Page 88 of A Torn Allegiance
As the days went by, their interactions, their hours spent together felt so comfortable, so peaceful, that she was most ready to welcome him fully into her life.
Now and then she remembered that he would soon be leaving for his country and that she would have to leave everything that was familiar in order to be with him. And then who knew if it would be the same once he was at home, with all his responsibilities to attend to? Some days she pushed those thoughts aside, and some days she championed them as the greatest adventures of her life.
Today promised another adventure, and she dressed for weather. The sun would surely freckle her face, and the chill in the air would break through any lightweight clothes. Lady Sophie would arrive any minute, and they would attend the phaeton races. As Abigail finished the last touches on Elsie’s hair and hat, Elsie laughed to herself about the oddity of her going at all. Since when had she any interest in phaeton races? Did women usually attend? Lady Sophie insisted that they did, but Elsie couldn’t imagine why. An image of Hayes, reins in hand, cheering his horses on came to her mind, and she began to see the appeal. But just for Hayes.
Duncan, of course, would be there, and her father and mother as well. They would be cheering for her brother and her—what was Hayes? Not fiancé. He hadn’t proposed. He’d given no indication he was even thinking yet of proposing. But what was he, then? Someone special. Well, whatever he was, her parents would be cheering for him and her brother. But if the two went up against each other, Elsie knew her father would immediately show full allegiance to the future Duke of Shelby. They had a name to maintain, after all. As her father had said late last night, they “couldn’t let a foreign nation come and take the winning cup.”
As if the phaeton races had a cup to win. They were more for boasting, as far as Elsie could tell. That and a significant amount of money to be made at the bets. She had heard that White’s was abuzz with predictions and that more money might change hands over this set of races than the horse races of the past several months combined.
She met Lady Sophie in the front room of the town house. Her friend wore a lovely yellow hat that covered a good amount of her face and boasted a feather on top.
“Have you questioned several times already this morning why we are attending these races?” Elsie asked.
“I might have, but His Grace said he would meet us there.” Her smile grew.
“And this is most excellent news, if I am to judge by your smiles.”
“It is, most excellent.” Lady Sophie sighed. “Elsie, am I a fool to be so smitten?”
“Not at all. He is a superb choice. I could not find a better, except for those who live in Oldenburg.”
“Or your brother.” Her expression, for a moment, looked worried.
“Not at all. I love Duncan, of course, but you don’t. Do you?”
She shook her head. “I tried to. I really did. Then we could be sisters truly. But”—she shrugged—“I think there is too much the brother in him for me.”
“I would never wish for you to marry into my family unless it was for love. I admit I didn’t know you were attempting such a thing. I would have dissuaded you. We are sisters truly no matter who marries whom, in my mind.”
“Then, I shall enjoy His Grace and the supreme happiness that seems to accompany him in peace.”
“My, my. I believe you shall.” Elsie was overjoyed for her friend. “Has he come calling, then?”
“Yes, he has, and we have been everywhere anyone goes. I wish to do or talk about everything with him, for him. Nothing seems to matter as it once did unless he is also involved.”
Elsie hugged her friend. “Nothing could make me happier than to see you happy.” After a hug with only a few happy tears, she pulled away. “Well, then, let us be off.” She approached Timson. “Would you please alert the house that Lady Sophie and I are waiting in the carriage?”
“Very good, my lady.” He opened the door for her and her friend, and a footman handed them in, one after the other.
“Hayes said they have a surprise on their phaeton,” Elsie said.
“A surprise?” Lady Sophie’s eyebrow rose. “What do you suppose it is?”
“I don’t know. So His Grace hasn’t mentioned it?”
“Not at all.”
“When Hayes spoke of it, his expression indicated I might find it amusing...”
“Then, this day will be all the more intriguing.”
Elsie’s mother joined them first and then her father. They were deep in conversation.
The duke’s voice sounded gruff, intent. “He will win—I’m certain of it—so I don’t see that this discussion needs to happen in the first place.”
“Yes, but if he doesn’t, we can be equally pleased if another were to win—Prince Hayes, for example.”
Elsie’s father glanced at her and then just grunted while he tapped on the ceiling for the carriage to depart.
