Cassandra

Chapter Seventeen

"There's a letter here for you, milady." Amelia said the next morning, moments after she'd woken Cassandra up and helped her dress, producing the aforementioned letter from the front of her dress.

"Amelia, why are you still here? Should you not be meeting Thomas?" Cassandra asked, unable to help her smile as Amelia's cheeks bloomed with a blush.

"I shall only meet him this afternoon." She clarified, extending the letter for Cassandra to take. "I can hardly wait."

"I'm sure this shall be one of the best days of your life." Cassandra promised, and Amelia's blush only darkened even more. "Take the rest of the day off. Do whatever you'd like to relax yourself for Thomas's visit."

"Thank you, milady." She said, before curtseying and hurrying out of the room. Cassandra chuckled at that before breaking the seal on the letter. It was addressed from the Somerhall estate, which meant that it was either from Allie complaining about Mrs. Cook or from Mrs. Cook complaining about Allie. Judging by the handwriting, it was from Allie.

Dear Cassie,
I've just read your letter and, I must say, I haven't read a bigger load of tosh in my entire life, and I've read those Gothic romance novels you have hidden in the library that you think I don't know about!

The moment I read it, I knew I had to reply. I did not wait for Mrs. Cook to finish teaching me whatever she was teaching me about French verbs or something of the sort (I was reading the letter under the table, you see) and left the library immediately to respond. I am sitting in my chamber now, and I have no doubt that Mrs. Cook shall have one of the maids banging against my door very soon.

Let me begin by stating very clearly that no ordinary kiss is by any means as lovely as the one you described to me. I certainly haven't felt it with either of the two boys- don't worry, there aren't any more.

This Lord Hawthorne sounds like a very, very nice man who is pleasant enough to put up with you and all of your mildly insane antics. For that, I say marry him as soon as you can.

Also, I am seventeen years old, Cassandra and you seem to have forgotten that. I might be sillier and less mature than you, but that does not change the fact that I am quite old enough to look after myself, just as you did, with help from Nate.

I do appreciate everything you've done for me ever since our parents passed and I love you for it. You were strong when I couldn't be and you helped me through it all. Nate couldn't have done it without you, either, of that I am sure. You and Nate raised me despite being little more than children yourselves and I shall always be grateful for your sacrifices.

That does not mean, however, that you must sacrifice every good thing that's ever happened to you for my sake. You are doing neither me nor yourself any favours my treating me as if I am little more than the girl from all those years ago. I need to learn and grow and make my own mistakes without you being there to prevent every fall.  

Besides, I also believe that it isn't your love for me that is making you so reluctant to let go. I might have been young, but I do remember the state of our parents' marriage. It was truly awful and you're right to not want to experience something like that. That isn't to say that every marriage is like that. Not every man is unfaithful and not every woman is capable of bearing such infidelity as our father and mother were respectively. I trust you to choose better than our mother did because you aren't her— you are my wiser and infinitely more cautious older sister.

That's enough of my sermon, now. I believe I shall answer the endless questions of your letter.

Firstly, I did buy the bonnet I saw last week. It's a very pretty pink with some lovely lace. Secondly, I haven't given Mrs. Cook any trouble at all with the exception of just now, when I fled lessons. I have been as close to an angel as is possible for me, of that I can assure you. Even Priscilla is astounded at my sudden obedience. Thirdly, without my brother and sister here I have had absolutely nothing to do but sit for lessons and my mind is so tired of their slow drudgery. Really, I cannot believe that I've complained about the two of you before and no one can be more surprised than myself at the idea that I cannot wait for the two of you to return. Finally, I haven't been doing anything to pass the time. I ride daily, but Mrs. Cook doesn't allow that for longer than a half hour every day. That isn't long enough for me to even reach the stream. I do believe that, if it wasn't for her fear of incurring Nate's displeasure, she'd forbid me my weekly trips to the village, too.