Part 8

Serena entered the duke's library right after breakfast, having been called by the butler. She froze at the doorway when she saw Daniel Humphrey already sitting in one of the chairs in front of her stepfather's desk. She turned wide eyes at Daniel, her heart jumping to her throat. Daniel shook his head jerkily, in an effort to show her that he had no inkling about why they had been summoned.

Serena stepped forward and noted the other participants in the library. Her mother sat regally on the chaise by the window. At the back of the room stood stiffly Nathaniel Archibald and his parents. Serena greeted out of courtesy. "Lady Archibald. Admiral Archibald." She nodded at her friend. "Nathaniel."

Anne Archibald returned the greeting with a huff. Serena walked towards her mother, but the duke caught her attention. "Right here, Serena." Serena made her way to the chair across from Daniel.

"What is this about?" Serena asked nervously. If she and Daniel had been discovered, then the Archibalds did not have a place in this conversation. Given their presence, she had to suppose that this had something to do with Nathaniel's bride. This was the reason Daniel was here as well. Out of them all, he was the one who was privy to the most information.

It was Serena's mother, the duchess, who responded. "The Lord and lady Danvers have just yesterday returned from their trip to Paris. And they have brought very disconcerting news."

"News, that I might point out, Mr Humphrey did not bother to regale us about."

Daniel set his jaw and he looked straight at Serena. She remembered their conversation in bed, and knew that Chuck had been found out.

"It seems that my son and heir has committed a most malicious act towards the Archibalds." Serena threw a look towards Nathaniel, but her friend's face was passive and inscrutable. "According to Lord Danvers, your brother had assaulted Lady Blair's brother and spirited her away."

"Bart," Lilly interrupted in protested, "I am certain it was far less scandalous as what they made it sound like."

"Mr Humphrey," the duke turned to Daniel, "is any of this true?"

Serena gave Daniel an almost imperceptible nod. Daniel answered, "Lord Charles merely saved Lady Blair from her stepbrother's own assault, Your Grace."

Lilly clasped her hands in satisfaction. "I knew it."

Anne Archibald spoke, with her eyes narrowed. "And what of Lady Blair? Where is Lady Blair? Lady Danvers tells me that she was gone after the masquerade ball, and so was Lord Charles."

Daniel hung his head, because it had been the one fact that Charles had requested be kept a secret. "I cannot say, my lady."

"Mr Humphrey, I am commanding you to answer truthfully."

Serena watched with concern as Daniel clenched and unclenched his fists. She took a deep breath and blurted out, "My brother has run away with Lady Blair!" At Daniel's shocked regard, she provided, "This way, Mr Humphrey, it was not you that betrayed them but I."

Anne Archibald walked forward and placed the folded paper on the duke's desk. "We are not accepting this money from your son." Daniel recognized the letter as Chuck's dictated note to Nathaniel, the one he had brought from Paris. "It is laden with lies and betrayal."

Bartholomew picked up and letter and scanned through it. He regarded his secretary. "You have transferred the funds?"

"Not yet, Your Grace," Daniel responded.

Bartholomew placed the paper down, then turned his gaze to his stepdaughter. "We are at a quandary. Your stepbrother has betrayed his best friend."

Serena looked at Nathaniel again, fully expecting him to speak up at any moment. When he did not, she shook her head. "Well, Nate? Do you believe that Chuck has done this will ill intent towards you?"

The admiral spoke up. "The marquis has taken away Nathaniel's source of income!"

"Oh my God!" Serena exclaimed, bursting up onto her feet. "You are talking about another person here. She is not a source of income."

Daniel watched in admiration as Serena responded in anger. Bartholomew asked Serena to be seated. "Restitution has been offered in this letter," he calmly replied. "My son has seen it fit to give more than your immediate need."

Lady Anne raised her chin. "The Waldorf heiress is worth so much more than that, Your Grace. You are aware."

Bartholomew frowned. "I will not hand over that amount freely."

"Then tie it as well as Harold tied his wealth," Lady Anne suggested, referring to Blair's inheritance.

"Lilly?"

The duchess made a gesture to say that the decision was the duke's. Bartholomew replied, "Very well." He turned to his secretary. "Daniel, transfer the amount that Charles quoted to my stepdaughter's account. And then three hundred thousand more from mine to hers. Serena, you have your holdings in Devonshire and the lot in King Street. Your own father also left you a fleet of ships that are still trading to this day." Bartholomew turned to Anne. "She has no title, but that you have, Lord Nathaniel. How does this sound?"

"It does not compare to marrying a comtesse, and the comtesse's pocketbook," Anne replied, still fuming about losing the possibility of Nathaniel's intended bride, "but I understand your constraints given that she is not your daughter."

"You would not have had the Waldorf money anyway, Anne," Lilly finally drawled. "Lady Rose had already been searching for another man to take Nathaniel's place."

"This is a better restitution than your son's initial offer," Anne finally capitulated.

"Very well." Daniel watched in horror as Lord and Lady Archibald walked forward and shook the duke's hand. Anne Archibald walked over to Lilly and gave her an embrace. Serena stood up and regarded Nathaniel, her eyes brimming. "Then we may publish the announcement at the Gazette this Sunday."

Serena sank into her seat and covered her face with her hands.

~o~o~o~

The feminine laughter that pealed through the walls of the Tuscan villa was such change from the constant silence that the servants turned once again to watch the staircase. It happened very often now, and was not an unwelcome sound.

"Wait, no, don't!" came the lighthearted plea, then scampering footsteps.

Lord Charles only came twice a year for a visit to Florence, and when he did, it was almost always regarding the business of his estate, or to purchase pieces of art that he wished to take back to London. And so, for this unscheduled visit that rattled them all, the majordomo, head of the household, had instructed them all to be as quiet and efficient as possible.

"Be respectful always, and be only where you are needed," the majordomo had warned especially those new to the household employ. "Lord Charles dislikes nonsense. Always have a purpose for everything you do, and everywhere you are."

They had been given a mere day to prepare the house to receive the marquis. They had aired out his room and dusted his library.

"He spends two days, perhaps three, so keep the bedroom, the library and the dining hall clean. Those are the only rooms he will move about."

It had then caused a titter among the chambermaids when the marquis arrived in a carriage that had been laden with baggage. From the boxes of hats that were taken down, it was apparent that the marquis had a companion.

They had expected the marquis to nod at them all, then take his companion upstairs. Instead, they were surprised that the weary lord managed to address them. The dainty white shoe was the first sight they had of the lady. Lord Charles had uncharacteristically turned to help the lady out.

"This is my Lady Blair. I expect you to treat her with all courtesy due myself," was the simple introduction that he had done.

Cautiously, they all stared at the lady, whose hat still covered her face. And then the hat started trembling before they heard the soft laughter. "Chuck," the lady used to call to the marquis, signaling to all the degree of familiarity between the owner and the strange young lady, "I cannot untie the ribbon."

Lord Charles vanished behind the wide hat, presumably to help the lady with her dilemma. When the hat was removed, all beheld the sight of Lady Blair smiling at them. "Hello," she greeted. And then she threw a pining look at the marquis. "I miss my Dorota."

The marquis held out a hand, which the lady took. "Lady Blair is my fiancé." He turned to the majordomo. "Have the room adjoining mine aired out and prepared for my lady." He scanned the faces of the chambermaids until he stopped and recognized one. "Alejandra." Alejandra reddened, and dropped a quick curtsy. "You were Serena's maid when she summered here?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Lady Blair's beloved maid has been left in Paris. Will you stand in for dear Dorota during our stay?"

Alejandra gasped and curtsied again, and then she walked towards Blair and took the wide hat in her hands. "My pleasure, my lord. My lady."

"And also, do we have a music room?"

"Most villas in Toscana do, my lord. But yours is ill equipped."

Lord Charles gave the majordomo a grin, and the old man was so unused to the expression that he physically stepped back. "Then let us equip it. Send someone to Florentia to purchase a piano." Blair's hand rested on his, and he glanced down where they touched. He revised his statement, "Better yet, Lady Blair and I will go and select a piano ourselves."

Two weeks later, it seemed as if the lord and his lady were in no hurry to leave. Their daily excursions into Florence lasted for hours, and the stay appeared idyllic, as observed in the almost daily ritual that they waited for. With their eyes trained to the stairs, the servants watched and waited until Blair raced down the stairs laughing. Charles chased after her until he caught her and lifted her by the waist, which caused another playful shriek.

"Chuck, put me down!"

And it was with the same chase that the two went to the breakfast table. Charles pulled a chair for Blair, and she settled in with a murmur of thanks. He walked to the end of room and returned with a few wildflowers.

She received them and held them up to her nose. "Thank you, Chuck."

"Wildflowers for my wildflower."

She plucked out one and threaded it through her hair. "I'm not a dainty rose, or a sophisticated tulip?"

"No," he answered. "Only a wildflower can be compared to you, Blair."

She grimaced. "I'm a colorful weed."

"You grow and flourish anywhere in the world, beautiful still and stronger than any other flower in the field," he told her smoothly.

She broke into a smile and placed her arm around his neck to pull him down for a kiss. When she released him, he lingered for a moment, placing another kiss on her temple. "I am so happy that I'm here, my lord."

"In my dusty old Italian hilltop villa instead of the elite drawing rooms of Paris?"

She placed a hand on his cheek, then added, "With you instead of without."

His nostrils flared at the response. Charles looked up and at the servant waiting by the door of the dining room. He jerked his head to indicate his request, and the servant placed the bowl of fruits down on the table and exited the room. He looked back at Blair, and his eyes held a smoldering flame.

"A month ago I did not know you," Blair said when they were alone. She placed a kiss on his earlobe. "Today I fear I cannot live without you."

Charles glanced at the table, where the bread and fruits had been laid out. He reached for a piece of pear with his bare fingers, then held it up to her mouth. Without taking her eyes off of his, she opened her mouth to allow him to feed her the fruit. Her lips closed over his fingers.

"'Tis sweet, my lord," she whispered. "Have some."

He straightened, then cleared his throat. "We're riding back into the city today," he informed her, then sat at his place on the table.

She nodded, stifling the smile that threatened from the moment he had drawn away. He was the one who always pulled back, from their kiss on his bed when he proposed to her. Even in those moments in the closed carriage, when she would press up against him, he would be the one to pull back. "I do not want you to cut the trip short yet again, Chuck."

He shook his head. "You will enjoy this trip. I have made an appointment with the jeweler."

She smiled a smile only produced by the womanly pleasure of thinking about a new piece of bauble. "A jeweler?" she repeated excitedly.

"For your engagement ring. He will show us a stone that came straight from the Medici collection."

"Oh!" Blair had been reaching for her class, but she stopped and looked at her hand, surprise registering on her face as she regarded the ring she had always worn.

Chuck noted the glinting diamond ring on her finger, and recognized the Vanderbilt ring. This time, he ignored the pang of guilt that assailed him. "Will you wear my ring instead, Blair?"

"Of course," she answered. She pulled the Vanderbilt ring off, then wiggled her fingers. "It feels strange. I have been wearing that for three years, since last I saw my fiancé." She stood up and walked towards them, then placed the ring in his hand. "Will you return this, my lord? I have no way of searching for him, but I am certain you will find him. His name is Nathaniel Archibald and he lives in London."

Quietly, he responded, "I know Nathaniel. I will return the ring."

She smiled, then allowed him to push the chair back to give her room to move. Blair settled on his lap and held onto his shoulders. "I do not know what I have done in my life to deserve someone such as you, my lord."

He breathed harshly. Charles buried his face in the crook of her neck, placing slow, languid kisses in a trail towards the hollow of her throat. Blair threw her head back to allow him space. "Marry me," he said softly. "Marry me today."

The words edged into her consciousness, and reluctantly, she pulled away to think straight. "What did you say?"

He met her gaze steadily, unblinkingly. He repeated, "Marry me today, Blair. In the city," he rushed. "There is a grand church that I wish for us to go to. The Santa Maria del Fiore. No other church can compare. We can marry now, this very day, and you will make me the happiest I have been in my entire life."

She smiled sadly at him. "Is there ever any doubt that I will marry you?" He shook his head. "There is no hurry, Chuck. We are here so you can recover."

"I'm well recuperated," he insisted.

"I want to marry you in London," she told him. "In front of your family, in front of your friends. I am entering your life as a stranger from another country, she reminded him. "They know nothing of me. I want them to witness the wedding." She squeezed his hand. "I do not wish to be the woman you stumbled across in Paris, and married out of haste."

Charles closed his eyes tightly, unable to tell her that to those who mattered, she was already known well and wide, and that even on the day they arrived, they would be fodder for scandal.

"Will you understand, Chuck?" she said softly. "This is so they can accept me wholeheartedly as part of your life."

"I will," he answered. "Then let us go to the church for prayer instead."

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, pressed now against his body as she sat on his lap. He was conscious of his own body's reaction to her proximity, and shifted in his seat. "I feel it," she whispered.

"You do?" he choked out, wondering how Blair could recognize it.

"Do you not, my lord?" she returned. "Feel how right this is?"

He released a relieved breath. "I do." He needed to marry her, and soon, or else he did not know how much longer he could control himself.

tbc

AN: Pretty please, leave me the gift of a review? : - )