Carmella 'Ella' Camden, a curious and intelligent young woman, dreams of finding love and companionship. Despite her beauty and wit, she constantly feels overlooked by noble men during her social seasons, who only seem interested in her friends and...
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Jeremy's quill hovered over the parchment, a faint line of ink pooling at its tip as he stared down at the page, thoughts consumed by Ella and the proposal that lingered like a haunting melody. It had been days, days since that night at the Camdens' estate, and she had yet to contact him. Was she regretting her words? Doubt gnawed at him, and he resolved that if she wouldn't write to him, then he would be the first to reach out.
As he began to script the opening line, there was a knock at the door, and he barely had a moment to move the letter aside before Lady Morvall swept in, her graceful demeanor as sharp as her discerning gaze.
"Jeremy," she began, eyeing him with an amused glint, "you've been so quiet since the Camden's Christmas gathering. I daresay you're spending more time here in this room than is necessary." Her gaze darted to the parchment. "Is everything quite all right?"
"Yes, Mother. Perfectly well," he replied smoothly, slipping his hand subtly over the letter, though he sensed her curiosity had already latched onto it.
Lady Morvall didn't miss a beat. "Curious," she murmured, a knowing look in her eye as she circled around his desk, "that the moment I enter, you seem so...guarded. And writing a letter, no less. Might it be anything important?" Her tone was casual, but her gaze was anything but.
"Nothing of consequence," Jeremy replied, feigning disinterest as he rolled the parchment over to keep it from view. "Just tending to estate matters."
Lady Morvall raised an elegant eyebrow. "Estate matters, you say? I must say, it's been some time since I've seen you so invested in 'estate matters' that you haven't the time for anything else. Gabriel could lend a hand, you know. But, no, I imagine this task is... more personal?"
He braced himself, attempting to keep his composure. "I appreciate Gabriel's eagerness, but I prefer to handle this alone."
A silence passed, and his mother's lips curved into a sly smile. "You know, Jeremy, I wasn't born yesterday. I've seen you act strangely before, but there's something quite unique about your behavior since the Camdens' Christmas dinner. Why, it's almost as though someone's been occupying your thoughts."
Jeremy's grip on the quill tightened, but he forced himself to maintain his calm. "That's quite an assumption, Mother."
"Assumption?" Lady Morvall's voice was laced with amusement. "Oh, darling, I've known you since the day you were born. A mother knows when her son's heart is otherwise engaged. And in this case, I daresay it's with a certain Miss Carmella Camden."
The shock on Jeremy's face must have been evident, for she laughed softly, the sound a blend of delight and smugness. "How did you know?" he asked, a hint of genuine bewilderment coloring his tone.
"Oh, Jeremy," she replied, chuckling, "did you really think no one noticed the way your gaze kept drifting toward her that night? Or that you barely looked at another lady the entire evening?" She softened, reaching out to place a gentle hand on his arm. "I know a fondness when I see one. Carmella Camden has been in your heart for far longer than I think even you realize."
Jeremy's face flushed as Lady Morvall's words sank in, and he immediately straightened, brushing off the implications with a firm wave of his hand.
"Mother, nothing of that sort happened between myself and Miss Camden," he replied, his voice measured, though there was an unmistakable flicker of unease beneath the surface.
Lady Morvall arched a brow, a glint of playful skepticism in her eye. "Oh, Jeremy, you know I don't assume scandal without cause. But whenever I sought you out during the event, you and a certain viscount's daughter were... inexplicably absent. Surely you must understand why I found it curious?"
He met her gaze, unflinching but unable to fully suppress his defensiveness. "The fact remains, nothing inappropriate occurred, Mother. I assure you, Miss Camden's reputation is as untarnished as ever."
She tilted her head, watching him with an intensity that seemed to pierce right through his carefully crafted calm. "Perhaps not scandalous, but something certainly did occur. The way you're speaking now, Jeremy, the way you've been since that night—there is a distinct difference in you." She softened her voice, her eyes kind yet knowing. "This isn't just idle interest. It's something deeper, isn't it?"
Jeremy opened his mouth to retort, but his words faltered. He had no reply that could easily dismiss her observations, no witty retort that would deflect her insight. She was right, of course, though he could scarcely admit it. There was something deeper, something in Ella that had gripped him in a way he hadn't anticipated.
Lady Morvall's expression softened, as though sensing his internal conflict. "Jeremy, you needn't explain it to me. But if you're seeking a quiet, sensible marriage for convenience, I would urge you to reconsider."
He bristled slightly. "Convenience isn't the aim, Mother. I would never think of Ella so callously."
Lady Morvall's smile grew, a hint of warmth edging into her otherwise composed demeanor. "Then let me ask you this: are you certain it's not more than that? Because if it is, don't let pride or stubbornness keep you from something real. You're a good man, Jeremy. Don't let this be one of those decisions where your head leads but your heart wishes otherwise."
Her words struck a chord within him, and for a moment, he felt the steady certainty he'd felt about his agreement with Ella begin to waver, tilting into something more... profound. Could this really be just a marriage of practicality, or was he fooling himself?
He exhaled, finally managing a nod. "Thank you, Mother. I'll... consider what you've said."
With a final, knowing look, Lady Morvall turned and left the room, leaving Jeremy alone with his thoughts. He gazed down at the letter he'd barely begun, and his heart stirred with renewed conviction. Whatever this marriage might become, he couldn't deny it any longer: it meant something to him. And if he couldn't be honest with Ella just yet, then at the very least, he'd let his actions speak until the truth could be given a voice.
