“Come and I’ll introduce you.”
Just then the dance came to an end and the lady in question came meandering towards them and stopped in front of Jeremy.
“Sophia, let me introduce Duke Nicholas Montaque.” Nicholas realized it was his next-door neighbour who had sent him the love letter so many years ago. “Sophia and I are married.”
“Yes, we’ve already meet. She was my next-door neighbour.”
As he looked, he realized here was what he had been looking for all these years. He had travelled the world when what he sought was right in front of him. Now, she was a beautiful mature woman. He had been offered the world on a silver platter, only to rebuff it.
“So where have you been? My mother complains she hasn’t seen you on the estate in a long time?”
“Travelling.”
“Where?”
“I started out in Paris until Duchess Anne Marie d’Orleans’ parents started suing me for breach of marriage to their daughter, but I never proposed marriage to her. It was my money they were after. After that, I went to Berlin and lived with the Maria von Weber family and now I’m back here.”
“Do you intend to stay?”
“We’ll see.”
As they stood and talked, Nicholas knew Sophia still carried a torch for him. My God, my God, what have I done? They talked for another thirty minutes and Nicholas made an excuse and left. This was more than he could bear. He scoured the floor for Henri to find him at a table engrossed with a young lady. He walked over, “Excuse me Henri may we have a few words?”
“Can we leave?”
“O boy, I’m getting along like a house on fire with this young lady.”
“Well, pick her up tomorrow and bring her home.”
Henri went back to the table made the necessary arrangements and apologized for his sudden departure, and they both left. When they got home, Nicholas sequestered himself in his study along with a bottle of whisky and tried to come to terms with his situation. This was the worst mistake of his life; he would never recover. The only solace was to write the lady and pour out his soul. Replete with pen and paper and a heart broken beyond repair, he sat at his desk and wrote.
The orchid of feminine adornment.
Our acquaintance last night was most timely and most devastating. Never in my life have I been brought face to face with my past iniquities with such force. I’ve travelled the world looking for something that was at my very doorstep all along.
When I think of your words of love and longing and how you bared your soul before me those many years ago only to have them rebuffed by a heartless scoundrel, forgiveness of this magnitude is not to be found in the pages of the dictionary, but only in a heart so pure of virtue. Upon such mercy, I now plead my case. A sentence to hell would be a lighter punishment.
Now in the depth of my despair, my heart cries out for forgiveness. I lay at your feet all my possessions and my heart to do as you please. To journey the remainder of my life without you at my side will be an exercise in futility. This is one sin I’ll carry to my grave and pay the ultimate price. You are the judge and the executioner of my fate. Mark well your sentence.
To the most gracious of creatures to walk God’s earth, let your humble servant acquiesce to your wishes and await your reply.
Nicholas.
