Ordained

Chapter Eighty-Two

Moving through the manor, Emmeline could smell the feast before she could see it. "Have you gone to see your mother?" She asked as they passed through the halls.

Cassius sighed and she immediately wished she hadn't asked. "Yes. She was-" He hesitated but Emmeline already knew what he was going to say. "She was unhappy that I kissed you earlier in front of the staff."

Big surprise. She thought darkly to herself. "I see."

Pulling her to a stop Cassius spun her to look at him. "Emmeline, I will not reject our pairing. I will no longer see Ottilie Claude, or any other women my mother pushes in front of me." He spoke his words like a solemn vow, the intensity of his gaze making her drop her eyes to the ground shyly. "What changed?" She breathed. There was a definite shift, there had been ever since the ball, but she wanted to hear him acknowledge it.

Cassius made a 'ha' noise. "What hasn't changed? My father has died, and I am now the head of this house. No one can force me to do anything anymore." There was an edge in his tone that made her uneasy. As if sensing her mood, he exhaled gently, pulling her closer to run a finger along her cheek. "You too made me change." He added more softly.

Emmeline frowned, not understanding.

"Your letters." He said it like it was obvious, an amused frown pulling at his features.

"I so looked forward to your replies." She smiled at the floor.

He groaned, his hand on the small of her back a little tighter. It pressed her body against his in a way that had her stomach flipping. "God Emmeline, your letters felt like the only thing I had to look forward to at points."

She had heard this from him before, he haven written it out in countless letters, but seeing and hearing the words were two different things. Embarrassed at her blushing and wishing to change the subject she focused on her fingers as she spoke, rather than the blueness of his eyes across the room. "Did you not get your mother's letters? I am sure you had others write to you."

Cassius made an exasperated sound, making her glance up at him. "Yes, I had letters from my mother, but I didn't exactly look forward to them in the same way. She would mostly write to my father and add a paragraph at the end for me. On the occasions she did write directly to me, she was either busy trying to endear me to the idea of marrying the Claude girl, or insisting I remove you to your family's estate. When I told her your brothers' wives would be visiting, she sent me four letters to protest." He smirked, taking her arm and steering them both towards the feast.

Emmeline couldn't help the small twist of a smile on the corner of her mouth. Carmen might have been positively put out by Arabella and Madeline's visit, but it had been a highlight for Emmeline.

"Ottilie Claude wrote to me several times, but her letters were so predictable, and I didn't much care to reply. After a while she got the hint."

Jealousy swelled in Emmeline at the mention of the red-haired beauty. "What did she say?"

Cassius hesitated, glancing down at her with a mischievous expression. "Why Miss Elva, you wouldn't be jealous would you?"

She pinched her lips together. He was teasing her, but she couldn't find it in her to play along and protest. They both knew the truth anyways. "Yes. I am."

His eyes seemed to darken at her words. "Emmeline. I have zero interest in Ottilie Claude."

She felt her stomach flutter, the way his eyes held hers doing things to her insides. "Good." She mumbled.

Making a pleased face he continued. "Miss Claude wrote to me about her flower arranging about her accomplishments on the piano. I had to read entire pages dedicated to her opinions of how outdated she thought the pairing ceremony to be." He sighed heavily. "And she spoke of her regret that I hadn't hurried up and proposed before leaving for war."

Emmeline's eyebrows rose. It was presumptuous to assume an engagement contract before official papers were drawn up between families, but to reprimand the son of a duke for not proposing faster was verging on entitled.

"She is very..."

"Irritating." Cassius offered.

Emmeline giggled. "I was going to say confident."

He scoffed. "Well she can be confident with some other poor man. I have no time for it."

The sounds of people's feet and laughter made her pause. Just how many people were attending this feast. "Who is attending tonight?" She asked, suddenly anxious.

Cassius smiled. "Oh the whole village I imagine. The manor hasn't thrown a celebration in many years. I thought we ought to throw our doors open."

Emmeline looked at him aghast. "The - the whole village?" She had visited the nearest village when her sisters-in-law had come to stay. It wasn't large, but the thought of all those people attending one single meal, it was staggering to her. Her reminder to herself earlier about the scale of the great houses' events hit her again, making her smile to herself.

"What?" He asked, reflecting her amusement in his face.

She shook her head. "I suppose I'll have to get used to things like this."

Cassius pulled her side a little closer to his. "Absolutely."

When they rounded the corner and emerged at the top of the grand staircase they were met by general applause. A great many people, several hundred, were all heading in the direction of the ballroom. They stopped at the sight of their new Duke, cheering his return. Emmeline felt her cheeks grow a little pink at all the attention, fighting the urge to hide behind Cassius' massive form.

He held her arm tightly, like he too needed her strength as much as she did his. Straightening her back a little she lifted her chin. If she were to stand at his side, she wouldn't embarrass him by looking afraid. Cassius led her through the crowds like he was parting the waves. People moved out of their way seamlessly, clearing a path for their liege. The ballroom was unrecognisable to her when they entered.

Gone was the empty space that echoed, instead it had been turned into a great hall. Like the halls of ancient lords past, long tables were filled with dishes, a top table set for three. She giggled, it reminded her of books she had read where the feudal lord filled halls with knights and maidens. Musicians were playing in one corner, the great many candles littering the tables and the roaring fires on each wall filled the space with warmth and light.

"Let's go, my precious pair." He called her softly as he stepped up onto the raised dias where the top table was set. It was only a step above the ground but that small elevation allowed them to look over the room unimpeded as tables filled up with people.

It took a good while, but once all the seats were occupied Cassius stood. With Emmeline on his one side, and his mother on the other, he commanded the attention of the room without effort. Emmeline couldn't help but look up at him, as captivated as everyone else. 

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Author's Note:

So what do we think of Cas and Em now they are together?

S x