“Rowena?” Her mother’s voice was tinged with concern, but she did not get up. “Are you ill?”
She raised a hand to ease her mother’s concerns but found that her hand appeared to be shaking before her. It was not only her hand which moved on its own volition. Her legs were shaking too. She took a step forward, hoping to reach the bed but as soon as she took one step, she felt her legs buckle beneath her and she felt herself falling. The last thing she saw were her mother’s arms, outstretched and coming her way as if to catch her before her world turned black.
Chapter 5
Christopher paced the room and watched as Burroughs, his valet, hung the freshly ironed tailcoat on the hook at the wall. He stepped back and eyed his newest acquisition. Double breasted as was standard, he’d had the waist cut straight, in a more modern style than what the older lords were wearing. It was in a navy color which would look dashing with the black straight trousers he intended to wear.
“Thank you, Burroughs. Would you have my watch fob polished, the one on the gold chain? And set out my quizzing glass. The pinchbeck. It’s rather stylish. That’ll be all.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” the valet bowed and made his way out of the room, leaving Christopher alone with his brother. Henry had been sitting quietly, with a smirk upon his face while Christopher had stood, utterly transfixed by his tailcoat. Or rather, by the idea of who he would be meeting while wearing it.
“It is as though you have never set eyes on a garment before,” Henry commented.
Christopher glared at him. “One wants to look one’s best at a social function, especially a ball.”
“Yes, but as I see it, you put much effort into this particular ball,” his brother said, taking a sip of ale from the cup in front of him.
“And so, what if I do? Lord Hazelshire may well become an important connection for us. It is most fortunate that he requires assistance with his vineyard when you and I are so well versed in the running of them. It may well lead to important business connections.”
Henry tossed a piece of candied orange peel at his brother’s head, “Come off it! We both know that the connection you are hoping to make it’s not with Hazelshire but with his daughter. The illustrious and elusive Lady Rowena.”
Christopher swallowed. It was true that ever since he had seen the woman standing across from him on the street outside her father’s house, he had not been able to keep her from his thoughts. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her deep dark hair stood in contrast to her pale skin and his heart beat happily when he thought of the way she had so elegantly moved; it was almost as though she had floated. She was truly ethereal.
He knew it to be foolish, to be so preoccupied with a woman he had never met in person. And yet it could not be helped. Lady Rowena Burton was on his mind more than any other woman ever had been.
“Is it wrong to want to make the acquaintance of a beautiful lady?” Christopher defended himself to his brother.
“Of course, it’s not. However, I feel that you have built this young woman into a Goddess in your own mind and the poor dear will have no chance of ever living up to it.”
Christopher shook his head “I have not. I am aware that she may have flaws. Yet, I must meet her. I must make her acquaintance. She is…I cannot describe it. I simply cannot. You will know how I feel when it happens to you, Henry.”
Henry rolled his eyes. “I should hope not. Love and marriage appear to be rather tedious, time-consuming affairs. The arranged ones as well as any other. Frankly, I do not understand this desire humanity has to be eternally paired up. What is wrong with one’s own company? No, I shall be happy never to get involved in any of it.”
Christopher laughed. “You say so now but you will change your mind once you meet a woman whom you desire. Or once you reach a point in your life where you find that it is your own company which is tedious, not marriage.”
Before Henry could protest, Christopher continued.
“I do not understand your reservations about marriage anyhow. Not given the example Mother and Father set for us.”
Indeed, the Duke and Duchess of Westmond were perhaps the most content couple Christopher had encountered in his life. Like most marriages in their society, theirs had been an arranged match. Christopher was well aware that such matches were often doomed to result in an unhappy union based on nothing but convenience and comfort. That had not been the case for Christopher’s parents.
While initially advantageous, theirs had been a match that had turned from practical into romantic. Christopher smiled when he thought of his parents who had gone everywhere together. Holding hands, stealing kisses, glancing at one another with so much love. He would not tell his brother this but in his mind, he pictured himself and Lady Rowena in just such a marriage.
“It is precisely because I saw the love between our parents that I am so opposed to experiencing it myself.”Henry’s voice broke into his daydream. “For one, they were exceptionally lucky not to just fall for one another but to hold onto those feelings for all of their lives. And for another, you saw how devastated Father was when Mother became sick. And then when he lost her. He was a broken man for the rest of his life, and I venture to say that it was the loss of Mother which led to his illness and death. No, thank you. I should rather spend my life as a bachelor than risk getting stuck in a loveless match, or one in which my heart is broken due to love. I shall remain wed to my books.”
Christopher sighed. He and his brother would never agree on the matter of marriage. Henry had been opposed to it for as long as he could remember, and he doubted there was a woman alive who might change his brother’s mind.
“If we were Catholics, Henry, I would suggest the priesthood for you rather than the military.”
“If we were Catholics you would not be a Duke and we might both have no choice but become priests.”
Christopher shrugged, knowing the argument was not to be won.
I cannot see how he feels this way. For me, a life without a wife would not be a fulfilled one.
He knew, of course, that he had no choice but to marry. He’d always known that he would be expected to produce an heir. However, he had to admit that he’d always hoped to not just make a match for the sake of securing his line. He’d always hoped to find what his parents had found. True love. And he’d intended to search for it for years if he had to.
He knew that, even though his wealth was not what it once was, his title would carry weight with the ladies of thetonand he would be able to have his choice. In fact, he could have simply hired a matchmaker and made a match with the daughter of some wealthy marquess, or earl and married into money. Thus, foregoing the hard labor of re-building his family’s fortunes. It was how many down-on-their-luck nobles saved themselves from ruin.
