Tears welled up in Margaret’s eyes as she continued. “Father didn’t object. He seemed pleased, in fact. I w-was—there was nothing I could do. I was powerless, Sister.” Her voice dropped to a sorrowful whisper. “Father shook the Earl’s hand, sealing my fate. Then the man left, without saying a single word to me.”
The silence that followed echoed the complexity of her situation.
Evelina knew she should speak, yet did not know what to say. It was as if her system shut off.
You’ve just damned your sister, Evelina. How could you?
“But it is all right.” Margaret’s attempt to cloak her anguish in a humorous, light tone was evident as her voice cracked. “Perhaps this is my penance for entertaining gossip and romantic notions so often,”
Through tears and laughter intermingled, she confessed, “As you know, I have always yearned for true love, a genuine connection.”
She choked on her forced laughter. “It was a naive wish, was it not? I’m old enough to know how rare it is to find love in our society.” She shook her head. “Yet, I let myself dream. I let myself be delusional.”
Her lips wobbled as she fought back her tears. “The Earl was not romantic at all, Evelina. He did not even bother to look at me. It was as though I did not exist. It was the farthest thing from romance, from any sort of love at all. I?—”
She broke off, bursting into sobs.
Evelina’s heart ached at the sight of her sister’s sorrow, her own eyes tearing up. She held her close as she whispered to her, “You were not being delusional, Sister. You deserve that—you deserve true love. My dear, I am so sorry.” Her voice broke. “I am so, so sorry.”
At that moment, her determination flickered to life, a spark of defiance ignited within her. She sniffled loudly, taking a deep breath as she regained her composure.
“I will fix this, Margaret. You will not have to marry the Earl. Not at all,” she whispered in her sister’s ears, hugging her sister tighter.
Margaret lifted her tear-streaked face once more. “It’s too late, Evelina. Father has already accepted his proposal.”
Evelina’s resolve only strengthened upon hearing that. “There is always a way, dear sister. Do not lose hope.” With a gentle touch, she wiped away Margaret’s tears, her eyes reflecting her unwavering determination. “I will speak to Father. I will make things right.”
Margaret’s sobs gradually ebbed, her words of reassurance filled the room
“Stop crying, dear sister. Trust me, everything will be all right. I give you my word—I will fix everything.”
After hugging her sister once more, Evelina exited the room, her steps purposeful and quick as she made her way towards her father’s study, as per Margaret’s guidance.
Her heart raced the moment she stopped before the door, the weight of her decision heavy on her shoulders. With a deep breath, she knocked on the door, the sound echoing through the silent hallway like a foreboding drumbeat.
“Who is it? Did I not say I do not want to see anyone until dinner?”
Not even the annoyance in her father’s voice could dissuade her at this point.
“Father, it is I, Evelina,” she spoke confidently.
A brief silence ensued, but then she heard him call out, “Come in.”
She pushed open the door, her steps resolute as she crossed the threshold into the room.
“Good evening, Father,” she began, her voice rang out, resolute and clear. “I have come to tell you that will marry Lord Oakwood in Margaret’s stead.”
The words hung in the air, seeming to increase the already existing tension in the study. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by Evelina’s own ragged breaths from her hurry to meet him.
The Viscount’s expression went through multiple changes, before disapproval overtook his face as he regarded her, before he raised an eyebrow and clucked his tongue. “I must say, I did not expect such selfishness from you, Evelina. Stealing your sister’s betrothed…”
“The Earl desiredme, Father. I won’t let Margaret be a mere replacement, unappreciated and undervalued,” Evelina asserted, her voice sharp, yet measured in the right enough tone to not give him a call to find issue as she countered back immediately. “She’s better than me. She is younger—she deserves more than I do. I will marry the Earl, as was initially intended. There is no reason to involve Margaret.”
James’s laughter filled the room, a bitter sound that cut through the tense atmosphere like a blade. “After being so rude to him, what makes you think he still desires you, you mindless, naive girl? His words dripped with disdain, his disappointment evident in his tone as he spat, “You should have been on your knees, begging for his favor from the start. Yet, you acted out, as you always do, believing you were above it all.”
His lip curled. “Well, here is a reminder, little girl. The world does not revolve around you, and you are not special, do you hear me?”
Evelina stood silent, her heart heavy with sorrow and resignation. The weight of her father’s words bore down on her, a crushing realization of the terrible dynamics of their relationship.
