Eternal Hearts [EBOOK]

Chapter 1<br>

Chapter 1 <br>
"Profitless usurer, why dost thou use
So great a sum of sums, yet canst not live?
For having traffic with thyself alone,
Thou of thyself thy sweet self dost deceive.
Then how, when nature calls thee to be gone,
What acceptable audit canst thou leave?
Thy unused beauty must be tomb'd with thee,
Which, used, lives th' executor to be."<br>
"It is beautiful," Fiona said softly, still drinking in the words even as she spoke.<br>
Kendrick stared out the window of the carriage for a moment, the words moving through his mind. Yes, it was quite beautiful.<br>
"Did you write that?" she asked. He almost wanted to laugh at the very thought of having written something so achingly wonderful. But of course, his mother did not recognise that it was absurd to even think such a thing.
"I could only wish to have written something so lovely," he said, and she gave him a small smile.<br>
"Your poems are lovely as well, Kendrick." She always did believe in him and he gave a smile in response. The last time he had read her any of his own poems, she had been extremely pleased with them as well. In fact, she had not even realised they were ones he had written rather than ones that were already published.<br>
"I thank you. However, this is a level to which I aspire but cannot achieve. Perhaps someday I shall be able to write something as spectacular as these words. It is a dream I continue to seek." <br>
It was a dream that he focused on each day when he sat down at his desk to write. Some days he felt closer to it than others, and his diary could certainly attest to that, with a multitude of poems of varying skill levels.<br>
"Soon, Kendrick. Soon you shall be able to achieve your dream." All he could do was smile, as he knew he was still quite a distance from such a goal. To be able to write anything even close to as marvellous as Shakespeare was a feat in itself. But he would continue to try for it. As yet, however, his own poems paled in comparison.<br>
"We shall be arriving soon, Mother," he said instead, glancing out the window toward the street. They were indeed approaching the front stoop of the Duchess and the Deighton Estate.<br>
"Ah, yes," she straightened in her seat, brushing out her dress and smiling even more serenely. The blue colour of it was her favourite, though their father had always said she looked best in green. Still, this dress looked elegant and the floral print was a testament to the fact that the weather was finally starting to warm in a way that called to mind summer and all the wonderful things that went along with it.<br>
Though the Duchess was quite above the station of his mother, as a countess, the two women were close as anything. They had grown up together and even at their age, they bandied about practically like schoolgirls when they were together. Kendrick could not help but smile at the thought of it. They would come together quite often, and his mother always wished for Kendrick to accompany her, though often before he had been too busy to do so.<br>
Each time they would plan to meet, his mother would ask him to come, and occasionally he would accept. The two women seemed to enjoy having his company when he did come, at least as much as he enjoyed being there. <br>
Though often they would fall to gossip and stories that held no interest for him. When that happened, he would settle into a chair beside the window to write or find his way to the library that Rose always told him was 'available whenever he liked'.<br>
"My Lady," the groom opened the door and reached inside to assist her from the carriage and Kendrick followed after.<br>
"Thank you, Gregor," his mother said gently as she waited for Kendrick to alight and take her arm. The groom nodded his head with a smile and climbed back onto the carriage to take it around the back while Kendrick and his mother approached the estate. <br>
Gregor would see to the carriage and horses and then wait in the stables until they were ready to leave. Though Kendrick was quite certain, there was a certain young maid in the Duchess' household who would see to it that Gregor had something to eat while he waited as well.<br>
"Ah, My Lady, Her Grace is expecting you," Markus informed them as they entered, gesturing them toward the front parlour. A maid, one Kendrick had not seen before, stepped forward to lead them into the parlour, where the Duchess was indeed waiting for them.
"Fiona! There you are. I have been waiting and waiting. You know it is not good manners to keep the Duchess waiting, don't you?" The tone was serious, but the sparkle in her eye said she was jesting at their expense. Fiona laughed in response, and the two women embraced warmly.<br>
You would never guess they had seen each other already once this week. And twice the week before. They always greeted one another as if they had gone months apart. <br>
Kendrick could only wish he had a friend whom he was so pleased to see each time. But there were none even close. In fact, his brother was his closest friend and even Edgar was not so much his friend as that.<br>
"And Kendrick, it is nice to see you as well." The Duchess finally turned from his mother to notice he stood still at the door.<br>
"The pleasure is mine, Your Grace," he said, stepping forward to take her hand. She really was a pleasant person, and she had been a part of Kendrick's life for as long as he could remember. <br>
As it was, she treated him nearly as well as a son, and he thought of her as a loving aunt. Though she certainly looked like a high-class dowager. Her hair was always styled just so, pulled up to frame her elegant face and to complement the lovely gowns she always wore.<br>
Rose always preferred to wear darker colours; some said it was because she was still mourning her own mother. Kendrick knew it was because she felt she looked better in those dark colours. However, through the occasional comments she made, it was obvious she did indeed miss her mother as well.<br>
The deep green of her current dress was exactly the style she wore most often, with a full skirt but none of the hoops many of the younger girls had taken to wearing for special occasions. Rather, her gown draped elegantly about her, filling the chair but in a more graceful manner.<br>
"Now then, Eliza, bring us the tea things, would you?" The maid, whom Kendrick now realised had settled herself into a corner, likely to wait for just this instruction, now curtsied and showed herself out of the room. "And what has transpired since I've last seen you?" the Duchess asked, and Kendrick could not help but laugh.<br>
"I cannot imagine much has happened. It has only been a few days since we were here last." The two women gave him an indulgent smile.<br>
"Ah, but a few days can feel like a lifetime when separated from your loved ones," the Duchess said, and they all could not help but laugh. Fiona had settled into a chair quite close to the Duchess, and for now Kendrick relaxed onto the couch near them both.<br>
"Kendrick has just been reading me a lovely poem. Have you brought the book with you, Kendrick?"<br>
"I left it in the carriage," he said, and his mother sighed.
"Well, it is too bad. But perhaps you could bring it along the next time we visit," Rose said instead.<br>
"I do love a good poem," the Duchess said, and he promised to bring a book of poetry with him to read to them the next time he visited. By then, it would likely not be Shakespeare, but there were a number of other poems he could bring along with him instead.<br>
"Perhaps in two days' time?" he teased, and the women both laughed at him before falling into their own conversations. For a time he remained nearby, but it was clear that the women had already forgotten about him. Kendrick was left to his own devices and began strolling about the parlour a moment before settling before the fire, where he could still hear their conversation and step in if needed.<br>
"There has been news from London. Have you heard? The Crown Prince has been betrothed," Rose announced.<br>
"Ah, yes. That princess from Spain, I do believe?" his mother said, leaning closer with intrigue.<br>
"Aye. She is a lovely thing, from what I hear of her. Quite accomplished." Talk of betrothals between those he had no direct knowledge of was of no interest to Kendrick, and he found himself gazing absently into the fire until the conversation turned to books.<br>
Unlike many women of the ton, both his mother and the Duchess loved to read and spent hours poring over books when they were not busy with other matters. Not to mention the hours they could spend discussing such things. But this time the Duchess did not seem to have her heart in the conversation, and Fiona finally mentioned it.<br>
"There seems to be something the matter, Rose. Whatever is it?" Her concern was evident in her furrowed brow and the way her voice dipped lower.
"There is nothing of consequence," Rose said, shaking her head slightly.<br>
"You seem to have something on your mind. Whatever it is has you distracted, and that means it is of consequence," Fiona said firmly.<br>
Kendrick turned toward the women again, concerned himself. Or at least curious as to what might be the matter.<br>
"You do seem quite distant, as if something were troubling you," he added.<br>
"Troubling me? No, it is no trouble. However, I have been thinking on something for some time, and perhaps now is as good a time as any to see how you feel about it," Rose finally admitted.<br>
"Of course. You can tell me anything at all, Rose." Fiona obviously thought it was something difficult or perhaps something sad, as she seemed to brace herself slightly. Her main focus, though, was concern for her friend.
"Well, I have been...scheming at something," Rose said with a sparkle to her eye. "And we shall see whether you approve." Fiona was immediately interested, and also very much more at ease, while Kendrick found himself intrigued as well. Whatever it was, the Duchess was very keen on it because her eyes were sparkling again and her voice sounded quite animated.<br>
"It is about my daughter."<br>
"Hazel? Is something the matter?" Fiona looked concerned immediately and Kendrick shared in the emotion. He had not seen Hazel in some time, ever since she was sent to Bath to continue her education at the finishing school there, but he was still concerned for her.<br>
"Oh no, nothing is the matter," Rose reassured them with a wave of her hand. "But she is getting older now. Of an age to be married."<br>
"Is she that old already?" Fiona asked in surprise. "It seems no time at all since she was born."<br>
"She shall be 21 before the winter. It is high time that a suitable match be found for her."<br>
"Oh!" Fiona was immediately interested and had plenty of thoughts on the matter. "The Earl of Rochester has a son of a good age. Just 30 I believe. An accomplished young man. Or perhaps the Baron of Kingston's eldest son. He is a little older at 36, but he could be a good match."<br>
"Nay, I have no interest in either of those boys for my future son-in-law," the Duchess said with a shake of the head.<br>
"Certainly not the earl himself?" Fiona exclaimed in shock. "Though he is a widower, he is far too old for your daughter. He must be near on 50."<br>
"Oh goodness, no. I should not even consider such an old man for my girl." It was clear Rose was thinking of something, or rather someone, specific, and both Kendrick and Fiona leaned in closer as she continued. "I had thought that your eldest son, Edgar, should be the perfect match for my Hazel."<br>
"Oh!" His mother seemed very excited at the prospect, and Kendrick was pleased as well. Hazel had been his closest friend when they were children and he very much liked the idea of having her as part of the family. Though, on second thought, the idea of her marrying Edgar gave him pause. From what he had always known of Hazel before, she was as different from Edgar as night and day.<br>
Hazel was sweet and fun-loving, and gentle. His brother... well, Edgar was kind and would certainly treat her well, but he was not the free spirit Hazel was. Though Kendrick realised with a start he did not know if Hazel was still the same as she had been. It had been quite some time, after all, and perhaps she had changed as a result of her schooling, though he hoped not.
"Your son is of a good age to be wed as well, is he not?" Rose inquired and Fiona nodded.<br>
"Yes, of course. He shall be 26 just next month."
"Then he is perfect. Of course, I know he will be good to her. I may not know as much of Edgar as I do of Kendrick." She paused here to smile at him. "But I do know he is your son and, as such, he is a wonderful young man. He will be an excellent husband. And an excellent duke one day."<br>
"We would be most honoured by the match, of course," his mother said quickly, her smile growing even wider. "I had always hoped one day our children would wed, but I never dared to ask."<br>
"Of course, it would make sense for our children to wed," Rose admonished gently. "Why ever should you think that you should not ask it?"<br>
"The daughter of a Duchess could do well better than the son of a countess," Fiona acknowledged.<br>
"Oh posh," Rose scoffed with a flip of her hand. "Titles and things. There is nothing wrong with the son of a countess for the daughter of a duchess. There is nothing to these titles. And even if there were, there is nothing any can say of such a match. It is a good one for my Hazel and it shall be a good match for your Edgar as well."<br>
"Indeed it shall," Fiona said, and Kendrick laughed.
"Well, I congratulate you both on making such a match. I am sure it shall be a wonderful exhibit of your matchmaking skills." The two women seemed quite pleased with themselves, and Kendrick laughed again. "Perhaps, however, the two of you should discuss the match with Edgar and Hazel before you set a date?"
"Oh, it shall be perfect," his mother waved off his concerns with a literal wave of the hand. "There is no need to involve either of them at this stage. Only to begin the preparations."<br>
"Yes, there is much to do and I should like to have done with it as soon as possible. It is hard to imagine my girl already 20, but I should very much like her wed before she is 21," Rose said firmly.<br>
"There is a great deal to do for a wedding so soon!" His mother seemed nervous but excited at the same time, and Kendrick could not help but catch some of their enthusiasm.<br>
Yes, the wedding of Hazel and Edgar would be the social event of the season. It would no doubt be a true spectacle, and he could only hope it would be everything they all believed it would be. <br>
However, would the two really be a perfect match? Kendrick certainly hoped so for both their sakes... but as he listened to the two women begin to plan the entire affair...he wasn't so sure.<br>