The Earl, the Lady and the Song of Love by Fanny Finch
Chapter 30
A week later, Imogen went to London. She had written two days before, to her Father and Alicia. To her Father, she spoke of her intention to visit. To Alicia, it was an invite to have tea together in the tearoom.
After thinking long and hard, Imogen had decided that it was time to bury the hatchet. She was ready to finally make peace with Alicia.
She had been surprised to receive Alicia’s swift response, agreeing to a meeting. As Nigel had gone ahead of her days before on business, she had to ride alone.
Upon arrival, she went first to the tearoom. A quick glance around as she entered told her Alicia was yet to arrive. So, she found herself a table and settled in.
It could be no more than five minutes after that the door opened and her estranged friend stepped in, looking as beautiful and graceful as ever. She easily found Imogen and began to walk to her.
“My Lady,” she greeted, bowing her head slightly as she reached the table.
Imogen offered her a small smile. “There is no need for such formalities between us, Alicia. I intend to continue to address you by your name. I would be happy if you did the same.”
Alicia tilted her chin. “Well then, if you insist.” She took her seat, facing Imogen. “I was surprised to receive your letter,” she began.
Imogen nodded. “I imagined you would be. I too was surprised to receive such a swift response.”
“I suppose you may say I was keen to meet with you. I have been wanting to do so for some time.”
There was something different about her friend, Imogen realized. She had not seen it at the theatre or the last time they had come to the teahouse. However, it was clear now.
Alicia had changed. Maybe not so much, but enough to not go unnoticed. There was no pride in the square of her shoulders, no condescending smirk in the tilt of her lips. Her eyes were perhaps the most expressive Imogen had ever seen them, genuinely so.
It would appear that her old friend had truly lost some of her arrogance. Imogen could not help wondering what might have happened to prompt such a transformation.
“Oh?” she asked. “It would appear we had the same mind. A good thing, I believe.”
“I would say that depends on what you have to say to me.”
A small smile spread across Imogen’s face. “Only what I have to say? Should I take it then, that I have no cause to worry of what you wish to tell me?”
Alicia shook her head. “I would think not.”
Imogen’s smile deepened. “Neither do you, have cause to worry, I mean. I come here in peace, Alicia.”
Alicia’s eyes widened. It was evident that she had not been expecting to hear those words from Imogen. As though she suddenly realized she was betraying her emotions, she blinked, quickly recovering.
Silence remained as they were served their tea. When they were alone once more, Imogen continued, “Shall I speak first, or will you?”
“Seeing as you are the one who arranged this meeting, I believe it is only right for you to have the honor.”
Imogen realized that if Alicia had always been this way, perhaps, they would have had a better friendship. No, it was not a farce. Her friend had never known how to pretend a day in her life. Imogen had simply never thought to be cautious of her impetuous ways.
“Thank you,” she replied sweetly. She took a sip from her cup. “This makes me miss Daria’s tea. No matter how finely brewed a tea is, it does not taste quite like hers.”
Alicia finally smiled. “I thought you did not mean it when you told me that was the last time I would ever have it. I had never seen you so angry. I knew I had done a terrible thing, but I was too proud to admit it. In truth, I believed you would soon get over your anger and forgive me. That we would go back to being friends once more. It did not take too long to realize I had been wrong and I had lost you for good.”
Imogen had not known what to expect when she had called for this meeting, but she had certainly never thought she would see Alicia so sober.
“I was really hurt,” she said. “I never imagined you would ever betray me, more so over a man. Was it really worth it?”
Alicia shook her head. “I love Jerome. I know I should not be saying that, but I do. Still, I wish I did not have to lose our friendship to have him. In truth, I never really cared for him, not in the beginning. I was simply jealous. He is handsome, charming.” Her cheeks flushed and Imogen knew that her friend was indeed smitten.
“You had the attention of an Earl and many other gentlemen of the ton. How could you have possibly been jealous of the fact that a Baron had paid me mind?”
“I suppose I did not think it would happen so soon, you always being the wallflower—and I do not mean that in a terrible way. It is just that I was accustomed to being the only one who people fawned over while you stayed behind and cheered me on. I know now that had been a problem. I believed I would have a successful first season, getting married at its end while you would have to wait for another.”
“And when you saw that it was not likely to be so, you decided to take matters into your own hands?”
“Forgive me,” Alicia said, desperately.
Imogen froze, shocked to hear those words. Alicia, begging me for forgiveness?
“Nothing I say could ever defend the awful wrong I did you. I was a terrible, terrible friend to you, Imogen. I always had been, and you never deserved any of it. For how wonderfully you treated me, you deserved a friend who saw you as an equal, no less. Who loved you as much as you loved her, who was happy and willing to cheer you on just as you often cheered her on. I could not be that friend, and I realize now the error in my ways. I know that the rift between us might never be mended. I feel too ashamed to ask for anything more than your forgiveness. Just knowing that you no longer hold me in contempt would help me sleep easier.”
Imogen sighed. She had been right to take this step.
“I have forgiven you, Alicia. It was not easy. It was very difficult. I hurt for days. I cried on many nights too. I was so heartbroken. More by you than Exeter. Eventually, I came to find that I never truly loved him. I was simply infatuated. Yet, it hurt to think that he had been so deceitful, insulting my feelings and you had been a part of it. Still, what good is it to me? Carrying the burden of all that pain and anger in my heart? None at all, I tell you. It is why I decided to let it all go so I might breathe easier.”
She shifted in her seat. “Alicia, I would like very much to be able to stop and say hello when I run into you, with a genuine smile on my face and warmth in my chest, rather than tightness. I would also love it if we could get together like this from time to time and have tea. Perhaps, your children could even call me Aunt Imogen?”
Alicia’s eyes welled with tears. “You do not mean it.”
“Oh, but I do. Very much so. It is high time we put the past behind us, would you not agree?”
Alicia’s response was to rise to her feet and come to Imogen for a long, tight, warm embrace. “Yes,” she sobbed. “I want all of that too. With all my heart. My goodness. Thank you, Imogen. You are so kind!”
Alicia continued to sob as they hugged, and Imogen fought against tears of her own. She could feel it, her chest becoming lighter as a heavy weight got lifted off. She tightened her arms around her friend.
“Do not cry. We are making a scene,” she jested.
Alicia broke into a chuckle. She took her time sobering up and when they pulled apart, the only proof that she had cried were her now puffy eyes.
“If I had known you would cry so hard, I would have brought all of my kerchiefs,” Imogen teased again. This time, they both laughed. It was a happy sound, and she knew she would forever cherish that moment.
“You have become a different person, Alicia. What happened?” she still was curious.
Alicia smiled. “I suppose finally learning the way of life. I looked down on you, yet see where you are. Happy married to an Earl, doing just fine without me. Of what use is always having my nose up in the air? For all the graces I happen to possess, I could learn a thing about my humility and so I did. You were my teacher, Imogen. You taught me that we only need to lead good lives. What is ours will eventually come to us.”
“And if things had happened for me as you had thought they would? If I had to wait another season, having failed this one, would you still think the same?”
Alicia seemed to give it a long thought. She finally decided.
“I suppose I would have. I regretted what I did before I even knew of the Earl. I would have eventually had to swallow my pride and come to you and, in that, learning that much needed lesson in humility still.”
Imogen was beyond pleased with her response. “Are you sure you are my friend? Alicia Fitzwilliam? I never thought the day would come when I would hear you speak such wisdom.”
“I assure you, Imogen. It is I, indeed,” Alicia responded with a false French accent.
They both broke into laughter once again, and Imogen knew then that all had finally become right between them.
“So, tell me, what is it like being married?”
Imogen was still smiling. “I am still trying to find the words for it. It has only been a fortnight after all.”
“You love him, do you not, the Earl?”
Imogen nodded. As much as it hurt to admit, she could not deny it. “I do. With all of my heart. However, the feeling is not reciprocated, I am afraid.”
“What? That is nonsense! He is clearly smitten by you. I could see it that evening at the theatre. And that afternoon here in this very tearoom, he could not seem to keep his eyes off you.”
Imogen sighed. Everyone kept saying the same thing, but it was not so. She knew better than to believe those words now.
“You are mistaken, Alicia. Nigel does not love me. He would not even . . .” she looked outside the teahouse, where a commotion seemed to be drawing everyone’s attention. “Do you hear that?”
Alicia too turned to look, frowning as she did. “I believe I do. What could it be about?”
Imogen had half the mind to only pay heed to that which concerned her. However, she found herself being drawn to whatever was happening, wanting to see for herself.
She did not know when she rose to her feet.
“How about we go take a closer look?”
Alicia wasted no time rising as well. “I say we should.”
Side by side, they walked to the door, joining the others who had the same thoughts as them.
It took some time, finally making it through the door. Alas, as they did, the sight they met had them both calling out at the same time in astonishment.
“Nigel?”
“Jerome?”