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prologue
Miss Aurelia Windsor had seen more than her fair share of death.
When Aurelia was three, her sister Eliana died. She was only a few days old, but she was born prematurely and did not have enough strength in her lungs to breathe for more than two days.
When she was four, her mother died. They said it was scarlet fever that took dear Lady Charlotte.
On her eighth birthday, her grandmother had a heart attack just as Lia was blowing out her candles.
When she was eleven she got word that her father General Cassius Windsor was missing. Later that week he was pronounced dead, or taken captive which was surely worse.
So as you can imagine a few years later when Simon invited her to come to live with him out in the country, she took the opportunity. Why wouldn't one? She could finally get away from all the pity, the rumours about her parents, and what the Ton started to call 'The Windsor Curse'.
Out in the country, her cousin decided she learn how to defend herself alongside learning how to be a lady. Simon had heard the whispers of what happens when a young lady finds herself in an uncomfortable position with a bull-headed man.
So Lia's teenage years were spent away from London's harsh society. She had inherited her father's thirst for adventure, which led to her love of books and reading. You could give that girl a book and she'd throw herself into the story. The plotline would be the only thing she would think about for weeks, or until she found a new book to obsess over.
In a way it made her feel better, knowing that people whose lives were filled with death got happy endings. In fact, she was fairly certain she was meant to have a happy ending. Lia wasn't quite sure what her story was about, but she knew it was going to get interesting when Simon received a letter informing him that his father was in bad shape and he was set to inherit the dukedom.
She (who stayed in the country to delay her coming out) was most definitely correct. After enjoying two fortnights as Lady of the house Simon abruptly returned with a wife. Lia took an immediate liking to Daphne Bridgerton and much to her cousin's dismay, took Daph's side when the topic of children came up.
Lia remained with the Duke and Duchess Hastings when the snow started to fall, and although Simon wanted Daphne to himself he treasured her and Lia's friendship. Lia's presence also calmed Simon's conscience when he was called away at the end of his wife's pregnancy. Simon was only gone for three days but from the moment he returned to when Daphne gave birth, he was by her side.
Alexander Edmund Hastings was born precisely at 2:24 pm on a sunny afternoon in late March. Daph and Simon immediately became the most doting parents Lia had ever seen. Until Alexander was born Lia had never seen her cousin baby talk. She adored her nephew of course, and the more attention Daphne and Simon gave to their son, the less time they spent hassling her about her coming out. Unfortunately for Lia that day was nearing quicker than she would have liked.
