Ahhhh, finally Cedric awakes. I was worried it would happen only after Lucius's return. I wouldn't be surprised if Lucius considered throwing his nephew out for Lavina's attentions on him. He's going to say (wrongly) that Cedric has been taking advantage of his guest.
It's good to finely learn what exactly are the horrors from Lucius's past. I'm glad he has a good friend in Jacques. I agree with Laura that Annie seems like a good ally to have with these (new) servants.
From Cedric's nightmares, I worry that harm was done to Lucius already during his attack on the Masked Avenger. (ie. I'm guessing that it was his uncle in the carriage, which was why the Avenger hurried to ride back to the manor house and Lavina and warn/protect her.) But, surely, if it had been Lucius wouldn't he have returned to the manor before now?
Many romantic snippets from this part.
He felt someone touch his forehead, and he turned his head slightly. Opening his eyes seemed to take an unaccountable effort, but he succeeded and was rewarded by a vision of his Lavinia! She was smiling at him, just like in his dream, and she was responding to him in French, exactly as in his dream. Love for her washed through him with a fierceness and rapidity he wouldn't have thought possible and he knew he was crying, but he was powerless to stop it.
"Je t’aime. Je t'adore," he whispered to her around the lump in his throat. "I love you."
n his physically weakened state, he had no strength with which to control the emotions surging through him. He couldn't speak past the tightness in his throat, but she must have seen all that he wanted to say writ plainly on his face, for she smiled tenderly and leaned forward to kiss him--a lingering kiss, full of promise--before she told him, "I love you, too, my darling Cedric."
"Lavinia, I love you, but ... I can't marry you, yet. Not ... until ... until I--"
"Sleep now," she urged him, taking his hand once more. "Je comprende parfaitment. The Masked Avenger ... Lucius ... they are the reasons you spoke of before, oui, the reasons why we cannot yet be married?"
"Oui," he sighed. Very sleepy now and barely able to keep his eyes opened, he was grateful for her quick understanding.
He felt her kiss his hand and then hold it against her cheek. "Don't worry, mon amour. Just rest. When the Masked Avenger has defeated Lucius, the evil Earl of Kentham," she murmured to him in a kind of sing-song tone that was very soothing, "then the Honourable Cedric Laneworth, handsome young steward, will be free to marry the brave and beautiful Lavinia Marie Celestine Le Mersurer, and the two of them will live happily ever after, n'est-ce pas?"
The drug had nearly succeeded in its purpose, but Cedric could still summon a small smile for her fairytale ending. "Oui," he replied, from the threshold of sleep. "Je promets ... I promise."
So nice to hear, nonetheless.
So much French for those of us who don't speak it. What does this mean?
"Le Galliard," he murmured. "Je veux danser avec Lavinia ce soir. La robe bleue ... We'll dance together ... Le Galliard."
Excited to see what will happen in the next 15-ish parts. I sense more adventure to come!
