disclaimer: not GCL!

A/N: Thanks Saz and andreaaft (as always) for reviewing. sorry for taking longer to update than usual. started school last week...really tiring...:(

Chapter 9

"Sweet, are you sure about this?" Mandy's forehead was crinkled and worried.

"Mandy, it's my life. I know my mind."

"Lass…Peter has treated you well. But your family…think of your family…Surely you do not wish to incur their wrath?"

"I don't care."

"This is about Jerrold, isn't it?"

"No!" El rose abruptly to her feet. Mandy placed a soothing hand on her arm.

"Lass, I'm sure he can break the engagement off… He is his own master after all."

"That's the point! I don't want him to!" El dashed out of the kitchen.

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Lady Rosalind sat in her study crossing names off a list.

"Sir Lewis…Sir James… Prince Jerrold…" She broke off and sighed. Prince Jerrold would have been the ideal match for El…

The door burst open.

"Mother." El curtseyed.

"Child! You know better than to barge in like that. Go outside and try –"

"No mother, I will not. I have something important to tell you. Sir Peter has asked me to marry him. And I have agreed."

"Do you wish me to circulate that, so Jerrold gets jealous?" El looked confused.

"No, mother. It is true." Lady Rosalind stops laughing.

"But…how can this be so? I thought this…Peter…was a mere distraction. So Jerrold would get jealous?"

"No mother."

"But how can I allow it? He is poor, you are rich…he is old, you are young."

"He is not old, mother."

"Older than you." Lady Rosalind snapped.

"You would prefer me to wed a man younger than myself? Sir Peter's cousin is besotted with me…"

"Be sensible, girl! Do not mock your mother!" She paused. "Although he would do nicely, for he is rich, if he wasn't four…"

"Mother!"

"You are my daughter…how can you cast your life away? There are so many eligible bachelors out there, and you choose this…Peter?"

"Yes mother."

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El watched in silence as her mother paced around, revealing a human side to her that she had never seen before.

"I cannot support such a notion!"

"You are aware, madam, that I will wed her, no matter what you say."

"Outright defiance! I would never have thought it of you!"

"I'm sorry mother, but I insist."

El saw her mother clench and unclench her jaw. Her face was going pale and tense.

"And I am sorry, El, but I cannot support you."

El had expected this, but it still came as a shock.

"Shall I leave the house, then?"

Something seemed to break within her mother.

"Take Mandy. She'll look after you until the wedding."

El stood up. Emotions of hurt and betrayal washed over her.

"Then…I take my leave."