watsonma@hotmail.com
prologue
Good heavens! What was it with those blasted females, he thought as he strode down the hall with an annoyed expression on his handsome face. What on God's green earth made them think they had the right to be late to every event, as if to torture each and every man forced to wait on them, giggle like silly schoolgirls over silly tidbits of conversation, and flirt as if it were their only purpose in life?
If he had to put up with another one of those ridiculous balls he was going to have to shoot himself, or the closest offending individual. He was tired of silly women falling over themselves trying to get his attention, and making every effort under the sun to try to please him. He was still young, he was tall, handsome, in great shape, and he still had all his hair, so why in the world did his parents want him to get married so soon? It wasn't like they were going to drop dead anytime soon, so why the big rush for him to marry? If he had it his way he'd stay a bachelor forever, or until he found true love, if such a thing existed; and if it did, forever would probably come first.
Serena sighed tiredly. All this was so exasperating, not to mention pointless in her view of things. Why couldn't her mother understand that she really didn't care about dressing up in those heavy gowns, ribbons and whatever other frippery that went with being "a proper lady." She just couldn't see herself waltzing in a ballroom or even walking gracefully, and in her case tripping over anything and everything in her way.
True she was almost sixteen years old and most other girls of her status and age were busy with trying to be pretty and getting ready for their introduction to society and declaration of their readiness for marriage. She however spent most of her time out in the hills snuggled up to her favorite tree reading yet another of those books she loved so much. When she wasn't reading she was off somewhere riding her favorite horse, Blanca.
She was definitely Daddy's little girl. Her father adored her and had introduced her to riding and everything there was to love in nature. He taught her how to appreciate each and every sunset and how to watch the cute little white bunnies that hopped through the backyard, quietly without scaring them off. On the days when it was stormy or wet he had introduced her to so many different wonders in the world of books.
When her tutors had come by, they were fascinated with all the knowledge she had retained from everything she had read, and after much begging and pleading she convinced them to teach her everything they had taught her older brother, Andrew. She knew as much, and often much more than many men, especially in matters of history and philosophy.
She was also quite good in the art of sword fighting, and she handled a rapier better than most men could. Fencing lessons had taken a lot of begging and pleading for her father to come around. Her mother thought it highly improper, but she had long learned to accept and love her daughter's strange behavior. It never ceased to amaze those who knew her, that the same girl who performed the graceful, quick movements required in fencing, could constantly trip and fall over her own feet while performing the simple act of walking down any hallway.
She was about to open her mouth in protest to the yellow gown her mother and the seamstress had brought in for her to fit, but quickly shut it again when she saw the rebuking look her mother gave her, her piercing blue eyes staring up at her through pale blonde lashes, managing to make Serena feel remarkably even more uncomfortable than she did before. There would be no arguing in this matter. It was rare enough that Lady Graham had bothered to sit in on the fitting as it was. This time she had insisted that if it killed her, her daughter was going to like a proper lady whether she liked it or not. This was the fifth dress Serena had tried on today and she was tired of being pulled and pinned. She wasn't even allowed and opinion in the matter as her mother insisted on making all the decisions, knowing that if Serena had her way there would be no dresses at all.
Serena's stomach growled loudly, announcing to everyone in the room that it was time for lunch. "Alright Serena," her mother sighed exasperatedly, brushing back a white-blonde strand that had fallen lose and into her face, causing Serena to blush in embarrassment. "We'll take a break for lunch now and continue the fittings later this afternoon." Serena gratefully stepped down from the stool, barely managing not to trip and rip the new gown in the process, and hurriedly changed back into her morning gown and rushed down the stairs and out onto the patio where lunch would be served. She was early, which was normal for her. She was late for just about everything else except her meals.
"Lord Wyndham, there is a message here for you and it's marked urgent," Darien's butler announced on entrance to Darien's office. "It doesn't sound like good news my lord."
"Anything marked urgent is hardly good news, Jones." He sighed, turned to face the tall white-haired man before him, and accepted the letter, hoping it was nothing serious, but nevertheless feeling a great sense of foreboding. He opened the letter slowly as if attempting to delay the news. He turned away from the large window overlooking the vast meadow that led up to the wide expanse of trees in the distance. The light from the window seemed to mock his mood, which had become darker with the arrival of the letter.
He pulled the letter from its envelope, opened it, and began to read. Only one line in the short note caught his eye and made sense.
I regretfully inform you that your parents' carriage collided with another and the occupants of both carriages were killed in the accident
He sat down in the leather
chair beneath him and stared at the wall refusing himself the release of
tears.