A Season of Masks and Masquerades

Chapter 59: Earlier That Morning

When Esther had sneaked out of the backdoor of the Sherborne House to meet the Valentines earlier that morning before it all came down to nothing,  she did not have a great feeling about the conversation she was to have with the pair of siblings. 

For one thing, she had no idea what she wanted to say at all but considering all that had passed in the past few days, she felt it mandatory to pay a visit. Not only had she grandly cancelled Rebecca Valentine's wedding with Leonardo Radcliffe when she suddenly made him marry Florence but she also announced her own wedding with Edward, Rebecca's one true love. 

The least she could do was be present and let the siblings express their displeasure. She probably almost deserved it, she had thought.

"Come to laugh at me, have you?" Rebecca's piercing voice had made Esther turn around on her heels. She was waiting to meet her in the Valentine Drawing room, a huge space of elegant decor and rich furnishing with a more than necessary use of various shades of violet and purple. 

Rebecca was still in her nightgown when she walked out but it seemed she hadn't been sleeping. The chalice in her hand said so, not that it did any harm to her perfection. "Lady Valentine." Esther greeted her in a voice weaker than she had intended to present and swept a curtsy. 

"You cannot be still carrying along those unnecessary honorifics Esther, we have been through enough to act strangers anymore." Esther could hear every last ounce of anger and annoyance she had speculated to witness in Rebecca's words.

She stayed quiet as Rebecca walked around her and settled on a loveseat. "Have a seat now," she said gesturing to the nearest sofa and Esther obeyed while still holding her silence. Her head was occupied by vigorous thoughts about finding the best way to have this conversation when she heard Rebecca scoff.

"You amaze me, Miss Sherborne," Rebecca said cynically, pushing herself off the loveseat and began walking small steps. Despite Esther's will, she had to admit her every movement, even the sound of her breathing, was intimidating for her and it wouldn't have been so if she didn't feel all that guilt towards her. And even toward Reuben, even though he treated Juliette badly and she would never forgive him for that, she knew he had a soft spot for her and the fact that she never acknowledged it, it had to hurt.

"Throughout the season you were so silent Miss Sherborne, so tolerable, so innocent, so inactive like you did not want anything at all. The very picture of selflessness." She paused to drown the content of her chalice and raised it in the air which apparently was a gesture for the bulter to refill it with more of whatever it was that she was drinking. From a distance, it smelled like whiskey. "But now," she turned around on her heel and Esther almost jumped out of her seat to catch her when she nearly tripped. An intoxicated giggle followed her actions and she resumed once her glass was back to being full, "look at you! Your friend will be the new Lady Radcliffe today and tomorrow-" she paused and pursed her lips, a glimpse of pain flashed her face before she smiled it off once again. "Tomorrow, Miss Sherborne you will be Edward's wife. Lady Esther Edward Da- Oh!"  

Three butlers and two maids ran to steer Rebecca out of the mess she had created by spilling all the newly refilled liquid from her cup on the carpet and the poorly dragging hem of her silk gown. 

"My whiskey fell." She told Esther, who was now standing on her toes, amazed by the events. 

"Lady Va-"

"Uh huh." She raised a finger.

"Rebecca, I-"

"You must really be on cloud nine, are you not, Miss Sherborne?" Rebecca interrupted her again with another baffling statement that Esther did not know the right response to. She was on cloud nine, to be honest, she had been until Rebecca appeared.