Sorry about the wait, hope that you enjoy this next chapter.
Elizabeth woke up the next day calmer than she expected. She knew that she had to go and see Honoria first thing. If she and Charles were not going to marry, then she wanted to be the first to tell her dearest friend.
When she walked into Honoria's living room, Elizabeth was quite surprised to find that she wasn't the first to visit that day.
"Lizzie!"
Honoria rushed to Elizabeth and threw her arms around her in a big hug, which Elizabeth returned while keeping her wide eyes glued on Charles. He stood and was looking at the two women with a surprised expression.
Elizabeth didn't have time to ponder his reasoning when Honoria pulled back and smiled at Elizabeth. "Oh, L-Lizzie. I'm s-s-s-so exc...ited for you t-two."
Elizabeth was now the confused one. However, she smiled at Honoria as if everything was as it was supposed to be. "It isn't like it was a surprise Honoria."
Honoria laughed. "I kn-know. But I th-th-though that when Ch-Ch-Charles returned home that he would c-c-c-cancel it."
Elizabeth's head whipped to Charles, her face in open shock. Did he not inform his sister of the change? What was he thinking?
Charles stepped forward and took Elizabeth's left hand in his own, lifted it to his lips and placed a small kiss on the back. "I hope that you will forgive me for my words at dinner last night," he said softly before pulling a ring out of his pocket and placed it on her finger.
He watched as Elizabeth looked down at the ring and then back up at him. She didn't do any of the reactions he expected of her. Some tears, some jumping, screaming, some excitement was to be expected. Instead, she looked at the ring with wide eyes and then back at him, as if she wasn't sure what was going on. It was almost disappointing.
Honoria didn't disappoint though. She looked positively giddy at the ring and wasted no time commenting on it. "Look at that g-gorgeous ring! Brother did w-w-well."
Elizabeth blinked and then looked at Honoria as if coming out of a fog. She smiled, although it wasn't a wide smile like she had given him the day before. For a moment, Charles wondered if he had misread her slap from the night before.
Surely she wanted to marry him, didn't she? Or was it really her pride that was hurt and she was getting a little revenge?
"It is beautiful," Elizabeth said softly. She took Honoria's hands in her own. "Would you mind terribly if I borrowed your room and your brother for a moment?"
Honoria laughed. "Of c-course not. He's to be your husband after all."
Honoria then hugged her brother and Elizabeth before leaving the room chatting about wedding plans and her excitement about getting started.
Once they were alone Elizabeth turned to Charles with wide, confused eyes. "I thought that the idea of marrying me was a terrible one in your eyes. You did want to cancel this engagement just last night."
Her voice was low and angry, which just confused Charles even more. What was it about this woman that did this to him? He found her flushed face in simmering anger to be the most seductive look he had ever seen on her. Yet, when she acted like a proper lady he thought her plain.
"I had a change of heart the moment you struck me."
Elizabeth let out a breath in frustration before looking at the ring on her finger. It was a beautiful ring, simple like her. It was like he had taken the time to find a ring just for her rather than just by the most expensive one he could in an attempt to appease her.
Charles followed her gaze as well to the ring and registered that she was, once again, wearing gloves. He hadn't noticed it before, too overwhelmed by everything else that was going on. But it was obvious now that she was wearing them again.
The ring he had placed on her hand looked strange against the dark green gloves. It was meant to be against bare skin.
"Why do you wear gloves?"
Elizabeth jumped her gaze back up to Charles, her eyes wide. "I'm sorry?"
"Your gloves," he said taking her hand in his own. "I've seen you twice and both times you were wearing gloves. Why is that?"
Elizabeth's eyes were wide as she looked at him. She took a deep breath. "Did Madam not explain anything to you?"
Charles was confused. "She told me that you were a talented pianist and that you would be a good match for me. What does that have to do with the gloves?"
Her face fell, her eyes filling with sadness. "I didn't expect you to ask about my gloves," she said softly. She gently removed her hand from his and removed the ring, setting it on the side table. "I'm sorry, but I cannot marry you under false conditions."
Charles grabbed her shoulder and turned her to him. "What are you talking about? What false conditions?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "Madam was suppose to inform you of everything when she wrote to you about marriage. She promised me that she would. When you responded with the affirmative I assumed that you knew." She slowly removed her gloves.
For some reason that action seemed more erotic than it should. It was just a pair of gloves, and yet it was like she was revealing her whole body to him. First the left, then the right. She sat the gloves next to the ring and held out her hands to him.
At first glance he noticed nothing unusual, but then he noticed the small cuts, the rough patches and the short, unmanicured nails. These were not the hands of a Boston lady.
""My upbringing was much different from yours," she said firmly. "I wasn't always a member of society. It wasn't until your grandmother caught me playing the piano in her home that she helped me move into society and start my career as a pianist. Then, after 6 months, she came to me with the suggestion that I marry her grandson, you."
She picked up her gloves and returned them to her hands. "The gloves are just temporary until my hands heal and smooth out. I worked in the gardens at your grandmother's home for the last 4 years after my father retired so there was a lot of damage to correct."
Charles was shocked. His grandmother had matched him up...with a gardener?
Elizabeth could see the terror on Charles' face as he made the connections. It killed her to be the one to do this. She had always admired him from afar since she first saw him at his grandmother's home 6 years ago. She had only been 16 at the time and she knew, even then, that he was far out of her reach.
However, something about him had drawn her gaze through the windows from the gardens. She allowed herself to daydream but she never took it seriously. She looked at him now and knew that he was still far out reach.
"I'll understand if you want to cancel this engagement at this time," she said softly before walking right out of the room with her head held high. Charles watched her walk out of the room, away from him for the second time since meeting her.
Charles was shocked.
His grandmother, the woman who was supposed to find him the perfect wife that would elevate his status in society had gotten him engaged to a gardener?
However, the look in Elizabeth's eyes as she told him the truth about herself...he couldn't get it out of his head.
He picked up the discarded engagement ring and pocketed it. He had to speak to his grandmother, right now.