A Lady's Guide to Courtship

XXIX. Twin's the Fury

Dearest William

I very rarely get cross. I found that when I do, I lose control of my entire self.

That being said, I do try my best to contain negative thoughts. Should I ever fail, people might not want to be anywhere near me.

Yes, my lord, it is a warning.

Your friend,

Lady Weis

*****

Emma burst inside their chamber only to stop with alarm upon seeing Ysabella's distraught face.

Her sister slowly approached her with a frown on her face. "I have just arrived and Jefferson told me that you have returned from Bertram. Why did you not send us a—"

"Em," Ysabella choked out, tears welling automatically welling her eyes after she saw her sister. "You were right."

Emma looked confused. "Right about what, Ysa? Why are you crying?" Anger lit her sister's eyes. "Did Wakefield—"

Ysabella shook her head, a tear escaping her eye. "No, it is not him." Her face contorted with pain. "It is Aurora."

Emma's jaw tightened and Ysabella saw through the blur of tears that her sister's face had gone scarlet. "What did she do?"

Ysabella shivered with the pain. "She—she stole the letters, Em." She looked at her sister with pleading eyes. "I am sorry if I did not believe you. I thought she was true and—"

"It no longer matters, Ysa," Emma said, now walking toward her. Her sister took her hand in hers. "You have been blinded by your love for her. She was the only person to have shown you what you wanted to see. She made you feel as if you were doing the right thing."

Emma slowly sat down beside her, face filled with fury once more.

"Now, tell me everything."

Ysabella's shoulder started shaking but she tried her best to control her tears. "I... I returned from Bertram and everyone was out. I had exciting news and I could not wait to tell someone. You were out with Ralph, Jefferson said. So I went to her estate. While her butler went to inform her of my presence, I got lost in her study."

It took quite a while before Emma said, "You saw the letters."

Ysabella whimpered and shook her head. "No, I did not."

"Then what—"

"I saw my ribbons."

"Ribbons?"

"The three ribbons I used to tie the letters together."

"But where—"

"I don't know! I don't know where she kept them!"

"Are you certain—"

"I am certain they were mine, Em. I have tied them too many times in the past and I know every inch of each one of them."

Emma was quiet again. And when she spoke, she said, "It would be quite hard to accuse her of stealing the letters, much more so suspect her."

"You were the one who suggested she might have taken them. She has the ribbons. It only means—"

"Fret not, Ysa," Emma interjected, squeezing her hand. "I believe you."

Ysabella wanted to kick something. She wanted to vent out the fury inside her, but the pain was greater at the moment that she was held immobile. "What do I do, Em? What could she have done with the letters?"