“So, what do you say, old boy?” Percival pushed Alexander’s glass closer to him, urging him to accept it.
Alexander could feel his heart race like mad. He wanted to jump back up on his feet and run as far away from this place as possible. But he could still not run away from the truth. He needed space to breathe, space to think.
“Yes,” Alexander nodded, finally grabbing the glass, slamming it against Percival’s, then downing the entire contents. The liquid slid down his throat like punishment, but the unpleasant sensation was nothing like the anguish inside his heart. “Of course, I do not mind,” he added. “It is, after all, what we agreed.”
Percival gave him a puzzled look, one that revealed doubts and suspicion. Alexander glanced around him with the corner of his eye. The place was still devoid of many people. They would usually be coming around a bit later, and by that time he was hoping to leave, with only this one drink in him.
“I feared you might have changed your mind,” Percival squinted as he looked at him, as if trying to pierce right through him, through the wall he had created, hoping that no prying eyes would see the truth he was frantically attempting to conceal.
“Why?” Alexander asked nonchalantly.
“You did not invite me to your meetings during those two, three weeks,” Percival reminded him.
“We did not meet for strolls or any such romantic affair,” Alexander explained. “I was helping her with those children.”
“Ah, yes, the orphans,” Percival sighed. “I hope she doesn’t plan on bringing any of them to our future home. Or that clumsy servant girl, for that matter.”
“Annie?” Alexander knitted his eyebrows. “You aren’t still holding it against the poor girl?”
“Of course, not. But don’t delude yourself that such servants have a place in my household.”
“You do know that girl is an orphan herself, and Marjorie is helping her, just like she is helping the other children.”
“She will have our children to tend to,” Percival stated as if those children were already in the making. It took all of Alexander’s conscious effort not to throw that extra drink right in his friend’s face. He knew it was merely his wounded heart reacting to this anguish. It would pass soon… hopefully.
“I doubt Marjorie would ever stop helping orphans,” Alexander noticed. “It is her past, something she will never forget.”
Percival sighed. “Oh, I suppose she could keep helping. A woman does need an activity of some sort outside the house.”
Alexander felt as if he was seeing this side of his friend for the first time ever. Perhaps, this was all a mistake, this marriage between the two of them. But he could not say anything to his friend, not now. The best course of action would be to see this through. Percival was not a bad man. He kept reminding himself of that. He was a good man, who, like everyone else, had a few knicks in his character. It was nothing that a good woman, a woman like Marjorie, could not mend.
Alexander always believed that two good people could make each other even better. That was the true purpose of marriage. Once, he hoped he, too, would have the privilege of marrying someone of his own choice and not someone who would be imposed upon him as a marital partner. He wondered if it was even fair of him to impose Percival on Marjorie. But now, they were in this plan too deep. Percival had started to court Marjorie. Alexander was certain that Percival had mentioned this to his family, to his friends. Now, he had made up his mind. He would be marrying her. Alexander needed to let them be.
With a heavy sigh, Alexander lifted his hand, and called for the footman again, just nodding at the empty glass. Within seconds, a new glass appeared. Alexander grabbed her desperately, as if it contained the magic elixir that would help him forget the pain he was in.
“To a prosperous marriage between you and Marjorie, old boy,” Alexander raised his glass. Percival grinned, nodding. Alexander downed his drink, which slid down more smoothly this time. It punished him much less harshly than before.
“Well, now that we got that out of the way,” Percival snickered, “I have a few questions regarding this business venture I have been planning on investing in.”
Alexander wondered if Percival even knew that his family’s financial troubles were the talk of the ton, although no one would of course, say it straight to their faces. If even half of what they’d been saying was true, then any investments in a new and untried business venture would be ludicrous.
“Perhaps you ought to refrain from any investments at the time being,” Alexander advised. “With the upcoming wedding, you should save.”
“But I thought that your father left a dowry for Marjorie, didn’t he?” Percival seemed shocked at the possibility that this was not so.
“He did, yes,” Alexander nodded. “You know my father. He would never leave her destitute. Neither would I.”
“In that case, I can go on ahead and invest, provided it is a safe investment,” Percival still seemed certain of the righteousness of his ways.
“I do not wish to tell you what to do or what not to do. You are a grown man who can think for himself,” Alexander spoke as a real friend ought to, straight from the heart. “But perhaps saving is better than investing at the moment. The market is rather volatile this season.”
“Well, you should know these things,” Percival finally conceded. “That is why I always ask for your advice on such matters.”
“And you know I would advise you as well as I would advise myself.”
“I know that, and I am grateful for it,” Percival smiled. “I suppose… I’m just somewhat apprehensive, with my family’s financial troubles and all. I do not like to discuss it, but it has gotten quite serious.”
“You know you can rely on me for anything,” Alexander smiled back, finally recognizing his old friend again. This was the person who deserved someone like Marjorie. This was the person who would make her happy, much happier than he himself ever could.
