She dipped her gaze to hide her continued longing from the viscount.
“Cecelia,” his voice was soft as he placed his fingers beneath her chin and urged her face up.
She met his gaze uncomfortably.
“We may if you wish,” he insisted, and at that moment, Cecelia wondered whether she was making the right decision. Could Lord Greystone truly be the man who might allow her to be herself?
“Catherine! Come back. It isn't safe!”
Her mother's words caused all thought of suitors, marriage, and theton'srules from her mind.
She turned to find her youngest sister skating towards the centre of the lake, a place that was clear and unmarred by the scratching of skates.
“Catherine!”
Her sister's name flew from her lips on instinct.
“I just want a little space to practise!” Catherine called over her shoulder. “Everybody keeps getting in the way!”
Several onlookers had paused in their own skating at the commotion. Even Mary and Walter had stopped their snowball fight to look on from the edge of the lake, further around.
“Catherine, please!” their mother called as Cecelia skated to her.
“It's alright, My Lady,” Lord Greystone assured her as he joined them. “The ice is quite thick today. It has been frozen a while now.”
Cecelia offered him a grateful smile before she added, “Lord Greystone is right, and Catherine is only petite.”
Several more skaters behind them stopped, and Cecelia heard one of them gasp, “Look!”
Cecelia heard it before she saw it, the gut-wrenching sound of the ice beginning to crack.
“Catherine! Stop!”
The voice that sounded did not come from any member of their party, but Cecelia recognized it immediately.
George!
Her eyes met his across the lake, where he stood beside Elizabeth.
Though she hadn't allowed herself to admit it, she had noticed the two of them skating arm in arm earlier on.
Now, they couldn't have been further away. Yet, Cecelia felt the distance between them closing as their gazes locked.
It lasted only a moment before her gaze was drawn back to her sister.
Catherine, at George's instruction, had halted.
Yet, it appeared it was too late.
In what felt like the blink of an eye, the ice gave way beneath Catherine, and she disappeared.
“Catherine!”
All around them, exclamations filled the air, billowing clouds of breath escaping almost a hundred mouths.
“Oh, Catherine!” her mother screamed. “My daughter! Catherine! Someone must help her! She cannot swim!”
The way her mother gripped so tightly to Lord Greystone's arm made Cecelia's gut wrench.
