As stated in the summary this is a sequel to "Letters in a Life". I began writing this just to get my imagination going again and spiraled. It is my intention to pair Alessia with Norrington, but am not quite sure yet if it will go in that direction. I have the next three chapters blocked out. So expect updates quicker than my otjher stories.
A Proposal Refused
In a drawing room in a house across the street from Regent's Park two people were left alone together. One on an important mission for his future; the other very curious as to why they are alone.
Simon Davis, Duke of Hertfordshire, looked out the window at the park thinking on how exactly he was going to do this when little over a year and a half ago he had told the girl sitting behind him he was only interested in friendship. How was he to propose to this amazing woman when he had told her he wasn't interested her in that way. He took a deep breath, turned around and stood in front of her.
Lady Alessia Brandan watched Simon curiously. What could be so serious that he needed to talk to her alone? When he stood in front of her she began to understand her motives and started to panic. Why propose now when he promised her friendship. Maybe there was a time a year ago when she hoped things between them would turn out this way, but not now. Not now when she thinks of him as a brother and nothing more.
"Alessia, in the time we have known each other you have proved yourself to be loyal, kind, understanding, and truly beautiful and not just your features." Simon kneeled before her and took her hands into his.
She feels stricken. To say yes is to spend the rest of her life with her best friend, but to never find real love like that of her parents and grandparents. She knows that it's what her family, friends, even all of London society expects, but can she live that kind of life. To say no would mean scandal. Her mother would be even more heart broken than she already was. The way she would look at her. Alessia shivered just thinking of it.
Simon's eyes sought out hers. "You have become everything I could ever wish for in a woman. Would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"
Could she? Could she do that to the two of them, knowing that she did not love him the way she should? No, she could not in good conscience do that to this man. A man who had become her older brother and was her best friend. She thought to well of him for that.
She squared her shoulders and looked over his face. He looked so hopeful and she was about to crush him. With a sigh she opened her mouth to give him an answer.
"Simon," she shook her head, "I'm so sorry, but no." She pulled her friend up off the floor keeping her hands in his and keeping eye contact. "When we first met during that horrid supper at my come-out you said all you wanted was my friendship and I have faithfully given it to you. I cannot in good faith agree to marry you when all I have to offer is my continued friendship."
"That's all I ask of you Alessia. You could come to love yet." He dropped her hands and turned away.
She turned herself to face him. "But don't you see? That kind of marriage; that kind of life is not fair to either of us."
Simon framed her face between his hands. "Are you certain this is what you want?"
She put her hands over his. "I love you Simon, just not in the way you deserve to be loved." She lifted her hands off her face and brushed a kiss upon them.
"Okay. If that is what you wish, then I will accept it." Letting go of her hands he went to the door. He opened it and then turned back to her. "Do I still have your friendship?"
She nodded. "Do I still have yours?"
"Yes." With that one word to her he left and she collapsed back into the couch and the tears began to fall.
She was not sure how much time had passed in the little drawing room facing the park when her mother came to kneel before her. Tatiana Brandan tilted her daughter's chin up and looked into her eyes.
"If your refusal saddens you this much, why did you refuse him?"
Alessia shook her head. "I do not regret my refusal, just the way Simon must be feeling now." She grimaced. "And though he says otherwise, the loss of his friendship." She pulled her mother off the floor and stood. "I'm tired Maman." She wiped her eyes and sighed. "I'm going to bed now. Please do not set a place for me for supper."
She walked from the room with dignity and then ran up the stairs to her bedroom.
Tatiana rushed out of the room behind her looking toward Demitrius for help. He nodded back at her and went up the stairs to follow his mistress.
Tatiana didn't know what to do for her daughter. Yes she knew the girl felt guilty and she knew she also felt the loss of a great friend; but it would be nothing compared to what she'd feel on the morrow when it got out that she turned down the proposal of a duke, one she had spent so much time with at that. Many people considered them married already. They only lacked vows and a license.
There would be a great scandal. Yes, she would prepare everything for her daughter to go to Tuscany; both to avoid the scandal and to lift her spirits. That is what she will do.
Demitrius approached a closed door and sighed. His cousin was very troubled and he was at a loss. He knocked on the door. "Alessia. Open the door. For six years I have been your confidant, don't shut me out now when you need me."
He could hear foot-steps from the other side of the door and smiled when he heard the tell-tale click of the door being unlocked. When the door swung opened his arms were suddenly filled with his charge. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair while she cried, muttering sweet nothings in her ear.
That was all he did for what seemed like hours until she fell asleep; then he picked her up and tucked her into bed.
Demitrius left the room silently and then went to talk to the dowager.
"Lady Brandan?" he knocked on the door to her sitting room. There was no response so he knocked again. "Lady Brandan?" Finally the door opened and she gestured him inside.
"Is she alright Demitrius?"
He sat down near the fire place. "After a fashion. She cried herself to sleep in my arms." He forced his hands through his hair and looked up at her. "I don't know what to do for her."
She waved his statement away. "You will make sure she gets on a boat across the channel and then protect her on her journey to Tuscany where she will stay until the scandal of her refusal dies down."
"You will send her away?"
"She will be much happier in Montemurlo than she would be here." She started pacing. "She needs time to herself away from the pressure of the ton and she will get it there."
"My lady, I agree that she will be much happier in Montemurlo, but she will not want to leave. By tomorrow she will have realized that she did the right thing for both herself and the duke and therefore will want to spend time with her friends."
Tatiana shook her head. She understood what he was saying, but Alessia could not stay in London. The scandal would be too great and would crush her. No, she is right to send Alessia to Tuscany as they were right to send her to there when Edward was dying.
"She must go, and you will go with her as ordered."
Demitrius stood and bowed. "Yes My lady. I'll just begin getting my things together to leave then." He left the room and Tatiana sat down in the seat he left. She was doing the right thing to protect her child; she had to be.
The next morning Alessia woke to maids bustling in and out of her dressing room packing several trunks and obviously getting her ready for a journey. The question was, just where was she going.
She got out of bed and went to put on her robe but realized she was still dressed in what she had worn the afternoon before when. . . when Simon had proposed.
She expected to feel guiltier over turning him down than she did, but she couldn't bring herself to. She had gotten that out of her system last night and was now ready to accept that in the long run, he would be happier that she had refused him.
Now, she just had to find out where her mother was sending her: back to Suffolk or to Montemurlo. She hoped for the former, but it was more likely Tatiana would send her to the latter. The further from the scandal the better. Yes, her mother would be sending her there, but would she stay there?
She went to her desk in the corner of the room and opened a drawer. She dug through the pile of papers until she found a bundle tied together with a green ribbon. Elizabeth's letters. She untied the ribbon and went through them until she found the one she was looking for.
She was fifteen when she received it and while she couldn't accept the invitation then, she could and would accept it now. It was time to visit her cousin in Port Royal. It had been too long since she had seen her cousin, or had any sort of adventure.
She just had to make sure that Demitrius didn't find out until the last possible moment.
It had been five weeks since they set out for Montemurlo and they would be there very soon. They had disembarked from the ship, and were now on land for the final leg of the journey. It was time to write Elizabeth to apprise her of her plans.
She stared down at her paper and thought out what she would write. Then it came to her. She would write the truth and nothing else.
Elizabeth,
Simon proposed to me and I turned him down. I turned down my best friend's marriage proposal. What am I to do? Yes, I love him, but only as a dear friend and an older brother.
I have caused quite a scandal in London. It is not done to turn down a duke's proposal, but after how much attention he's given me and how much time we've spent together we were married already in the eyes of the ton.
Mother and Jasper have sent me to Montemurlo. I write this from an inn along the way. I will not stay this time. Years ago you extended an invitation to me to come visit you in Port Royal. I am now accepting that invitation. Done properly this letter will arrive only just before I do.
Alessia
She folded the letter and pulled her necklace over her head. She looked at the pendent and smiled. Her father had given it to her when she was very small and told her never to let it leave her person. It was the Brandan crest with a fox wrapped around it. If she was to ever get lost she would only have to show someone her pendent and they would return her home.
She heated her blue wax and pressed it to the fold then quickly pressed her pendent into the wax, sealing it and proclaiming herself the sender.
Alessia put on a cloak bringing the full hood over her head and left her room. She walked quickly down the stairs and back to the docks. She saw the HMS Hotspur(1) and ran to catch it while it was still resupplying. She saw one of the lieutenants and went to speak with him.
"Excuse me Lieutenant." She said pulling off her hood. He turned around and smiled at her.
"How may I help you Miss?"
She returned his smile. "I would actually like to speak with Captain Hornblower. Could you bring me to him?"
The man's face fell, but he nodded and offered her his arm. She accepted and they walked forward to the gang plank where the Captain stood talking to his first mate.
"Captain?" The lieutenant said above the din on the dock. Captain Hornblower didn't acknowledge so he spoke again. "Captain!"
The man turned his head toward them and yelled, "What is it Lieutenant?"
The lieutenant pushed them through the crowd and stopped in front of the captain. "This woman wanted to speak to you before we cast off." He gestured to Alessia and then backed up.
Captain Hornblower looked at her for a moment and then it dawned on him exactly who wanted to speak with him. "Lady Alessia, what brings you here to visit me?" He smiled at her and moved forward to kiss her hand.
"Maman has sent me here to avoid a scandal. Apparently it is not good to refuse the marriage proposal of a duke has been paying you marked attention for over a year."
"You refused to marry Davis?"
She nodded and pulled something out of her reticule. "I was hoping you could get this letter on a ship bound for Port Royal."
He took the letter from her. "Yes, I can do that. Do tell me, how is Jasper?"
"Engaged to my friend Anna."
"Well do pass on my congratulations."
She bowed her head. "I will Captain." She turned to leave but he stopped her.
"Is there any place the lieutenant can escort you?"
"That would look highly suspicious knowing that I am still in my room at the inn."
"Good-bye Lady Alessia."
"Good-bye Captain."
She put back on her hood and began to make her way back to the inn where she left her traveling companion.
Upon arrival in Montemurlo Demitius was swept into a hug by his father Francisco Tartaglia and all his other subsequent family members while Alessia snuck up into her bed chamber to get ready for another journey that was yet to come.
It was the next morning when she woke up to small children bouncing on her bed chanting her name.
"Yes, yes. I'm awake."
The smallest of the three young ones laid down on Alessia's chest and smiled down at her. "Miraina, Aurora, Diana; what are you doing."
"Waking you up!" Diana squealed.
Alessia took her hands out from under her blankets and sat up a bit. "But why are you waking me up?"
"Because we missed you!" Miraina shouted.
"Did you really?"
"Yes!"
Alessia jumped and started tickling Miraina and Aurora. Diana jumped up to run away, squealing as she went. The other two were laughing so hard they couldn't escape.
The laughter and the squeals drew the attention of others and soon Demitrius, Mathias, and Celeste were in the room as well laughing at the picture the three of them made.
"Well, it's good to know you haven't lost your spirit since you were last here." Mathias drawled.
Alessia looked up and laughed at him. "Why would I? Maman has been trying for years to dampen it. It's never worked before; why would it work now?"
Mathias laughed. "You had never spent a year courting a duke before now either." Alessia's laughter died in her throat. "You never know. He might have tamed you a bit."
Alessia got out of bed and said, "I'll tell you all about it later." she turned to the girls and continued. "I'm promise I'll spend some time with you girls while I'm here okay?"
"Okay Alessia!" The girls ran out of the room to bother someone else.
Turning back to the people in the doorway she smiled. "Now, if you all would leave so I could get dressed, that would be fantastic!"
"Fine, fine." Celeste said as she pushed the men out of the room. She popped her head back in the room and smiled at her friend. "It is wonderful to have you here again Alessia."
"I'll talk to you later Celeste."
Celeste nodded her head and closed the door behind her.
Alessia shook her head and sat back on the bed. She would have to tell them now; on the bright side she would be able to ask Mathias about getting her out to Port Royal.
With that in mind she got up and dressed.
Alessia met Mathias and Celeste in the study and sat in a chair across from the sofa they were occupying.
Celeste sat forward and opened her mouth ready to grill Alessia about the scandal, but Alessia waved her off. "I'll tell you in a moment. First I'd like to ask Mathias a favor."
"What do you need me to do?" he sat up suddenly interested.
"I would like to go to Port Royal, but have no way to get there."
"Does my brother know about this?" Celeste nearly shouted.
Alessia shushed her and Celeste managed to seem contrite. "Of course your brother doesn't know! The thought alone would have him in fits. The waters of the Caribbean are too unpredictable for his tastes; with all the pirates, storms, merchants, and then the East India Trading Company, he'd never be sure if I were safe or not."
"You're right, my brother does tend to take his duties a tad bit too seriously."
Mathias chuckled and kissed his wife's forehead. "Yes cara, just a tad bit." Celeste huffed at him but relented and kissed his cheek.
Alessia shook her head at the pair. "Mathias, will you outfit me with a ship?"
The door burst open and the three of them turned toward it. "He will certainly not send you to Port Royal." He snarled. "Your mother sent us here to avoid scandal, not to cause more of it! Besides, it's not at all safe!"
Alessia stood and approached him. "We will be going to Port Royal! I do not want to molder away here just because Maman told me too, and our going will not cause more scandal as long as London society is under the impression I am here. As to it not being safe, Elizabeth has lived there for eight years and she is perfectly fine, and Port Royal has not been sacked by pirates since Norrington became a captain flying under its colors."
Demitrius flinched under every statement until that last one; then he smirked. "I was not necessarily speaking of Port Royal, but of the journey there. Elizabeth herself did write to you and say that they encountered pirates on their voyage to their new home; did she not?"
Mathias was watching their shouting match with great interest. Yes, he would send her a ship, if only to watch his brother-in-law's head explode; so he jumped up and intruded upon their lovely conversation.
"Demitrius, a ship flying under the colors of the house of Medici and the Sangue Spade has only ever been attacked once. The unfortunate pirates who attempted it were found dead in their burning vessel by the French." He paced over to the pair noticing that Alessia's face had lit up, while Demitrius's had fallen. "When you go, you will be sailing under those colors, so I do not believe that you need to worry on that account."
"When?" Alessia clarified.
He nodded his head. "When."
She launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
He laughed at her. "You're welcome; now, if you've forgotten my wife is in the room, so it's time to let go lest she castrate me and skin you alive."
Everyone in the room laughed except Demitrius. He looked sullen and worried. He thought this entire thing a horrible idea and so much didn't want to be proven right. He huffed. "Fine, but I do have a condition."
Alessia turned to face him. "And this condition is?"
"We take three more Sangue Spade with us when we go for your protection."
She nodded her consent. "Whatever will make you more comfortable with doing this."
"Let it be known now that I do this against my better judgment."
Alessia smiled. "Thank you."
1. The Horatio Hornblower series. Horatio is the captain of the Hotspur. I know that it is perhaps 20 to 40 years to early for him, but I honestly couldn't think of another name for a ship or a captain.