Chapter 17

Rosalyn lay on her bed while tears rolled down her face. She didn't know why she was crying. Her friends were outside with Ralph. She didn't want to speak to anyone right now and they understood.

Just then, "open the door right now, Rosa or I swear I'll knock it down," came Alice's loud voice, punctuated with three loud thuds.

What had she expected? That her friends would leave her to her own devices when she was upset?

She sighed and got up, making her way to the door.

All her friends looked thunderous.

"Ralph?" she questioned softly.

"We got rid of him," Alice grinned jauntily.

"He's so stubborn, just like you. We couldn't get him to leave," Vanessa was grumbling.

"Can we talk about the matter at hand?" Sarah sighed, signalling to Rosalyn.

"Yes, of course," Vanessa said sheepishly.

Once they were settled on the bed, Sarah spoke up.

"What's wrong? Did Lord Fortescue break your heart?"

"No," she chuckled.

"Then?" Alice prompted rather exasperatedly when Rosalyn didn't say anything further.

"I think he declared his feelings for me," she murmured.

"You think?" Vanessa asked dubiously at the same time Sarah muttered a "thank god," and Alice a "finally!"

"I think his act with Lady Petal today was to make me jealous."

"We'd gathered as much," Sarah said drily.

"What is the problem then?" Vanessa probed.

"I'm confused," Rosalyn said with great feeling.

"Confused about your feelings or his?"

"Both. It's too soon, don't you think?"

"It is, but that doesn't matter."

"Tell me something," Alice said, "what you have with him, do you want it with anyone else?"

Rosalyn found herself shaking her head.

No.

She only wanted it with him. She wanted it all only with him.

The realisation made her smile.

"There. That was easier than I'd thought," Vanessa grinned.

"But he's a rake," she said uselessly.

"Haven't you heard? Reformed rakes make the best husbands," Sarah said airily.

"How can I be sure that he's not marrying me because I'm convenient and because of his father's silly ultimatum?"

"You're an idiot," Alice said, shaking her head.

"Yes, an idiot. Have you seen the way he looks at you?" Sarah rolled her eyes.

"I don't think it has anything to do with convenience. If he wanted convenience, he could have had any biddable debutante. But he chose you and we all know how biddable you are," Alice grinned.

"He didn't tell me he loved me," she said, grasping at straws now.

"He would've if you'd given him a chance," Sarah grunted.

"I did run off," she conceded.

And then the most bizarre thing happened.

Rosalyn shot out of her bed and ran to the mirror to check her hair.

"What happened?" Vanessa asked, sounding worried.

"I have to tell him now. I have to see him now," Rosalyn replied, purposefully striding to the door.

"Now? Have you gone daft?" Vanessa asked chasing her.

"Quite," Rosalyn said, blowing a kiss to Vanessa and ran out of the door, calling for a carriage.

Alice and Sarah were there by then to stop  Vanessa.

"Let her go," Sarah said.

"She'll ruin herself," Vanessa protested.

"I rather think Lord Fortescue will be doing all the ruining," Alice smirked.

"Oh stuff it," Vanessa snapped.

The Fortescue townhouse.

"My Lord, there's a young Lady here to see you," Buttons said to Theo.

"Please send her away," Theo murmured, looking into his glass of whiskey.

He was never one to over imbibe, but from the day he'd met Rosalyn, he often found himself relying on spirits for solace.

Who was this young lady? An ex-mistress? Lady Petal? He honestly didn't care.

After a few minutes, he heard some ruckus from down the hall. It was a good thing his mother was away in Bath, this surely would've distressed her.

But it seemed like the lady was extremely stubborn, for he still heard sounds. Buttons usually handled his undesirable lady callers with expertise.

He swore and got up from his arm chair.

Just then the door opened and at the entrance stood Rosalyn. In her lovely pink gown. Grinning like an idiot.

"It's you," he whispered.

"Who else were you expecting?" she asked, her eyes narrow.

"No one," he chuckled.

He didn't know how he managed to smile. She did that to him.

Would she still be smiling when he told her that he was betrothed to another?

Buttons stood behind her, looking apologetic.

"Leave us," Theo said, not bothering to explain.

He left, politely shutting the door closed.

"Why are you here?"

"Because I love you," she smiled, the truth clear in her eyes.

That was a blow. A welcome one, but a blow nonetheless.

He set his glass down and moved towards her.

"You can't love me, Rosalyn," he said, clutching her shoulders. Theo couldn't recognise his own voice laden with emotion.

"Why not?" she asked, confusion clouding her bright blue eyes.

He narrated the events of the ball. He saw the light in her eyes dim and it undid him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

She shook her head as if unable to believe what she was hearing.

"Is there no way out of this?" she choked out.

"I'm afraid not. You know a gentleman can't cry off. I can't cause a scandal now Rosalyn, my mother is unwell," he said.

"I understand," she whispered.

"No, you don't. I can't tell you how difficult it is for me," he groaned.

And then Rosalyn came up to him and pulled down his head, planting her soft lips on his.

He felt drugged by her scent, her presence...

Theo pulled back, "Rosalyn, what are you doing?"

"If you're to marry another, this is the only chance I have to experience what it could've been like with you," she said.

"You don't know what you're saying."

"On the contrary, for the first time in a very long time, I'm perfectly certain of what I'm saying."

"Rosalyn..."

"Will you deprive me of this last chance, Theo?"

"I'm not going to ruin you," he said firmly.