“I will, Val,” she said. “Thank you again.”
“Good day, Cecily,” he said. Cecily was suddenly sure that he had spoken since she could not see him bow. Her heart skipped. Was it possible that the Duke really did like her? And was she feeling excitement because she liked him, too?
“Good day, Val,” she said with a curtsey.
After he left, her father took her hands in hers.
“Are you sure you want to do this, darling?” he asked.
Cecily nodded slowly. She was not completely sure. However, she was not filled with sickening dread. In fact, the more she thought about the duke, the more reassured she felt.
“Yes, Papa,” she said, kissing his cheek. “Now, come. Agnes and Mother would be furious with us if we keep this from them any longer.
The Earl put her hand in his arm and patted it gently.
“I am ready when you are, my dear,” he said.
The Earl walked her down the hallway and to the drawing room. Fortunately, both her mother and her sister were there. Agnes was playing the harp and her mother was embroidering. When she and her father entered the room, the Earl bowed to them.
“Good day, my dear ladies,” he said sweetly. “Do you mind if we join you?”
The Countess walked over to them, kissing them both on the cheek.
“Of course,” she said, taking Cecily’s hands. “What is all this about?”
Cecily knew that neither her sister nor her mother would be fooled very easily. She waited until everyone was seated again, taking that moment to gather her words. When the room was still again, Cecily cleared her throat and sat straight up on the sofa beside Agnes.
“I have an announcement,” she said, proud of how confident her voice sounded.
“I knew it,” Agnes said. She was gently shushed by their mother, who Cecily knew was watching her closely.
“Go on, dear,” she said. It was apparent that she, too, was anxious for the announcement. Cecily smiled, folding her hands in her lap.
“I received a proposal for marriage recently,” she said. “Father and I just spoke with the suitor, and I am to wed in three days’ time.”
The other two women gasped, and then silence lingered for a long moment. Then, Agnes put her hands on her sister’s shoulders, and Cecily could feel her wide-eyed gaze.
“Who?” she asked.
Cecily patted her sister’s knee softly.
“His Grace, The Duke of Archington,” she said.
There was another, longer intake of breath. Cecily waited, uncertain what to expect. The feel in the air made it abundantly clear that her mother and sister were shocked. But would they be happy for her? Or would they worry and fret over the suddenness of it all?
“Well?” Cecily asked, unable to bear the tension a moment longer.
Simultaneously, the Countess and Agnes erupted in excited murmurs and applause. Before she knew what was happening, she was being scooped up into her sister’s arms and pulled into a three-way embrace.
“Darling,” her mother said, her voice thick with emotion. “Oh, I am so happy for you.”
Agnes squeezed her tightly, and Cecily was sure she sensed relief as well as joy.
“Congratulations, sweet sister,” she said. “There are no words for how happy I am for you.”
Cecily pulled away from the other two women, giving them her biggest smile.
“Thank you both,” she said.
