4. New News's a Noose

Two years later...

I walked through the park, mulling over what he'd said.

"We'll be married in no time and then I can show you my business. But... I assume you already know what I do for a living. Don't you?"

"No, My Lord. I actually do not. Wherever did you come up with that?"

"Oh just from an old acquaintance of mine. I still find it curious how you happen to know him."

"Know whom?"

Fortunately, he had not been able to answer for some captain had tapped on his shoulder, capturing his attention. While that had happened, I escaped the vicinity, heart racing.

What have I agreed to?

I remembered that day with crystal clarity. I then remembered all the days that followed it. Countless flowers and little gifts for yours truly. It was insane. I hated it and I also made it very obvious. But sadly, for my part, Aunt Brank took no note. Already she had been preparing for our marriage, no matter the protests. I couldn't believe it. And when he asked, it wasn't in private. Oh no. It was almost as if he knew that if he were to ask in private I'd say no. Instead, he asked during one of Sir Phillip's raucous balls, where over five hundred people attended. And my dear aunt and sisters were watching every move I made.

I was unable to gather up the gall to say no.

To this day, I berated myself. I hadn't exactly fallen for his charms - no man could ever dream of charming me - but I had done things I never would've imagined.

I accepted each flower he gave to me. I did not throw them away.

I accepted each gift given to me. I did not give them away.

I accepted each compliment he shot my way, no matter how false they were.

I did not take him for granted.

Yet with each thing I accepted, I felt at a loss. Was I supposed to give something in return?

No you fool! A little voice inside my head screamed at me. Don't you dare give him anything! He just wants to have you as his wife just to get information out of you about him!!! You're twenty one and you should know better! Hasn't the last two years of being with him taught you anything!?

Indeed they had. I found out that he enjoyed lying to me, and leading me to believe false things. Of course, that didn't tie in with him. He was brutally honest, from what I could remember. And that wasn't saying much.

All in all, I had spent more time with His Lordship than I had with my late employer.

Why had I not been able to say no when he proposed!? Why had he been clever enough to think of something like asking me in front of five hundred people, including my aunt!? Why has he taken such a strange false liking of me?!

They were all questions that I had no answers to. I sighed, and sauntered underneath a tree when I heard a familiar voice call out to me.

"Hey! Lilly!" I turned around and saw Patsy, Eve and Flora, three girls I had not seen for a couple days because of His Lordship. That bastard. I thought, as I quickened my pace towards them.

When I reached the girls, they all enveloped me into a hug.

"How's our general doing?" Patsy asked with a grim-like smile.

"I've been doing well. I'm actually taking this whole fiasco with a cool head rather than yelling my head off in anger." After that man proposed to me, the following morning, I had run to the park as fast as my legs could carry me. I told the girls the dreadful news and they were all shocked, Patsy the most shocked of them all. She asked where she could find him so she could bash his head in with her parasol but I refrained her. The results of that were dastardly and would lead her to life imprisonment, and I could not risk that.

"That's good. Has the man said anything new to you?" I nodded and told them of my most recent meeting. By the time I finished, they were looking at me with wide eyes. Well Flora was anyway.

"So... You don't have any idea whom he was talking about?" Flora asked. I lied my way out of this.

"Not a clue. His Lordship probably has many old acquaintances and he could be talking about anyone."

"That's true..." Flora trailed off thoughtfully and Eve and Patsy took notice.

"What Flora? What are you thinking of?"

"I'm thinking of ways Lilly can avoid this marriage."

"And? You've come up with something, yes?" I asked eagerly. "I'm all ears to know your thoughts."

"Well... One option I can think of is running away. Either Lilly can wait for the disastrous day and run away from the altar, or she could run away now."

There was a pause. Then,

"That's not a bad idea you got there Flora. But where would she run to?" Patsy inquired.

"I'm thinking about it. She could catch a train to Wales and live off her life there."

"Or to Scotland." I offered.

"Or even Ireland!" Patsy said, face brightening.

"What about India?" Eve suggested and three pairs of eyes turned towards her. "Is that not a good idea?"

I shook my head. "It's not because that's where his business mostly is. East India Company? Ring a bell? Plus, it's too far away. I reckon it would take a week to get there by train."

"Oh, yes right. East India Company is owned by him. I'd.. forgotten."

"I don't think you forgot, Eve. I think you just didn't care too much to remember it. And I don't blame you for that. I shouldn't care much either but seeing that I am about to become his wife..." I sucked in a breath before finishing the sentence in my head. And also that I had heard of this company a multitude of times two years ago from a man who is now dead...

Yes. They are the best and only reasons to continue think about it. I let out the breath and sank onto a bench nearby. The girls followed suit.

"What I want to know is why he finds me so... Interesting. I mean, what's so likable about a girl who doesn't want to be oppressed but will be soon anyways?" I said after a long moment of silence.

"I don't know Lilly. I'm still surprised that he had the gall to ask you in the first place."

All I did was nod in response. Soon after, we dispersed, promising to meet each other again tomorrow. We had plans to discuss.

* * *

Dinner was boring. Boring meaning my aunt would not stop gushing about my incoming marriage. Anne, and Maria were still green with envy and often asked what interests he found in me, to which I would mutter agreement to under my breath. Ella, Gertrude, Lisbeth and I remained silent, spooning in our potatoes. After that, I went upstairs into the same little room I had two years ago. The same one I shared with Ella. The only difference was the amounts of flowers and little gifts inside.

Before I had left the park, Patsy had handed me a newspaper, the most recent one of today. Normally, I didn't find them quite interesting to look at, other than looking at the politics section, but Patsy had said that there was something... Intriguing inside. So I decided to take a look.

I perched on my bed and opened up the newspaper. My eyes skimmed over the daily news topics. Another imprisonment, another death, another advertisement, another man building a canal...

My eyes stopped on the title of the article.

No. I thought, eyes widening as I started reading. My throat constricted.

"It can't be..!" I managed to breathe out. But it was.

Rikkard Ambrose was alive.

____________________________________________________________________________________

YYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY BABY

MY BABY IS ALIVE.

OH RIKKARD

XD

So, this is it.

The last chapter before school starts and the possibility of the updates will decrease to weekly updates like Sir Rob.

Hopefully my teachers don't hound me with homework -.-

I hope you liked the chapter!

Yes the time skip was on purpose.

And I also think you all know to which basta- ahem - chauvinist Lilly is engaged to?

And yes, it was necessary.

I need to edit the last chapter, I forgot to give credit oops

CREDIT FOR HELPING ME OUT IN THIS CHAPTER: @ShadowHunterCindy and @GreyDaisy

THANKS GUYS c:

AND ALSO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MESSAGED (and commented) THEIR IDEAS FOR THE SECOND PART OF THIS FANFIC. YALL ARE AWESOME! <3

PLEASE. LEAVE. COMMENTS. YALL AIN'T DOIN MUCH OF THAT AND IT MAKES ME SAD. *^*

;D

See you later!