Adult-FanFiction.org : Celebrity

Can't Be Missed	By : acsbabyangelgirl Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Cobra Starship Views: 911 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not know the celebrity I am writing about. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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“I have heard a rumor that you and Mr. Saporta were seen conversing together on the street yesterday while I was visiting with Miss Asher and Miss Finch,” Elizabeth said, smiling smugly. Lily did not look up from her book.

“And what if we were? It is certainly not inappropriate for a single, eligible young gentleman to escort a young woman of his acquaintance to her home,” Lily replied.

“Oh, certainly not. Especially when there is such a large degree of affection on both parts,” Elizabeth commented.

“I certainly have no idea what you mean,” Lily told her. She could feel her face beginning to flush as they spoke, and knew that Elizabeth would see right through her.

“You know exactly what I mean, Lily. It is quite obvious that the two of you are sincerely taken with each other. It is only a matter of time before Mr. Saporta asks for your hand,” Elizabeth told her. Lily shook her head, knowing it was most likely nothing more than speculation on her sister’s part.

“And I suppose that you have heard this from Mr. Saporta himself?” Lily asked.

“Well, no. But Mr. Blackinton said it as well, Lily. He says that Mr. Saporta talks of you quite often, more than any man has a right to talk about a woman whom he is not going to marry,” Elizabeth informed her.

“That may be the case, Elizabeth, but it does not mean that he will be asking for my hand any time soon. We hardly even know one another, certainly not well enough to marry as of yet,” Lily told Elizabeth. She would not give in to such a hope; if she did not dwell on the possibility of the match, she could not be disappointed when, for whatever reason, the match did not work out as planned.

“You are allowed to be happy about your good fortunes, Lily. Mr. Saporta is an excellent match; he stands to inherit his father’s sugar business, not to mention his family’s estate in Derbyshire,” Elizabeth reminded her.

“There is more to love than money, Elizabeth. You, of all people, should understand that. Not two years ago you swore that you would only marry for love, and I know that Mr. Blackinton’s money has not changed your mind in any way. Yet now you speak of my fortunes?” Lily asked.

“I only wish for you to be truly happy, Lily. Could you be happy with a man that could not keep you in the life you have grown accustomed to?” Elizabeth asked.

“If he was the man I was meant to fall in love with, then I certainly could love him,” Lily replied. “Elizabeth, you have to understand that I am just as capable of finding true love as you are, and I do not need your assistance in that task. If it is meant to be, then it shall happen. Until that happens, I believe that you should mind your own business and worry about the planning of your own wedding.

“I did not mean to upset you, Lily. I just wished that you should understand what is meant by the things that will soon be happening to you. I only want to protect you.”

“Protect me? From what, Elizabeth? I see no reason why I should need protecting, unless there is some secret you are not telling me of,” Lily replied. Elizabeth sighed.

“Miss Finch suggested that Mr. Saporta might not be all that he appears. There are rumors of a young woman in Bath, to whom he is supposed to already be betrothed. I have been told by Mr. Blackinton that there is no truth to it, but you should at least know what is being said,” Elizabeth informed her.

“I do not need to know what is being said about Mr. Saporta if it is not true, Elizabeth. You would only pass on such a story if you believed that he was capable of being so cruel,” Lily pointed out.

“He is a gentleman, but even gentlemen are capable of cruelty. They are not governed by the same forces as women, and they are perfectly capable of being cruel unintentionally,” Elizabeth told her. Lily shook her head and stood up.

“Anyone can be cruel, Lizzie. Even unintentionally. You have just proven that with every word that has come out of your mouth,” Lily replied. She put her book down on the table and turned to leave the room. Jameson opened the door at that moment and Lily nearly groaned, knowing that she would be forced to stay in the room for a longer period of time with her sister.

“Miss Asher and Miss Finch to see you, ma’am,” he said. Elizabeth stood up to welcome them as the young women walked in.

“Good afternoon Miss Asher, Miss Finch,” Elizabeth said, curtseying. They all followed her lead before continuing the conversation.

“Good afternoon Elizabeth, Lily,” Victoria said, smiling. “I trust that you have all been well.”

“Quite well,” Elizabeth replied. “Won’t you sit down? I was just about to call for tea, if you would care to join us.” Lily shot her a look as they all sat down, furious that she was being trapped by this call. She wanted nothing more than to go up to her room and work on the handkerchief she had been embroidering with her sister’s new initials. It would have allowed her time to at least calm down before Mr. Blackinton and Mr. Saporta arrived for dinner.

Miss Finch made it a point to sit down next to Lily, smoothing back her blonde hair as she did so. “I hear talk that you shall soon be a betrothed woman, like your sister,” Moira said, whispering so as not to be overheard by Elizabeth or Victoria.

“I really have not the slightest idea of what you could mean,” Lily replied, intentionally acting as though she could not care about the subject.

“But you must know what is being said about Mr. Saporta,” Moira suggested. Lily had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes at the suggestion.

“I am certainly aware of the rumors, although I do not know that I believe them to be true. They are only rumors, after all,” Lily replied. She attempted to listen to the conversation taking place between Elizabeth and Victoria. Moira, however, was determined to continue their conversation about Gabriel.

“He is quite a mysterious young man, you must admit. He had not been to London during the winter before, and it seems as though your dear cousin is the only one who knew him before this season,” Moira said.

“No one within our acquaintance, perhaps. But that does not mean that he is a bad person,” Lily replied. It was a relief when Jameson returned and served their tea. At least Moira was civilized enough to leave the subject alone when Jameson was in the room. But as soon as he was out of the room, Moira started back into the conversation.

“It’s just that it seems a bit odd. No one seems to know much about his family, other than what he has told them. He is a mystery,” Moira said.

“There is nothing wrong with someone being mysterious. Knowing everything about a person before you meet them is quite boring, in my opinion. It gives you nothing to talk about when you actually do meet the person,” Lily replied. She stood up and put down her cup and saucer before addressing Elizabeth and Victoria. “Excuse me, ladies, but I am not feeling very well at the moment. I believe that I should go rest before dinner,” she said, curtseying before quickly making her way out of the room and up the stairs to her bedroom.

~*~

Lily gently tucked a curl up into the loose bun she had been working on and slipped a hair pin into her hair to hold it in place. “Jameson just opened the door for Mr. Blackinton and Mr. Saporta, Lily. Mother isn’t feeling well again, and we are to be in charge of entertaining the gentlemen by ourselves tonight,” Elizabeth said, gently tucking a strand of Lily’s hair back into her bun.

“What about Father?” Lily asked, a bit confused.

“He was called away on some business earlier this afternoon and won’t be back until very late tonight,” Elizabeth explained. “We should hurry down and begin to entertain the gentlemen.” She turned and started towards the door as Lily stood up to follow her. Elizabeth had already descended the stairs to meet the gentlemen and was speaking to them as Lily descended. Gabriel looked up as she stepped on the stair that creaked and smiled. Lily returned his smile as she reached the bottom of the staircase.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” she said, curtseying in response to their bows.

“You look quite well this evening, Miss Lily,” Gabriel said.

“Thank you, Mr. Saporta. You look quite well yourself,” she replied. Ryland quickly cleared his throat.

“Perhaps we should go in to dinner now,” Elizabeth suggested. The others nodded and the gentlemen quickly offered their arms to escort the ladies into the dining room. Lily allowed Gabriel to escort her and pull out her chair before he sat down next to her, across from Elizabeth. The conversation throughout dinner remained polite, not really heading in any particular direction. Lily was purposely waiting for the party to retire to the parlor before she brought up the conversations that had been weighing on her mind. Shortly after dinner, Elizabeth made the suggestion, to which they all agreed. Elizabeth and Ryland were quick to sit down in a corner and engage in a hushed conversation. Lily sat down by the window, as far away from the lovers as possible, mostly so that Elizabeth would not feel compelled to attempt to listen in on their conversation.

“You were quiet at dinner tonight,” Gabriel commented, moving to sit near Lily.

“I had little to contribute to the topics discussed that my sister did not voice,” Lily replied. “We are quite alike in mind, despite our different interests.

“But not too alike,” Gabriel added. “What is troubling you tonight, Miss Fletcher? I hope that is not too personal a question.”

“Not at all, Mr. Saporta. Especially not considering that it has quite a bit to do with you,” Lily said.

“I believe that I know what this might be about. Mr. Blackinton told me of some vicious rumors that have been circulating, most particularly about a young woman in Bath,” Gabriel said.

“That is one of my concerns,” Lily replied.

“I assure you, Miss Fletcher, that there is no truth in the rumor that I am betrothed. I do know the supposed lady, but we are nothing more than childhood friends. She is, in fact, already planning her wedding to one of her cousins, a Mr. Williams, as we speak,” he explained.

“I am glad to hear it. There are other things being whispered about, although I am sure you already know of such things,” Lily said.

“You mean the insinuations regarding my family, I am sure. My parents do not enjoy the social life expected of my father’s title. It interferes with a strict adherence to the laws of our society, or that is what they believe, at least. Not to mention that many would likely shun my family because of our religion. Unfortunately, Jews are often stereotyped as unscrupulous moneylenders,” he told her.

“So the reason for the secrecy regarding your family is that you are a Jew?” she asked, more than just a little relieved at the revelation.

“My father converted for my mother before they were even married,” Gabriel said. “A quite romantic notion. It bothered his Catholic family a great deal, yet he chose love over their approval. A choice that I hope I shall not be forced to make when it comes to choosing my future wife.”

“So you have made no decisions in that regard, I suppose,” Lily commented. Gabriel smiled.

“I am not in a position to marry at the moment, although my father’s health is declining. It will not be much longer before I will take over his position in the family business. When that comes to pass, I shall be more than prepared to take a wife,” he replied.

“Then you shall be working with your cousin in the sugar importing business,” Lily stated, proving to him that she had listened and taken an interest their previous conversations.

“Yes. I am actually hoping to introduce you and your sister to Alexandro while he is in London. I wish it could be before our trip to Derbyshire, but I promised my father to bring my cousin as soon as he arrived in the country. Apparently they have some urgent matters of business to discuss that can not be delayed even by just a few days,” Gabriel replied.

“But surely Mr. Suarez will be exhausted from his travels when he arrives in London. He should at least be allowed a few days to recover before endeavoring on such a journey,” Lily said.

“Do not concern yourself so much with my cousin’s welfare, mademoiselle. He would have it no other way himself, I am afraid. My cousin is very much a businessman, and comfort must take a back seat to business for him,” he explained. “I am afraid that he seems to have learned that trait from both of our fathers.”

“That certainly can not be healthy. Everyone should make time for rest and amusement. Business can not be a person’s sole endeavor in life, or that life has not been truly lived,” Lily replied.

“Try explaining that to the other gentlemen of my family. It is what drove my uncle into his grave.”
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Can't Be Missed