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"Oh, Duncan, sit up straight! You need to look your very best for Gwendolyn." Henrietta Galswells nagged her son, as he and his father rode with her to meet the Kiplings on the day of the wedding rehearsal.

"I don't see why, she has to marry me, and I her." Duncan argued, looking out the window rather than at his mother.

"Then look handsome for Lord and Lady Kipling, they are the ones you really need to impress." She pursed her lips.

"She has a point, Duncan." Silas Galswells added, giving his son a little jab in the side with his elbow.

"Why can I not marrie who I wish? Why must I be wed to Gwendolyn when it is so obvious we both hate each other."

"Hate is a strong word, Duncan. And who ever said marriage was about liking each other?" Henrietta continued.

"Ettie, let the boy speak for a moment." Silas abrutply said.

"Thank you, Father, but I have nothing more to say."

"Is this about young Miss Evans, eh?" Silas grinned, thinking of all the times his son and Miss Courtney had snuck away into the woods to talk down by the creek, occasionally coming back sopping wet.

"Yes, yes it is. Why can I not marrie her?

"Because you're going to marry Gwendolyn. Her family and I've already settled the dowry." Herrietta finished.

Duncan said no more, but waved slightly out the window at Courtney.


Courtney Evans waved at her lover as he passed in a carriage heading for the Kipling home. She managed to smile only by thinking of his promise; the promise he'd made last night as they lay down in 'their' clearing in the woods and watched the stars.

The night was cold, but under the stars with Duncan, I felt not the slightest chill. He had me in his arms as he whispered sweet nothings in my ear. I'd heard he did the same to every woman he'd come across, but I believed it not. I believed that it was different when he spoke to me. Perhaps it was the way his eyes sparkled when we joked, the way his eyes remained on my face and did not stray to my chest (as they were said to do with other women), the way he so tenderly kissed me...

It was improper, that much was true, but our love was strong still.

Which is why I was heartbroken to learn of the betrothal.

"Princess," He used his special nickname for me, buttering me up. "I shall never marry Gwendolyn Kipling, for I do not love her. And, while I was pondering the many ways I could escape this wedding, I happened upon a most glorious epiphany! We, you and I, shall run away together. We shall elope!"

"Why, Mr. Gladswells, are you proposing to me?" Pleasure built up inside me, and I smiled coyly.

"Indeed I am." Then another one of his butterfly kisses...

Indeed, it was a wonderful plan, and Courtney felt for sure it would work.

She wandered into the woods, to where they had been just last night, and she could almost smell his delightful scent; Fresh perspiration with a slight hint of apples. She bent down and picked a small red flower from the base of a tree only six paces away.


"Lord and Lady Kipling, Mr. and Mrs. Galdswells." Announced the butler as he stepped aside to allow the family of three to enter.

Lady Zylphia Kipling and Lord Bartholomew Kipling descended the great staircase to meet this family, disgust filling every feature of their face.

"It is such a pleasure to meet you, Lady Kipling." Henrietta said, curtsying before them.

"Indeed it is, Madam." Silas added, giving a slight bow, but feeling quite foolish.

"And you as well, Lord Kilpling."

"Yes."

"Enough formalities, we will be taking tea in the East drawing room, then the rehearsal will be at five 'o clock."

The Galdswells and Kiplings shuffled across the large entrance hall, all except Duncan.

He was slowly slipping back out the door.

"Stop right there!" A voice commanded. Duncan looked to see his bride practically running at him. "Just because out hate for each other is mutual does not mean you can walk out on me like you have every other woman you've ever been with."

"I haven't walked out on the one I'm going to see!"

"Is it Miss Courtney?"

He was taken aback. "How did you know? We've always met in secret."

"My maid, Leshawna, evidently saw the two of you."

"Well, I hope it does not happen again, for I do not wish to be caught in such a scandelous act as I am about to preform."

Gwendolyn's eyes grew wide. "You cad! You vulgar cad!" She was prepared to slap him, but her grabbed her wrist and held it.

"I did not mean that! Not for a while, anyhow." He paused. "You see, the two of us are so deeply in love..." He abruptly turned and looked deep in Gwendolyn's eyes. "Can I trust you?"

"Indeed, sir."

He looked this way and that, then finally whispered. "Miss Courtney and I are going to elope, leaving you free to marry anyone you wish."

"That is all well and fine for you, but what am I to do then? If you leave, I'll have no one to wed, and my family and I will be out in the streets."

"You can marrie Trenton Clemm, or Geoffery Foote. They would make fine husbands!" He paused, then added. "Well, perhaps not Geoffery, but Trenton, yes."

"Trenton Clemm? I've never heard of Trenton Clemm."

"Come with me tonight and you shall. Sneak out your window and run into the woods."

At that moment, Lady Kipling arrived in the doorway. "Where is your chaperon! The two of you should not be alone together!

"Sorry, but I had to get my little hat, and then youwanted your dang tea, so I had to go get that. I didn't exactly have time to watch Gwennie here." Leshawna rushed into the room, a tiny white hat fixed into her hair.

"I beg your pardon?!"

"I mean, sorry, Lady Kipling." Leshawna corrected herself, eyes filled with sarcasm.

Lady Kipling looked from Leshawna, to Gwendolyn, to Duncan (who was no longer strangling Gwen's wrist).

"Just be sure it doesn't happen again, Leshawna." The woman walked away.

Duncan snuck past the ladies as they watched Lady Kipling leave. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've said all I must say. Good Day, ladies." He retreated to the East drawing room.

Leshawna fanned herself. "Dang, girl, I thought I was gonna get fired. What is with you, you wanna get ridda me?"

"No, I just had to talk with my groom." Gwendolyn gazed at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Well, he might not be my groom."

Leshawna and Gwendolyn talked in hushed tones about the exciting scandal Duncan and Courtney were about to preform for a few moments, then hurried over to the drawing room just in time to leave for the wedding rehearsal.