Yours Truly

Chapter Nine

Adelaide froze as Margaret paused to come up with an answer.

"Well," Adelaide began hesitantly, "When Mrs. Williams comes to drop off all those letters, she laments that she hasn't had the chance to meet you on account of her busyness painting."

"Oh, did she?" Henry laughed. "Not on account of my lack of civility or manners?"

"It could have also been a gaggle of children! Don't presume to know her reasons, Lord Devonshire!"

Henry laughed and said, "Right you are, Miss Fairfax. You have certainly put me in my place!"

When Adelaide finally tore her gaze away from Henry, she saw that Margaret had that same damned smile on her face. If they weren't in front of Henry, she would tell Margaret that he was only being friendly and had a perfectly shaped concubine at home.

"Speaking of Mrs. Williams, I'm afraid that I must be going. I have to attend a meeting with a particularly troublesome art critic in order to convince him to attend the show!" Henry said, standing up with Margaret and Adelaide following suit. "And here is a letter for Mrs. Williams."

He handed it to Adelaide and she repressed the blush that threatened to rise. Then, she merely nodded in understanding.

Henry bid them farewell and strolled out the door.

"I'm going to have a small lie down, darling. I'll be down for dinner!"

"Alright, Aunt Margaret. I might go for a walk since it's such a nice day!"

"Don't get robbed again, darling. One injured child criminal is one too many!" Margaret called as she walked out of the room.

Adelaide laughed ruefully. Why was she even kidding herself? She knew that she wasn't going on a walk. Not with Henry's letter sitting in front of her waiting for a reply. After their first few correspondences, the tone had shifted to something Adelaide couldn't quite identify. As soon as she received his letters, she would immediately pen and send her response. Margaret's footmen were surely becoming annoyed by the frequency of letters to be brought to Henry's home. And even after it had been sent, she found herself writing letters to him in her head.

Hastily, she ripped open the envelope and a necklace fell into her lap. It was beautiful. Marvellous really. And a ridiculous purchase for his employee whom he had never met. She quickly. unfolded the letter and scanned its contents. She forced herself to slow down

Dear Mrs. Williams,

Is it utterly bizarre to say that I can't stop thinking about someone that I've never properly met?

Her heart pounded in her chest. Was Henry declaring his feelings for her? She continued reading.

I have no clue what you look like or sound like but I swear that I feel like I search for you in every room I enter.

But he didn't even recognize her when she was right in front of him...

Even after reminding myself that you despair of me ever being civil or having manners, I cannot seem to shake my affection for you. Please take this necklace as a token of my affection. It is my fondest wish that you will agree to meet with me at Featherstonehaugh's ball this Friday. I'm quite certain that if you ask Margaret if you can come as her guest that she would be delighted to bring you.

The ball was only tomorrow! Henry was certainly putting a strict deadline on their meeting. As for Margaret, well, she certainly wouldn't see it as out of the ordinary for her niece to accompany her to a ball.

In fact, when I made clear my intentions to Margaret, as she is our mutual friend, she was very encouraging.

Margaret was encouraging? No, surely not. It had to be a lie that he added to alleviate any doubts that Mrs. Williams had as to whether or not Margaret disapproved of their relationship for any reason. It would be an utter scandal if the Earl of Devonshire was to marry some painter. A widowed painter nonetheless. But then again, he hadn't said anything about marriage, had he? Just that he felt affection towards her and wanted to meet. Perhaps marriage was saved for Sybil and Adelaide was destined to be his mistress. But she could not accept that. Her virtuous upbringing screamed no. And even if she ignored it...her affection for Henry could not accept that another woman would always come first, that if Adelaide bore any of his children they would be illegitimate. And if Sybil decided that Adelaide couldn't be Henry's mistress anymore? Then, she would have lost her virtue, her self-respect, her family...everything for a man who would always care more about another woman.