Chapter 4

"You should have seen her. She is the most delightful "

"Just to be sure, are we thinking of the same person here?"

"Her laughter, Ben, it warms my heart"

"Cassy?" Bennett coughed, "I mean, Lady Cassandra? I have never heard you speak if her with such...elaborate terms and descriptive adjectives "

"Lady Cassandra? No! I speak of Lady—"

He stopped before he went too far. The azure eyes were already gleaming and he knew — he had already gone too far.

"Are you thinking of another woman Arch?"

"What? No! You wouldn't think me that..dishonourable " the tip of his ears heating.

"Arch!" Bennett exclaimed with a loud smack of his palms and a wide smile.

"Bennett" he replied, equally as dryly as you could. 

"I knew it! I had always suspected it!"

Archer cleared his throat, getting uncomfortable. 

"Knew what? Suspected what?"

"That you had another woman! One couldn't promise himself to Cassandra alone, and not either go crazy or try to pull the lady's tongue out. 

I wondered how you did it. But I just found out. 

Arch!" He called again. 

"Lady Cassandra is not as terrible as you make her be— alright, she does have a nasty tongue,but not that bad.

Besides, her cousin, Katherine is the sweetest —"

"Her cousin?!" His friend hollered.

"You idiot! Keep your bloody voice down!"

Bennett took a rich swallow of his drink.

"Of course, of course. The voice would be down, but first, you answer this question. Her COUSIN?!"

"Ben!" 

Few heads turned to locate the gentlemen speaking,  but all they saw was a smoke coloured private bar. 

"Oh shite. My big mouth. Forgive me would you? I must add, her cousin , took me in great surprise "

"You wouldn't be sitting here if you are not my best friend. Your body would probably wash offshore, as I will throw you in"

"Lucky I met you eh?" Ben punched him playfully on his arm; an action that reminded him too much of Katherine. 

"So, would you care to tell your uninformed friend how you met this 'cousin'?"

■■■■|

"So, Kate, what did you think of The Duke? Lord Archer Phillips?" Her aunt asked.

Kate took a careful sip of water in order not to choke on the piece of broccoli she was chewing. 

Cassy groaned.

"Mother! Do we always have to speak of such a dull topic?" She whined.

"Hush girl! That man is to be your husband. With your nasty attitude, he might prefer Kate over you and I am sure to give my blessings "

Cassy muttered something under her breath before smiling.

"So what did you think child?" the Earl asked kindly, "would he make her happy?"

What if I want him uncle?

She set down her glass with slow precision. 

"The Duke is a good man"

Cassy snorted "He is a bore!"

"Cassandra " her father chided. 

"He is very proper and seems intelligent."

"Of course he would be proper and intelligent. All stuck up Nobles are!"

Kate didn't think he was stuck up. She had had an enjoyable evening with him.

"But what can I say? I've met the man just once "

"And therein lies my entire point." Cassy chimed,tearing into her meat. 

"She just met him once. Father, if I marry him, I will die of boredom.  Yes, I know, I know.  You would say that it's because I have too much energy that would do me no good but father! Eve  Kate finds him boring, don't you Kate?"

"I'm afraid I disagree C"

"What?"

"I found His Grace not the bit dull, but lively. Interesting too"

Cassy gaped at her. "You found him—"

She waved it over.

"Anyway Father, she is Kate. I am Cassandra. We are two differ people! How do you think —"

Her jade eyes lit up as she glanced at her.

"How about we pair the Duke and Kate instead?" She clapped her hands with glee,"They would make a grand couple"

This time Kate truly choked, her eyes watering and her cheeks flushed. 

"Cassandra!" 

Cassy grinned.

"That," her father declared, "is a stupid idea if I have heard one."

Her cousin's eyes dimmed. "Why?"

"What name do you think it would give this family if he was to jilt you for your cousin?"

Cassy thought of it as so did Kate. 

Bad. It would give them a bad stigma. Nothing would wash the gossip away— except someone else did something equally huge. 

■■■■|

It would be especially worse because the Usurper would be her own cousin. Cassandra did not want to shackle her life to such a dull man, but she knew that His Lordship was her only chance of getting married. 

Yes, she was beautiful, she had been told that much, but  beauty in her case didn't translate to husbands.

Admirers? Oh she had many of those, but that was where it ended. They never graduated past that stage to ask for courtship. Her tongue was too hot a fire to withstand, she had been told, her tongue usually sliced the men into half. 

But somehow, Lord Archer was resistant to the snake's venom. He didn't take offense to her words — mostly because he was not really paying attention to them, so he has asked to court her, her parents accepted. 

They had courted for almost twelve months and as each month drew past, she was certain Lord Archer wasn't for her.

But unfortunately she had no choice if she didn't want to become a spinster.

She stuffed cabbage into her mouth and looked away. 

■■■■|

"Girls!" Lady Pembroke senior called. "Hurry,the coach is here. My! Kate, you look positively stunning!"

Kate blushed.  "Thank you aunt"

"Now where is that sister of yours? Cassandra! Get down here this instant!" She hollered.

"Cassy Mother! Cassandra makes me sound as boring as Archer!"

Kate turned to hide her smile.

The countess looked unfazed, used to Cassy's very...delicate remarks.

"How could the seamstress make a gown with such low cut?" 

"Because she could?" Kate offered, as they gaped at the approaching figure in a mass of green lace. 

"Ladies" Cassy cooed, waving her gloved hands. "I know you could stand here all night staring at my exceptional beauty,I could too, but we need to get going"

"A proper lady shouldn't be so proud, Cassandra"

"A proper lady shouldn't wear such provoking gown, but I am"

"I will go find the midwife that helped deliver you. I can swear you are not my child"

Cassy winked at Kate. Kate laughed. 

■■■■|

"Now listen girls" her aunt started, as the twinkling walls of Staffordshire became closer.

"Lady Heathrow would be putting an especially close eye on you both tonight,no doubt, do not do anything to disgrace me"

"What did you do this time to Lady Heathrow aunt? I think she's nice"

"She made a rude comment about Cassy"

"And what was it this time?" Cassy asked, amused.

"She said at the rate your tongue is sharpening, you'll never get a husband" her Aunt mumbled, "and I told her that you already do! The Duke of Edinburgh will marry you. You wouldn't do anything to sabotage that would you?"

A prick of pain annoyed Cassy. Did they think her that destructive?

She would marry a rich Duke! Lord Archer might be a bore, but he was also going to be a husband. 

"You shouldn't defend me next time mother. She speaks the truth. "

■■■■|

Kate was being assuaged by guilt.

She had to stay away from Lord Archer. She heard the quiet anger and soft pain in Cassy's voice. 

She wanted Lord Archer for herself, but she knew that would be wrong. First, he was not for her. 

Two, she would rob Cassy and ultimately bring the family that took her in and treated her no different than they did their daughter, she would bring them shame. 

She wanted to stay away from the Edinburgh Duke, but whenever the flash of his smile passed through her mind, she could do nothing to stop the pick ot speed of her heart, or the slow heat that spread through her. 

She wondered if the Duke was going to be present. 

■■■■|

Archer had plans. 

And none of them included a crowded ballroom in a tailcoat. 

But then,

He had sent a message to the Pembrokes and was informed of their absence. He had been told they were attending a ball at Staffordshire county. 

He wanted to see Katherine. 

And he could. If he was willing to drag himself all the way to Staffordshire. 

So he did. Although he dragged Ben with him, just in case he needed a companion for Cassy.

"I still do not forgive you for dragging me here. Just to remind you"

"You would when I tell you that you are about to meet the other woman "

"Why— What? I get to meet her already?" Ben brightened,  "sweet! Man, why didn't you say that earlier? I wouldn't have dumped the kettle of herbs on you"

"Well, it wouldn't be much of fun if I didn't let you fume."

"Archer you are— holy Bananas, who is that?"

"Lady Cassandra pembroke. My intended "

"Your intended looks like that and you are chasing another skir— dear God, are we dead yet Arch? Who is THAT?!" 

Throat tight, Archer managed a reply.

"That is her. Lady Katherine Middleton"

■■■■|

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