Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Marina was left alone on the couch for quite some time, but found herself bored with her inability to do anything. She wasn’t injured at the slightest, but didn’t want to risk running around and raising suspicion.

“Penny!” Marina called as she saw a figure slip past the doorframe. “Oh, Penny, I’ve sprained my ankle and I’m in desperate need for some assistance to my room.”

“My goodness, my lady, what have you done?” she asked looking at the opposite ankle than Marina had claimed to sprain. It made Marina slightly insecure as to whether her ankles appeared strange to the naked eye, despite lack of injury.

“We were promenading outside and I lost sight of my steps. I fell and my ankle appears to be sprained,” Marina spoke, touching her ankle and wincing in pretend pain.

“Oh, my lady. It looks extremely sore,” Penny commented to Marina’s displeasure. She was unsure if Penny actually saw anything wrong with her ankles or if Penny had spent her entire life dishonestly agreeing with Marina. Either way it upset Marina.

Marina slung her arm over Penny’s shoulders, holding on to her with a firm grip, but careful not to hurt Penny. Marina hopped her way down the corridor, feeling silly with each step.

A chuckle slipped from Penny’s lips, causing Marina to turn her head to face her.

“Forgive me, my lady. You just seem a bit like a bunny rabbit,” Penny said, making an effort to suppress her laughter. Marina had no choice but to join her in the humor, laughing at the comment as well. She indeed, felt like a misshapen bunny rabbit as she made her way to her room.

As Penny helped her down onto her bed, she gestured silently for Penny to close the door. Penny appeared confused, but complied with her request.

“Penny, I desperately need someone to talk to,” Marina said, ruining the happy tone she had just shared with Penny.

A look of concern crossed Penny’s face as she took a seat on the corner of Marina’s bed. Penny’s hand stretched out instinctively as she straightened the wrinkles on the bedsheets. “Anytime, my lady. I’ll always be a listening ear.”

“I know that I probably should have approached my mother with this news first, but she’s so awfully distant since Papa passed away, and I highly doubt that I’ll gain a sturdy relationship with her again,” Marina began, causing Penny to cock her head to the side.

“I understand, my lady. I also had troubles connecting with my mother as a young woman, but I can assure you that Lady Louisa is merely in a deep mourning state. It takes years for some to accept the death of a partner. I can assure you that your mother loves you dearly, she just longs for your papa,” Penny responded. Marina quickly gathered that Penny thought this to be the topic that Marina wanted to discuss with her.

“Why, of course,” Marina quickly replied. “But that isn’t quite the matter I mean to discuss with you. I believe it’s a much more serious situation that you have to promise to keep silent until further notice.”

Penny’s eyes widened in curiosity, shifting in her seat as she leaned closer to Marina. “I promise my silence on whatever secret you share, my lady.”

“It’s about the Duke of Darrington,” Marina whispered.

“The Duke of Darrington?!” Penny repeated in a tone that caused Marina to quickly hush her. Penny placed a hand in front of her mouth to silence herself.

“We’ve grown quite fond of one another. He’s asked me to court him,” Marina started. Penny’s eyes grew wider and Marina had to make large efforts in order to get her back to a calm seat. “Penny, I’m well aware of the scandalous connotation, so please don’t preach to me on the matter. I merely need advice on how to announce it to the family.”

“You can’t ask me such a thing,” Penny said. “It’s just not right to do such a thing! Well, I-I never liked Miss Nancy much b-but, still!”

“I know Penny, I know. You don’t have to remind me,” Marina sighed, regretting her decision to tell Penny. “But to be honest, I don’t see what choice I have on the matter.”

Penny took a moment to sit in silence, staring out at Marina’s room with glassy eyes. She took a while before facing Marina again.

“Madam, your uncle will skin you alive,” Penny whispered to Marina. The brutality of her comment shocked Marina a bit, instilling another wave of fear in her.

“You need to tell them quickly, to prevent Nancy forming further attachment to the duke,” Penny whispered with a sternness Marina wasn’t used to. If she could upset the kindest person in Cromwell House with this news, what would happen if she told the cold Charlotte and Uncle Josiah?

“Don’t be angry with me, Penny,” Marina whined, hoping to find some words of support from her maid and oldest friend, but Penny didn’t comply.

“My lady, my lips are sealed on this matter, but I cannot falsely say I support you in the matter. It’s going to hurt a lot of people, including your,” Penny said as she rose to her feet. She started toward the door, but turned around abruptly to fit in a last word. “I promise to keep silent until you’ve told the family yourself.”

Marina watched as Penny left the room, leaving her alone to face her own thoughts. A part of her wanted to yell that she wasn’t a bad person attempting to steal her cousin’s courtship, but she knew to keep her promised silence regarding the duke’s intentions and the investigation. She had to bite the bullet to enable the unraveling of a much more serious case – Uncle Josiah.

Marina lay on her bed, contemplating all options on how to take her next step. The process of informing her family would be difficult, to put it lightly. But it was a step that was necessary to take.

A knock sounded at her door. She told the visitor to enter and was met with Nancy, flushed from the walk they endured.

“Penny told me you were in your bedroom, so I thought it best to hear about your ankle,” Nancy said, taking a seat in the chair near the bed. “Oh, how wonderful it was of Griffin to have assisted you in the matter! He’s so intelligent, I’m not even surprised that he knows so much about anatomy.”

Marina looked Nancy deep in her eyes for quite a while, causing Nancy to shift around uncomfortably.

“Nancy, I’m so, so, truly sorry,” was all Marina could say to her cousin.

Nancy lifted a brow at the statement. “Well, frankly you only ruined your own walk, not ours. You certainly don’t have to apologize to me,” Nancy laughed, unsettled by Marina’s apology. She grabbed a booklet from Marina’s desk to use as a fan.

“I must apologize to you, it’s the least I can do,” Marina said, an aching feeling rising in her chest. She wanted to run over and hug her cousin, but decided against it.

“Pray, do tell what you’re going on about, Marina,” Nancy asked as she stood, placing the booklet back on her desk. Concern had now finally entered Nancy’s expression.

“I’ve grown quite close with the duke, Nancy,” Marina started, surprised at the even expression Nancy held. “We are so similar in so many aspects and he has made his intentions quite clear to me this afternoon. He intends to court me, Nancy,” Marina lied.

The even expression Nancy had before, abruptly changed to one of fury, the type Marina hadn’t seen before. A sarcastic laughter escaped her lips. “I should’ve known you’ve been planning to ruin my life from the moment we moved in!” Nancy shouted, eliminating any attempts Marina had made to avoid further attention.

In the span of approximately five seconds Nancy was covered in tears, her hands clenched into fists as if she planned on taking a strike at Marina. Marina wouldn’t even be angry if she had.

“Of course! I should have known since the day I moved into your prior bedroom you’d have something planned against me. After all, I got all the suitors at the ball while you were too useless to attract one yourself! So, you venture off to steal the match I made for myself because you’re too lazy to do so!” Nancy shouted, extravagant hand gestures following her every word.

Marina took in a deep breath, knowing she had to stay calm. “Nancy, truly, I had no sour intentions toward you. It is just the way things worked out and I wouldn’t be happy either if I were you. I have no other choice.”

“No other choice?!” Nancy retorted. “You could easily have left me and the duke to our own fate! But you stole it, and now I’m left with nothing! You’ve been jealous of me since my father became the Earl, so you took it upon yourself to ruin my life? How pathetic one must be!”

“Nancy,” Marina called out, her voice carrying more strength than intended. “If it weren’t for your father, I wouldn’t have been faced with an ultimatum, remember? About marrying me off to a strange man? I easily could have refused the duke’s offer if it weren’t for the new Earl of Lyford and his nonsense!”

Nancy grew quiet at this, staring with hurt eyes into Marina’s. Marina clasped her hands over her mouth, wishing she hadn’t spoken to Nancy in such a manner, but it was far too late.

“Enjoy the duke, Marina,” Nancy uttered as she rushed out the bedroom door. Marina wanted to run after her and fall to her knees, begging for forgiveness, but she reminded herself of the supposed injury that wouldn’t allow her to do that.

She had told Nancy, which was supposed to be a relief, but instead she found herself racked with such severe guilt that she found herself unable to move.

Marina barely slept a wink throughout the night, her thoughts and guilt eating at her like a vulture to a corpse. She couldn’t shake the thought of how furious and upset Nancy was last night- and she couldn’t blame her. In a way she wanted Nancy to spurt more nasty words at her in hopes that it might have a cathartic effect.

“My lady,” Marina heard above her bed, still half asleep. She turned over to meet Penny, the same disappointed expression still across her face. “My lady, the duke has sent a letter calling upon the house in order to share some type of news.”

Marina sat up in her bed, wiping a hand over her face in efforts to be awake. “Thank you, Penny. I’ll be sure to be ready by then,” she replied, trying to ignore Penny’s glare. She was far too tired to enter a defensive state this early in the morning.

Penny hovered over her for another couple of seconds before exiting Marina’s bedroom, leaving Marina in the solitude of her own thoughts once again. She wanted to wallow in self-pity for being caught in this situation, but decided to pull herself together before making an exit toward the drawing room. She was doing this for the greater good, she was just unable to explain this to her family members.

“Good morning, Marina. Habit of sleeping late?” Charlotte commented as Marina walked in. Nancy turned her head from Marina, unwilling to look her in the eye.

“I must admit, I overslept quite a bit,” Marina responded, being careful with her words as she was unsure whether the news had spread. Nancy appeared distraught in her seat, but their mothers were rather their usual selves.

Had Nancy kept the news to herself?

“The duke should arrive any minute,” Charlotte commented as she poured herself a cup of tea. “It’s a shame the Earl of Lyford isn’t here at the moment, if maybe the duke were to come with a proposal.”

Charlotte gave Nancy a subtle wink, but Nancy didn’t join in the excitement of her mother. Nancy was well aware of the news the duke would be sharing today.

“Oh! Your Grace!” Charlotte excitedly exclaimed as Griffin was allowed into the drawing room with assistance from Penny. Penny made sure to give Marina a last glare before leaving them.

“My Lady, do forgive the short notice,” Griffin started, his tone already much more glum than usual. “I sent the letter as soon as possible, and I thank you for your hospitality.”

“You must know you are always welcome at the Cromwell house, Your Grace. No need for any apologies,” Charlotte laughed at Griffin’s statement. Uncomfortable greetings followed between Nancy and the duke, with Nancy refusing to give him a proper greeting until her mother forced her to.

“My Ladies, I have come today with news, and I’m rather unsure how to present it to you all,” Griffin announced, trying his best to keep his composure.

“Pray, tell us already,” Charlotte replied, sliding a cup of tea in Griffin’s direction.

“I have a great deal of appreciation for Nancy, and she is a dear girl,” Griffin started, causing Charlotte to grow an excited expression as she looked over at her daughter. “But my love has grown in a different direction, toward Miss Marina.”

A gasp escaped the lips of Marina’s mother, and Charlotte dropped her cup of tea to the floor, a loud shatter echoing throughout the room.