Isabella felt terribly miserable now in the carriage and left her sister all by herself. The way she wept yesterday worried her so much. Actually, she didn't expect the visit to be this soon. She thought at least she could be by her sister's side for at least a week. However, her mama's capability and passion in presenting both her daughters out to the golden world was nothing to be looked down at. She instructed the packing for her luggage as if she was conducting an orchestra! Smooth and emotional!
Before she left for the carriage, she had a final word with her sister. She asked her whether she was alright and she hoped to stay, to be with her. However, Elizabeth said that it was nonsense and she would write to her every two days, as much as possible. Isabella remembered her sister's eyes. What her eyes told her were against the words from her mouth. She said it was all right but her eyes were covered with a shade of gloom as if they were begging her to stay.
"Miss Marchwood, your eyes seem sad. Oh, please, I hope my guess is wrong but are you missing home already?" Miss Lockwood, the younger sister of Mr Lockwood, asked tenderly.
"Thank you, Miss Lockwood, I'm perfectly all right. It's just.....my sister. I'm worried for Lizzie. She was terribly sad yesterday night. And I feel awful when I have to leave her alone depressed and I'm away for fun." Isabella looked at the back of her hands and Lizzie's tearful face emerged again in her mind.
"Miss Marchwood, I believe your sister will be alright. She is the pride of ladies, do you know that? Elizabeth Marchwood, beautiful and witty, who attracted not only men but also women. Ladies like her will never be defeated by mere sad emotions from whatever it may be caused. If it will make you feel any better, Miss Marchwood, would you like to hear something interesting? I just realised it myself."
"Of course, Miss Lockwood, please do," she replied politely and carefully as her mama instructed her, neither too informal nor too formal.
"You see, when we combine our family names we may have too much wood."
Isabella giggled and it was not a lady-like one. As shame came immediately, Miss Lockwood followed her and gave out an even greater laugh.
"Miss Marchwood," she laughed without covering her lips, "I thought you were as boring as my papa and I'm so glad that I'm wrong!"
"Oh, Miss Lockwood, I'm so terribly sorry if I bored you before. My mama said I should neither be too informal nor too formal. I thought it would be rude if I -"
"It's Margaret for you and I am so excited to meet a new friend who shares my same age and same sex and same passion. I also love the works of Miss Northcliff. I caught a glance at your book cover." Miss Lockwood interrupted excitedly, giving no attention to her "unlady-like" behaviour. Perhaps, it should be a normal behaviour, out of a youthful heart, of the only girl in her household who was kept indoor all the time and whose only seemingly friend was her governess and her elder brother. Yes, indeed, she was utterly excited to meet Isabella!
"Well, if you wouldn't mind, you may also call me Isabella," she replied with a sense of relief, "Do you indeed love the works by Miss Northcliff?"
Margaret didn't know how to prove her passion by her appearance so, instead of fervently nodding her head and squeezed some desperation into her round watery eyes, she revealed her hidden copy within her cloak and left a smirky playful smile on her face.
"The Myth of the Moonlight Castle! Ah! Look, I am also loving it so far!" Isabella placed her copy next to hers as if the book was a code of a kind of secret sisterhood.
"What chapter are you now in, Isabella?"
"Chapter 10," she replied.
"Oh, I'm on Chapter 7. Let me catch up on it today and we may read it together at night!"
"You can read past slumber time?" Isabella asked in shock and she commented, "I had to hide in bed to do that. Lizzie won't mind but sometimes Mama or Mrs Fairfax would come in to inspect. But I always recognise their footsteps and I always blow the candles and pretend to fall asleep with my book by my side before they come in!"
"No, silly, of course we can't past our slumber time and read till we lose our senses," Margaret laughed and continued with a puckish attitude, "but what's the fun if we are allowed to do that? Isabella, excitement comes from breaking the rules."
Isabella couldn't believe her ears. Unlike what her mama told her, Miss Lockwood was not stiff nor too perfect in her lady manner but she was an absolute delight! Isabella grew to be fond of her more and more as the conversation continues and she could've never believed that it only took a carriage ride to build a friendship!
The Lockwoods bought a new Estate in Bath six months ago. They intended to leave it for their winter vacation. Earl Lockwood wanted to invite guests to his new Estate as to "put the cold newness away by adding some warmth to it" - so as he said. Lady Marchwood understood the embedded message of such kind invitation was to see whether Miss Isabella was an appropriate one. After all, he only had one son and his wife must be perfect! Perfect for his son, perfect for the marital exchange, and most of all - perfect for the family name.
"I wish you were our only invited guest, Isabella," Margaret pouted and rolled her eyes, she said, "This year, papa also invited Dracula."
"Margaret, isn't Dracula the vampire from The Terror of Night? You saw the character in real life?" Isabella asked with curiosity.
"Not the one from Miss Northcliff's works but I gave him that name. You'll understand why he's earned himself this nickname. I don't like him at all. To be quite frank, I abhor his presence!"
"Who is this Dracula?" Isabella looked and probed outside the carriage. Her playful act was caught by Mr Lockwood. He gave her a gentle smile and she brought her blushed face back inside the carriage.
"You adore Anderson, my brother, don't you?" Margaret asked without any blemish and she found Isabella's blushful cheeks exceptionally sweet and darling. She ignored her discomfort and continued, "You are fortunate to be matched with Andie. I can assure you that he is a wonderful brother and destined to be a wonderful husband. I, on the other hand, am matched with Dracula. I simply don't understand why papa chooses him. He is horribly proud, creepy, nasty, and quiet!"
"Margaret, who is this Dracula you are talking about?"
"He is the Earl of Horton, Christopher Sebastian Amott Horton. You will know exactly what I mean when you see him. He has a beautiful face but so as Lucifer. I assure you that you can hardly be tricked by his beauty after your first conversation with him! He is the most arrogant obnoxious person I've ever known in my life!"
"Horton, I recognise that name, isn't he the widower from the Summerton family?"
"Yes! And papa adores his title and his capital. He is invited and I can't bear the three weeks with him without you. I'm so glad you are here, so very glad!"
All of a sudden, the name Horton created a dark mythical fantasy in Isabella's imaginary kingdom where she could be the maker of destiny, the one who held the power to give mercy and the authority to give judgement. The owner of that name became a desire, a curiosity to Isabella and she destined it to be a door to a dark secret, the same as how all her favourite stories started, a gothic horror!
YOU ARE READING
Isabella's Choice (The Choice Series, Book 1)
Historical Fiction"Upon my words, Isabella! They mean nothing to me." he enclosed the distance between them by covering her in his arms. At her ear, his lips almost touched her skin, he whispered, "And now, Isabella, please tell me, who is your choice?" *** Isabella...
