A Season of Masks and Masquerades

Epilogue

When Eleanor had first suggested Rebecca visit London for the season, she knew things would change. She was hoping they would. As a Valentine, she loved changes because that was all that ever happened in her life. She was born as a bearer of change. 

Her father, Lord Valentine had died on the battlefield when her mother first borne her and Lady Valentine had died in labour giving birth to her, orphaning the Valentine siblings. That was the beginning of their dynamic life, since then, nothing ever stayed the same. 

They kept travelling to cities and towns for a change of scenery and they left behind almost everything they owned every time they did.  Her life was the most colourful and she was ready to paint London in a few of them until London decided to take lead and become the one changing things for her. 

The very night they reached London she witnessed her brother change. From a man who did not fix his eyes on a woman for more than thirty-odd minutes to a hopeless lover of the woman who was most shamelessly stealing the love of her life. And that was only the beginning of it. From that night, changes were out of her control and she hated it. She soon lost her brother and her love, the only two people she ever had. And she lost Lawrence, the one man she never imagined would leave her side because he was so hopelessly in love with her. She couldn't bear the sight of being dominated by these changes so she decided to take the reins back in her hand by offering the Radcliffes a marriage proposal. 

The moment of control was delightful but short-lived and she fell again, deeper this time. she was lost. And there was no one to hold her hand and guide her back to her path which was the most dreadful because though she had been alone before, she had never been lonely. That was the first time she missed her mother and cried. the woman she had never known or even talked of. She didn't even know how she really looked, she never cared to take another look at her portrait that adorned the walls of their castle in Rosevale, but suddenly the lack of her felt like the biggest hole in her chest. Like if only she was here, it would all be fine. If she would just tell her what was the right thing to do, she could walk her way out of this labyrinth. All she needed was a sign and the most desperately. 

She had not known anyone apart from her brother could answer prayers, until she walked into her drawing-room that morning and saw Esther standing there. 

Her mother had given her a chance to change something and for the better this time, she had shown her the right path. She had to do the right thing. She had to fight her will to muster the courage to finally send that letter written by Reuben to her. He would have never sent it. He loved Esther too much to break her heart like that. But a heartbreak isn't always the worst thing one can suffer, it is sometimes the best remedy and Esther was in dire need of it. Rebecca had seen that in her eyes that morning. 

Her hands had hesitated slightly when Esther's brother had tried to pull the envelope out of her hand, she was well aware that once Esther read that it was going to change everything and perhaps forever. However, she ended up doing the right thing and ran away, to never look back. 

She had left London the next morning to return to Rosevale. Her brother was not there, she had had her men check before already, but she hoped he would return one day. 

There were some talks around the country about a brawl that had happened at one of the drunkard's inns on the outskirts of England between a Duke and a very close Royal friend of his a few days after. Rebecca's first guess was Reuben. Multiple theories around the reason behind the wild fistfight flew around for a while and an old story about two men fighting over one London girl had almost resurfaced as well. 

Rebecca did not know much about what went through Esther and Edward after she delivered that letter, though she had heard rumours about a cancelled London wedding, a stood-up bride, and a fire in the dukedom of Dales. 

The story sold well and not one whisper about a fake masquerade was heard across the lands and the seas. But so wasn't the news of a broken betrothal. Which meant one thing, Esther and Edward were still engaged and even though they could stall the society's question for the next year, the fall of another season would demand of them a conclusion to their engagement.

If there was one to ever be, that is. 

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A/N
Guys, there is a sequel.
There is a 2nd season
All this can't have been for nothing.