A Lady's Guide to Courtship

XVIII. Fallout

Dearest Lady Weis,

Yes, I believe my butler is almost uncontrollable. You are quite lucky to have a reliable one.

Mine, I believe, speaks his mind too often than warranted.

In addition, I believe he has an infatuation to Ysabella Everard.

He must be careful not to push me too far for I might be inclined to throw him out the window.

Yours,

William

*****

"Please forgive me once again, Ysa," Aurora said to her. "I was not able to stop Adam Nimrod when he went after you. I did not also think he could do such a thing!"

Ysabella shrugged as she stared up at the hole hovering above the park. It was a nice, sunny afternoon aboveground, she noted. "It is quite all right, Aurora. It was not your fault, but I do hope not to see him ever again."

"Juliana and Agnes are sauntering toward us, Ysa," Aurora warned under her breath.

Ysabella groaned and straightened in the bench, prepared for yet another attack.

"Hello, Ysabella," Juliana chirped. "Hello, Aurora."

"Hello," Aurora replied, her voice strained.

"How are you this morning, Ysabella?" Agnes asked. "I hope you are doing well. You must be quite happy that no more articles about Lady Weis came out today."

Ysabella's lips formed a tight smile. "Great, is it not? For all we know, Lord Wakefield had given up on the said quest!"

Juliana and Agnes cocked their brows, their lips pursing in doubt. "Or mayhap he already found her."

Ysabella was not able to stop the snort that escaped her. "Well, good luck to him and her, then."

The two ladies gave her a pitiful look. "Ah, if that is the case, then it is such a sad thing to no longer see more of your fun advances on the man," said Juliana.

"But he is not the only lord out there, is he now?" Ysabella gritted out.

"Fine day, is it not, ladies?" Aurora asked, diverting the topic that was obviously causing Ysabella to fume and soon burst should the two ladies push further.

"Ah, yes, it is," Agnes cheerfully said. "Which reminds me, Juliana, that we are expected to be at Madam Vernice anytime soon."

Juliana's eyes widened. "Oh, goodness! I almost forgot!"

Ysabella and Aurora stared after the two ladies as they scurried away after saying their hasty goodbyes.

"Rude," Aurora nearly growled beside her. "Could they be any more obvious? They walked up to us to mock you."

"But they were right, you know," she uttered resignedly. "He might have already found someone who managed to convince him she is Lady Weis, thus the lack of updates on the Herald."

"Or mayhap he simply gave up," Aurora offered.

She turned to Aurora with a sad look in her eyes. "Perhaps my years of chasing after the same man could be coming to a complete failure. Mayhap Emma is correct. I ought to give up."

Aurora took her hand in a gesture to comfort her and said nothing.

She squared her shoulders. "But giving up seems to be even more agonizing," she said with a lopsided grin. "For now, that is."