Chapter 30
Nathaniel looked up from his conversation with his steward at the opening of his study door. Both of them stood as his mother walked in with her usual imperious manner.
“You wished to see me, Nathaniel?” she asked, completely oblivious, or uncaring, of interrupting his meeting with Mr. Fletcher.
True, he had requested she meet him here at five, but it was still five minutes until that time, and he had not concluded his business with the steward.
He sighed. There was no putting his mother off, nor did he want to.
The estate matters he was discussing with Mr. Fletcher would have to wait.
The subject he wanted to broach with his mother and sister-in-law was much more important, and the main reason for this inopportune trip to the countryside.
He still debated the wisdom of leaving Alice right after that nonsensical fight last night.
He had planned to stay the night with her. Seduce her slowly and wake up with her in his arms. Spend a leisurely day together to remind her of how good they could be together. Advance another step in his winning-his-wife-back campaign.
That had all gone to hell the moment she started throwing accusations at him.
If anything, it had made one thing crystal clear: He could fuck his wife to the end of time.
Could show her unimaginable pleasure and give her every reassurance.
And it wouldn’t make a difference in her decision.
Because the problem was not their desire for each other.
That had never stood between them. They had always felt this magnetic pull that made every encounter explosive.
And it wasn’t enough.
That was not the key to breaking the cipher that was Alice. Action of another kind was required. If he wanted Alice in his life, he needed to make space for her. He had planned to do it anyway, but that fight had given him a clue. Hopefully set him on the right track.
“Hello, Mother. I was just finishing up my meeting with Mr. Fletcher.” Turning to the steward, he said. “I would like to continue our discussion tomorrow morning.”
“Of course, my lord.” The steward inclined his head, gathered his papers, and left the room with alacrity.
“Well?” his mother demanded, sitting on the chair the man had just vacated.
“We shall wait for Louisa. This matter I want to discuss concerns you both, and I wish to broach it when both of you are present.”
At that moment, a faint knock on the door announced his sister-in-law’s arrival. He called permission to enter, and Louisa slid in, inclined her head in salutation and sat in the other chair facing his desk.
“I have invited you here today to discuss your future living accommodations,” he said baldly, studying them as he said the words to gauge their reactions. Louisa merely looked intrigued, but his mother looked suspicious. And displeased.
“What do you mean, ‘future living accommodations? This is our home. We live here and shall continue to be so.”
“I’m afraid not, Mother. Greystone Manor has changed hands twice since my father’s time. You have been the dowager for over ten years now. Yet you continue to preside over the house.”
“Are you saying you will evict me from Greystone Manor?” His mother gasped, bringing a hand to her chest. “That you will remove me from the only home I’ve known for the past forty years?”
“Don’t be so dramatic. I’m hardly tossing you out onto the streets.
You are a wealthy widow. You both are,” he added, his gaze encompassing both of them.
“There’s a dower house on the estate. I have to admit, I have not set foot in it in years, but Mr. Fletcher tells me it’s been properly maintained and is in good, solid condition. ”
His mother rose and planted her hands on his desk.
“You are planning to banish me to the dower house? Your own mother?”
He stood at the same time his mother did.
“I’m not banishing you, Mother. You’d still live on Greystone property.
But in your own household. With your own servants.
If you don’t wish to live in the Dower House, you could also choose to buy a house in London or Bath. Wherever you wish. I shall help you.”
“My place is in Greystone.” She raised her chin.
He inclined his head in agreement. It’s what he had expected of her. “Then you will live on Greystone grounds. But not in this house. You could, of course, decorate the Dower House to your taste. Order new furniture and drapes. Take whatever pleases you from Greystone. It could be a fun project.”
“And who is going to run this house? Louisa? She won’t be able to do it by herself.”
Louisa visibly bristled at his mother’s condescending words but then tightened her lips and forced a smile. “I doubt that’s what he has in mind, Margaret.”
He nodded his head at Louisa. His sister-in-law was more astute than anyone gave her credit for.
She had lived under his mother’s thumb throughout her entire marriage.
Never being allowed to be the mistress of her own home.
Nathaniel didn’t know why his brother had countenanced the situation.
Perhaps Louisa had never complained to him, and his brother had simply been blind to the domestic power struggle.
He knew from his own experience that men could be dense about such matters.
But he had learned his lesson. It had almost cost him his marriage and his happiness, but he had learned.
He would not allow Alice to suffer the same fate.
“You are right, Louisa. We are in a bit of a predicament, because there are currently two dowager viscountesses, and only one dower house. But I plan to help you find adequate accommodations for you and my niece. You both will be well taken care of. I want you to give thought to where you’d like to live. ”
Clara nodded. “I will think about it. And ask my daughter as well, of course. She might be a child, but her preferences matter to me. May I let you know of my decision tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
His sister-in-law stood and smiled serenely. Suddenly she looked purposeful, energized. And happier. “If there’s nothing else, I will take my leave now. I have much to consider. But for what it’s worth, I think it’s a good idea. I’m excited about the prospect of having my own household.”
Nathaniel smiled and nodded, and she exited his study, closing the door softly behind her. At least his sister-in-law was being cooperative. Making this process easy. His mother, on the other hand…
“So that is your plan, to remove us both from the house.” His mother’s voice dripped with scorn. “Who will assume the duties of the viscountess, then, Nathaniel? Your wayward wife?”
He looked her straight in the eye. “That is my intention, yes. It is what is proper as well, as you know. When I was a child, Grandmother lived in the dower house. During your marriage, you were the mistress of this house. Alice has the same right.”
“This is her idea, isn’t it? Louisa and I have cohabited in this house for years in perfect harmony.
We happily shared the duties of the viscountess.
But that woman, who has no notion of how to be a lady, is demanding that you evict us from our home, just so that she can run this house to the ground with her ineptitude—”
“Enough, Mother. I will not allow you to speak in that way about my wife. She is brave, resourceful, and extremely capable. I have no doubt that she will be able to fulfill all the duties of Lady Greystone.”
“And where is she?” His mother made a pretense of looking around. “Shouldn’t she be here to take over? Or is this paragon of bravery so scared of facing us that she sent you ahead to clear the way for her?”
Nathaniel took a deep breath, turning away. The problem with his mother is that she knew how to place her darts well. Alice was indeed afraid. Of what, he didn’t know. But he also knew she was no coward.
“Alice doesn’t even know that I’m doing this,” he admitted. “She hasn’t agreed to return home. To return to me.”
His mother’s outraged bark made him turn around.
“This is unbelievable! Are you saying that woman had the gall to reject my son? That you are willing to give her another chance, despite her abandonment and betrayal, and she still won’t have you? Where does she get the audacity?”
“It’s not like that.” He sighed and sank back down into his chair. “Alice never betrayed me. I was mistaken about that.”
“How so?” Surprise, or curiosity, made his mother sit.
“The man I thought she was having an affair with, the one I saw coming in and out of her house, is not a lover, but her brother.”
His mother harrumphed. “And you believed her? Of course she would say something like that to hide her transgression. If she had a brother, wouldn’t you know about it sooner?”
Nathaniel lifted his gaze to his mother, wishing he had not said anything. His mother may have good intentions, but she was extremely aggravating in her stubborn rejection of Alice.
“Yes, I believe it. It wasn’t even she who told me; it was her brother, when he found out I had named him as co-respondent in the divorce suit.
He was outraged. He’s also a member of the nobility, and his relationship to Alice is not official, if you can discern my meaning.
They found out they were siblings as adults. ”
“Oh! That is a different matter altogether. Are you saying Alice was born on the wrong side of the blanket? That she’s the illegitimate get of some lord?”
His mother’s eyes fairly sparkled, as if he was imparting juicy gossip instead of revealing relevant information about his wife. Good God, could this conversation with his mother get any more derailed? It was like she was purposely twisting his words to cast everything in the worst possible light.