Chapter Seventeen #2
“Wait, Georgie. Why do you wish to know what the late Lord Durham died of? Do you suspect ill will?”
“No, just the opposite.” She’d turned and started to exit the parlor when she realized she couldn’t very well walk to the dowager Durham’s sister’s place. Hopefully, her coach had arrived. If not, she’d have to borrow one.
In little time, Georgina was settled into her coach on her way to call on Philip’s mother.
She didn’t look forward to bringing up the subject of her husband’s death, even if it was three years ago.
Georgina couldn’t imagine what it must be like to lose one’s husband.
Just the thought of losing Philip had her heart stuttering.
As she imagined herself a widow, she felt tears welling up, and she quickly looked outside to get her mind off such morose thoughts.
Philip was young and would live many years yet.
They didn’t even have children yet. He needed to have children to carry on the line, and they were certainly doing all they could on that score.
She grinned as she thought of all the chapters they had gone through in the book. Once they finished, she was determined to be creative and find other ways and other places to conceive children.
Once she arrived at Lady Redding’s, she was shown into the parlor.
“Georgie, how lovely of you to visit me.” The dowager looked past her. “Is Philip with you?”
“No, he is otherwise engaged, so I thought to come on my own.”
“No matter. I’m happy for the opportunity to get to know my daughter better. Come sit by me.” The dowager gestured toward the straight-back chair next to her. “The tea is fresh, would you like some?”
“Please. Extra sweet.”
Georgina waited as the dowager poured then offered sweets. As there were Shrewsbury cakes, she accepted.
“Now, you must tell me all about your time at Crestfield.”
She felt her cheeks heating. “It was lovely.”
Her mother-in-law must have noticed. “My dear, I don’t mean your honeymoon. I mean how you settled in.”
“Oh, yes. It feels more like home than anywhere I’ve been.
The staff are wonderful and Mr. Beeson has found two dove pairs to put in the dovecote.
We have determined that we want to keep it to twenty at the most. There is a young wren who was sitting on her eggs when we were there.
I was sorry to leave her before they hatched, but it was time to return to Town.
” She stopped talking when she noticed the dowager’s teacup was paused halfway to her lips, as if she were shocked. “Is everything all right?”
The dowager blinked. “My dear, I have never heard anyone talk about the birds at Crestfield. I was simply surprised. I expected you to talk about your rooms or the décor or the tenants.”
Georgina’s cheeks heated for a second time. “I admit my interest in birds can seem odd and take over a conversation. I will try to refrain.”
“Not at all. I enjoy hearing about areas of Crestfield I never thought about. That dovecote has been empty for almost as long as Philip has been alive.”
Georgina took a sip of her own tea and a bite of cake, wanting to discuss the dovecote more but feeling it wasn’t the time.
“Do you like your rooms? They may be in need of refreshing. I redid those when Philip was still in leading strings.”
“They are lovely. Philip did say I could make some changes. I’m partial to green, so I was thinking of changing the color, if you don’t mind.”
“Georgie, those are your rooms now. When I return to the country, I will move into the dowager house. It is much smaller and more manageable. And what of Philip? Has he finally moved into his father’s rooms? Will he allow those to be redone?”
She took a deep breath, picking her words carefully. “He told me he plans to move into them at the end of the Season.”
“That is very good to hear. I feared after his father passed that he might never do so.”
She was about to explain why he wanted to move into them, but swallowed her words just in time. Based upon Philip’s relationship with his mother, she had a feeling he wouldn’t want her to know. “If I may ask, how did your husband die?”
Dowager Durham set down her teacup and stared at her lap.
“He wasted away, as the physician stated. One day he was as healthy as you or me, then slowly, almost unnoticeably, he started eating less and losing weight. He would have a bout of night sweats and chills then get over them. His skin became paler and he started coughing every day, then it became every hour. Still, he oversaw everything at Crestfield, even from his bed when he had to. He wasn’t happy unless he was busy.
” She looked at Georgina, the sadness in her gaze difficult to meet.
“The night he passed was almost a blessing. He suffered for so long.”
Georgina set her hand on her mother-in-law’s. “Did he cough blood before he passed?”
The dowager nodded.
And there was her answer. Georgina felt triumph surge through her. Now that she knew Philip’s father died of consumption, she could help her husband. “It must have been very difficult for you.”
“It was more so for Philip. He can’t forgive himself for not coming home earlier.”
“Did he tell you that?”
“More than once. He loved his father. When he was little, he’d follow him around everywhere.
I called him Walter’s shadow. Walter loved him just as much.
Though we tried to have more children, I was never able to deliver more, and after many miscarriages, Walter agreed it wasn’t worth the heartbreak, so we may have doted on the two we had more than we should have.
My husband even had a small desk made so Philip could have a place to draw when Walter went into his study.
Georgie, the two of them were such a pair.
” Philip’s mother smiled nostalgically, probably seeing the memory in her mind.
“That doesn’t seem like a man who would ignore his father’s requests to come home.”
“It wasn’t as important as Philip thinks.
After spending his whole life idolizing his father, he finally grew confident in his own abilities and thrived at Oxford.
He was a natural leader in everything he did.
He was testing his wings, so to speak. Every young man goes through that stage. You’ll see.”
She actually did see, as her brothers had gone through periods like that. “But his father wanted him to come home.”
Philip’s mother shook her head. “No, he didn’t.
I saw the letters. He asked how Philip was doing.
He told him the latest news from Newnham.
Walter wasn’t happy unless he was overseeing something or teaching his son how to do it.
He did offer Philip opportunities to learn about new responsibilities, but he never once asked him to actually come home.
Philip is convinced that Walter wanted him to, but that’s not true.
Yes, he would have loved to see his son, but he didn’t expect Philip to leave his studies.
It was more Walter’s way of keeping their relationship strong while his son was away, still teaching with the informal letters. ”
The dowager took a sip of her tea then set her cup down.
“Even when the physician said Walter wouldn’t last another fortnight, he was still meeting his steward and making judgments for his tenants.
He absolutely refused to let me write to Philip.
Finally, I simply did it. I’m very glad I did.
When Philip came home, he was stunned, but it rejuvenated Walter to talk with Philip as they used to, and for a few days, I thought maybe he was improving.
But he wasn’t. Philip was so good to his father in those last days.
Unfortunately, after Walter passed, my son changed. ”
Georgina nodded, as she’d learned that much already. “I understand he gambled on everything and even lost your townhouse. I’m sorry.”
“I wasn’t worried about the townhouse. I stayed here with my sister after Walter passed.
I didn’t wish to be alone and thought Philip could make better use of it.
What worried me was that he seemed to be lost, with no direction.
But then you came into his life. I cannot tell you how pleased I am that he found you. ”
“I’m grateful to my friends that he did.” She was about to explain her own situation when the dowager continued.
“It was Lady Ferncroft’s ball where you met, was it not? I shall call on her and extend my gratefulness to her as well.”