An Agreeable Arrangement (15 page)

The squire gasped at the gaudy gem. “Don’t you
think it’s a trifle … imposing?”

“Lady Cassandra deserves the best” Edward closed
the velvet box and placed it in the safety of his coat
pocket, next to his heart.

“That, my brother, is one subject we can both
agree on”

Cassie awoke to a glorious morning. The streaming
rays of the sun bathed her room with natural light. She
stretched her arms overhead, allowed them to drop
back on the feather pillows and gave a satisfying yawn.

Was last night really as wonderful as she remembered or was it all a dream? As she recalled, she and
Julian had finally admitted they loved one another.
Today, they would begin to plan their future.

This was more than she could ever imagine. Her
life was perfect. Cassie had never, ever felt happier
than at this very moment.

“Bonjour, my lady!” Adorned with a cheerful
smile, Layette entered the bedchamber with a tea
tray. She brought her mistress a cup of chocolate.

“It is a lovely morning, Layette” For once Cassie
found herself in full agreement with her maid.

“The news, she eez wonderful, West-ce pas?”

Cassie began to come out of her enchanted daydream. “News? What news?” Surely no one yet knew
about her and Julian.

However, she wasn’t entirely sure that the squire
would wait to make any declaration of that kind. He
had been known to be rather hasty when it came to
making wedding announcements.

Cassie pulled back the covers and swung her legs
over the edge of the bed. Stepping into her satin slippers, she took the morning chocolate from Layette.

“The entire house-she has been speaking of
nothing else! C’est miracle!”

Cassie sipped from the cup. Her marrying Julian
was wonderful-a dream come true-but a miracle?
“What are you talking about?”

“You shall never have to put up with de comportement de cet homme detestable!” Layette referred to
the squire’s reprehensible behavior of last night, barging into her ladyship’s boudoir. “Monsieur Edward
est de retour!”

The cup handle slipped from Cassie’s fingertips. It
crashed onto the saucer, knocking it from her hand,
and landed on the hardwood floor.

“Mon Dieu!” Layette raced to retrieve the porcelain shards scattered around Cassie’s feet.

“What’s that you say?” A blank look replaced the
joyful expression that had once graced Cassie’s
face. Her French wasn’t what it should be and she
thought, hoped actually, that she had misinterpreted
her maid’s answer.

“Monsieur Edward, he eez alive! He has come
home!” She knelt and carefully placed the porcelain
pieces in a cloth napkin. “He returned late last night
after you had gone to bed. Did you not know?”

Cassie felt her heart sink into a deep, dark dreadful place. Could it really be true?

“Layette, I need to dress at once!”

“You wish to look tres belle, n’est-ce pas?”
Layette smiled.

“It doesn’t matter … quickly!” She dashed to her
dressing table to start her hasty toilette.

Layette made a final wipe of the floor, moved to the
closets in the next room and rummaged through the
day dresses to find her favorite.

“Which will we choose?” Layette lightly fingered
each dress as she contemplated the choice.

“Plus vite, Layette!”

Layette brought in a cerulean morning dress. She
took a brush and began to style Cassie’s hair. “I think
we should pull eet up, just zo?” Layette gazed at her
mistress’ reflection in the large mirror and cocked
her head to one side, pondering the overall effect.

“Never mind! Just bind it!” Cassie gathered her
hair at the base of her neck. Layette tied the mass
with a matching light blue ribbon.

“I, too, would be anxious to see Monsieur Edward! I shall keep you no longer!”

Placing one brave foot ahead of another, Cassie
neared the stairs, composing herself for whatever the
truth was and whatever consequence it would have on
her future. She descended with poise.

Continuing down the hallway, she stopped when
she saw Lorna collapse in the doorway of the library. Edward Stewart moved at an alarming rate,
gathered his sister in his arms and carried her delicate body into the room.

Cassie found herself at the doorway, staring intensely at the apparition before her. It was the only
explanation-he must have been a ghost.

Edward could not have returned from the dead,
but there he stood-flesh and blood at his sister’s
side.

“Here, use this.” A familiar signet ring-adorned
hand intruded into the picture, handing Edward a
vinaigrette. Cassie’s gaze followed the hand to Julian’s face.

The squire’s gaze met hers. It was not the look of
joy it had been last night.

Lorna stirred; she moaned softly. Her eyes opened,
stared at Edward.

“It is you! I thought I was going mad!” Lorna sat
up and wrapped her arms around her brother’s neck,
welcoming him with an enormous hug. “Cassie!
Look! Edward has returned. He’s alive just as Julian said!”

Edward freed himself from his sister’s affectionate embrace and stood, facing Cassie. “I do beg your
pardon.” He rushed to her side. “I did not mean to …
I had not realized that my return would cause such a
stir.”

Edward took both of Cassie’s hands and planted a
kiss on each. Then drawing her near, he repeated the
performance on each of her pale cheeks.

“I never intended to cause distress to anyone with
my small delay home. Most of all you, my dear.”

Cassie thought she should say something. As his
betrothed, she should have been overjoyed by his
homecoming. At least relieved that he was still alive.

But Cassie felt numb.

“It’s a miracle,” she managed. “I can hardly believe you’re really here”

“Yes, more anxious than ever to marry you,” Edward assured her.

Cassie’s breath stopped in her throat. However she
did manage a smile. “You must excuse me. This entire episode has taken its toll on me” It was true, her
stomach began to feel upset.

“My apology, how insensitive I’ve been. Please,
sit down” He walked her to the sofa, setting her next
to Lorna who by now had quite recovered. “Let me
send for breakfast”

“No, thank you, I’m not hungry,” Cassie replied.

“Just tea, then?” Edward nodded to Maxwell, who
stood silently in the doorway. The butler retreated
and saw to the request.

Mrs. Upton proved more delicate than her sturdy
appearance suggested and fainted dead away when
she set eyes upon the younger Stewart brother. It
took both Edward and the squire to drag her to the
sofa and prevent her from foundering to the floor.

A moment later, Maxwell entered with a tea tray
for the ladies.

“I hope it’s strong,” commented Mrs. Upton, recovered from her spell. She still couldn’t tear her
eyes off Edward.

“You told me he was alive, Julian! You promised
you’d find him and here he is!” Lorna giggled. Nothing could have made her happier than her brother’s
unexpected presence.

Maxwell once again stood at the doorway. “Lord
Ansley has arrived, sir.”

Julian launched out of his chair. “Tell him I shall
be with him momentarily.” He nodded to the family
and, most noticeably, did not glance at Cassie. “If
you will please excuse me”

Anxious to remove himself from this uncomfortable situation, Julian had avoided meeting Cassandra’s eyes for fear everyone would read the regret
and longing he felt for her.

He glanced over his shoulder and could see that
she followed him to the doorway. Her gaze met his.
In that one moment, they concurred that their future
together was over. The squire hurried behind
Maxwell out of the front door.

Cassie felt Edward come up behind her. He
cupped her elbow and edged her out into the hallway.

“Cass, I haven’t told you just how much I’ve
missed you” He leaned toward her for a kiss and
with a sharp turn of her head, Cassie displaced Edward’s wanton lips to her cheek.

She sighed at the near miss.

However, Edward did not take the evasion as a
simple defeat. He applied a second sweet, soft kiss on the side of her neck. “I don’t find the darkened corridors conducive to expressing my affection. Would
you mind slipping into the side parlor with me?”

He took her by the hand. Quietly they moved
down the hallway. Romeo trotted behind them. With
the tip of his boot, Edward blocked Romeo’s entrance. “That will assure me some privacy.” He pulled
the parlor door closed, preventing the terrier from
joining them.

Edward sat on the sofa, pulling Cassie next to him.

“I missed you so very much. There wasn’t a day
that went by that I did not think of you. I cannot tell
you how much it pained me to extend my absence,
but the side trip I took was for your benefit”

He pulled out a small package, wrapped with gold
paper and red ribbon.

“This is very special.” He smiled and she could feel
that he was eager for her to open her gift.

Cassie tried to muster some excitement and managed a smile. She removed the ribbon and opened
the package-a container of perfume.

“Not just any scent. It is made from jasmine flowers
from the East. I reserve this brand only for my wife.”
He chose his words with great effort. “I wish you to
wear this on our wedding day. Here, allow me” Edward pulled the stopper and touched the end to the inside of her wrist. He inhaled the blend of perfume on
her skin and closed his eyes, savoring the fragrance.
“Lovely.”

She saw the ardor in his eyes, felt the eagerness in
his touch. He meant this-all of this. His sincerity,
his affection, it was all real.

Not only would he marry her, he wanted to marry
her. And her thoughts and feelings for him could
have never been more removed.

Edward pulled out a small dark green velvet box.
He rolled it around in the palm of his hand, fingering
the soft fabric as he spoke. “I found this for you. A
jewel for my jewel.” He opened the box and Cassie
stared at the opulent green gem. “It’s the only one I
felt was worthy of adorning your lovely finger.” He
removed it from its pillow and slipped it onto the
third finger of her left hand.

Cassie began to cry. Changing her mind, turning
him away was not possible. It was her duty to
marry him.

“Do not fret. I completely understand” Edward
pulled Cassie against his shoulder and stroked her
back to calm her. “They are tears of joy!”

The tears slipping down Cassie’s cheeks were far
from joyful.

Cassie finished crying in her room. She was not
aware of how much time had passed before she heard
a knock on the door. An hour? Several?

The door opened slightly when she did not respond. “I’m sorry to disturb you, your ladyship,” the
butler said.

“Yes, Maxwell?”

“A visitor has just arrived and is waiting in the front
parlor.” Maxwell entered and offered her the guest’s
calling card.

“Roger!” She had forgotten all about her old friend
and leaped to her feet. Before leaving the room, she
stepped in front of the mirror for a quick check.
Cassie tried to wipe the traces of tears away and
pinched her cheeks for color. She knew Roger would
not be fooled, but it was all she could do on such
short notice.

Cassie strode into the front parlor, creating the best
appearance of gaiety she could manage. Roger graciously bowed and extended a greeting that she returned.

Lorna and Romeo met them just behind the house.

“You were quite right. I believe Romeo has grown,”
Roger said in fun. “He’s at least twice the size he was
as a pup”

Cassie threw an icy glare his way. He always had
something pointed to say about her pet. When she
chose Romeo out of the litter, Roger had urged her to
pick a stouter, more substantial animal that might
amount to more than a walking slipper.

“Did you know Romeo when he was a puppy?”
Loma asked.

“Mr. Shelby bred him,” Cassie explained. “He is trying to create a new breed of dog”

“I’d like to take the larger hunters and refine them
into a smaller, more domesticated pet” He turned to
Cassie and continued to riddle her. “But don’t think I
would ever try to recreate a ‘Romeo.”’ The terrier
bounded around the visitor. Roger lifted the dog and
scratched him.

Cassie could tell by Lorna’s expression she took
offense to this man poking fun at such a small defenseless animal.

“Romeo is simply the smartest, most splendid animal I know!” Lorna stomped her foot in outrage.
“You’d do all of England a true service if there could
be more like him.”

Roger smiled and seemed quite delighted. “And
from whom am I receiving this blistering set-down?”

“Miss Lorna Stewart, may I present Mr. Roger
Shelby” Cassie nodded in Roger’s direction. “Mr.
Shelby, may I present Miss Lorna Stewart”

“It appears that you may not be happy to make
my acquaintance but I am delighted to make yours”
Roger sketched a bow. “Well, Miss Lorna I hate to
admit it in Lady Cassandra’s presence, but Romeo
has the exact traits that I wish to propagate,” he
whispered for all to hear.