A Duke, a Governess, and a Little Lady
Thank you for waiting so long, I've been doing lots of stuff lately and I was just plain in a blank spot right now. BUT I've gotten going again. So Here ya go!
Now for the story:
Part 25
"Lady Elizabeth, would you like to dance?" Max turned to Liz.
Tess's face turned a pretty, well ugly, shade of red.
"It would be my pleasure." She took his hand and followed him out to the dance floor.
It was a slow waltz so the could talk while they danced.
"Why is she here?" Liz whispered.
She felt the many eyes on them. All of society felt that the duke of Antar cried off and left hard feelings between the two. Obviously there had to be a reason and they were all anxious to see if those results were true.
Max dancing with Liz with his ex-fiancé standing there was a snub at Tess. There must be something wrong with her if the Duke of Antar refused to dance with her.
"No idea. From the last Isabel had heard, she wasn't on the guest list." Max turned her around so now he was facing Tess. She was glaring at Liz's back so he pulled her closer to him and gave her a possessive glare.
"Max, this is our last dance. If you dance any more times, rumor would run rampant." Liz warned.
"I know."
Meanwhile on the sidelines:
"Miss Harding, it's been a while since we've seen you, where have you been?" Isabel asked politely for Liz's sake.
"I've been around town, your highness." She answered politely.
Isabel could see ears straining to overhear the conversation.
Tess smiled at this. "It hasn't been nearly that long. Why, if I'm correct it's only been a fortnight."
Isabel glared when everyone looked from them to the dance floor where Max was holding Liz possessively.
Isabel heard the intense whispering and glared at Tess. "It's been longer than that, Tess, and if you dare repeat another lie, you will be quick to regret it."
Isabel threatened in a whisper.
Tess just smiled. "Are you sure that Lady Elizabeth hasn't been in London before?"
Isabel flashed her a warning. "Very sure." With that Isabel turned her back and headed over to Maria.
Gasps were heard when Isabel turned. When a princess turned her back on you, your reputation was going to go down.
Gentlemen waiting for Tess to be free to dance slowly backed away. Tess glared at Isabel's back as she walked away.
Max returned Liz to Maria. He made his way over to Michael and arranged to call on her the next morning.
"Did she say anything?" Liz asked worriedly once she was safely at Maria's side.
"No. And if she knows what's good for her, she will not." Isabel said through another glance at Tess.
She was standing angrily by herself. No one wanted that bad reputation on his family.
"Are you sure?" Liz was still a little worried.
"Almost." Isabel said assured.
****
"Beth, come in, come in." Isabel ushered her into the house. It had been two days since the ball and Isabel had invited Liz over.
"Hello, Isabel." Liz said happily.
"Good morning, Maria." Isabel said looking behind her.
"Good morning, Isabel, I'd love to stay but I must get home. I just had to escort Liz here since Michael's unavailable." She explained.
"That's fine." Isabel smiled as Maria quickly returned to the carriage.
"Max is in his study. You know where it is." Isabel went back to what she was doing before.
Liz slipped quietly into Max's study.
"Liz." He stood up and went over and kissed her.
"Hello, Max." She smiled at him.
"I was thinking we could go for a walk in the park today?" He asked leading her out of the room.
"Alright." She looked disappointed.
"We have to make an appearance, like I'm courting you or the gentlemen will be all over you tonight at the Wellington's."
She nodded.
It was a short walk to the park. The park was full of nannies taking children out for morning walks, and couples courting as they were.
Max offered her his arm. She gladly took it.
"How is Emily, Max?" Liz asked him. She hadn't seen her the day before and Emily wasn't in when she was at the house earlier.
"She misses you, a lot. But I miss you too." He gripped her hand.
"I miss you both." Liz stopped to tell him.
"Liz, how long do we have to wait?"
"Maria said three weeks." Liz told him sadly.
"I can't take three weeks. Is that three weeks until I can offer for you, or three weeks till we could be married?"
"I don't know." She continued walking. There was a fountain in the center of the lake they were now circling.
"This is nothing compared to Antar." She whispered, wanting to go back to the comfort of Roswell.
"I know."
"Lady Emily, come here this instant!" She heard someone shout in French.
Instinctively she turned around to find Emily, her Emily, running up behind her.
"Cousin!" She said excitedly. She held one tiny glove clad hand on her hat to keep it in place.
"Emily." He smiled.
"Hi, Cousin."
"I'm sorry, Your Grace." Clara said out of breath.
"It's fine." He assured her. "And how are you, Christopher?" Max asked the small boy holding Clara's hand.
"I'm well, Uncle Max." He looked at him.
"Will they join us on our walk?" Liz asked.
"Is it ok?" Max asked Clara.
"We were about to return to the house for our noon day meal, actually." Clara informed them.
Liz nodded. She wanted more time with Emily but knew, from first hand experience, that a child's schedule should be well kept.
"I'll see you later?" Emily asked sliding down from Max's hip.
"Yes." Liz assured her.
"Goodbye, Mama." She said quietly and took Clara's offered free hand.
"Goodbye, Lady Emily." Max and Liz both called.
****
"Where is my cousin?" Liz asked as the maid took her cloak from her.
"He is in his study, my lady." She informed her.
"Thank you." She headed in that direction.
The door was ajar and she stepped inside without thinking. "Oh, pardon me!" She exclaimed, finding Michael and Maria in an intimate embrace.
"Oh, Beth, it's fine." Maria blushed letting go of her husband. "I was just telling my love, some," she smiled shyly at him, "good news."
Liz studied the couple. Wondering if her question could wait till later. Then the sparkle in Maria's eye and the smile that would not leave Michael's face hit home.
"You're carrying?" She whispered.
Maria's face lit up. "How'd you know?"
"I worked in a hospital, only expectant mothers have that look." Liz smiled as she pulled Maria into a hug. "This is wonderful Maria."
Liz knew that both were starting to wonder if Adele was to be their only child.
"I'm sorry I interrupted." Liz said again.
"No, really, it's fine. Was there something you wanted to ask, Beth?" Michael asked gently.
"Yes, actually."
"Well, then have a seat." He nodded to one. Maria sat in the one beside her.
"I was wondering, would it be terrible if Max and I were to marry sooner than the proposed three months, if you'd publish it in the newspaper?"
"I don't know, Beth." He looked at her seriously. "People would talk. As much as Isabel has done her share of talk, the she can only say so much, before her word will start to falter." He explained.
"Oh."
"You'll have to wait, Beth."
"But why does it matter?" Liz asked desperately.
"Because, it does."
Liz suddenly hated society. "But."
"There's no buts, Beth, the answer is no." He said sternly.
A little too sternly for Liz's taste. "Pardon me, you're not even my guardian, I was just asking you, since it would be you're duty to publish it in the newspaper." She answered annoyed.
"I will not, you would put Max's reputation, a new reputation at that, at stake. And my wife's." He nodded at Maria.
"So if you're not going to publish anything until the proposal in three weeks, and the marriage in three months, we just have to keep up the charade of courting?"
"Correct."
"Fine." Liz said slightly angered but knew what he said was true.
"Thank you for understanding, Beth." Michael said.
"Your welcome, my lord." She said before exiting and leaving a glaring Maria in her wake.
"Michael, you could have done so." She tried to keep her voice even.
"I know." He smiled.
"Michael." She said.
"Calm down, wife." He told her calmly. "I'll do it and you know it. Max just doesn't want her to expect anything so soon."
"What?" Maria asked perplexed.
"All I'll tell you is that a publishing won't be necessary." He lifted her out of her chair and kissed her hair.
Liz was too busy changing clothes later that night to attend the ball to notice a messenger leaving the house, quickly, on horseback.
Thank you for waiting so long, I've been doing lots of stuff lately and I was just plain in a blank spot right now. BUT I've gotten going again. So Here ya go!
Now for the story:
Part 25
"Lady Elizabeth, would you like to dance?" Max turned to Liz.
Tess's face turned a pretty, well ugly, shade of red.
"It would be my pleasure." She took his hand and followed him out to the dance floor.
It was a slow waltz so the could talk while they danced.
"Why is she here?" Liz whispered.
She felt the many eyes on them. All of society felt that the duke of Antar cried off and left hard feelings between the two. Obviously there had to be a reason and they were all anxious to see if those results were true.
Max dancing with Liz with his ex-fiancé standing there was a snub at Tess. There must be something wrong with her if the Duke of Antar refused to dance with her.
"No idea. From the last Isabel had heard, she wasn't on the guest list." Max turned her around so now he was facing Tess. She was glaring at Liz's back so he pulled her closer to him and gave her a possessive glare.
"Max, this is our last dance. If you dance any more times, rumor would run rampant." Liz warned.
"I know."
Meanwhile on the sidelines:
"Miss Harding, it's been a while since we've seen you, where have you been?" Isabel asked politely for Liz's sake.
"I've been around town, your highness." She answered politely.
Isabel could see ears straining to overhear the conversation.
Tess smiled at this. "It hasn't been nearly that long. Why, if I'm correct it's only been a fortnight."
Isabel glared when everyone looked from them to the dance floor where Max was holding Liz possessively.
Isabel heard the intense whispering and glared at Tess. "It's been longer than that, Tess, and if you dare repeat another lie, you will be quick to regret it."
Isabel threatened in a whisper.
Tess just smiled. "Are you sure that Lady Elizabeth hasn't been in London before?"
Isabel flashed her a warning. "Very sure." With that Isabel turned her back and headed over to Maria.
Gasps were heard when Isabel turned. When a princess turned her back on you, your reputation was going to go down.
Gentlemen waiting for Tess to be free to dance slowly backed away. Tess glared at Isabel's back as she walked away.
Max returned Liz to Maria. He made his way over to Michael and arranged to call on her the next morning.
"Did she say anything?" Liz asked worriedly once she was safely at Maria's side.
"No. And if she knows what's good for her, she will not." Isabel said through another glance at Tess.
She was standing angrily by herself. No one wanted that bad reputation on his family.
"Are you sure?" Liz was still a little worried.
"Almost." Isabel said assured.
****
"Beth, come in, come in." Isabel ushered her into the house. It had been two days since the ball and Isabel had invited Liz over.
"Hello, Isabel." Liz said happily.
"Good morning, Maria." Isabel said looking behind her.
"Good morning, Isabel, I'd love to stay but I must get home. I just had to escort Liz here since Michael's unavailable." She explained.
"That's fine." Isabel smiled as Maria quickly returned to the carriage.
"Max is in his study. You know where it is." Isabel went back to what she was doing before.
Liz slipped quietly into Max's study.
"Liz." He stood up and went over and kissed her.
"Hello, Max." She smiled at him.
"I was thinking we could go for a walk in the park today?" He asked leading her out of the room.
"Alright." She looked disappointed.
"We have to make an appearance, like I'm courting you or the gentlemen will be all over you tonight at the Wellington's."
She nodded.
It was a short walk to the park. The park was full of nannies taking children out for morning walks, and couples courting as they were.
Max offered her his arm. She gladly took it.
"How is Emily, Max?" Liz asked him. She hadn't seen her the day before and Emily wasn't in when she was at the house earlier.
"She misses you, a lot. But I miss you too." He gripped her hand.
"I miss you both." Liz stopped to tell him.
"Liz, how long do we have to wait?"
"Maria said three weeks." Liz told him sadly.
"I can't take three weeks. Is that three weeks until I can offer for you, or three weeks till we could be married?"
"I don't know." She continued walking. There was a fountain in the center of the lake they were now circling.
"This is nothing compared to Antar." She whispered, wanting to go back to the comfort of Roswell.
"I know."
"Lady Emily, come here this instant!" She heard someone shout in French.
Instinctively she turned around to find Emily, her Emily, running up behind her.
"Cousin!" She said excitedly. She held one tiny glove clad hand on her hat to keep it in place.
"Emily." He smiled.
"Hi, Cousin."
"I'm sorry, Your Grace." Clara said out of breath.
"It's fine." He assured her. "And how are you, Christopher?" Max asked the small boy holding Clara's hand.
"I'm well, Uncle Max." He looked at him.
"Will they join us on our walk?" Liz asked.
"Is it ok?" Max asked Clara.
"We were about to return to the house for our noon day meal, actually." Clara informed them.
Liz nodded. She wanted more time with Emily but knew, from first hand experience, that a child's schedule should be well kept.
"I'll see you later?" Emily asked sliding down from Max's hip.
"Yes." Liz assured her.
"Goodbye, Mama." She said quietly and took Clara's offered free hand.
"Goodbye, Lady Emily." Max and Liz both called.
****
"Where is my cousin?" Liz asked as the maid took her cloak from her.
"He is in his study, my lady." She informed her.
"Thank you." She headed in that direction.
The door was ajar and she stepped inside without thinking. "Oh, pardon me!" She exclaimed, finding Michael and Maria in an intimate embrace.
"Oh, Beth, it's fine." Maria blushed letting go of her husband. "I was just telling my love, some," she smiled shyly at him, "good news."
Liz studied the couple. Wondering if her question could wait till later. Then the sparkle in Maria's eye and the smile that would not leave Michael's face hit home.
"You're carrying?" She whispered.
Maria's face lit up. "How'd you know?"
"I worked in a hospital, only expectant mothers have that look." Liz smiled as she pulled Maria into a hug. "This is wonderful Maria."
Liz knew that both were starting to wonder if Adele was to be their only child.
"I'm sorry I interrupted." Liz said again.
"No, really, it's fine. Was there something you wanted to ask, Beth?" Michael asked gently.
"Yes, actually."
"Well, then have a seat." He nodded to one. Maria sat in the one beside her.
"I was wondering, would it be terrible if Max and I were to marry sooner than the proposed three months, if you'd publish it in the newspaper?"
"I don't know, Beth." He looked at her seriously. "People would talk. As much as Isabel has done her share of talk, the she can only say so much, before her word will start to falter." He explained.
"Oh."
"You'll have to wait, Beth."
"But why does it matter?" Liz asked desperately.
"Because, it does."
Liz suddenly hated society. "But."
"There's no buts, Beth, the answer is no." He said sternly.
A little too sternly for Liz's taste. "Pardon me, you're not even my guardian, I was just asking you, since it would be you're duty to publish it in the newspaper." She answered annoyed.
"I will not, you would put Max's reputation, a new reputation at that, at stake. And my wife's." He nodded at Maria.
"So if you're not going to publish anything until the proposal in three weeks, and the marriage in three months, we just have to keep up the charade of courting?"
"Correct."
"Fine." Liz said slightly angered but knew what he said was true.
"Thank you for understanding, Beth." Michael said.
"Your welcome, my lord." She said before exiting and leaving a glaring Maria in her wake.
"Michael, you could have done so." She tried to keep her voice even.
"I know." He smiled.
"Michael." She said.
"Calm down, wife." He told her calmly. "I'll do it and you know it. Max just doesn't want her to expect anything so soon."
"What?" Maria asked perplexed.
"All I'll tell you is that a publishing won't be necessary." He lifted her out of her chair and kissed her hair.
Liz was too busy changing clothes later that night to attend the ball to notice a messenger leaving the house, quickly, on horseback.