Chapter Sixteen
J osephine was once again feeling like a bundle of nerves were dancing in her stomach. Gyles had suggested a stroll in the park but in the end, those plans changed when Simon asked to meet with her prior to the Hampton event Gyles had mentioned. She hadn’t seen her brother for so many years and was still unsure of how he would treat her. After all, their last time together had not gone over well at all. Not that she could blame him.
Now here she stood in front of the townhouse, and she listened as the wheels of the carriage faded into the distance. But that sound was shortly replaced when another carriage came to a halt. She turned to see the crest of the Wickes household and knew that Gyles had arrived for additional support. Gyles bowed before her, reached over to take her hand, and tucked her shaking limb into the crook of his elbow. Concern surely had to be etched in her eyes and she did her best to put a small smile on her face.
“All will be fine, Josephine. Trust me,” Gyles murmured while his fingers closed around hers.
She gazed upon the man who had held onto her heart for so many years. His smile of encouragement caused her heart to lighten. “I do trust you, Gyles,” she answered and her heart raced knowing she spoke the truth.
Her eyes traveled to the house that brought so many memories flooding back to her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath knowing her whole future would be determined by this meeting with her brother. It was long overdue and she managed to drum up a fair bit of courage for what would occur once she stepped inside.
Taking a deep breath, her eyes once more opened to stare upon the familiar four-story brick building she used to call home. The outer appearance hadn’t changed much over the years with the exception of the trees standing a little taller. The curtains her mother had picked out still hung in the windows and a brief moment of sadness hit her knowing her parents wouldn’t be found inside. Her mother and father’s boating accident from her youth had cost them so much. Josephine could only wonder if they had lived how her life might have been changed for the better. Certainly, she would have made better choices, wouldn’t she?
There was no further time to ponder the past, as they made their way to the front door. It opened as if by magic as an unfamiliar butler opened the portal wide for them to enter.
Further memories of her racing down the mahogany stairs as a child came to her mind and she could almost imagine she could hear her parents as they laughed together at her antics. All the laughter had ended the day they died and Simon was suddenly thrust into the role of a guardian at a very young age. He had done his best, she supposed, and she could only pray that the meeting between them that was about to happen would go well. She wasn’t sure what to expect.
“Tell me you won’t leave me,” she frantically whispered as she held onto Gyles’s arm in a death grip.
He patted her hand. “You’ll be fine, Josephine. I will be with you but briefly. I am certain you and your brother will need to have a private word without any interference from me. ”
Her tormented eyes lifted to meet his but all she saw reflected in those brown eyes was encouragement. They continued down the hallway to the study where her brother stood tall and proud near the hearth.
He gave a small bow as they entered. “Josephine.”
She dropped down into a curtsey. “Simon.”
Simon waved toward the door. “She’s safe with me, Wickes. Do give us a few moments to speak privately, would you?”
“Of course,” Gyles answered before he bent forward to whisper in her ear. “I’ll be right outside if you have need of me.”
She could only nod her head given that her voice was suddenly gone. The support she had been holding onto was now absent and now she only could stare at the man left in the room. For all accounts, he was a stranger for she didn’t feel they had much of a connection after all these years.
“Please have a seat, Josephine,” Simon finally said motioning to the chair in front of the hearth.
She made her way across the room to take the chair he offered while he took the one opposite her. The silence was deafening and once again her eyes roamed the familiar room. Books lined the shelves, a portrait of their parents hung above the fireplace, and even the sideboard that used to hold her father’s favorite liquors still stood in the same place. She finally said the only thing that quickly came to her mind to break her melancholy mood. “You look well, Simon.”
He gave her a brief nod while he took a good look at her from the top of her head down to her shoes. “As do you. You appear as though you’ve done well for yourself.”
Did that comment have a double meaning ? She wasn’t sure. “Not entirely. But you already know this, don’t you?”
“I have been informed by Gyles where you have been staying, if that is what you mean,” he stated leaning his elbows on the arms of his chair. His fingers began to drum upon the wood .
“I see but then I expected no less than for you to be well informed,” she answered calmly.
A snort left him. “I have been looking for you,” Simon muttered, “without much success, I might add. If it hadn’t been for Gyles, I’d still be searching. You hid yourself well from me and those I hired to find you.”
She gave a shrug. “I wasn’t exactly hiding away, Simon. Besides, I had no indication you were even remotely interested in anything I was doing. You made it clear when I ran away with Raphe, that you were disowning me.”
“It was a mistake.”
She raised her brown eyes to his blue ones. She hardly expected him to admit he had been wrong, so he must have been referring to her foolishness. Well, on that point, they could agree. “Yes. Marrying him was a mistake and I learned that lesson the hard way.”
Simon shook his head. “No. That’s not what I meant, Josephine. I made a mistake in disowning you. I should have come after you instead of letting my pride get the better of me. I should have handled the situation better and I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me.”
A gasp left her lips and she covered them with her hand. He was apologizing. She never expected he would ask her forgiveness considering how stubborn her brother had been in their past. They could start anew.
“Only if you forgive me for what I have also done,” she finally answered.
Simon leaned forward reaching across the space between them and they took each other’s hand. He gave her a smile that seemed genuine enough but there was still worry etched across his brow. “I have to ask…”
Oh, God. There was more… She let go and the brief bit of hope for a new beginning left her once more with doubts. “You might as well spit it out and let’s have the rest of this conversation over with. ”
Simon sat back in his chair once more. “Are you currently physically involved with anyone?”
“That is blunt and to the point,” she said pressing her lips firmly together.
“It’s an honest question if we are to proceed with attempting to get your reputation restored.”
“No. I am not in any sort of an illicit affair with anyone nor am I currently some married man’s mistress,” she answered clasping her hands together.
“It’s been rumored you’re a part of the Wicked Widow’s Club,” Simon suggested.
“If you want to believe what that gossip rag the Teatime Tattler has written, then yes… I suppose I am. But that doesn’t mean such tittle-tattle offers proof of my current reputation or whom I might or might not be involved with.”
“I suppose not,” he admitted raking his hand through his hair before continuing his inquisition. “And what about Wickes? Are the two of you… intimate?”
She came to her feet. “Not that it is any of your business, but Gyles has been a perfect gentleman!”
“Do sit down, Josephine. I was just ensuring he was behaving properly,” Simon declared chuckling.
“Of course, he is behaving himself. I should think you would know that,” she chided her brother.
“Gyles and I have been absent from each other’s lives since the day you ran away. We are only beginning to renew our friendship just as you and I are mending our past. For this all to work, I will expect you to be careful with whom you associate yourself.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked dreading what was to come next.
“Since I am still a bachelor, I can hardly have you living under my roof without a respectable lady companion. Nor can you continue to reside at Mrs. Vaughn’s considering she, too, has a past that is… questionable.”
“Then where do you suggest I live?”
He gave a heavy sigh as though his life, too, was about to dramatically change. “You’ll live here with me.”
“But you just said—”
He held up his hand to halt any further protests. “I have Mrs. Jane Crompton waiting in the dining room to join us for a luncheon. She came highly recommended and was only too happy to take the job as the last young lady she chaperoned recently wed. Mrs. Crompton will move in here as well. She will accompany you whenever you go out to ensure all is in order and no further gossip can be associated with your name,” Simon said with a confidence that he had, indeed, thought of everything.
“What if I don’t get along with Mrs. Crompton?” she asked, uncomfortable with the thought that her whole life was being controlled by someone else. In a way, her brother was finally doing what he should have done years ago. She wasn’t sure she was entirely happy about it but what else could she do?
Simon gave her a small smile. “If I can sacrifice my peace and quiet to open up my home to a pair of ladies, I am certain you can do your part to be agreeable to a chaperone. I think you will be pleased with the arrangements I have made for you thus far, including having your old bedroom aired out. With the Hampton event in several days, we can all attend the event together and make a grand entrance.”
“What about Gyles? Won’t he be joining us?”
“He’ll meet us there. I think it would be best if people saw you arriving with me. That way, they’ll know you have my blessing. We are family, after all.”
“You’ve thought of everything,” she whispered.
Simon nodded and came to stand before her. He took her hands and pulled her to her feet. “It still won’t be easy, Josephine, but I know we can do this if we stick together. It’s way past time that you take your rightful place within the family and return to where you always belonged.”
He pulled her into his embrace and a sob escaped her to feel her brother’s arms around her again. She barely heard the door opening before a familiar voice was heard in the room.
“Is everything okay in here?” Gyles asked as he came to stand before the siblings.
“Everything is fine, my lord,” Josephine said with a smile as she gazed lovingly into Gyles’s eyes.
Simon cleared his. “Let’s adjourn to the dining room. I’ve had Cook prepare a luncheon especially for my little sister.”
Her brother offered her his arm and she gladly rested her fingertips in the crook of his elbow as he began escorting her from the room. Introductions were made with Mrs. Crompton who appeared happy to have another lady to take under her wing. The rest of the afternoon was a delight as she spent the time with two men who would soon shape her future.