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Nicholas and Althia have spent a pleasant day together, but now, an unexpected visitor has come to Hindrake.
Cordelia's cheeks and nose were as crimson as the jacket and bonnet she wore. Her eyes looked puffy and she sniffled into a handkerchief as Althia walked into the room.
"My dear, sweet Althia," Cordelia sobbed as she ran and threw her arms around Althia. Althia tried to maintain her balance and attempted to comfort Cordelia.
"Cordelia, what is the matter? What has happened?"
"Only the most horrible, dreadful thing. I do not think that I will be able to go on," Cordelia explained between sobs. Althia led her to the sofa and the women sat down with Cordelia crying on Althia's chest.
"Is it one of the children? Have they taken ill again?"
"If only it were that simple! That I could manage, but this, this..." Cordelia broke down again and Althia tried her best to calm her friend down.
"Cordelia, I cannot be of complete service to you unless you tell me what has happened."
"It's, it's Edward," Cordelia blubbered. "he..."
"Yes?"
"He forgot my birthday." Cordelia laid her head back on Althia's chest and covered her face with her handkerchief.
"He forgot your birthday? Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure!" Cordelia sat up and responded indignantly. "Yesterday was my birthday and there was no note, no present, no cake. When he arrived home, I attempted to ascertain what he had gotten me and he was indifferent. When Andrew asked him about what he had gotten me he admitted that he had forgotten. Forgotten my birthday! He cannot treat me in such a manner. He will soon learn how difficult his life will be without me."
"Whatever do you mean?" Althia asked weakly, afraid of the answer.
"I am moving in with you, of course. I had my man and Humphrey start unloading my trunks the moment I arrived."
"Cordelia, this is pure madness." Althia pulled herself from Cordelia and stood. She tried to come up with an excuse for Cordelia to go back home. "You do not desire to live here. Your children will suffer needlessly and how can you expect a reconciliation with Edward if you are here?"
"The children will manage and if they do not, Edward will just have to look after them. And, I do not wish for a reconciliation; I wish to be as independent as you are." Cordelia stood and took Althia's hands in her gloved ones. "Just think Althia! It will be just like when we were children! We will stay up late and talk ourselves to sleep about all the wonderful things we will do."
"Cordelia, I do not think that this is a well thought out idea."
Cordelia slumped back into the sofa. "You are not rejecting me as well, are you?" She began to sob again. "I do not think I could handle the rejection of my husband and my bosom friend in the span of twenty-four hours." She covered her face with her handkerchief.
"No, no of course not." Althia sighed as she sat back down next to Cordelia. "You are most welcome to stay the night, but I do think that after a good night's sleep, you will feel differently about your decision."
"I knew you would understand," Cordelia said as she threw her arms around Althia's neck and hugged her tightly. Althia thought that she would choke to death and worked to loosen herself from Cordelia's grasp.
"There is one thing that I must tell you. There is..."
"Begging your pardon, Lady Shevington." Althia looked up and saw Nicholas standing in the doorway. Cordelia rose and took obvious notice of the good-looking Captain.
"Captain Metcalf, this is Lady Vaughn. She will be staying with us this evening."
"Lady Vaughn, it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Captain Metcalf, how pleasant to meet you." He bowed slightly to her as she curtsied to him. "My, but you do look familiar; have we met before?"
"I believe we met briefly at your mother's ball last September," Nicholas reminded her. "Lady Shevington, I was unable to open the drawer in the study to retrieve a new piece of writing paper. Might you know where a spare key is kept?"
"I must have closed it too far the last time I used the desk. There is no key, but there is a way to by-pass the lock. Come Cordelia," Althia ordered as the Captain stood in the doorway to allow the women to pass on the way to the study. Althia shot Cordelia a look to make it clear that now was not the time to discuss such things. Althia tried hard to remember seeing Nicholas at the Chanceler ball last fall, but failed to remember any exchange between them. Perhaps I just pushed it from my mind?
The women entered the study and Althia sat in the chair while removing a hairpin from her hair. There were a number of papers crumpled up on the desk covering up another sheet that he must have been working on. She did not want to seem nosy, but she could not help but read the visible portion of what the Captain had written.
...the color and sadness of the sea is reflected in her eyes as if a mirror to her soul
oh, if only I could be the keeper of the sea!
Then all her mysteries would be known to me.
She fiddled with the hairpin as Cordelia stood on one side of her and Nicholas on the other.
"Yes...Captain Metcalf." Cordelia seemed to remember him. "You were serving with Commander Brighton, is that correct?"
"You are blessed with an excellent ability of recollection, Lady Vaughn," Nicholas complimented.
"There are some people you do not soon push from your mind, Captain Metcalf," Cordelia purred.
"I've just about got it," an irked Althia interrupted and then there was a click. "There!" She effortlessly pulled open the drawer.
Nicholas reached for her hand and held it in his own. "Once again, you have rescued me, Lady Shevington. Thank you."
An unexpected tingling sensation traveled from her hand to her head. "When you are finished," Althia advised as she stood and withdrew her hand slowly to replace the hairpin, "Do not push the drawer completely closed. This will prevent the latch from catching and causing a repeat performance."
"Duly noted. Lady Vaughn, I trust we will have the pleasure of your company dining with us this evening?"
"Most assuredly." Cordelia's voice poured like spun silk. "I would not dream of dining anywhere else this evening." Althia, with her back to Nicholas, gave Cordelia a look of death but Cordelia's attention remained focus on the handsome Captain.
"I will tell Jane to set another place then. Come, Cordelia, let us leave the Captain to his correspondence." Althia grabbed Cordelia's arm and practically drug her out of the study.
As they walked up the stairs to the room Cordelia commandeered as her own, Cordelia could no longer keep her curiosity hidden.
"I did not realize that you were entertaining, Althia. I can see why you do not share your stories of romance with me. I, too, would want to keep him to myself if I could." Cordelia's tongue caressed the tips of her upper teeth seductively.
A twinge went through Althia as if she had been hit in the stomach. "You read too many of those repelling romance novels, Cordelia. Captain Metcalf was seriously injured and would have most assuredly died if John had not found him. The Captain is staying a few days only until he is well enough to return to his family."
"And by family you mean..."
"I mean his wife and child. Now, you see, there is no harm and no foul." The women reached Cordelia's bedroom and Althia was shocked to discover two trunks and a number of bags. "I suggest that you prepare for dinner. I will have Jane plan to serve in one hour. Will that be enough time for you?"
"I should think so." Cordelia raised her eyebrows and in a taunting tone remarked, "He is a very nice looking gentleman though. If I were his wife, I would not let him get away from me so easily." She smiled more to herself than to Althia.
"I'm afraid I have not noticed," she lied. "I leave you to your things." Althia quickly closed the door behind her friend and made her way back upstairs. Just as she reached the last step, she almost ran straight into Nicholas.
"Begging your pardon, Lady Shevington, a thousand apologies."
"No need, Captain. I am afraid I am just as guilty. I had my mind on other things."
"Of course. I was just off to find Humphrey and have him deliver a post to my family and one for Commander Brighton; if that will not be a problem?"
"No, not in the least. I am on my way to notify Jane that we will eat in an hour."
"That will be perfect. Thank you," he responded as he went off again in search of Humphrey. Althia headed to the kitchen to tell Jane of the change in plans, then back upstairs to her bedroom to try and think of a way to rid herself of Cordelia and try to regain some sense of normalcy. She lay on her bed and held the back of her hand to her forehead. She was reminded of how Captain Metcalf held her hand and how it had sent a tingling sensation up her arm and neck. She hoped that she was not coming down with a cold. Lying there for a few moments, she soon hit upon a plan. She rang for Humphrey as she quickly got up, sat at her desk and composed a brief post to Edward in hopes of getting him to make amends and retrieving Cordelia.
Humphrey knocked on the door and called out, "You rang miss?" Althia beckoned him in as he explained, "I was just on my way to deliver Captain Metcalf's posts." He already had his riding clothes and coat on.
"Perfect. Will you also see that this post gets delivered to Lord Vaughn?" she asked as she carefully melted the wax onto the open fold of the paper and placed her seal into the liquid.
"But of course, miss," he replied as she blew on the wax to hasten its hardening. She handed the post to him and he bowed and then made his way out to the stables. Althia changed into a light blue taffeta dress with short sleeves and a scoop neckline and then walked over to her mother's jewelry case and chose a pair of pearl earrings and a pearl necklace. She had a feeling that Cordelia would be dressing for the occasion. She quickly dismissed the notion that she was jealous, but she took a moment to look in the mirror and try to smooth down any loose hairs. She pinched her cheeks and took a deep breath before leaving the room.
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