A Letter from Taako
AKA MORE REGENCY AU BULLSHIT
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She’s only been gone a month, she thinks desperately, her heart pounding, her lungs burning, the sun beating hot on her neck as she rides full tilt away from town. She’s only been away a month, how can it be true? Did Taako have an understanding she did not know of? But Taako tells her everything - and no, there was no suitor, there were no prospects - she was with him in London, the entire time and noticed nothing -
It must be a rumor. It must be. How could Taako be -
It does not take long for her to arrive back at the Burnsides home; she dismounts her horse in a moment, barely has the presence of mind to hand him off to a groom before running for the house and bursting through the door -
“Goodness, Lup!” Julia cries, starting up out of her chair, “What on earth is the matter -”
“My brother,” she says desperately, “Have you - have you received any correspondence from my brother, anything at all?” She is panting, and her brain seems half torn apart - she cannot seem to piece two thoughts together in sequence. Everything in her mind is screaming, it cannot be, he would have told me -
“Why yes,” Julia says, her brow furrowed, “I was going to tell you, a letter came just today while you were out-” she gestures to a it - a simple rectangle of paper on the desk by the door and Lup snatches it up, leaving the room and running up the stairs without another word, heedless to Julia’s calls behind her -
She whips around the door and slumps against it as it shuts, breathing heavily, and yes, there on the envelope, Taako’s handwriting, his loose, looping scrawl, and Lup should have suspected something - why didn’t she write, why didn’t she demand he write her -
She tears the envelope open and there, inside -
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Dearest Lu,
I hope you are not too angry with me upon reading further in this letter. I hope, too, that the news I am about to impart to you has not already reached you through other means. Please believe me when I say that I had no intention of keeping you in the dark. Sometimes gossiping tongues move more quickly than the post, and that I cannot help.
The news is this: I have married. It is to a Mr. Kravitz Sinclair of Davenshire of ten-thousand pounds a year, though I beg that you believe me when I tell you that I think I would have taken him if he had not a penny to his name. I do not think, in all the kingdom, I could have found a man more perfectly suited to my character, young or old, bachelor or married, rich or poor.
We are gone to France at present - though I am half afraid the trip will make our marriage resemble an elopement even more than it already does - but then, who could argue with an elopement between two eligible, land-inheriting bachelors? Tostaada is too ancient and senile, as you well know, to say anything of consequence to that effect, and Kravitz is so rich that his reputation is beyond tarnish. All that’s left to consider is his mother, and he has assured me she will be more than happy to hear of our connection - but I am neglecting what I meant to say. We are gone to France, and shall be returned in two months, at which time I implore you to pack your things and come to Davenshire to live with us. I have hardly seen Kravitz’s estate for more than a moment, but it is everything you could wish - large and beautiful and far enough from everything that we need never be bothered again if we do not wish to be. He has likewise expressed an eagerness that you should join us there and wishes me to tell you how greatly he anticipates making your acquaintance and becoming a true sibling to you upon our return from abroad. I think that you shall come to love him as much as I do - or nearly, at least.
Before I conclude, I have news of a nature that might interest you as well, that of an old acquaintance of yours from last season. Who should have borne witness to my marriage but one Mister Barold Bluejeans, who happens to be neighbors to my husband. He was perfectly cordial during the ceremony, and even inquired after you upon our reintroduction. I hope you do not mind me relating to him how exceedingly well you are and how very many suitors you have knocking down your door. I will tell you he looked quite sour at that news, though in my opinion he was always of an unpleasant disposition; luckily we saw little more of him. I have no interest in passing time with the man who so shamelessly broke my sister’s heart.
Lulu, I know this news comes suddenly but I must assure you that I am happy beyond compare and I sincerely hope you can find it in your heart to be happy for me. I shall send you a letter when Kravitz and I return, at which point I beg you to make the journey to Davenshire, or I promise I shall come to Tostaada’s and drag you back with me myself. Do not imagine that I won’t.
Time and paper run short, sister, so I will simply say that I am, as always, lovingly yours,
Taako
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