A Lady unlike any other (four hoydens #1)

Chapter 3

One afternoon, at the Earl of Morley's townhouse.

"Do you think we should try matchmaking?" Rosalyn whispered.

"I don't think that's wise, Rosa," Sarah whispered back.

They were cozily seated in the morning parlour, discussing Ralph and Alice.

"But we have to do something!"

"Yes, but we don't know what Alice or Ralph really feel, do we? We can't just rush into things."

"But Ralph loves her."

"Did you ever hear your brother say that?" Sarah raised her brows.

"No...but it's obvious."

"How is it obvious?"

"I keep catching him staring at her," she frowned.

Sarah sighed.

"Look Rosa, Alice is an attractive woman and it's not uncommon for a man like Ralph to be attracted to her. That doesn't mean we can equate it to love."

Just then Vanessa, Alice and Ralph walked in.

"What are you two whispering about?" Vanessa asked suspiciously.

"Oh nothing.." Rosa said, not very convincingly.

Vanessa let it go. She'd drill her later.

"I can't believe you just said that," Alice laughed at something Ralph said while he laughed with her, his eyes lighting up.

Rosa looked at Sarah as if to say "see!"

Sarah just rolled her eyes.

"Go away, Ralph," Rosa said, shooing him away.

"Alright." He said, putting his hands up in surrender as he left the parlour.

"There's something I need to ask you Alice," Rosalyn said, much to Sarah's dismay.

"What is it?" Alice asked, plonking down inelegantly on a chaise lounge while Vanessa sat down delicately on a loveseat.

"Do you have feelings for Ralph?"

"What?" Alice blurted out, almost choking on the biscuit she'd just put in her mouth.

"I thought it best to be direct," Rosa shrugged.

"I have no designs on your brother, you dolt," she laughed.

"Damnit."

"You're disappointed?" Alice asked, disbelief in her voice.

"Of course, I am. It would've been really amazing if one of my best friends was married to my brother."

"Why me?"

"Oh just like that," Rosa muttered.

Alice didn't look like she believed her, but let it be, not very comfortable with this line of conversation.

"So have you heard from your so called fiancé yet?" Vanessa asked Sarah.

"No," she said, forcefully.

Sarah had been legally betrothed to her father's friend's son since she was a little girl. But she hadn't seen the man since her eighth birthday. He had been busy with school then and had left the country to "find himself." Although Sarah hated him with every fibre of her being for forgetting her, she couldn't really help but long for his return. All throughout her girlhood, she'd dreamt about him. Their parents giving her false hopes of his return didn't help either.

Sarah was sick and tired of this. She wanted to live her life. She wanted to travel the world or at least get married. Her classical beauty with her raven hair, caramel eyes and friendly nature had made many men approach her, but she couldn't even consider any of them. She didn't want to wait here for that wretched man. She didn't even know anything about him except for the facts that he was a Duke and that he didn't want her.

"You shouldn't wait for him, you know," Alice murmured.

"But what choice does she have?" Vanessa countered.

"You're just saying that because he's a Duke," Rosa said to Van.

"I am not," Vanessa said, hotly.

"I don't know what to do anymore," Sarah sighed, dropping her face into her hands.

The three girls went to her and hugged her.

They hated seeing Sarah this way. She was the one that took care of all of them when the skies were grey.

"I know!" Rosa said, excitedly.

"What?" all three of them aside in unison.

"You should travel," Rosa said.

Three pairs of brows went up.

"You know, go on a voyage of your own. You've always wanted to do that, haven't you?"

"Are you daft?" Vanessa asked.

"I think it's an interesting idea," Alice murmured.

"Oh God! Tell them this is crazy," Vanessa said looking to Sarah.

But Sarah seemed to be deep in thought.

"You can't be considering this!" Vanessa said, hysterical now.

"Why not? There's nothing at stake," Sarah said.

"Your safety and reputation is at stake," Vanessa sputtered.

"It's not like she'll be going alone. I could accompany her too. I've always fancied seeing the world too," Alice said.

"I will be going too," Rosa said, gleefully.

Vanessa sighed, "I don't suppose I have any other choice but to accompany you, if only to keep you out of trouble," she sniffed. "I don't like this one bit," she added.

It was only a matter of time before the girls began to squeal and shout. Making a list of all the places they wished to see.

"Egypt," Alice interrupted Rosalyn who was saying India.

"The pyramids, I've read all about them," said Sarah, already dreaming.

"But I've heard so much about India! It sounds like a fascinating place," Vanessa was saying.

"Fine, we can do both," said Sarah.

"France is such a romantic country," Rosalyn was saying, stars in her eyes.

"Yes and French men are especially handsome and dashing, not to mention, they are certainly more well versed in the art of making love than these stuffy English men," Alice winked.

Vanessa gasped while Rosa giggled.

"We're not going there to meet men, Ladies. We have enough of that here. We are going to discover ourselves and enjoy this trip," Sarah said firmly.

"Yes ma'am!" Rosa saluted.

So the plans were made. They were to leave four months from now, after Sarah and Rosalyn's twenty second birthday.