32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33 I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel.
34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me.
35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Chapter 11
Lady Cerelia carefully put down the letter in her hand and leaned back in her seat. Her dark, almost black hair rippled gently with her movement as she found a comfortable spot.
Her eyes inevitably came to rest on that letter again. With pursed her lips, she laid her head on a soft cushion as her mind constantly replayed its content. She didn't know what to make of it. Her previous encounters with Lord Alden had always been brief in the past. Her husband was better informed as to his matters.
Husband who had already blabbed about everything that had happened and his suspicions during their nightly talk. Without the confirmation from her husband, she had to admit that she would have been far more sceptical about the letter.
Her fingers drummed against her thighs as she thought about the main subject of the letter who was currently out gallivanting with Myrtille. She would have to corner her and discretely inquire about her opinion on the matter.
A sigh left her at the thought of her daughter leaving her side to attach herself to someone else's. Someone she was going to sound out to make sure that the tragedy of her sister never happened again.
But for now, let us not put the cart before the horse. Things are not set in stone yet and minds can change as well as feelings.
But it certainly would be better to make preparations in case it does happen, wouldn't it?
****
A few weeks passed with Cécille still unaware of the plans her mother had made.
So it was when she and Myrtille returned home from a walk on a beautiful Saturday afternoon that they were met with a puzzling sight.
"What is prolly going on?" Cécille asked Myrtille as she watched the servants busying about. "Did we perhaps forget some important event? ... Surely not?!"
Myrtille quickly shook her head, "No Miss! I would have surely remembered it! Perhaps
Lady Cerelia is entertaining guests?"
Cécille had a foreboding feeling, "guests...?"
She quickly approached one of the servants and questioned her.
"Oh Miss! The young lord is back! And he brought guests with him! Lots of guests! It has been a long while since this manor has entertained so many distinguished guests! Do make haste Miss! Quickly go refresh yourself and join them in the sunroom! They have been awaiting your arrival for a while now." With that said, she quickly walked away to attend to her tasks.
Cécille looked at her back dumbfoundedly before turning to Myrtille, "guests? Could it be that Cedrych found some random lady to marry and brought her family for introductions?"
Myrtille scrunched her face, "with the young Lord's personality, I highly doubt it Miss."
"You are right, Myrtille. I certainly wouldn't forgive him if he ever betrayed you as such!"
"Milady! Please do not say such things! It can cause misunderstandings!" Myrtille spluttered with red cheeks.
" I am only saying things that everyone else sees, and only you refuse to admit! I have been trying to get you to call me by my name for years since then! You can be so stubborn Myrtille!"
Myrtille quickly diverted her attention, "now is not the time for such things Miss! Let us not make your mother wait any longer! Quick, let me help you change out of this dress while you wash your face."
Cécille gave her a droll look but still obtemperated.
****
Lady Cerelia warmly held Lady Mirabelle's hand in hers and spoke, "oh it is so good to meet with you face to face Mirabelle! It has been so long! Letters do help, but they are certainly not the same thing!"
Mirabelle squeezed her hand back, "I completely agree with you! Talking to you directly brings me great joy Cerelia!"
"And I finally have the opportunity to meet your daughter who is now friends with mine! Oh, dreams do come true!" She turned towards Clementine with a smile, "it really gladdens me to finally meet you Clementine! Just look at you! Such a beautiful young lady! You are a perfect mix of both your parents! Though I do admit to being a tad biased in thinking that you take more after your sweet mother!"
Mirabelle half-heartedly swatted at her with a laugh, "come now! Do not let my husband hear this, or he is going to be heartbroken!"
Clementine blushed happily and answered back, "thank you, Lady Cerelia! I certainly think so too!"
A snickering voice quickly interjected, "I am going to tell dad you said that! Oh, how funny it will be!"
"Meyer! Do stop teasing your sister!" Lady Mirabelle mock-scolded.
Cedrych, sitting beside Meyer, gave him a hard nudge, "yes Meyer! Do stop teasing your little sister! Learn from me!"
Meyer looked at him with big eyes, "what are you on about?! You are the same!"
"Certainly am not!" Cedrych riposted.
"Certainly are!"
"Not"
"Are"
"Not!"
"Do silence yourself Meyer/Cedrych!" Lady Mirabelle and Lady Cerelia said at the same time.
Lady Cerelia continued, "seriously, you are a young adult now! Do you have to quarrel as if you were still a wee little boy?"
Lady Mirabelle shook her head, "ah boys!"
A muffled laugh sounded, attracting the attention of both men.
Meyer squinted his eyes at the culprit, "pray tell what is so funny, Raulf?"
"Nothing at all brother! Nothing at all!"
"I am not your brother!"
"Not yet!" Raulf taunted.
"Many things can change till then! So until it happens, it is Meyer to you!"
"Meyer!" Clementine screeched.
"Meyer! That was uncalled-for! Apologise to your sister!" Lady Mirabelle scolded.
Meyer glared at the snickering Raulf, "I am sorry for saying that dear sister! I wish you happiness! Truly, I do. But does it really have to be him! Look, he is snickering at me! There are better options out there! Just like dear Cedrych here! Been friends for years, so I can guarantee his character and provide blackmail on him!"
Cedrych jumped up while waving his hands, "why are you pulling me in this mess!!? No, absolutely no! I want no part of whatever you are cooking! ... And what do mean blackmail?! You fake friend!"
Meyer tsk-ed at him, "true friends have blackmail!"
"No! They do not!"
Raulf paused from his glaring at Meyer to look at Cedrych consolingly, "well he kind of has a point."
"What?!" Cedrych asked incredulously.
"You do not?" Meyer asked him back, mirroring his incredulousness.
"Of course I do not! I thought that is what true friends were about!"
Meyer coughed awkwardly, "My bad. I thought for sure that we were on the same wavelength. But wow! I just discovered something new about you after all those years! You are so pure!"
"Pure my backside! I am going to pull your hair out! Out with it! What blackmail do you have!" Cedrych roared as he jumped on him.
"Cedrych!" Lady Cerelia shouted, appalled at his language.
Meyer cackled while protecting his precious hair, " are you sure you want me to say it right now in front of your mother?! And why aim for my hair?! I knew it! You envy my glorious mane!"
"What mane?! It is like dried, withered weed waving in the wind!"
"You take that back you dunderhead!"
"I will not! You dried up desert gecko!"
Raulf laughed unabashedly, "oh nice one Cedrych! It really does look like sun-dried grass!"
"Shut up you Casanova!" Meyer shouted at him.
"Who are you calling Casanova?!" Raulf shouted back and joined Cedrych in subduing him.
Lady Mirabelle quickly called out, "boys! Boys! Do be gentle! Do not pull the hair! My son would not look good bald!"
Lady Cerelia shot her a look, "Mirabelle! Is that really the point right now?" She then turned to the boys, "all of you stop playing around now! Just look at you! Is that a behaviour to display in front of your mothers, sister and betrothed!"
Her voice was drowned by the name-calling, so she turned towards the only remaining sane man in the room, "Lord Alden, are you just going to sit back and sip your tea?! Do stop them, for the love's sake!"
Alden calmly put down his teacup and stood up, "as you wish, Lady Cerelia."
****
When Cécille finally entered the sunroom with Myrtille, both of their jaws dropped at the sight before them.
"What in the world is going on here?" Myrtille whispered in horror.
Cedrych and Meyer were lying on their backs on the ground, groaning pathetically. To the side, Lord Alden had Duke Raulf's hands twisted behind his back while pinning him down with his knee.
"Ow ow ow! For the love's sake, Alden! Do be gentle! Let go! Quickly let go!" Raulf complained.
Alden clicked his tongue, "Depends. Are you going to try to get back at me? I was just obeying the hostess's orders."
"Obeying orders my foot- ow ow ow! Okay, okay! I will not retaliate! You were following orders!"
"I have your word?"
"Yes! Now get your bony knee off my back!"
Alden quickly let go and took a couple of steps back. He looked up and immediately took notice of the additional persons in the room.
He greeted with a slight smile, "Lady Cécille, you finally join us. Well met."
All heads turned towards the door and took in the gobsmacked expression on the ladies' faces.
Cedrych sprang up to his feet and nonchalantly finger combed his hair, "Ah! My dear little sister is finally here! And dear Myrtille too!
Meyer quickly copied him, "do not mind the situation just now. We were just playing around."
At those words, the ladies' heads turned in unison to stare at him incredulously.
".... Ok, that was quite scary! Can you stop staring at me please?" Meyer muttered whilst taking a couple of steps back.
Lady Cerelia quickly got back her countenance and fixed her son with a hard stare,
"Cedrych, we will be having a good talk later so do not dare think of stepping foot out of the house." Then she turned to greet her daughter and Myrtille, "you are finally here, dear! Did you have a good walk?"
Cécille kissed her cheeks and replied cautiously, "We did... But why did you not inform us that there were going to be guests? We would have returned much earlier."
Clementine quickly rushed towards them, "Cécille! Are you not glad to see me again?!"
A genuine smile appeared on her face as she hugged her in greeting, "I am glad! Really glad! Your presence is a very good surprise. Yours too Lady Mirabelle. Welcome to Romarin manor."
"Does that mean we are not welcome?" Raulf whispered to Alden.
The latter gave him a droll look, "what do you think?"
Raulf gave her a quick glance then said, "well, I think it is mostly you."
Alden turned his black stare on him.
"What?! It is true!" Raulf defended.
While the two behind them were arguing beneath their breath, Meyer was busy teasing Cedrych too.
"Lad, if you stare any longer you are going to pass as a creep. For love's sake Cedrych, have I not taught you anything through all those years?!"
Cedrych moved his eyes to his sister but they inexplicably slid back to Myrtille, "I do not know what you are talking about. You taught me nothing."
"What do you mean I taught you nothing?! Have I not often brought you with me to catch birds?!" Meyer unwittingly said out loud.
The ladies' heads turned in his direction in unison again.
Cedrych wisely took a few steps back towards Raulf.
Myrtille looked confused, "catch birds? Is hunting allowed in the city?"
Lady Mirabelle spoke, her lips pinched, "oh? And, pray tell, how many ...birds, have you caught? How come I was not aware of this? It would seem that there is a lot we have to discuss about, son. Mother does know a thing or two about BIRDS. I do know a lot about tanning hides too."
"Oh bummer!" Meyer whispered under his breath.
Clementine scoffed at her brother and turned her back to him.
To defuse the situation, Cécille quickly stepped towards her brother to pull him in a hug.
"It is nice to see you again after so long brother!"
"Little sister! It is nice to- Ah!!!!!" Cedrych shouted mid-sentence.
Cécille quietly took back the hand that had just mercilessly pinched her brother's side and asked innocently, "is something wrong ? Perhaps you pulled something whilst hunting birds?"
Cedrych quickly put some distance between them whilst rubbing his side and spluttered.
His eyes went to Myrtille and instantly refuted, "NO! I do not hunt birds! It has absolutely nothing to do with me! I am innocent! I was just accompanying my friend on his outings!
'Tis the absolute truth!"
Myrtille took in his red face, and it finally dawned on her that they were not talking about birds.
Cécille ignored him and turned to greet the other two, "Well met, Lord Alden, Duke Earlgrey."
They returned her greeting and Raulf spoke, "you do not have to address me so formally. Raulf would suffice."
Cécille gave him a smile, "Duke Raulf then."
"One would think that you are not happy to see us." Alden drawled lowly.
Cécille looked straight at him, "one would say that you are right. So, what brings you here to Chantilly?"
Alden lowered his eyelids midway, fixed a smirk on his lips and drawled out infuriatingly, "To. Hunt. Birds."
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