Yours Truly

Chapter Twelve

"What?" Both of the siblings echoed in unison. Lady Sybil's face was a picture of confusion and pleasant surprise. Henry's was filled with confusion and anger.

"I will not marry you, Henry." She repeated, bringing her dreams crashing around her.

"Adelaide," Henry sank to his knees in front of her, placing him eye-level with Adelaide. He took her hands into his under the scrutiny of his sister watching them. "Do you love me?"

"Dearly, Henry."

His lips curved into a smile.

"Good, then we will marry. And your father and my sister must simply sit at different ends of the table-"

Adelaide cut him off with a sad smile.

"I love you dearly, Henry...but you do not love me."

Everything inside of Adelaide begged her to reconsider. She loved Henry and would never find this love with someone else. But it was because she loved him that she could not marry him.

"Don't presume to educate me about my feelings for you, Adelaide."

"Oh, Henry," Adelaide exclaimed, flying out of her seat to start to pace. "I have lied to you about who I was. Multiple times! First with Abe, then again with Mrs. Williams. How could I ever marry you and feel that you had truly entered into our marriage knowing who I am?"

"Adelaide, I know you. Under all the pretenses you try to show everyone! You are Abe and you are Mrs. Williams and I do love you!"

Adelaide swiped away an errant tear that escaped from her eye.

"You are a good man, Henry. The best man I have ever known. And it is for that reason that I will not trap you into marriage as your sister said earlier!"

They both glanced towards Lady Sybil to find her watching them with a wry expression.

"Oh, do please go on. Pretend I am not here."

Henry shook his head in frustration and turned back to Adelaide.

"You are an honourable man, Henry. And because of that, your first instinct when you discovered I was Mrs. Williams would have been to marry me to preserve my reputation. Regardless of whether or not you truly cared for me!"

Adelaide paused, her chest heaving with emotion that stung her eyes and lay like a heavy weight upon her shoulders.

"I cannot judge how much that influenced your decision to marry me. But I will not trap you into a marriage that you do not sincerely want."

"And if I tell you that, by the time I realized you were Mrs. Williams, I was already in love with her?"

Adelaide shook her head stubbornly as tears slipped down her cheeks. "Then, you have fallen in love with a woman that I created, not me. Not truly me."

"Then, allow me to get to know you, Adelaide. You say that I have fallen in love with a woman you created. Give me the chance to fall in love with who you perceive to be."

Adelaide stared at Henry in stunned silence. She had never thought of such an outcome.

"Allow me to court you, Adelaide." Henry's dark eyes searched hers. They were hopeful but still tentative. "Truly court you this time. Letters under our own names," He said with a rueful smile. "Chaperoned walks in the park and dances at balls."

Adelaide nodded dazedly.

"You must promise me, Henry," Adelaide said softly. "That if you realize you do not truly love me...that you will end the courtship."