Chapter 5 #2
John thought that calling her by her new title so soon indicated otherwise, but he did not say so.
Instead, he said as firmly and as forcefully as he could, “We will give my mother three months to find another home. In the meantime, you will not say a single word on the subject or even hint that you might have the tiniest bit of impatience. Do you understand me?”
“But…” said Natalie.
He interrupted. “My mother just lost her husband of thirty-three years. I refuse to toss her from the home they shared for that same length of time or in any way make her feel unwelcome there. We will give her three months. In the meantime, you will say absolutely nothing on the subject, either to me or to her.”
Natalie stared at him. Her mind was clearly struggling to find a way around his command so that she could object or wiggle out of his strictures. In the end, she must have failed, for she said sourly, “As you wish, husband.”
They said nothing else until the second course was served, when she began discussing the various wardrobe changes she would be making so she could appear to be in mourning for the late earl.
This discussion made John almost as queasy as discussing his mother or his inheritance of the title of Earl, because it was clear Natalie had absolutely no feeling of mourning whatsoever.
She was merely using it as an excuse to buy new gowns and accessories.
She was actually looking forward to the process and was quite animated in her descriptions.
He let her talk, however. At least that way, he wouldn’t have to respond, for Natalie could talk about clothing and shopping for at least an hour unaided.
As she spoke, John let his mind wander. Mostly, he began to wonder what he had ever seen in the lady he was now shackled to in this life.
He had loved her once. When they first met, five years ago, he had thought she was the prettiest, most intelligent, most capable young lady he had ever met. He was captivated by her wit, her smiles, and he must admit, by her beauty.
Three months after meeting her, he proposed, and she seemed quite happy with him. He counted himself the luckiest man alive to have married for love rather than wealth or status.
His love for her lasted several months into their marriage, but as time passed he began to sense a distance between them that never seemed to diminish. He had assumed that after marriage, they would become gradually closer, but if anything they had gradually grown further apart.
Any time they were together, even in her bedroom, she used her company manners and her pleasant smile. He began to wonder what was behind them.
Then, when he found out what was truly behind them, he fell out of love almost as quickly as he had fallen into it.
Her intelligence and wit, which he had always admired, gradually turned towards her true hobby of noticing everything that was wrong with everyone and cleverly and casually ripping their entire ego to shreds with a few well-placed words.
At first, she seldom turned her sharp eyes or tongue on him. Even now, she didn’t do it nearly as often as she could have. Natalie seemed to have some lingering respect for him as her husband. Or, what was more likely, she realized that he held the ultimate power over her comfort.
Even so, the more he heard her criticize others, the more his love for her died.
It didn’t take long for his affection to completely fade, and it took even less time for his respect to follow.
He recognized that she was still an excellent hostess and that she was still a very much sought after guest among the ton.
From most people’s perspective, her behavior, even her witty but sharp criticisms, were merely evidence that she was a perfectly proper Lady.
In John’s more self-critical moments, he supposed she probably was an excellent example of a Lady of her station.
It was he who didn’t fit. He was the one who felt no need to play the games of power so often played among his peers.
He was the one who had no interest in status or self-aggrandizement.
Eventually, the interminable dinner was over. Natalie retreated to her room, and John retreated to his study for a glass of brandy.
As he sipped it and stared at the walls, he couldn’t help but wish he was sipping the much harsher gin that he tended to drink in his club.
Somehow, though, even he couldn’t see a cheap bottle of gin fitting in properly among the expensive wood paneling, the bookshelf full of expensive books, and the heavy but delicately carved and very expensive desk.
So, he sipped at the expensive brandy that was a total waste of money and tried to forget everything that had happened that day.
~~~~~
The next morning, John made the relatively short journey to the little town of Meryton, just twenty miles north of Mayfair.
He found Mr. Phillips fairly easily by the simple expedient of traveling down the main street of the town.
The solicitor’s place of business was right on the main road and was clearly marked by a colorful sign.
When John entered the office, he was greeted by a clerk and was quickly shown in to see Mr. Phillips. The discussion didn’t take long once John explained his purpose. The only delay came toward the end of the conversation.
“I assume you would like to see the place before you sign a lease for it,” said Mr. Phillips.
“Oh, there is no need,” said John airily. “I have it on good authority from someone who has stayed there in the past that the place is quite suitable for my purposes.”
Mr. Phillips looked at him piercingly. “As a businessman, it would be in my interest to hurry this along,” he said.
“However, I cannot in good conscience allow you to spend so much money on a lease when you don’t even know what kind of condition the house is in.
Even if it was suitable in the past, time has a way of changing things.
Therefore, I would encourage you to see it for yourself. ”
John sighed. The older man was correct, but John was hoping to complete this transaction without anyone being the wiser to his presence. “Very well,” he said after a bit of hesitation. “If you could give me directions, I will take a look at it.”
“I will do you one better,” said Mr. Phillips. “I will send my clerk with you. He can guide you to Netherfield, and with him with you, you can see as much of the inside and outside as you like.”
“Is your clerk discreet?” asked John. “I was hoping to keep my presence here as quiet as possible.”
“He is as discreet as I tell him to be. If you do not wish anyone to know you are here, he will not say a word. It is possible, however, that others will see you and draw their own conclusions.”
“I can do nothing about that,” said John. “I am simply attempting to reduce rumors as much as possible.”
John spent the next three hours going over the house and its grounds. The house was well-kept, though too large for a single occupant, but the hunting forest on the edge of the property looked promising enough to make up for that.
When the tour was complete, John happily signed a three-month lease for the house, which was to begin the first of February.
The final hiccup occurred as he was signing the document. He had originally introduced himself as Eric Porter, a persona he frequently used when he wished to go unnoticed. When he signed his true name, Mr. Phillips appeared genuinely surprised and perhaps a bit shocked.
When the contract was complete, the solicitor said, “Thank you, my Lord.”
John held up a hand. “None of that, now,” he said. “You boasted of your discretion, and I will count on it. I am Eric Porter.”
“Yes, of course,” said Mr. Phillips. “You may count on me.”
The two men shook hands and John headed back to London. The next few weeks would be difficult, but at least he had this little holiday to look forward to.
~~~~~
The next few weeks were, indeed, difficult. There was his investiture, where the title of Earl of Matlock became truly his. That was harder than one might assume. John was so used to his father or his grandfather being the earl that the name didn’t sit comfortably on his shoulders.
Then, there was an enormous amount of work going through his father’s ill-organized papers, with the aid of his secretary, to determine what his new wealth consisted of and where it was placed. He also had to disperse several legacies from the will.
His mother had received her original dowry back as well as generous dower rights.
That was no surprise. What was surprising was that, despite saying that Richard would never get any inheritance, since the old Earl had arranged for his position as colonel, their father had left Richard ten thousand pounds.
This change to his father’s will dated from three years ago, just after a physician visiting Natalie discovered that it was impossible for her to bear children. They had kept this information within the family, but ever since then, Richard had been treated as the heir by both John and their father.
Upon hearing of Richard’s bequest, Natalie’s expression grew quite sour, though she said nothing since they were in public at the time.
However, John heard all her complaints at length that night at dinner.
Apparently, she resented the bequest, seeing it as John’s father disposing of money that was rightfully theirs.
John let her complaints simply wash over him. He could not sympathize with them in the least. He had too much as it was, and he was more than happy to have some of it go to his brother if it would help him live a better life.
By the time John had settled into his new role and his new wealth, the month of January was almost over.
On February first, he bade farewell to his wife, reminding her to say nothing about moving to his mother until he returned from Hertfordshire.
He then climbed into his carriage. As the vehicle began moving, he breathed an enormous sigh of relief.
He had spent the last three weeks gradually heaping more and more responsibility on himself, all the while grieving the loss of his father.
Now, however, he was going to a place where he would have no responsibility whatsoever.
It would be one last breath of fresh air before he fully embraced his new role as Earl of Matlock.