Butterflies and Hurricanes

[[Kirsty]]

I could not write this letter to my father. I had a stack of returned letters from everyone I had written to the day after Brian had properly proposed and presented to me my ring, with my fathers unfolded and resting at the very top.

The other side of the desk were all the written invitations to the engagement party, enveloped, addressed and ready to be sent to their respective recipients. But my parents...I had always found it hard to write to my father.

He was so very formal, so very strict and he scared me so much sometimes. I was glad, almost, to be rid of that house when I was made to live with Brian at 165 Eaton Place; it probably was very damning to our reputations for two young single women to be living with five bachelors and going places with no chaperone!

Well, when we had left London, Brian had insisted that my family return to the house and made sure the pretence that the inheritance had been unlocked could not be found out. So now my father had his title back, my mother was now the lady of the house and they were very rich again.

According to my grandmother, I genuinely was the key to the fortune and that it never had been lost completely. My grandfather didn't want to leave the money to his son knowing it would consume him and so he had locked it away until I was 18 and able to access it.

Well she could have told me all this on my 18th birthday!

But then if she had, would I have been living in Whitechapel when the Ripper was around? No, I would have been in a beautiful home with my money, and I would not have met Brian and I did not like that thought at all.

So my money was left with my parents, as well as what Brian gave them to keep up the pretence. Which meant that the expenses for the wedding itself would be quite okay and Brian had assured me countless times that if I wanted lavish, that he would pay as much money as possible until it was perfect.

"...and do not worry about your trousseau my dearest daughter for it is already being taken care of as I write this to you. Nothing but the finest silks, satins, velvets and pearls as instructed by Mr Haner before you both left for California. I must say, if this is so he must love you more than I acknowledged when he asked for your hand..."

I kept reading that over and over and over. I could almost memorize those words, translate them into French without reading the letter. It made me feel bad, wondering exactly what Sarah's trousseau would be like.

Apparently she had a ring now, Brian must have dropped a hint to Zack. Oh, and an endearment for her: mi bambino, Italian for 'my baby'. I thought this was much sweeter than just 'baby'. I know Sarah - and myself for a period of time - was a slum girl but that did not mean he had to call her something so common because my best friend is not common at all.

Because he said it in another language now made it sound far more thoughtful.

Not that I had seen either of them since he had officially proposed to Sarah herself. Hmm, I wonder how much she has planned exactly? She must at least have thought about a guest list even if she has not written her letters to announce her engagement.

I had thought about a list, I had an idea of my dress. I mean, it wasn't exactly planned, the only planned thing was that lilies and roses would be the flowers for the day. Oh! Oh how could I forget a date?! How can I sit here waffling about flowers when there is no date!

Shooting up from my seat, I placed the quill on the desk then gathered my skirts and hurried from the room. The house seemed more silent that it had been when I had finished breakfast and left to go up to Brian's fathers office and write my letter.

Hmm, I wonder where Brian himself might be?

Not finding him in any other part of the house, and nobody else for that matter, I wandered out to the magnificent greenhouses where I knew Suzy may possibly be if she was at home still. Ah! I am in luck. She was sitting at her table having tea with someone, a friend or two it seemed.

"Ahh, Lady de Farrars!" She called having spotted me. "Please, I would like to introduce you to some people!"

I reached the little table, dropped the edge of my skirts and smiled politely at the two women, the maids instantly curtseying at my presence. That was very annoying, I had to admit; I'd asked them to stop it but obviously they had not taken heed of my request.

"Eleanor, Catherine, I would like you to meet Lady de Farrars, Brian's fiancée, she is living with us whilst her parents travel from London," she introduced before looking at me with her usual smile. "Kirsty, this is Eleanor and Catherine, my closest friends. They were my bridesmaids when I married Brian's father."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," the red head I think was Eleanor, spoke first, her green eyes glancing up and down as if inspecting me, to make absolutely sure I was suitable for Brian. Then she smiled approvingly. "My you truly live up to expectations, exceed them in fact."

"I do not understand," I laughed lightly, taking the seat beside my mother-in-law.

"My Godson has been singing your praises," she replied, her eyes crinkling at the corners, before glancing Suzy's way. "And your mother-in-law."

Suzy giggled wicked as did the other two women, grinning at each other. I think I might like the company of these women. "Oh hush!" Suzy grinned. "It is not my fault if her praises are there to be sung!"

"Can Brian Junior not sing them loud enough himself?" Catherine added.

Hmm, maybe I couldn't spend my time in their company. It was almost as if suddenly I did not exist. No, I resolved to keep my friends list down to Sarah and the men; they were friends enough for me and always kept me in good company.

"Anyway," I spoke up, "would you be able to tell me where my beau is?"

Suzy stopped laughing immediately, apologised momentarily before leading me away from them. I couldn't help but wonder if I had done something wrong by asking where he was, because she had gone very serious all of a sudden.

When we stopped, near to the house she turned and considered me. "Brian has had to go out," she explained.

"Oh." She could sense the dejection, I know. "Why did he not say goodbye?"

"He said that you were quite happy and he hadn't expected to be long besides, so he didn’t want to disturb you," she told me, smiling softly. "They've caught a scent and they wanted to go investigate it."

"Scent?" I raised an eyebrow.

"They're not sure what it is, it's neither werewolf nor vampire," Suzy then said. "Zachary caught it last night, apparently, and they decided to go and investigate today. Don't worry, he said it wouldn't be anything bad!"

"He told me he had business," I frowned.

"Well, is this not business?" Suzy watched me. "Do not worry your pretty little self about it, he shall be home soon enough."

I nodded, before turning away to go back to the office. Lips pursed, I furrowed my brow and folded my arms across my chest. Hmm, Brian was getting very good at making things 'business' and lying to me about it lately.