"Its about time," I laughed, taking on of Charles' suitcases, "I've visited your wife a few times. Any longer and I fear your parlor would've been in great danger of a refurbishing."
Charles grinned, "I wouldn't be surprised if the bedroom was already redone. She's always up to something."
We walked through the front door and a maid immediatly took the luggage. Mrs. Lettington herself was right behind her, quickly wrapping her husband in her arms.
"If knew you were to be gone that long I would've come with you," she chided.
He laughed and hugged her back, "And I would've taken you."
I watched them with a smile. I had been younger at their wedding but I remembered them looking very happy. He hadn't had his mustache back then and my eldest sister had been rather taken with the bride's wedding dress. And yet their devotion seemed to have only deepened over the years.
Wedding. Devotion. With a quick shake of the head, I pushed the thoughts aside before they could sink too deeply.
"I'll be back shortly my dear," Charles smiled apologetically, "I'm afraid I must leave you for one more afternoon; Elliot and I have some catching up to do."
She smiled, "I'll have dinner ready for both of you when you return."
I had nearly forgotten how far my efforts had gotten me while Charles was gone. No matter the street, at least one or two people would warmly greet me or wave at me from their carriage. I had grown so accustomed to it over the past week that I simply tipped my hat in turn or held short conversations. I had just finished joking with one of the other young men my age and was still chuckling to myself when I caught Charles looking up at me strangely.
"What?"
He shook his head, "What have you been doing? I didn't expect this much popularity even with my help."
"I've just been socializing," I shrugged, "The hotel had little to entertain so I decided I'd find some more useful employment."
He shook his head again, "So why did your smooth tongue fail you with this theif of yours?"
Mr. Scott. I hid a scowl with a smile, "I'm afraid he had a smoother one."
Charles shrugged and we walked on. I soon got him on the topic of his journey and the friends he had visited--a much safer route than the former conversation.
I wasn't quite ready to reveal Mr. Scott's arrival yet; I didn't know how Charles would react. Getting through to a wily business fraud was much more complicated than getting through to these local citizens--I would know. There were also emotions involved, which didn't make it any easier. Had we not been interrupted last night I had no doubt one of us would've left with a broken nose.
No, I needed to step back and find time to really sort things out before I told Charles. My concious began to remind me of all the secrets I had begun to keep from my cousin; I'd be in sorry shape if it wasn't for him. Yet, like all those games I'd learned to play, I'd have to make that move later; the best stragedy for now was to keep all the cards to myself.
"Congratulations, Mr. Samuelson!" a middle-aged woman beamed, "Mr. Ainsworth must really be fond of you."
I smiled and tipped my hat she passed us and Charles looked up at me again, "Congratulations? On what?"
"Just...something to do with the Gransville Estate," I tugged on my jacket collar casually. Then, as an afterthought added,"By the way, do you know who Nora Ainsworth is?"
"Nora Ainsworth?" he twisted his mustache, "Why yes, she's the eldest daughter of our dear Mr. Ainsworth."
A second ball of lead hit my stomach. The eldest?! I had vowed myself to my only potential downfall? I thought for sure it was one of the younger ones. Afterall, I never had two bigger boosts to my ego. But...the eldest?!
"You're sure?" I rose a doubting eyebrow, trying to look casual.
"Quite," he nodded, "We've known of her since we moved here. Why?"
I shrugged, "No reason." Only that if clergymen were capable of killing, I'd best start counting my sunrises. That Mr. Hodges wouldn't be pleased in the least.
"Congratulations, Mr. Samuelson!" a man came up from behind us, "I've just heard that you're--"
"Advancing," I interrupted, grabbing his hand and shaking it, "Yes, I'm very excited. Thank you."
By now Charles' had grown a little more suspicious. I tried once more to deter him from the topic but another passerby had to ruin it. How had word gotten out so quickly?!
"I've just heard the news, Mr. Samuelson! It'll be good to have a mistress for your new estate."
That did it. Not even the greatest excuses could've covered up that one. My cousin was on me like a bloodhound who had just caught a scent trail.
"Mistress?"
I gave a weak smile and a shrug, "Well--"
With a great sigh and roll of his eyes, he began looking around. Finally his eyes fell on a secluded corner between two shops. He tersly nodded his head towards it and I followed him until we were far enough from the view of passerbys.
"Elliot," he hissed, "What did you do?!"
There was no hiding it now. The way news seemed to be spreading, he'd learn eventually. And I'd rather he heard my side of the story before he heard anyone else's.
"Well," I sighed, "Mr. Ainsworth called me into his study last night and--"
"You got engaged to Nora Ainsworth?!" he exploded. I scowled; so much for telling it my way.
"Elliot, you don't...you can't even...what were you thinking?!"
I gave a mirthless chuckle, "I wasn't."
"Apparently. Why did you agree to it? What part of lie-low--"
"Well what would you want me to say?" I asked, suddenly on the defensive, "I'm sorry, Mr. Ainsworth but this is all just a big misunderstanding. I'm actually a fraud who's in debt over his head and I'm afraid marrying your daughter would be most inconvenient."
He scowled, "Well you've sidestepped everything else! Why not this? Afterall, you don't have any money to support her, you don't have a foot of property to your name, you don't even have a real surname!"
"I was caught off gaurd and under pressure," I shot back, "I'm sorry. I know this only complicates things but I promise my only intention as to impress the banker."
Charles sighed--his characteristic way of letting off steam, "We can't undo it, that's clear. I guess the real question is--"
"Yes, I know; What do I do?!"
"I'm not entirely sure," he responded, "You've got us in deep this time."
He fell into thought and I watched him desperatly. Surely my only source of solid answers couldn't fail me now.
"Well," he finally spoke up,"I guess you're going to have to maintain the integrity part of your image. You're going to have to through with it."
That answer didn't soothe me in the least, "You mean...you mean I'm going to have to actually marry her?!"
"Just court her. Play the part until we find you a way out of this mess," he said, then, pointing a finger at my chest, "And keep in mind, Flirt Samuelson, you are to court only her. Wink at anyone else and you're entire reputation will be ruined."
"But," I protested; that took half the fun out of socializing!
"What?"
"Well...Nothing I guess," I surrendered. Then another concern came to mind and I felt my face flushing, "Actually, I...granted she's a lovely young lady but I...I really don't think I feel the right...affections for that."
Charles only looked at me, "That, my dear cousin, is your predicament. You're the one who went and got yourself engaged.
I rested my head against the brick wall behind me and ran a hand through my hair with a soft laugh. I'd landed myself in scrapes before, but this was ridiculous.
"Now," he was all lecture and drill again, "Is there anything else Mr. Ainsworth spoke of after you agreed?"
"Something about a dinner ball."
Charles nodded, "I thought as much. Very well. We'll find you an egagement ring and think up excuses for why your family wasn't able to attend. After that we'll turn our focus to breaking it off in a lawful and agreeable fashion."
I laughed, "Heaven help us."
"On the contrary," Charles smirked, "Heaven help Miss Ainsworth."
Charles grinned, "I wouldn't be surprised if the bedroom was already redone. She's always up to something."
We walked through the front door and a maid immediatly took the luggage. Mrs. Lettington herself was right behind her, quickly wrapping her husband in her arms.
"If knew you were to be gone that long I would've come with you," she chided.
He laughed and hugged her back, "And I would've taken you."
I watched them with a smile. I had been younger at their wedding but I remembered them looking very happy. He hadn't had his mustache back then and my eldest sister had been rather taken with the bride's wedding dress. And yet their devotion seemed to have only deepened over the years.
Wedding. Devotion. With a quick shake of the head, I pushed the thoughts aside before they could sink too deeply.
"I'll be back shortly my dear," Charles smiled apologetically, "I'm afraid I must leave you for one more afternoon; Elliot and I have some catching up to do."
She smiled, "I'll have dinner ready for both of you when you return."
***
"What?"
He shook his head, "What have you been doing? I didn't expect this much popularity even with my help."
"I've just been socializing," I shrugged, "The hotel had little to entertain so I decided I'd find some more useful employment."
He shook his head again, "So why did your smooth tongue fail you with this theif of yours?"
Mr. Scott. I hid a scowl with a smile, "I'm afraid he had a smoother one."
Charles shrugged and we walked on. I soon got him on the topic of his journey and the friends he had visited--a much safer route than the former conversation.
I wasn't quite ready to reveal Mr. Scott's arrival yet; I didn't know how Charles would react. Getting through to a wily business fraud was much more complicated than getting through to these local citizens--I would know. There were also emotions involved, which didn't make it any easier. Had we not been interrupted last night I had no doubt one of us would've left with a broken nose.
No, I needed to step back and find time to really sort things out before I told Charles. My concious began to remind me of all the secrets I had begun to keep from my cousin; I'd be in sorry shape if it wasn't for him. Yet, like all those games I'd learned to play, I'd have to make that move later; the best stragedy for now was to keep all the cards to myself.
"Congratulations, Mr. Samuelson!" a middle-aged woman beamed, "Mr. Ainsworth must really be fond of you."
I smiled and tipped my hat she passed us and Charles looked up at me again, "Congratulations? On what?"
"Just...something to do with the Gransville Estate," I tugged on my jacket collar casually. Then, as an afterthought added,"By the way, do you know who Nora Ainsworth is?"
"Nora Ainsworth?" he twisted his mustache, "Why yes, she's the eldest daughter of our dear Mr. Ainsworth."
A second ball of lead hit my stomach. The eldest?! I had vowed myself to my only potential downfall? I thought for sure it was one of the younger ones. Afterall, I never had two bigger boosts to my ego. But...the eldest?!
"You're sure?" I rose a doubting eyebrow, trying to look casual.
"Quite," he nodded, "We've known of her since we moved here. Why?"
I shrugged, "No reason." Only that if clergymen were capable of killing, I'd best start counting my sunrises. That Mr. Hodges wouldn't be pleased in the least.
"Congratulations, Mr. Samuelson!" a man came up from behind us, "I've just heard that you're--"
"Advancing," I interrupted, grabbing his hand and shaking it, "Yes, I'm very excited. Thank you."
By now Charles' had grown a little more suspicious. I tried once more to deter him from the topic but another passerby had to ruin it. How had word gotten out so quickly?!
"I've just heard the news, Mr. Samuelson! It'll be good to have a mistress for your new estate."
That did it. Not even the greatest excuses could've covered up that one. My cousin was on me like a bloodhound who had just caught a scent trail.
"Mistress?"
I gave a weak smile and a shrug, "Well--"
With a great sigh and roll of his eyes, he began looking around. Finally his eyes fell on a secluded corner between two shops. He tersly nodded his head towards it and I followed him until we were far enough from the view of passerbys.
"Elliot," he hissed, "What did you do?!"
There was no hiding it now. The way news seemed to be spreading, he'd learn eventually. And I'd rather he heard my side of the story before he heard anyone else's.
"Well," I sighed, "Mr. Ainsworth called me into his study last night and--"
"You got engaged to Nora Ainsworth?!" he exploded. I scowled; so much for telling it my way.
"Elliot, you don't...you can't even...what were you thinking?!"
I gave a mirthless chuckle, "I wasn't."
"Apparently. Why did you agree to it? What part of lie-low--"
"Well what would you want me to say?" I asked, suddenly on the defensive, "I'm sorry, Mr. Ainsworth but this is all just a big misunderstanding. I'm actually a fraud who's in debt over his head and I'm afraid marrying your daughter would be most inconvenient."
He scowled, "Well you've sidestepped everything else! Why not this? Afterall, you don't have any money to support her, you don't have a foot of property to your name, you don't even have a real surname!"
"I was caught off gaurd and under pressure," I shot back, "I'm sorry. I know this only complicates things but I promise my only intention as to impress the banker."
Charles sighed--his characteristic way of letting off steam, "We can't undo it, that's clear. I guess the real question is--"
"Yes, I know; What do I do?!"
"I'm not entirely sure," he responded, "You've got us in deep this time."
He fell into thought and I watched him desperatly. Surely my only source of solid answers couldn't fail me now.
"Well," he finally spoke up,"I guess you're going to have to maintain the integrity part of your image. You're going to have to through with it."
That answer didn't soothe me in the least, "You mean...you mean I'm going to have to actually marry her?!"
"Just court her. Play the part until we find you a way out of this mess," he said, then, pointing a finger at my chest, "And keep in mind, Flirt Samuelson, you are to court only her. Wink at anyone else and you're entire reputation will be ruined."
"But," I protested; that took half the fun out of socializing!
"What?"
"Well...Nothing I guess," I surrendered. Then another concern came to mind and I felt my face flushing, "Actually, I...granted she's a lovely young lady but I...I really don't think I feel the right...affections for that."
Charles only looked at me, "That, my dear cousin, is your predicament. You're the one who went and got yourself engaged.
I rested my head against the brick wall behind me and ran a hand through my hair with a soft laugh. I'd landed myself in scrapes before, but this was ridiculous.
"Now," he was all lecture and drill again, "Is there anything else Mr. Ainsworth spoke of after you agreed?"
"Something about a dinner ball."
Charles nodded, "I thought as much. Very well. We'll find you an egagement ring and think up excuses for why your family wasn't able to attend. After that we'll turn our focus to breaking it off in a lawful and agreeable fashion."
I laughed, "Heaven help us."
"On the contrary," Charles smirked, "Heaven help Miss Ainsworth."
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