She opened her eyes and glanced at her mother, who wore an empathetic look on her face. Taking a deep breath, she started to speak. She told her everything that happened, from the time Meliah had conceived the idea of writing an article to gain “The Belle’s” notice, to the day she came back to London. She wanted to conceal her actions during her stay at the hunting box, but she knew it was impossible. She would have to reveal all if she intended for her mother to fully understand her dilemma.
When she was finished, her mother gave a slight nod. “I think it’s clear what you must do.”
Meliah shook her head with a heavy sigh. “I wish I was that confident in my decision.”
“You know that you can’t enter into a marriage with Matthew under fabricated conditions. It wouldn’t be fair to either of you to begin your future based on lies.” Meliah said nothing, as she had confessed as much to herself already. “And if what is written here is true, it sounds as though you have the chance very few have—to choose someone who makes you truly content.You can have wealth, adoration, and raise a family in the best circumstances.”
Meliah’s heart broke at the tears filling her mother’s eyes. “I have never once asked for more or regretted my modest upbringing with you and Papa.”
“I know you haven’t,” her mother returned gently. “Which is why I think you are one of the most deserving people to be blessed with such good fortune. I encourage you to run to this man at once and embrace everything he has to offer, but only if you love him in return.”
“I do.” Meliah swallowed over the lump forming in her throat. “But what about Papa? I don’t want to disappoint him. Or Matthew?—”
“Matthew is young, and he was encouraged into this union. He will recover, and there will be no harsh feelings. As for your father?—”
“I only want what is best for you.”
Meliah’s focus swung toward the doorway where her father was standing. She rose to her feet with a gasp. “Papa, I?—”
He waved a hand. “There is no need to explain. We all do things we might wish differently. The best thing I ever did was choosing your mother to be mine. Now you must do the same and follow your dreams.”
Meliah rushed over to him and threw herself into his arms. “Thank you, Papa.”
“I’m sorry you didn’t feel you could come to us with this revelation before now.”
His gaze was piercing, and Meliah had never been able to withstand it. She shuffled her feet and said softly, “I didn’t want you to be disappointed in me for acting with such abandon.”
“Sometimes the heart knows before we do,” her mother said as she walked over and put her arm around her husband’s waist. “It’s time to grasp your happy ever after.”
Meliah looked from one of her parents to the other, and without taking time to remove her veil, she rushed out the door.
Elwood yearnedto pull on the tightly knotted cravat at his throat, but he refrained. He wanted to make sure he looked resplendent, whether he left this park as the happiest man alive—or the most despondent. Whatever the outcome, at least he could look his best when his pride fell apart. As well as his heart.
He sat on the bench, alone. There was a bouquet of flowers at his side and his grandmother’s sapphire ring in his pocket, his silver headed cane at his side, but that was all. He was sitting out in the open, vulnerable to all the prying eyes that surrounded him. In truth, it was a circus. If he wasn’t mistaken, he thought he spied a chestnut seller hawking his wares nearby.
Elwood attempted to keep his focus serene, without the tight lines of concern, but it was a struggle when he didn’t know if Meliah had read his article. It had taken all of his efforts and pleading to get it added to the paper. He could tell the printers weren’t pleased with the extra material, but he had made sure to accommodate them handsomely for their efforts.
He tugged at the sleeves of his dark blue superfine jacket and brushed away a stray bit of dust from his buff trousers. His black boots reflected the sunlight with how polished they were. He had ensured that everything was perfect for the occasion. He would have taken credit for the mild, late October day as well, but there were some things that were beyond his power of manipulation.
Elwood glanced upward to the trees that were still trying to hang on to the last of the summer’s leaves. They had lost their green pigment, fading to brown and becoming crinkled from the process of hibernation. But yet, the sign of hope that they didn’tyet want to give in to the winter gave him the same sort of anticipation. Surely the fates wouldn’t be so cruel as to send him on this spiraling romance only to lose everything just as quickly.
But perhaps it was to be exactly that.
He could have just been taught a harsh lesson. He might have finally learned to love, only to have his future ripped out from under him because he had done too many things to be regretful for. He wouldn’t be surprised if it happened that way. The last revenge of the mysterious “Belle,” who wanted to ensure that each and every rake reaped what they sowed.
