Chapter 6 #2
He looked down at his son with a mixture of relief and guilt. "I am already failing you," he murmured. The words escaped before he could stop them.
Mrs. Norris's expression softened. "You have only had him for a few days," she reminded him gently. "You cannot expect to know everything immediately."
Pierce glanced at her. "I expect myself to know what is required."
"Then you shall be disappointed," she said matter-of-factly. "Children have a remarkable talent for refusing to follow expectations."
Pierce almost laughed.
He carried Hugh towards the window and looked out over the gardens. "I have already put out calls for a nanny," he said. "I expect someone suitable to begin as soon as possible."
Mrs Norris nodded. "I am happy to look after him until one is found."
Pierce turned towards her. "That is kind of you, but you have your household duties. The sooner we have a nanny, the better."
His gaze travelled around the nursery. "I will have order and discipline in this house. Hugh deserves both."
Mrs Norris gave him a knowing look. "I am certain he will be delighted to hear it."
Pierce ignored the remark. His mind had already returned to Margaret.
I have moved heaven and earth to find Hugh a mother as quickly as possible, and now the arrangement is nearly within reach.
I had known precisely what he required and had acted accordingly.
If the woman happens to be the same woman who had appeared at the masquerade dressed as the goddess Flora and begged me to help ruin her, that was merely circumstance. Nothing more.
Goddess Flora, he thought, remembering the bold woman behind the mask.
She wanted saving. He needed a duchess. Neither of them had the luxury of waiting. That was the only reason he had chosen Margaret.
At least, that was what Pierce told himself as Hugh finally settled against his chest, one tiny hand curling around his finger.
He stared down at the boy, feeling something unfamiliar tighten in his chest. Perhaps he did not understand fatherhood yet, and perhaps he had no idea what sort of man he would become for Hugh, but one thing was certain.
I will find the answers. I will protect my son.
And he would make certain Margaret understood precisely what she was agreeing to before she entered Ravenfield as his wife.
* * *
Later that evening, Pierce stood beside the billiards table, studying the arrangement of the balls with the same concentration he might have given a military campaign.
The evening had settled over Ravenfield, and the lamps cast a warm glow across the masculine room, illuminating the dark wood panelling, green baize, and shelves of decanters.
Across from him, Nathaniel leaned against the edge of the table with a glass of brandy in hand, watching his friend with the relaxed amusement of a man who had come expecting an ordinary evening.
He had barely spoken to Pierce since the masquerade, and judging by his expression, he was still waiting for an explanation concerning the mysterious baby who had appeared in the house that night.
Pierce took his shot and sent the cue ball cleanly across the table. "I have proposed to Lady Margaret Wilmore."
Nathaniel inhaled at precisely the wrong moment and nearly choked on his brandy. He coughed violently, lowering the glass as he stared at Pierce.
"You have done what?"
Pierce calmly chalked the end of his cue. "I have proposed to Lady Margaret Wilmore, daughter of the Earl of Lempster."
"I heard the words," Nathaniel replied, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I am merely struggling to understand how they came out of your mouth."
Pierce glanced at him. "You are being dramatic."
"I am being entirely reasonable," Nathaniel countered. "You have spent the past two years insisting that you would never marry again, and now, without so much as a warning, you announce that you have proposed to a woman." He stared at Pierce. "Lady Margaret?"
"Yes."
Nathaniel pushed himself upright. "The same Lady Margaret who attended your masquerade dressed as Flora?"
"The very same."
Nathaniel looked towards the ceiling as though asking heaven for patience. "You discover that your late wife left you a living son, and then decide to acquire a wife. Pierce, what happened to you?"
Pierce ignored the question and walked around the table. "After the masquerade, I had my men search the grounds thoroughly. I wanted to know whether the woman who left Hugh had remained nearby or departed immediately after handing him over."
He paused, his expression darkening. "She had gone. No carriage could be identified, no servant saw where she went, and there was no useful description beyond what the household remembered."
"And you simply let her disappear?"
"No." Pierce's voice hardened. "I have employed a private investigator. He is searching for her now."
Nathaniel nodded slowly. "And Lady Margaret?"
Pierce rested the cue against his shoulder. "She asked for my help. She was bound by an old marriage contract to Lord Harrowby, and the man intended to enforce it. Margaret wanted out."
Pierce's expression became faintly amused as he remembered the masquerade. "She had a rather unconventional solution."
"I believe I can imagine," Nathaniel said.
"She intended to ruin herself publicly, and I tell you that in confidence, though she announced such a thing to all the men in this very room that night."
Nathaniel's eyebrows rose. "My, what a bold gesture. Where was I during this plan of hers?"
Pierce gazed at him. "That is my future wife you speak of in such a manner."
"Right. Apologies. But it is intriguing. I am assuming you prevented her from doing just that, as we did not get such a show at the ball?"
"I did."
"And then you proposed?" Nathaniel asked in confusion.
Pierce gave him a measured look. "Eventually."
Nathaniel stared at him. "You vowed never to marry."
"That was before Hugh," Pierce said.
He lowered the cue and looked towards the window, his thoughts briefly returning to the nursery and the tiny boy who had transformed his entire existence in a matter of days.
"Things changed when my son came into my life. He needs a proper mother. Someone who will care for him, educate him, protect him, and provide him with the stability he deserves."
Nathaniel was quiet for a moment. "And you believe Lady Margaret will do that?"
"She is spirited. She is of good stock and needed a solution, as did I."
"That was not precisely what I asked."
Pierce's mouth tightened. "She is kind. She is courageous. She has a strong sense of loyalty towards her family, and despite her foolishness, she has compassion." He paused. "She will do."
Nathaniel studied him with growing suspicion. "You make her sound like you are selecting a governess."
"This is not a love match."
"No?"
"No." Pierce returned to the table and considered his next shot. "I need a duchess. Hugh needs a mother. Margaret needs freedom from Harrowby. The arrangement benefits all three of us."
Nathaniel took another drink of brandy. "And what does Lady Margaret receive besides freedom?"
"Security. A title. Wealth. A protected position in society."
"And you?" Nathaniel asked with a smirk on his face.
Pierce looked at him.
Nathaniel smiled knowingly. "You receive a beautiful young wife who is very bold indeed from the sound of it."
Pierce's expression became distinctly colder.
Nathaniel laughed. "Ah. So there it is."
Pierce picked up his cue. "I believe it is your turn."
"You have just confirmed it without saying a word."
"I have confirmed nothing."
Nathaniel grinned and moved towards the table. "My dear friend, I suspect this arrangement is going to be considerably less practical than you imagine. A woman that bold is neither obedient nor calm… but she will be most entertaining in other parts of your marriage."
Pierce made his shot with unnecessary force. "We shall see."