Love, the True Test of Time Chapter 12 by Lady Jane T
All characters in this fan fiction are the property of Miramax. . . this is all in good fun and I hope you enjoy. This is dedicated to all those women out there hoping that their Leopold will come riding in on a white horse, swoop them off their feet and live happily ever after. Keep believing!
The evening went surprisingly well. After the commotion from the night before, Millard and Margaret were apprehensive and waiting for something to occur; but, Kate managed to be the perfect lady at dinner and Leopold once again found himself enchanted by her. Millard watched intently as the two of them seemed oblivious to everything and everyone around them. Not a lot was said, but it didn't have to be. Leopold knew Kate was trying to make up for the night before. She made small talk about the storm, the place settings, the food and her anticipation of arriving in England. Margaret was pleased to see Leopold smiling again and assumed whatever had transpired between them last night had been settled. After dinner they joined other passengers in the ballroom, where a string quartet was playing, and Leopold persuaded to Kate to join him on the dance floor.
As they waltzed around the room, all eyes were on them. Kate noticed whispering and she smiled. There were many beautiful women in the room and Leopold totally ignored them. He had chosen her. She looked up into his eyes. He was looking at her and she felt his gaze penetrate her soul. He had this way about him.
"Thank you."
She looked confused, "Thank-you for what?"
"I know that it was difficult for you at dinner."
"Actually, it wasn't that difficult. I find your Aunt charming, and even though your Uncle and I have gotten off on the wrong foot, he is an interesting character. I want your family to like me."
"They don't have to like you. I am the one who is marrying you, but I do appreciate the effort you are making on my behalf."
"I am doing this for me as well. I am going to a foreign country in a different time, where I know absolutely no one. I can't always rely on you for my sole companionship."
"It must be extremely difficult for you. You miss your family and friends."
"And I now have acquired a new family and I will make new friends. It will be an interesting adventure to say the least. Leopold, you have to stop worrying about me. I see it in your face every time I look at you. And you have to start being honest with me. You were always honest with me in the future. Here you seem distant and I can't read what you are thinking or feeling."
"I have a lot on my mind." He became distant again and turned his eyes away from her as they waltzed around the room.
She took her hand off his shoulder and pulled his face towards her. "You are doing it again. Do you think maybe we should talk?"
"Yes, I suppose that would be a wise thing to do."
"Okay, do you want to talk now?"
"I do not feel this would be the suitable time. I am enjoying this chance to hold you in my arms and shut out the world outside."
She smiled at him and brushed her lips gently against his cheek. "I definitely like the idea of shutting the world out, but I don't know how you can do that here. They are all staring, just look around you."
"I'd rather not. I am enjoying the view I have at the moment. Let them gawk and stare; I am oblivious to them as long as I am with you."
"You are avoiding the subject, Leopold. We really have to talk. Sometimes you act like this is a fairy tale and everything bad will just go away. I am grateful you are so forgiving, but you act like nothing happened last night and I know something did. Stop pretending everything is fine. I am sorry, Leopold, but I am a realist and I believe we have to face our problems head on, not run away from them."
Leopold scowled at her. "Why do you have to spoil a perfectly wonderful evening?"
"This is not my fault." Kate was surprised at his reaction. "Leopold, what is going on? Please talk to me." He let go of her and stormed out of the ballroom, all eyes on him. Margaret sensed something was wrong and walked over to Kate, taking her by the arm.
"Come on my dear, let's find a place to sit down."
"I don't know what's wrong with him. One minute he acts like everything is wonderful and the next he is distant and angry. He won't talk to me."
"Give him some time, Katherine. Leopold is much more complex than he lets on."
They walked out of the ballroom and found a loveseat in the corridor. Kate was ready to cry, but she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, holding back tears.
"I don't know anything about him really. What was I thinking? He talked about taking the leap and I did, and now I look at him and he seems to have doubts and where does that leave me?"
"He has a lot on his mind."
"That is exactly what he said, but what does that mean?"
"His concern about the family fortune and returning to England has definitely been troubling him."
"He wanted to return to England."
"Yes, that is true, but he is bound to have some apprehensions. And the wedding, of course men don't want to admit it, but they tend to have nervous tendencies as well about these things. And of course there is the accident."
"The accident? What accident?"
"Leopold hasn't told you about his parent's death?" Margaret seemed a bit surprised. It was obvious Kate knew nothing about it. "I am sure Leopold was thinking of your best interests when he refrained from telling you. He knew of the anxieties you were experiencing about the crossing."
"What happened to his parents?"
"There was a boating accident when Leopold was seven. They were traveling to India. Leopold and his governess stayed behind because Leopold was recovering from a bout of pneumonia. He was ill for a very long time and his mother wouldn't leave his side, but he was a very strong willed boy and he fought the illness. When he was on the verge of recovery, the Duke was called away to India and the whole family was to go. The day before they were to set sail, the doctor said Leopold shouldn't be traveling. He needed a few more weeks of bed rest. Leopold was to remain in England with his governess until he was well enough to travel. Then they would reunite with them in India. That was never to be. A week into the voyage there was a fire on board, the Duke and Duchess were asleep in their cabin, they were trapped."
Kate covered her mouth. "Oh, my god, that's horrible."
"He had nightmares for months. He had a fear of water for a longtime. He never says anything, but I can see a look in his eyes whenever he is on or near a ship. He thinks of them often."
"I wish he would've told me."
"I am sure he was going to. Katherine, have some faith in him. He is a good, honorable man, but a bachelor for a very long time. He has never been in love; women are still very much a mystery to him."
Leopold had reappeared and hearing her last words, cleared his throat. They both turned to see him standing in the doorway.
Margaret stood up. "I will leave you two alone." She patted Leopold's cheek as she walked past him and he managed a smile.
He took Margaret's seat next to Kate and took hold of her hand. "Aunt Margaret is a wise woman."
"You stormed out of the ballroom, leaving me standing there alone. This isn't something you would normally do, but something I would do. I don't understand."
"I am not sure I can explain my behavior, but I want to apologize for it. I am on edge about many things, one of them being my lack of experience with women."
She looked at him and he had turned his head away ashamed.
"Leopold, I saw women's reaction to you in the future and I see it here. They adore you. You are every woman's dream. Handsome, kind, sensitive, affectionate. You treat women with respect. You know how to treat a lady, which most men never even grasp their whole life. You shouldn't be feeling on edge concerning that at all."
He was quiet, and slowing turned his head meeting her gaze, "That is not exactly what I meant." He seemed embarrassed. "The experience I am lacking is one that traditionally takes place in the bedroom."
She nervously smiled and held back laughter.
"You are laughing at me. So you see, I have every reason to feel on edge about this matter. If my own fiance finds it amusing."
"Leopold, I am sorry. It's just the way you said it. It isn't funny and I am not laughing at you." She squeezed his hand. "It is incredibly romantic, saving yourself for your wedding night. I really didn't think people actually did that. I thought lords were forever having a quick one under the staircase or in the stables with their servants. I never really believed a gentleman could exist."
Leopold looked at her, outraged. "Well, they do exist and I am one. And for your information, I have never taken advantage of any of my servants in that matter or in any other manner."
She smiled at him. "Okay, okay, I am not saying you did. Of course you wouldn't; I know that much about you. But I assumed there were women in your past, a childhood sweetheart or something."
"You find me a freak."
"Stop being so defensive. This obviously bothers you more than it bothers me. I don't find you a freak at all. You are a breath of fresh air compared to most of the men I have had relationships with in the past."
"My uncle refers to you as a woman with a colored past."
She laughed. "Hardly, I can count on both hands the number of men I have been with. I've known women who had a different man every week. I have a pretty average past compared to most women my age. Stuart was the last and that was three months ago. I am not some wild wanton like your uncle would have you believe. Obviously I said something last night that offended you. Did I come on to you when I was drunk?"
"You made innuendos that I found flattering, but uncomfortable with."
"You are going to be my husband, Leopold, whatever I said was not meant to make you feel uncomfortable. I am flattered I will be your first. It feels a bit strange, but I can deal with it."
"You will compare me with your previous lovers and I will not meet up to your expectations."
"Now that is a bunch of bullshit. First of all, you are incomparable. I wouldn't compare you to any of them, there is no way. You have qualities none of them possessed. Sincerity, Tenderness, Respect. . . I could go on and on. Second of all, none of them were that great. And what's to say I won't meet up to your expectations."
"I think that is highly improbable." He blushed, contemplating the situation.
She smiled at him. "So you think about me in bed? That is very normal Leopold. I don't think you have anything to be worried about."
"You are not offended that I have not made an advance upon you?"
"Of course not. I find it very sweet. I love you the way you are. I can wait until our wedding night. You have to understand, 21st century Americans are always talking about sex. It's in our nature and in a lot of cases it's a front. It doesn't mean we really want to hop in bed with the next guy. Of course, as far as men go, it is often the case. They can't control their raging hormones, but for me and a lot of other women, we want more. We go along with the sex because we think that special chemistry will happen and he'll sweep us off our feet, and the romance and everything else will come along with it. More often than not, it doesn't. With you, everything has come first, everything that is really important. I learned that from you, Leopold. I learned more from you in the past two weeks than I have from any man in my life."
He leaned toward her and tenderly kissed her; she could tell she had put his mind at ease and she felt relieved. He gazed longingly into her eyes. "I am glad we had this talk."
"I am too. You have to promise me that we will always be honest with each other. I don't care about the fact that you are English and royalty and what should and shouldn't be said."
"I promise."
"All right, now that we have that sorted, tell me what else is troubling you?"
"What has Aunt Margaret been telling you?"
"You promised to be honest with me, Leopold."
"I suppose I do have some apprehension of our arrival in England. I was informed that my neighbor has returned from India. Edgar and I have long been rivals and he is known for causing trouble. I don't trust him, Kate, and I am afraid he will try and make our life as unpleasant as he possibly can."
"And how can he do that?"
"Edgar will find a way."
"Does he have anything to do with your family's financial difficulties?"
"No, of course not. When my father died, there were a lot of debts. Uncle Millard has always managed that side of things."
"Did you ever consider that Uncle Millard might be the reason why your family is in debt and not your father? You were a child when he died; you couldn't have possibly known what was going on."
"That is utterly absurd, Kate. Uncle Millard wouldn't be careless with his and Aunt Margaret's security."
"Just a thought." She decided to change the subject. "So tell me more about the evil Edgar."
"This is serious, Kate."
"He sounds like someone out Jane Eyre."
"Actually worse, but there is one consolation. He is married to a wonderful girl, Millicent. Of course I haven't seen her in ten years, but I hope Edgar hasn't molded her into a typical squire's wife. She was always a lively, energetic young woman with a lot of spunk, much like yourself." She noticed a faraway look in his eye.
"You said you were never in love."
"I wasn't in love with her, but we were very close as children. I am anxious for you to meet her."
"Why did she marry the evil Edgar if she is so sweet and wonderful?"
"We are being honest, so I must tell you the truth. I wouldn't marry her. It was semi-arranged between Uncle Millard and Millicent's parents, but I felt I was too young and I wasn't in love with her. I am afraid I broke her heart, because she was in love with me. Edgar picked up the pieces and they were married within months of her eighteenth birthday."
"That is pretty drastic, trying to get back at you by marrying your rival. This is great stuff, Leopold."
"Kate, this isn't some script for one of your motion pictures. This is real life."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way."
"You are forgiven. Have I now satisfied your curiosity about my anxieties and can we have another dance around the ballroom?" He looked at her pleadingly.
"One more thing, why didn't you ever tell me about your parents?"
"I am amazed how much was said between you and my aunt within such a short period of time."
"Don't you know by now, women don't waste anytime with pleasantries, Leopold. We get down to the nitty gritty right away."
"Nitty Gritty..interesting terminology."
"If you don't want to talk about your parents, I understand. Margaret said you felt if I knew, it might have caused me more anxiety about boarding this ship."
"That is correct. I wasn't keeping a secret from you. I was once afraid to go anywhere near water because of their tragic demise. Nightmares haunted me for years. Of course I was very young, but I finally faced my fears and haven't looked back. What happened to them was an accident. A Tragic accident, but through all of my research I know I have nothing to fear when I board a ship, or a train. . . accidents can happen, but these vessels are safe. As safe as they can be for this day and age. Obviously since being in your time, and seeing how much the industrial age has advanced, I see how many improvements can be made. But for now, it is safe."
"I know. I trust you. You will tell me about them one day, won't you?"
"Of course. I would enjoy that very much. When you are at Balinor, there are many portraits of them throughout the house and many things that belonged to them. Of course they are just things, my mother's ring, the one you are wearing," he picked up her hand and rubbed his finger over it, "is the only thing that really had any significant value to me. My father gave it my mother when he asked her to marry him. She never took it off, but before their trip she had an accident and cut herself on a piece of cut glass and she wasn't able to wear it. She gave it to me to look after and told me if I ever felt sad and lonely that it would remind me that I was always in her thoughts and that she loved me very much." He thought of that afternoon, before his parents took the carriage to the docks, and his mother taking him in her arms. It was the last time he had ever seen her, and he felt a tear come to his eye. He quickly snapped out of it and stood up, offering his arm to Kate. "And now, that dance you promised me."
Kate knew there was still a lot to learn about him, but she was pleased that the evening had been so productive and he was much more himself. She smiled and took his arm and they made their way back into the ballroom, where they once again became lost in the music and each other's company.
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