Chapter 6

Violet did not know what to do with herself. This was incredibly strange.

Much as she wanted to busy herself so she did not have to be left alone with her thoughts, there was nothing to do. Ivy was off working alongside all of William"s staff, making sure the house looked as good as possible, and she was left with nothing…

Violet had spent so much of her life picking up after everyone else and making sure that Ivy was alright, that she simply did not know what to do with herself. What did ladies do with themselves on a day-to-day basis? How did they fill their time?

Because she was wandering idly through the house, she eventually found herself in the library, running her fingers along all the books left on the book shelf.

"Violet!" Paul"s voice made her jump. She snapped her eyes open and sat up a little straighter in her chair, trying to hide the heat that was coursing through her veins.

"Paul, what are you doing here? You are hardly ever here anymore…"

He shook his head, silencing her as he strode eagerly towards her. It had been a long time since Violet had seen Paul so happy and it made her uneasy. What was this? She was nervous that something had happened with his gambling…

"Violet, I am so glad that I found you. I have such wonderful news."

"You do?" If he did, then why did her chest feel so tight?

"I do, and you are going to love this, Violet. I cannot wait to tell you." He paused, clearly waiting for some kind of reaction from Violet, but all she could do was stare at him blankly. "I think I might have found the solution to everything."

Violet gasped. "Paul, have you been gambling again? You are not supposed to be throwing money away anymore. We have a future to plan, and we need everything that we got."

Paul rolled his eyes and snorted. "Do not be silly. Not everything I do involves making a bet. I told you that I would sort this out, and that is what I have been doing. I knew that I could not come up with a solution while sitting around the house…"

That was definitely supposed to be a dig at Violet. She almost snapped to tell him that was not what she was doing at all, but she stopped herself at the last moment. Paul did not need to know about the match maker until she had things sorted out.

"So, what is the solution?" she asked instead.

"Oh, I cannot tell you right now." He was being utterly infuriating and he knew it. "But I will let you know as soon as things fall into place. Which they will. I am confident about this. Violet, we are going to outsmart His Grace. We are going to make this work."

Violet was deeply unsettled. She knew from the moment that Paul set foot in to the library that this was going to be a very strange conversation, but she did not think that it would be quite this heavy. Why would Paul not tell her what his plan was? This did not feel the same as her keeping the match maker to herself. There was a strange darkness to this which she did not like at all. What on earth could her brother have done to try and sort this out?

"Paul, maybe you should give me a bit of a clue…"

"I will talk to you later, Violet. Do not worry about a thing. It is under control."

That was what she feared the most. Her brother having control of anything and everything. But she could tell as he left the room with almost a skip in his step, that she did not have a choice in the matter. Whatever Paul was working on, he really did believe it would work.

Unfortunately, Paul had promised many things, but he had not yet followed through or made good on any of them, so Violet was not going to rely on anything he said. She was going to continue to pin her hopes on the match maker who would save her.

She just hoped that the letter came in sooner rather than later because the anticipation was killing her…

* * *

"Miss Violet." It had been a while since Violet had been blessed with a moment alone with Ivy. She smiled at her friend and invited her to sit with her. "I have been given a letter for you from the foot man who came with His Grace."

"A letter?" It was hard for Violet not to get excited over that. "Thank you very much. I think this might be from the match maker service."

But she did not open it right away. Instead, she kept her eyes on Ivy, trying to see if everything was alright. They had not gone so long without having time to chat. It made Violet realize that they had actually become friends over the years. Ivy might well be the closest person to her, she just had not really thought about it before now.

"How are you finding it? Having help in the house?"

"Yes, it is nice. It has been a while since I have had this many people to work with."

Violet nodded slowly. She was not quite sure how Ivy truly felt, she could tell the maid was holding something back. "Yes, it has. We have been alone for quite some time. But we have worked well, have we not?" Ivy nodded and smiled, but Violet could sense the hesitation there. "Yes, I know this is hard. With everything changing, it is difficult to relax."

"You are being strong, Miss Violet," Ivy replied warmly. "I have been worried about you. I did not like it when you were upset. But you look like you are holding your head up high."

Violet nodded. "I am trying my hardest."

"Well, you are doing very well, and I am incredibly proud of you."

It was hard for Violet not to get choked up again, but she did not want to worry Ivy by letting her feelings out again. She sucked in a sharp breath and held it all back.

"I will continue to do what I need to, to make you proud."

It was not long before Ivy had to get back to work, leaving Violet alone with only her letter for company. She stared at it expectantly, hoping that she would have all the answers within this envelope. This was it. This was the start of the rest of her life…

But as Violet tore open the envelope far too eagerly, ripping the page inside just a little. But it was not that which made her heart sink. The torn paper was the least of her issues. It was the words inside the letter which made her feel sick to her stomach.

My Dearest Miss Lambourne,

I trust this missive finds you in the best of health and spirits. It is with a heavy heart and considerable hesitation that I pen this letter to you. I am aware that in matters of the heart, one should approach with the utmost sensitivity, but my duty as a match maker compels me to be forthright.

Regrettably, the recent discussions amongst the ton regarding the Lambourne family"s financial affairs and your brother"s somewhat questionable decisions have reached my ears. Gossip, as you know, has a way of permeating even the most discreet circles, and the reputation of a matchmaker is, alas, a fragile thing.

In these trying times, I find myself compelled to exercise a heightened level of caution, for I fear that my association with your family might cast shadows upon my own standing in society. Please understand, dear Miss Lambourne, that it is not a matter of personal judgment, but a preservation of professional reputation that urges me to express my reluctance.

It is not a secret that society can be unforgiving, and whispers about financial struggles and imprudent familial decisions can tarnish the prospects of even the most promising matches. As much as I sympathize with your circumstances, I am forced to consider the precarious nature of my own position in the intricate web of societal expectations.

I am sincerely sorry to be the bearer of such news, and I wish nothing but the best for you in finding happiness. Perhaps, with time, circumstances may change, and my concerns will be alleviated. Until then, I remain at your service for any assistance that falls within the bounds of propriety.

May you find the strength to weather these challenges and emerge unscathed.

Yours with deepest regards,

Miss Arabella Montgomery

Montgomery Matchmaking Services

What was this? The match maker was refusing to work with her? Because of her reputation within the ton? Not only was she not going to get some help from the match making experts, but she was also going to find it really hard to get a man to marry her if she was the center of gossip.

Violet knew that this was going to be a hard challenge to overcome, but as she sank further in to her seat, she was starting to see that it might be impossible.

If she did not find a man to marry her, then she really would be on the streets at the end of the month. No matter what happened to Paul. She was in such shock that Violet could not even cry. She did not have the strength to react at all.

Her life truly was ruined.