He nodded. He knew Arthur was right in that he had no real memories to go upon. All he had was the here and now. Every now and then a glimpse from his early childhood captured his mind. What Cathryn was going through was something no one should have to experience. She was bound to be hurting. It hurt him because he was partially to blame. Given some time, she would be fine.
“Charles? Where are you?” Arthur asked.
He glanced up at his brother, who was standing next to him. “I am here. Just wondering why people act the way they do.”
“If you’re talking about Cathryn’s family, don’t try and find a solution. I doubt there is one. Fortunately, she has you and together you have a future.”
“I guess I need to keep her focused on us.”
Arthur arched a brow. “Yes. You’ll be fine—both of you will be.”
Nodding, he knew his brother was right. He and Cathryn had had much going on since their marriage. Maybe now that the matter of the dowry had been taken care of, things would start falling into place.
He’d been invited to Oxford for a meeting among his peers. That was indeed special. Since he and Arthur needed to meet with their man of business, it would be a good time to let the women shop.
“A brief trip to London is in order,” Charles said to his brother.
“I’ll get it arranged. We can leave tomorrow.”
“That’s fine. Just let me know and I’ll make sure Cathryn is packed and ready to go.”
Chapter Twelve
When they arrivedin London, gray, dark clouds greeted them. The rain had not started, and it was taking real effort not to spill open.
The two women were chattering among themselves. Charles had hoped they would become friends, and it appeared to be exactly what they were doing.
The house had been cleaned and aired out for their arrival. The suite of rooms they’d be staying in had two large vases filled with flowers. Charles had accompanied Cathryn in case she got turned around. The main room had been done in a soft shade of sage green and one wall had a silk wall covering. It was cozy and not overly feminine.
“This is elegantly done, don’t you think?” she asked.
He arched a brow pensively. “Yes, I’m particularly fond of the colors chosen.”
“They are soothing.”
“Would you like to have a cuppa tea?”
“Sounds good. I’ll have it sent here.”
The tea was exactly what was needed. It also gave them some time to talk about anything they felt comfortable with. They would all be busy while here. He and Arthur were going to have a meeting about her dowry and the funds. Charles was due to meet with the Oxford representatives and had been looking forward to the encounter. He would also try to meet with his editor about his novels, and there were also some things Cathrynhad mentioned wanting them to do together. He’d make sure to see them done so he didn’t disappoint her. One thing he’d learned about the female sex was that they got their feelings hurt easily, and they would either wear it on their sleeve or would act as though nothing had happened. Either way, he found both reactions unfamiliar. As time went by, he hoped to understand her better than he did now.
He was getting to know what she liked and what she didn’t. The piano made her quite happy but unfortunately, women were limited in their options for performing. She was daring and bold and fiercely protective of those she loved and cared about.
Suddenly, Charles cursed himself. How could he have been so forgetful? When they married in Gretna Green, he hadn’t a ring for her. There hadn’t been time for him to get one for her. Not once did she complain. She hadn’t mentioned it. He had no idea if her feelings were hurt or what she thought of his forgetfulness.
While they were in London, he’d go out to a jeweler and see if he found something. Or perhaps bring her along and let her choose what she liked.
For now, he and Arthur were off to speak with the family man of business to find out about the validity of the dowry papers he signed and the money that came with it. The other questionable item was Cathryn’s brother signing off as though he were her legal guardian.
They were led into the inner office, where they sat down and waited. When their man entered the room, they exchanged pleasantries before moving on to the task at hand.
“So far, the dowry is straightforward. I’ll keep reading the dowry agreement. I’ll be in touch if an issue arises,” Arthur said.
“What about the money?” Charles asked.
“I thought to put it into your account for now,” their man of business stated.
He watched his brother nod. “That’s probably the safest place for it, don’t you agree, Charles?”
