The ballroom looked exceptionally beautiful this evening. It was filled with hundreds of candles and wild flowers. Dozens and dozens of different colored ribbons were hanging from the walls and the ceiling.
Suddenly, she felt a tight squeeze around her, as a set of tiny white hands grabbed her waist.
“Happy Birthday!” Edith wished and kissed Marion’s cheek.
“Edith! I’m so glad to see you! I trust you are doing well?”
“Very much so, darling, I have met the most interesting man here tonight, for which I should probably thank you,” she said and pinched her arm playfully. “Mr. Alby said you have spoken kind words about me!”
Marion laughed and immersed herself into a conversation with her best friend. The uplifting feeling in the room made her push her worries aside and decide that she would think about them later.
The eventful day had almost made Marion forget one of the main reasons she was so excited for the ball. Almost, but not quite. The Earl of Brookville, Albert Byron, was due to visit with his uncle and aunt, who were very good friends of the Earl and Countess of Ackworth.
Marion would never forget the day she had been introduced to the Earl of Brookville by her father. He was to be her betrothed and the union was very welcome to the Earl of Ackworth, as it would make Lady Marion a Countess. Marion, on the other hand, didn’t so much care for the titles.
She had seen some of her friends married off to old Barons and Counts who were the most boring people she had ever met. Secretly, she had been afraid that her marriage was going to be the same, married to an awfully boring old man with a boring and uneventful life.
Fortunately, the Earl of Brookville was neither old nor boring. When he had met Marion at a wedding that took place in York, Marion had immediately thanked the Lord for her parents’ good taste. The Earl of Brookville was a tall, well-dressed man with strawberry-blond hair and childlike eyes full of sparkle. He was polite and formal, and during the short talks Marion had with him, she had discovered him to be well-read and educated.
What more could I hope for?
Marion searched for him with her gaze wandering among the ballroom full of people.
She didn’t have to wait long for him to appear. He was making his way through the crowd and as he reached Marion, he bowed deeply, sending Marion’s heart to flutter like a butterfly.
“Why, Lady Marion, you look most wonderful tonight! May I have this dance?” he asked, his arm held out. Marion took his hand and flashed an excited smile over her shoulder to Edith, who was standing beside her, talking to the new beau of her own.
He danced unusually fluidly, leading Marion on the dance floor in a way that made everyone turn their eyes at the soon-to-be couple. She enjoyed the dance, and her smile was not forced anymore—rather, the closeness of the Earl made her heart race and cheeks blush.
But she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling in the back of her mind.
After her dance with the Earl, Marion curtsied and thanked him for the wonderful dance. She needed to find Edith and tell her about the day’s events.
I can’t hold this in any longer! I just have to find Edith and it’ll all be all right.
She found Edith still chatting with Mr. Alby—they sure had become close in only a few hours’ time.
“Edith, darling, may I speak with you for a moment?” Marion said as she touched her shoulder for attention. Neither of them had noticed Marion’s arrival, as they were both very deep in conversation.
“Ah, Lady Marion, the rose of the party!” Mr. Alby said. “Miss Hall and I were just having the most interesting conversation about their new mare, it seems she has been giving the grooms quite the runaround. Miss Hall is the most wonderful young lady—I don’t know how I can possibly part with her tonight!”
“That’s such a pleasure to hear, Mr. Alby. I do think very highly of her myself. If you’ll excuse us for a moment—I hear a girl should always give her beau a chance to miss her, after all,” Marion said with a big smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She adored Mr. Alby, but he had the habit of being quite intense.
Marion grabbed Edith’s hand and they made their way through the crowd and out the ballroom doors.
“Marion, what’s going on?” Edith asked, while Marion was leading her through the dim corridors.
Marion didn’t respond, but instead, opened a heavy wooden door to their left. They stepped into a small library, that the Countess often used as her personal study.
“I’ve held this in the whole day and I simply cannot do it any longer!” Marion exhaled and told Edith the whole conversation between her and her parents.
“Oh, dear, that is certainly a lot to take in,” Edith said and patted Marion’s hand that was resting in hers.
“Why would they leave me? Papa won’t let me go and find them, he says it’s too dangerous. But how am I supposed to live the rest of my life, knowing what I know?” Marion sobbed and wiped a stray tear off her cheek.
“Your father is right, Marion, going to Scotland alone would be foolish. Your family loves you and your life is very sheltered and secure. And you are to marry the Earl of Brookville, no less! You are loved, and that’s all that matters. Besides, it’s not like you can just hop on your horse and go find them.”
2
Regret Is A Lousy Friend
Without knowing it, Edith had given Marion an idea. If her father wouldn’t let her go find her parents, she would simply have to take matters into her own hands.
It was in the middle of the night, and everything was quiet. The whole manor was sleeping. Marion stepped quietly into the barn
