An heiress to one of Britain's most impressive fortunes, Cordelia Gardiner has always done what her strict father expects her to, manage the estate, host dinners, mind her manners. After years of adhering to his demanding expectations, however, Cord...
Wow, three chapters in one day!!! I'm on Christmas break and don't have anything to do so I'm going to try to finish this piece up soon! Thank you guys for reading and supporting!
The doctor came daily to check on Cordelia's condition. According to him, the gash on the side of her head was healing nicely, and it was any day now that she would wake up. Elizabeth, Charles, and Lord Alfred refused to leave her side the entire time, and Charles and Elizabeth would take turns sitting beside her and holding her hands.
On the fourth day of Cordelia's seemingly eternal unconsciousness, Elizabeth got up and stretched herself from her position in the chair. "I'm going to stretch my legs, I've had about enough sitting for the day and if our dear Cordelia is of a mind to take her own time, then I shall take my own." She yawned and made for the door, and Charles knew that despite her cool demeanor, she was torn up inside over her best friend's condition. Perhaps a bit of space was a good idea. He was about to ask if he may join her when Lord Alfred spoke up.
"Miss Norton, might I join you?" He asked, getting up from the small chair with relief. "Lord Charles, would you care to join us?"
Charles smiled at his invitation, but looked back down to Cordelia. She looked like a story that he had been read as a child, the tale of Sleeping Beauty. With her dark eyelashes resting on her cheeks and her face looking so peaceful, it was easy to confuse her with the cursed princess. "Thank you, my lord, but I feel that somebody should stay with her, so that she is not lonely when she wakes." Alfred gave Charles a sympathetic smile and left Charles in the room.
Charles' eyes dashed to the bookshelf in Cordelia's room. Once he moved several of the dolls and stuffed bears aside, he took a good look at the impressive volumes contained within the shelves of her private quarters. Grabbing the one that caught his eye, Charles sat back down in his seat and began to flip through it.
Looking at Cordelia, and facing the immeasurable silence of the now empty room, Charles chose to read aloud. Perhaps Cordelia would hear the story and open her eyes.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that any man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife..."
Before long, Charles felt his eyelids begin to droop, and he was far too exhausted to fight them. As he started to nod off, a small voice piped up from within the pillows of the bed beside him. "Don't stop now," she begged, "I was becoming enthralled!"
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Charles jolted up, and looked below at the brilliant brown eyes that were looking up towards him. "I didn't mean to scare you, Charles," she said, managing a slight smile.
