His Sudden Bride (The Brides # 1) COMPLETED

Chapter Six, Part Three

Lexa's heart constricted the next day. She was in the garden, studying the plants and scribbling notes into her book. As she pushed up her glasses, she thought to herself what her mother would say. Today, Lady Pembroke was holding a ball, in honor of her daughter's engagement. Lexa had cringed when Lady Pembroke, unexpectedly, told her of her intention.

"But Mama," wailed Lexa, "why must you do so?" 

"How can I not?" Lady Pembroke countered, "This is merely an exercise for you to understand the way things are done for the lady of the house."

Lexa wanted to argue her case further that she had already been raised to do so. And she had. Being the daughter an earl, she had watched her mother countless of times to need practice. But she was, of course, wise to hold her tongue and keep silent.

Back to the present, Lexa sighed to herself and softly stroked the plant's leaf. Rosa viriginana, the Latin name for the Virginia Rose. A pink flower, commonly found in Canada and parts of the United States from the rose family called Rosaceae. But as it was rare here in England, Lexa managed to get a few of the flowers seeds from her time in Boston, and set teem in damp areas. 

If her mother found her not dressed, Lexa would suffer an  relentless time being lectured. Especially with the fact that she was wearing a ancient dress with an apron around her waist that was beginning to get dirt on it. It was unladylike. Her mother would scold her to think about what Lord Douro would say. And what would Edward think of her, of her eccentricity--as many put it? 

Lexa bitterly curled her lips and started to stroke the flower's soft petal. Perhaps...she thought darkly to herself, I ought to break the engagement. With Mother chastising me, I'm starting to think whether or not I'll even make a proper marchioness and future duchess, especially the Duchess of Wellington. I don't think I'm good enough.

"Lexa!"

Lexa froze. Heart pounding, she looked up to see Anna coming towards her. When Anna saw her, she just looked at her and said, horrified, "Oh my god! Lexa, what are you doing here?"

"Hiding in the place I find most comfortable. Away from my mother and the life of reality that awaits me."

Anna sighed, "You can't hide forever you know. And it's your engagement ball. You are expected to be there."

That's it, she thought angrily, what is expected of me. To be what I am not. To be what society expected of me. To be perfection. Yet perfection is unattainable because it's impossible.

"I wish it was not today," she said to Anna, "Do you think I should..." She trailed voicing her uncertainty.

"Should what?" asked Anna.

Lexa looked at her best friend and said, voice wavering a bit, "should I end the engagement?"

Eyes widening, Anna exclaimed, "End the engagement?"

It was said rather loudly that Lexa placed her finger on her lips and shhed her.

Anna, making a decision, grabbed Lexa by the arm and without a word, they made their way, quietly and undetected, from the garden to her bedchamber, which was the above the garden. 

Once, they entered the room, Anna closed the door, and before Lexa could say anything, Anna turned on her, and said, scowling, "Have you gone mad?"

"I would need a reason to be mad, Anna. If you have one, I suggest you tell me."

"Why do you want to break the engagement? I thought you liked Lord Douro."

Lexa made her way to her dresser and started to undress.

"Of course, I like Edward," she said as she unbounded her hair, which fell around her shoulders in loose waves.

Anna immediately went to Lexa's dress drawer, and shuffled through dresses to choose from.

"Then what reason is there?" asked Anna, as she pulled a dress free from the pile. Smiling, she showed the dress to Lexa and asked, "What do you think of this dark green gown?"

Lexa took her glasses off and studied the dress. It was dark green two piece tafetta and lace bustle gown. The gown had black fabric lace overlays and beadings on the edges.

Lexa thought to herself and said to Anna, "Did I ever wear this gown?"

"No," said Anna, as she picked up the dress and walked to Lexa's bed to set it down. " You bought it from Sally's." Narrowing her eyes, Anna said, "You said you were intending to wear it at Lady Redford's Christmas ball, but you never did." 

"I wore a sky blue dress to that ball," Lexa remarked.

"Such a lovely dress was shamefully abandoned. And to think of all the time we spent fighting Miss Easton for it."

"Well I intend to wear it, said Lexa, as she started to wrap her corset around the waist. It was highly fashionable for ladies to narrow down their waistline. But as tight corset often woozed her, she often  instructed Anna not to tighten the corset.

Anna immediately came behind Lexa and started to lace her corset, tighten it not too much. Then she put on the dress. She had already put on her suede boots, therefore she need not to struggle while lacing them with heavy garments weighing her down.

When Lexa made her way toward the mirror of dress drawer, Anna had her done in soft, loose, rag curls. It was neatly pinned with an emerald brooch that her hair up. She rambled through her jewelry chest and pulled out a onyx necklace from amongst her necklaces. The black stone rested on her chest as she placed the necklace around her neck.

Anna looked at her, and when Lexa turned she saw that her dearest girlhood friend was in the brink of tears.

" Anna, what's wrong?"

"Oh, God, ye look beautiful, muss," she gushed with joy. Pulling out a handkerchief, she wiped her tears. Lexa smiled. Whenever Anna got emotional--too emotional in her case-- her Cockney accent crept up, even though Anna spoke polished English.

Lexa took a deep breath, pinched her cheek, and then said, "I'm ready."
"No you're not," said Anna, "You're nerve-wrecked."

Lexa smiled at her dearest friend and said, "You know me so well."

Taking her arms, Anna looked directly at Lexa, blue-green eyes to gray ones and said, "Deep breaths, Alexandra. Tonight is all about you."

Fighting back her panicked nerves, Lexa swallowed and nodded. "God help me," she muttered.

Anna smiled and let her go. Taking another deep breath, Lexa turned and made her way out of her room and into the dazzling Wilton ballroom where elite of the ton awaited her.