Chapter 5

"Sister, do you think the roses or the lilies would be more fitting for the bouquets?" She asked, her voice slightly trembling with her emotions.

With a gentle smile, Sarah gave her a knowing look and replied, "I already stated I think the lilies would complement your gown beautifully, Jane. Their elegance and simplicity will enhance your natural beauty."

She nodded as she added, "After all, you declared them, not so long ago, to be your favorite flowers."

Jane responded with a heavy sigh. "This is true, but times have changed, have they not, sister? I am to be marrying a duke. Father has not stopped boasting."

She bit her lip as she continued, "This is not something for us to take so lightly, sister."

Sarah only lifted her head and gave her a reassuring smile in response. Jane raised a brow at her sister. She could tell something was on her mind.

However, she'd learned it was sometimes best to let Sarah properly articulate the words she thought before speaking them. So she decided to wait.

She nodded thoughtfully, her fingers tracing the delicate embroidery on the veil she picked up next.

They continued to deliberate on the details of the wedding, their conversation ebbing and flowing with a mixture of excitement and an underlying apprehension.

In the grand sitting room of their ancestral estate, the hustle and bustle only increased the anticipation in the air. Then at last, Jane spoke, her poignant words piercing the atmosphere.

"I must confess, I feel very unprepared for this marriage, sister. I might just be beginning to rethink the whole thing," Her voice was filled with vulnerability and uneasiness.

Surprisingly, Sarah remained unusually silent in response, her quiet a stark contrast to the expected reassurance and care she would give out during their conversations.

Jane's brow raised high. Sensing the gravity of the moment, she turned to Sarah, her eyes searching for solace in her sister's gaze. The latter had an expression fixed, one she knew all too well.

She could see the wheels turning in her sister's head. She sat up straighter as she spoke.

"Just say it, sister. I know you have something on your mind."

Sarah's eyes shifted to hers. For a second, she opened her mouth, but the words seemed to backtrack before they came out. Her eyes shifted from Jane without a word.

Jane waited. As the seconds stretched into eternity, the room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for Sarah's words. Anxious now, Jane sat even straighter, eyeing her sister closely before she broke the silence again.

"I know you well, Sarah. Whatever it might be, I implore you, do please speak your mind," She urged, her voice slowly growing with urgency and desperation.

Sarah, finally seeming to gather her courage, met her sister's gaze and spoke with a quiet resolve, "Sister, I feel there are… aspects of this union you must consider before sealing your fate. I fear the path ahead may not be as rosy as it seems."

The weight of her words settled over them like a heavy shroud, spiking a slight confusion along with an unsettling in Jane's system.

"What exactly is it?"

Sarah bit her lip, her eyes reflecting a mix of concern and resolve. At last, she broke the short silence, her voice measured and cautious as she went on.

"Jane, I must speak my mind. I am deeply troubled about your impending marriage. I do not feel you should further this. It might be best to end things as it's quite early still."

"What?" Taken aback by this sudden suggestion, she raised a questioning brow, "And why would you not rejoice in this match? Marrying a duke is a great honor for our family."

Sarah shook her head gently, her words deliberate and laden with worry, "It is not the title that concerns me, sister. Not when there are heavier aspects to consider."

She paused and shook her head again. "The rumors surrounding this Colin Grove are dark and foreboding."

Jane's eyes widened in surprise, her heart quickening even more with curiosity and apprehension. "What rumors do you speak of, sister? You must tell me all you know."

With a deep breath, Sarah leaned in, her gaze locking with hers, "Whispers of his character, Jane. They speak of deceit and cruelty, of a man who may bring you more sorrow than joy."

Jane's eyes widened in disbelief as she urged her to elaborate, "I am most confused. You shall have to further explain these rumors about him. I have never heard such things. From whence did you hear all this?"

Sarah, her expression grave, bit her lip once more, a silent plea for understanding in her eyes. "I mean no harm. You know I'm not one to judge lightly. But have you truly not heard the whispers that trail behind him?"

Jane shook her head, her curiosity piqued, awaiting further revelation. With a heavy sigh, Sarah hesitated briefly before taking a deep breath and beginning to unravel all she'd heard.

"Colin is not the man you believe him to be, sister. The tales speak of cruelty and violence that shadow his every step. He's been known to lash out on one too many occasions."

Jane's breath caught in her throat, her sister's words painting a chilling portrait of the man she was betrothed to.

"They say he carries the weight of a monster from his days of war, a darkness that haunts him still." As she delved deeper into the grim details, Sarah's voice, though steady, revealed her fears.

"You have heard of how some men fall into madness after the war. I fear your husband is likely to do the same. I cannot bear to let you get tied to such a man for life."

Jane listened in stunned silence, her world tilting on its axis as this new reality of her impending union unraveled before her.

Despite the ominous tales that surrounded him, Jane found herself reflecting on her own experiences with him; she'd seen him as the intimating and commanding man that he was. In a moment of introspection, she realized that the rumors weren't far from the truth, however, she had always felt a sense of security in the man's presence, a feeling that had eluded her with quite a lot of men.

In a hushed tone, she finally broke the heavy silence, her voice tinged with uncertainty, "And you are absolutely certain about what you've shared with me?"

Sarah's gaze held firm, her conviction unwavering as she affirmed, "Yes, I am certain. These rumors have spread far and wide. I am quite surprised you do not know of them as a matter of fact."

Jane responded with a thoughtful hum, her mind grappling with the stark contrast between the perceptions of others and her own experiences.

As she mulled over her sister's words, she couldn't help but mull over how perceptions could be deceiving. Sarah's previous misjudgment of the Marquess echoed in her thoughts, leading her to question the validity of this societal gossip.

With a furrowed brow, she contemplated the complexity of human nature, realizing that the truth often lay beyond the veil of hearsay and speculation.

In that moment of quiet resolve, her eyes met Sarah's, a glimmer of determination shining through her gaze. With a gentle smile, she reassured her.

"Do not fret, dear sister. Though my time with Colin has been brief, my heart finds solace in his presence. I trust him, and my path is clear." She laughed, "After all, I would choose him over Graham without hesitation. This is settled."

Sarah seemed surprised, and for a moment, she seemed about to protest. Finally, her expression softened, her skepticism giving way to slow understanding as she nodded in acceptance.

"I may harbor doubts, but your conviction speaks volumes. I shall stand by you, sister, supporting your choice with unwavering loyalty. No matter what the ton might say."

Jane's heart melted at these words, and the sisters exchanged warm smiles of appreciation and encouragement.

"I expect that you two would be done with the arrangements by now."

As their father's stern voice filled the room, a tension gripped both sisters, prompting them to sit up with a new found alertness. His gaze bore into them, brimming with impatience as he eyed them.

Without pause, Henry directed his attention to Jane, his tone filled with reproach, "Remember, the Duke's trust in you to oversee such a grand event is a significant honor."

He scoffed before adding, "Quite an important event like this isn't one I'd ever have expected you to handle, yet here we are. Now, you must do your best."

Jane felt a surge of irritation at his words, but Sarah's reassuring touch served as a grounding force, offering silent support, keeping her from snapping in the face of his pointed remarks.

She drew a steadying breath, choosing to deflect his criticisms with grace. "I understand, Father."

As he continued to speak relentlessly, Jane felt the weight of his expectations pressing down upon her.

"You must prove yourself at all costs," He declared, his voice a stern reminder of the burden she carried. "Do not bring disgrace upon our family with any misstep in this crucial task."

The heavy silence that followed his admonition hung thick in the room, suffocating any semblance of ease. His gaze then shifted to Sarah, his eyes piercing as he delivered his next decree.

"And now you are the only one left unmarried and still a disappointment, eldest daughter," He pronounced, the weight of his words heavy with his ever standing belief in tradition. "I wonder if there is any I could convince to take you despite your shortcomings."

Jane's jaw clenched, a mixture of defiance and resignation warring within her as she absorbed his distasteful words.

However, Sarah, ever the embodiment of grace under pressure, met his gaze with a calm resolve that belied the storm brewing beneath the surface.

"I will do whatever I can to make you proud, Father."

Henry's icy demeanor cast a shadow over his daughters as he continued to berate her. "I don't know why it has taken you this long to do so anyway."

Sarah's eyes fell to the floor, a silent submission to his harsh criticism, while Jane's simmering anger threatened to boil over.

Thankfully, just as tension reached its peak, Henry shifted gears. With an air of smugness, he declared, "I can at least take pride in knowing I raised a woman who attracted a high suitor."

Unimpressed by his self-congratulatory tone, Jane raised a skeptical brow, her silent dissent adding tension to the room.

Henry continued, "The Marquess had indeed been quite displeased at the broken engagement, but it's understandable to all that it is essential I secure a Duke as a son-in-law, regardless of the fallout."

Jane's eyes slightly rolled in exasperation at her father's materialistic values. "Now that I have settled this on every end, you must do your very best from now on to keep a good reputation, Jane."

Once again, though every fiber of her being rebelled against his narrow-minded views, she managed to find restraint due to her sister's wide-eyed stare and silent plea for compliance.

So with a simple nod that masked her inner turmoil, she acquiesced to her father's demands.

"I shall do as you say, Father."