90So this is my first attempt at writing a Historical Romance and I know it won't be at all accurate but I just sort of wrote it for fun. Anyway, I would love it if anyone had any feedback on this story. If you have any questions please feel free to ask as well. I really hope you enjoy this story!
Season for Love
Chapter 1
London, 1810
The two storey house was furnished with the most expensive luxuries such as the side tables which no one ever commented on but all the women who visited silently admired, the coat stand which was incredibly grand but no one dared use for it was only a showpiece ("and God knew how old" which was Mrs Langley's favourite saying) and many other useless trinkets like those were scattered throughout the house. Guests at the Langley residence were always mesmerized by the collection of rare and beautiful ornaments. The chandelier in the ballroom had made many people see spots afterwards having stared at the bright, winking glass for so long admiring it. Everything in that house was of the best quality and always fashionable which also meant it cost a "bloody fair amount" as Mr Langley was wont to say. But there was one room in the house which didn't have objects which were extravagantly expensive…
Kate Langley sat at her desk with her book clutched to her breast in one hand while the elbow of her other arm rested on the table and her chin rested on her fist. She stared out the window daydreaming about all the dashing young men who would demand to see her because they wished to marry her (and not because of the money either). A sigh escaped her lips as she came back to reality. Kate knew she wasn't very pretty or the most sought after girl in the ton, but sometimes a girl could dream.
As these thoughts filled her mind, the door of her modestly furnished room opened and a young man who was a few years older than her sauntered into the room and lay on her bed.
"What are you doing my beautiful bluebell?" the young man asked, amusement flickering in his eyes as Kate jumped in her seat.
She turned to face her brother and glared at him, "You frightened me half to death Jacob," she said with a hand on her heart in a gesture indicating her racing pulse.
"You were dreaming again weren't you bluebell?" he said with a chuckle, "Dreaming isn't going to get you anywhere you know that."
Kate looked at the cocky young man who lounged on her bed. Not for the first time she found herself wishing that she could be a little more attractive, like Jacob with his curling blond hair and those baby blue eyes which had been the reason for many of the sighs heard at balls, mostly from girls at the age of sixteen through to women at the age of seventy. Jacob was twenty five years old (seven years older than Kate) and one of the most eligible bachelors in London even though he didn't have a title, but what he did have was money. Well his father had money to be exact but someday it would all be his, unfortunately that looked to be very soon because Gordon Langley was seriously ill and the doctors were saying that he would not live to the end of the year. On top of that, Jacob Langley was charming, funny and chivalrous. Who wouldn't want to marry the man?
"What do you want Jacob?" Kate asked exasperatedly.
"I just wanted to talk to my favourite bluebell," Kate raised her eyebrows at this and Jacob sighed, "OK fine, there's a reason I needed to talk to you."
"Now we're getting somewhere," Kate said with a knowing grin.
Jacob eyed her with a scowl, "This is serious."
"OK, OK, I'm listening," she said putting her book down, getting out of her chair and sitting on the bed next to Jacob.
Jacob closed his eyes, breathed deeply as if gathering courage and started, "Do you know who Elizabeth Green is?"
Kate nodded her head, "Isn't she the Earl of Grayford's daughter?"
"Yes she is. The thing is, well… Elizabeth and I… how do I put this? We ar—"
"Spit it out Jacob," Kate said interrupting him impatiently.
Jacob looked at her with such helplessness in his eyes that Kate patted his back soothingly and regretted being so sharp with him. It was unusual for Jacob to be like this. Usually he was the ever confident one with a twinkle of amusement in his eye and a shoulder to cry on but sometimes Kate got the feeling that his cockiness with her (like when he had first walked into her room) was just to hide all the responsibilities and hardships- he had- from her.
Jacob ran his hand through his hair with raw emotions in his eyes and blurted out, "Elizabeth and I are in love." Kate looked at him for a second then burst out laughing. "It's not funny," Jacob said glaring at her.
"I'm sorry," Kate said wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes, "But the Great God Jacob, which is what all the girls call you behind your back by the way, has finally been brought down by a mere mortal." Kate said this because Elizabeth wasn't exactly the most beautiful girl in the world but Kate knew that Elizabeth was easy to love. She was a sweet innocent girl with a great sense of humour; the perfect girl to bring her brother down a peg or two. "Why do you look so worried anyway? This is great news."
"You see the thing is that the Earl of Grayford wants her to marry someone with the one thing I don't have."
"But we have everything Jacob. I mean, we even have as many side tables that we don't know what to do with, a stupid coat stand which is at least three hundred years old and we even have a chandelier which has been the talk of the ton since God knows when," she said in fair imitation of her mother, "What else could he possibly want?"
Jacob gave her such a powerless look that Kate saw the strength of her brother's love for Elizabeth and regretted that she would never know what those feelings felt like, "A title."
"Oh Jacob," Kate cried and flung her arms around her brother.
"I was hoping you could help me bluebell," he said in her hair, his arms wrapping around her more tightly.
"Of course I will, tell me what I have to do."