Chapter 2

“Where are we heading to Lord Phillips?” Kate asked the Noble man as the carriage bimpity bumped on the streets London.

“Archer if you please.” He corrected, turning the blazing abyss to her, making her mouth dry and devoid of the self replenishing liquid.

 “My cousin, Earl of Manchester, holds a private party of which I am invited”

“We are going for a party?” Cassy asked.

“So I believe”

And the ride was silent, with Kate reminding herself that the Duke was here for her cousin, not her. Convincing herself did no good as she found her treacherous eyes darting to peek at the Nobleman that stared rigidly forward and wondered how he had managed to remain with knife-tongued Cassy and had not yet run screaming for the hills? 

She looked at his unmoving profile and knew. He was probably too rigid to feel anything. 

He cleared his throat and startled her.

“We are here”

Kate’s eyes almost flew out of their bags. “is this..is this your home?”

“No. My cousin’s. I said that. Frederick”

“Oh.” Feeling quite stupid as she took the Duke’s and climbed down clobbily, who immediately let loose of her hand, offering it to Cassy, lest they linger. 

Her eyes shone with appreciation of the edifice in front of her and her skin burned with pride of being allowed into such honourable house. She made a mental note to pray extra hard for her uncle and his wife— surely without them she would have never graced such building. 

“Welcome, welcome. Welcome to the Manchester house” a happy looking man greeted by the door.

“He,” His Grace announced “is my cousin. Frederick Mandeville, Earl of Manchester”

Kate and Cassandra nodded simultaneously. 

“Archer! I am glad you made it! With two beautiful ladies!” the Earl grinned widely, “you are the last of our guests. Come in, come in" he welcomed at the tall ornate doors closed behind them.

They walked in to discover a barely full hall with ladies and gents flirting in a low murmur. 

This was a private couple's party, Kate understood as she saw the shiny, good looking women being escorted by sallow, drawn and  resentful older women. 

A glass was tapped repeatedly to gain attention as the talking seized and all attention was directed to the Earl. 

"Ladies! Gentlemen!" He boomed, "welcome! This is a gathering of close family and friends to celebrate the success of my joining my cousin, Duke of Edinburgh in his shipping business! Thank you cousin!"

There was light cheer and applause that got the Duke turned red in the face. 

Kate smiled, very familiar with his discomfort. 

"Dance! Mingle and be merry in the heart as I am!"

With that, Kate withdrew to a corner where she had seen a gathering of chaperones as Cassy accepted the Duke's hand in lieu of the music and resigned herself to the fate of letting her eyes feed on the exotic paintings. 

■■■■

Lord Archer Phillips was yet to recover from the shock of the evening when he had walked into Pembroke's house to meet two daughters rather than the one he had been told about and the one he had courted. 

He still couldn't believe that he had courted the Pembroke lady for 10 months just to realise — in the twelfth month that she had a sister.

Worse, he couldn't help feeling like he had been short changed by only meeting Lady Cassy.

They moved in synchronicity, as his eyes drifted— quickly — past her. Lady Kate Pembroke. 

He swallowed guiltly as Cassy threw him a carefree smile, instantly comparing her with her sister. Unlike her smile, which was a bit too wide for his safety and too secret for his taste, Kate — her sister's, was true and conservative. 

There was something about her silent demeanor that drew him.

Philips stifled a sigh. He had no choice. Surely this was the usual Male greed when they set their eyes upon another female in the family? Certainly, he couldn't be attracted to someone he had barely met and never even held a proper conversation with?

He twirled the lady Cassy, catching her in perfect symphony and she fit into his arm quite nicely.

His eyes met Cassy's briefly and he burned with guilt and embarrassment, wondering if she could read his thoughts. 

That left his heart clenched in one moment before he realized that wasn't possible. 

He glanced at her sister again who was absorbed in the foreign painting frames that adorned Manchester's walls. Her appreciation was palpable, as an art enthusiast, he could feel her admiration drumming off her in waves.

As he swapped partners, he stared at her harder, trying to dissuade his attraction to her, telling himself that he was lucky to be with Cassy, one of the most sought-after beauties of England, informing himself that she, lady Kate was no great beauty as Cassy. 

That was true. But in the fold of her freckled, true moonlight blue eyes,and a demure smile sucked him in deep, compared to Cassy's brilliant red hair, mischievous jade eyes.

He sighed audibly with relief as the music ended.

For one careless moment, he wondered if it would be such big, a scandal if he asked his intended's chaperone for a dance. 

"Archer!" His cousin bellowed, "where did you find such beauty? Grant me the honour of introduction?"

■■■■

Kate moved swiftly to stand beside Cassy and keep her company.

"Kate!" Cassy breathed. 

"You look flushed. And stunning "

"Thank you! The dance was most enjoyable, although His Grace is a bore" she rolled her eyes. 

"Cassy!"

"What?"

"He, or some other, might overhear "

"They should" she huffed. "I will no doubt be bored to my wits when we wed. He doesn't speak,Kate, never speaks!"

"He is not a mute" Kate defended. 

"But he acts like one. I don't know what I would do without your presence in this dances "

"Nothing. Actually " she spoke cheekily, her cousin burst into a wide smile. "True. I shall be lost without you"

Cassy might be a hot prospect on the marriage mart, but she was definitely not the most open and friendly or loving.

She loved her cousin to death, but Cassandra chased people with pitchforks known as her tongue whenever they got too near.

It was a surprise, to the Earl and Countess of Pembroke when they both had bonded like glue. 

Cassy said it was because Kate was the calm to her Storm.

She didn't doubt her.

■■■■

"Ahem!" Someone cleared his throat behind them, she turned, while Cassy whirled around most viciously — surely with a retort at the edge of her lips. 

"You— Your Grace" her cousin's tone cooled.

The man coughed awkwardly. 

"The cousin I told you about, the er, Earl of Manchester " he finished, gesturing to the large figure behind him.

"Nice to make an acquaintance!" He boomed, searing their ears off with Kate concluding that this was his usual pitch.

"Lady Cassandra Pembroke " she curtised, "Lady Kate Pembroke " 

"Middleton " she corrected as she curtised. 

"Er?" The Duke asked, she smiled charmingly at the Earl,  "Lady Katherine Middleton "

"You are not sister?" He asked stupidly. 

"We are" Cassy said, "We are not" Kate or rather Katherine said. They looked at each other and smiled.

"I have known her long enough to be my sister"

"But you are not?" He clarified, thinking how much of a fool, he must look to his cousin. He had assumed she, Katherine, was the elder sister that had been shelved too long on the marriage mart— although he couldn't understand why, but he assumed. 

Besides, they were somewhat physically similar. Almost the same size and the synchronisation sisters had.

"No. We are cousins. My parents...I am orphaned. But Cassy is right. She is my sister" she finished.

"Wonderful, wonderful. May I have this dance with the younger sister? Archer? Kate? Katherine?"

"Kate please" she smiled briefly. "Certainly, as long you do not hold her longer than necessary, Cassy's card is quite filled"

The duo departed, leaving them both. 

Archer scratched his head.

"Would you like to dance—"

He is for Cassy! He is for Cassy!

Her throat burned to accept, as her heart rioted with the reply it knew she was going to give.

"— I, Your Grace, am the chaperone. It is considered wrong to steal the attention from our charge. It actually exists in the chaperone's rule book. We do own one"

He smiled briefly at that.

"It would just be one harmless short dance "

"Surely you do not wish to risk your reputation to the wagging tongues of London? I do not. And,Your Grace, in London, nothing is harmless"

■■■■

Ladies and gents! 

What do you think of this Chapter?

If you do not understand some technologies, fear not! I shall be adding a glossary .

Glossary:

DUKE: A Noble man of the highest rank after King. Eg(example) Duke of Edinburgh. Often a ruler of a small independent state in some parts of Europe. 

Feminine: Duchess 

EARL: A Nobleman of high rank and power. Directly under Duke. Also called Count. 

Feminine: Countess 

Chaperone: An older or slightly older woman, who took care/ escorted a younger woman to guide her away from improperlities and was not married. 

You're probably wondering why Kate acted as Cassy's chaperone. 

Kate is slightly older and wiser. Also, Cassy would not have anyone else or rather no one else had the patience or tenacity to deal or cope with Cassy. 

Like she rightly said, Kate was the calm to her Storm.

■

A private party is a gathering of close friends, family and couples to the host. It is not as complicated as a ball and was not too much of a fuss.

"His Grace" is the accolade/ title for a Duke. 

Like how you would call a King or Queen "His Majesty or Her Highness "

To a Duke or duchess it is "Your Grace(when speaking directly to)or His Grace (when referring indirectly to) / Her Grace  with the capital 'Y' and 'G'

Hope I explained it all, members of the peer, now I beg to be excused…

Always,

Raldineviv.

#don't forget to leave a comment and vote / review or whichever one you drop to show you enjoyed the book… lmao, I didn't just say that….