Page 7 of The Viscount's Daring Cinderella
Beryl had to agree. The gown suited Grace well. The gown had gathers around the waist at the back, a beautiful bow, aflowing skirt, and a low neckline. Grace studied herself, and then she held Beryl’s gaze in the mirror.
“Is it absolutely gorgeous! Is it not, Beryl?” Grace exclaimed.
“It is a lovely gown, and you look beautiful in it,” Beryl replied.
It seemed that Grace only wanted Beryl to be present so that she could make a show of all her finery. Grace wanted to boast, to give herself even more airs and lord it over Beryl. She wondered what the season would bring for her cousin. Grace was neither good natured nor did she have a kind temperament.
Beryl was comfortable and satisfied with who she was. She did not need constant validation from others because she was confident and self-assured. She chose to remain kind, even in the face of their pettiness.
Madame Lena walked around Grace and checked the gown. She nodded in appreciation as no alteration was required. A perfect fit. Beryl spent the rest of her afternoon with Grace, who tried to make her feel insignificant while she put herself on a pedestal. Beryl took it all in stride and kept her expression serene, which irked her cousin.
Grace had tried on all her gowns, and Madame Lena marked the ones that required alterations. When Grace no longer needed her, Beryl decided to go for a walk in the garden. She could do with a spot of fresh air, and the gardens at Chalfont House were quite exceptional.
As Beryl exited the house, she could not help but think of her father.I miss you, papa. They had been close, and he doted on her because she was his only child. At times, she found it hard to accept that he was really gone, but those moments did not last for too long. Still, she longed for the days spent at her much-beloved childhood home, Penrose Hall in Cornwall. It was a great pity the mansion and all its surrounding lands wereirrevocably tied to a title that could only be inherited by a male heir.
As she walked among the flowers, Beryl wondered what her prospects would be once in town, and how best she could position herself. Perhaps it was a foolish dream to think she could go from being penniless to finding abeauwith great fortune. It was not as though she had nothing to offer. She was clever and charming and would showcase this when she went to London. Beryl was confident the lucky gentleman would see her kindness and warm heart once he got to know her.
But what if she failed? What would become of her then? She took a deep breath. Beryl was grateful her father saw it fit to educate her. Typically, girls who were educated learned French, drawing, dancing, and music. She had been taught mathematics, history, geography, and Latin. If all else failed, she could be a governess, but it was not what her heart truly desired.
As a governess, she would enter a life of servitude and fall even further from grace. If she was to take this position, she would exorcise herself from the society she was raised in. A governess occupied the unique position of being neither a servant nor a member of the family. It was an in-between world of isolation and loneliness. Furthermore, she would be vulnerable to the unwelcome advances of men, and she desperately hoped she would never have to live this experience. To make matters worse, many governesses were not paid at all for they should be grateful to have a roof over their heads and three square meals. Those who were paid received nothing but a pittance.
Then there was retirement to plan for, but how would this be achieved on such a measly salary. A good situation and a good employer would allow her to save for her retirement, with provisions for days off, and quarters that were at least better than the servants’ living and dining privileges. If the childrenwere girls, she would expect to accompany them on social outings and balls.
Beryl sighed. Although being a governess was perfectly respectable, it would secure her a diminished status and reduce her chances of being the lady of her own home. It was more likely that she would never marry well or have a family of her own.
I must fight for what I truly want.I cannot give up, even in my thoughts.
She wanted a husband and children she would love just as much as her father loved her. She could imagine cradling a tiny infant who she would love unconditionally, who would bring structure, purpose, and direction to her life. She did not want to give up on her dream just yet. It was crushing her soul just to think about what she would lose.
Beryl did not have her head in the clouds. She knew that without a dowry her prospects were limited, but she was not prepared to give up. Not just yet. She was beautiful, cultured and educated. Perhaps her fortunes could be reversed if she managed to capture the imagination of an eligible bachelor of some standing. Surely, she could get a gentleman to fall in love with her.How hard could it be? She would not accept defeat until she exhausted all possibilities. She must believe in her capabilities because her future depended on it.
CHAPTER 4
Bowden Park, Buckinghamshire
Theodore had awakened several minutes ago but did not leave his bed. He was stretched out atop his sheets, listening to the birds singing outside his window. He took a slow breath deep into his lungs, closed his eyes and listened to their sweet sound.
He was not soothed, and that perplexing sensation pricked at his chest once again. It had been a few days since Theodore’s uncle visited Bowden Park. He found that he was restless, so what better way to relieve the feeling than fencing? By the very nature of the sport, fencing was about keeping calm and acting correctly in a quickly changing, physically demanding situation. Theodore excelled at it, for he was reliably cool-headed, and was in good physical form. He had gotten better with practice, persistence, and patience.
He had gone to his friend, Lord Claude Graham, for a match, and they had exhausted themselves. However, Theodore was still restless, and he could not explain why. He wondered if it was because his uncle’s words intruded on his consciousness fromtime to time. Particularly his barb about William turning in his grave.
Bloody hell!
He rang for his valet and with his aid dressed in his riding clothes, and went to the stables. His horse was always prepared because the stable boy knew his routine. An early morning ride was quite invigorating. Theodore set out, and he knew exactly where he would go. The lake. He wondered if he would see her this morning. She would most certainly not be in the same state as when he saw her last. Theodore chuckled as he led his horse into a trot.
The air was fresh and cool. The grass was covered in dew, which brightened with the first rays of the sun. When he entered the clearing, he led his horse into a gallop, the wind rushing by his ears. Sometime later, he slowed his horse and led him down the path, through the copse of trees and into the clearing.
There she is.Theodoreinhaled sharply.She is an enchanting beauty, even though regrettably she is fully clothed.A wry smile touched his mouth; if she knew his thoughts, the lady would perhaps plant him a facer.
She was perched on a rock close to the lake’s shore. Her back was turned to him, so she did not see him approach. A horse was tethered nearby. She was staring at the lake as if the trees that were reflected on the surface held the answer to some mythical question. As he urged his horse forward, he wondered what preoccupied her. Theodore called out because she was deep in thought, and he did not wish to startle her.
“Good morning, my lady,” he greeted her with a warm smile as he rode closer to her.
She spun around, and he observed the stiffening in her posture, but she remained seated. At least she did not run away.
“Good morning, good sir,” she replied, but her voice held no warmth.
Theodore quickly dismounted and secured his horse. Her hair tumbled carelessly over her shoulders and back in lovely waves. She pushed a few tendrils behind her ear, and he wished that he was able to do it. He wanted to touch the soft silky curls.
