Chapter Eight #2
“Men are fairly simple creatures, Florence. When we have what we want, we do not stray. Give us good food, a bed, and a sweet, warm body beside us, a smiling face to greet us as we wake up to each new day, and we’ll be content.”
She pursed her lips in thought. “But so many men do stray. What makes you think you won’t?”
“Because it is not in the Aubrey nature. No mistresses or affairs for us. We do not marry to turn our wives into housekeepers and go seek our comforts elsewhere. Being an Aubrey means coming home to our wives every night. I know this is not what most ton marriages are like. Most in the Upper Crust believe wealth and power are more important than a happy home life.”
“I would bring very little wealth and no power whatsoever to our marriage,” she said.
“Do you think I care? I want a love marriage such as my parents had. I think you and I can have this. After all, you are the one who made those subtle changes to our supper last night and reminded me just how important a good home life is to one’s happiness.
This is how I was raised and want my children to be raised. ”
“I like the stories you’ve told me about your father and mother.”
His expression turned doting. “My father was a character, certainly not like the typical nobleman.”
“Starting with the naming of his children—Trajan and Persephone. Your father was one to carve his own path and did not bend to ton rules or expectations. I admire that very much.”
He nodded. “So do I, although I have no intention of saddling my children with such names.”
Florence laughed. She was sorry never to have met the man before he passed. However, much of him was reflected in his son. The intelligence, the thoughtfulness, and the love of family.
Trajan’s parents may not have started out as a love match, but his father obviously sensed it could turn into that and had done all in his power to make his wife fall in love with him. Florence thought this was wonderful.
She did not know if she could ever describe what her own parents had together as love. Her father did not stray. At least, not that she was ever aware. But neither did her parents ever show each other great affection.
And yet they were a cohesive unit when it came to elevating her brother and casting her aside.
Trajan put his hand over hers to regain her attention. “You turned sad, Florence.”
She shook her head. “I got lost in my thoughts for a moment. You are awfully attentive to me this morning. I did not mean to interfere with your reading the newspaper.”
“I’ll read it later. You are not interfering. I like having you beside me.”
“I like being here,” she admitted.
“I am sometimes a growling bear in the morning, but I don’t mind a bit of chatter most days. You caught me on a bad day yesterday, but that was because I was still overset about what had happened the day before.”
“Any remaining soreness or bruises?”
“From your landing atop me?” He grinned. “No, I’m fine. You?”
“Not a scratch, and I will do my best to keep it that way,” she added before he could chide her. “All is in readiness for Lady Frampton’s arrival. Is there anything you would like me to ask her?”
“Something you have not already thought of? No.” He took a sip of his coffee and then set down his cup. “I expect you have been doing nothing but thinking of questions for her.”
“Yes, but mostly how to ask them within the flow of a conversation so that she does not grow suspicious of my true intentions.”
He shook his head. “Florence, do you not think her husband will have warned her?”
“Well, yes, I’m sure he will have, but that cannot stop me from asking my questions. And I have considered something else.”
“What is that?”
“What if she is not happy with what he is doing?”
His eyes widened. “Are you thinking to have her betray her husband?”
“It was just a thought, something to keep in the back of my mind. Of course, it will not work if she is just as ruthless as he is. But what if she is softhearted and cannot bear the way he is destroying other people?”
“Being softhearted is one thing. She would also have to be exceptionally brave to ever dare defy him. It could be a death sentence for her. Have you thought of that?”
“Yes, but there are some risks that are worth taking.”
“And some that are not. His downfall would also lead to her downfall. You are not only asking her to be brave but willing to destroy her own reputation and comfortable life, and for what? Your brother, who deserves the punishment he is about to get? Or some nameless man who was stupid enough to put his torrid extramarital thoughts in writing? Are either of these fellows worth the risk?”
Her heart sank, for he was right. Her mind was so clouded by her own need to save her brother, who was not worth saving in the first place, that she was not properly considering the danger to Lady Frampton. Of course, this assumed the lady would consider helping her get those letters back.
Nor were Florence’s motives pious. She wanted to save her brother in order to shove her good deed in the faces of her parents. In her heart, she knew her mother would never love her. Nor would her brother ever show the least appreciation.
“Oh, Florence,” Trajan said with an ache to his voice. “Are you going to cry?”
She nodded. “Everything you said is right. I have been so obsessed with my own desire to be appreciated by my family that I was blinded to everyone else I might hurt.”
He placed his hand over hers. “Wanting to save your brother is a noble sacrifice.”
“But my heart is not noble. I agreed to retrieving the letters because I wanted to show my family that I was the better person,” she said with a shake of head, struggling to hold back her tears.
“My foolish brother was the perfect foil, the perfect means to a selfish end. My motives were not honorable. He is a cruel and wretched person. I would be happy never to see him again.”
She took out her handkerchief, as her tears now fell. “And what does this say about me? I am just as horrible as he is, not even thinking of the harm I might do to Lady Frampton if she were ever so kind as to help me.”
“Come here, sweetheart.” He drew her out of her chair and onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. “See, I was going to get you onto my lap one way or another.”
“Smartly done,” she said, laughing between her tears.
She hugged him fiercely. He was proving to be her anchor upon the uncertain sea of her life.
“It is too late to rescind Lady Frampton’s invitation to tea.
But that’s all it will be. I will not steer the conversation to those letters or tempt her in any way to betray her husband.
If you plan to return to London shortly, then may I impose on you to allow my aunt and me to stay with you at Gull Hall and return to London with you? ”
“It is no imposition. Stay as long as you wish. You know my feelings on the matter.”
“I do.” She nodded. “I thought you were a man I could love from the moment I met you. Now, I know it for certain. All the more reason to get the Frampton matter behind me before I dare move forward. Once back in London, I’ll let the princess know the task was beyond my abilities and deal with the repercussions. ”
“I’ll stand by you.”
“No. Please don’t. Let the brunt of her wrath fall upon me and only me. How angry can she be when I did not cause any of these problems? And what harm can she do to me when I have nothing to lose? No wealth of significance. No estates. Not even a parent or sibling who would ever stand up for me.”
“She might confiscate your father’s assets.”
“I doubt she would ever go that far and risk word getting out about what she was doing—and why. It is the why of it that she doesn’t dare reveal.
Then everyone she was trying to save would be exposed.
This might lead to Lord Frampton’s downfall, but it would also blemish her reputation, and wouldn’t this thrill the prince regent who already detests her?
Imagine disliking your own wife to that extent. ”
“Unfortunately, these royals have no choice in whom they marry. Perhaps we would all be better off if they did.”
“Or worse off, perhaps. People in love do foolish things. Look at the damage those love letters might do to Lady Simmons and her unknown admirer.”
Trajan took the handkerchief from her hands and gently dabbed at her tears. “Whatever happens, just know that I will be ready to catch you should you fall.”
She kissed him on the cheek, inhaling the scent of lather on his freshly shaved skin. “I hope never to put you through another crash landing,” she said with mirth.
She gave him another kiss on the cheek and rose to walk over to the window to peer out of it when she heard his cousins pounding down the stairs. After hastily drying her tears and hoping her eyes did not appear too watery, she turned to greet them.
They were a jovial threesome, and thankfully too hungry to do more than bid her and Trajan a good morning before grabbing their plates and noisily making their way from salver to salver, piling everything they saw onto them.
“Hey, leave a sausage for me,” Sebastian griped when his brothers determined they should serve themselves in age order and shunted him to the back of the line.
When Trajan’s cousins sat down and began to dig into their breakfasts, Florence returned to her seat and managed to eat a little more of her own. But the moment she set her fork down, Sebastian placed his over the remains on her plate. “You going to eat that sausage?”
She laughed. “No. Help yourself.”
The three of them ate like wolves and exercised no table manners whatsoever. This delighted Florence, for it meant they considered her a part of their family.
She smiled at Trajan. He winked back at her.
This would be her life if she accepted his proposal.
She adored it.