His father gave a disbelieving shake of his head. “He came to visit us last night while you were out. We had almost waited up for you, but decided to wait until morning when we all had a good night’s sleep to have our wits about us.”
“Except I did not sleep at all.” His mother took a large swig of tea as if to prove her point.
“Hind is a weasel,” Leonard said. He didn’t wish to discuss this at all, as he already knew where it was going.
“You’re soon to beintendedis not suitable, Leonard. I highly suggest you look for someone else. Nothing is official yet, so it should not be too much of a scandal.”
“You suggest it? How magnanimous of you.” Leonard reached over and took the paper, if only to have something to distract himself with.
“What benefit can this young woman have to our family? She is a thief—”
“Was,” Leonard interjected, pulling the paper closer.
“Mr. Hind claimed this young woman stole from him. Are you saying he lied?”
Leonard worked his jaw. “There is more to the story, but as I don’t really think you care to know the truth, I will not exert myself on your accord.”
“Exert . . .” his father said, his voice full of disbelief and his head shaking from side to side. “Asking for an explanation is too much, then? You are so lazy that you cannot even bring yourself to discuss this?”
“If I am lazy, then you have made me so,” Leonard said, his voice louder than he intended. He shot to his feet, the chair legs screeching back. He tossed the paper onto the table. “I have never had a say in my life. Not once. I do not begrudge my brother or think he is to blame for any of this. But you, Ican blame.” The paper scrunched in his fist. “I have not had any say in my life up until this point, and for years I did your bidding. But not this. This is where I draw the line. I will not be browbeaten in this matter. My wife is mine to choose, and I choose Honora.” The thought caught him off guard for a moment. He had known he wanted to pursue her, but now the truth settled on him like a familiar blanket. Warm. Comforting. He wanted to marry Honora.
He took a breath before continuing. “She is a woman you do not deserve to have in this family, and yet she wants nothing more than for us to get along and be of one accord. I do not think it possible, but saint that she is, she wants to think the best of you.” He took another breath to settle himself and looked toward the floor. “You do not deserve her.”
“In what way is a thief more honorable than a woman with good standing in society?” His father stood too, which only frustrated Leonard as he was nearly a whole head taller.
“She did not choose her upbringing, Father. We are all products of where we come from, but it’s what we choose to do with it that matters. And she has chosen change. I admire that more than any family who hides things in closets and sticks their noses in the air as if to show their importance. As long as you have someone to look down upon, you raise yourself up.”
His father stared him down. “So that is it, then? You will marry this girl?”
“I will give you one choice in this matter. I can either marry Honora and be out of your life, or I can marry her and assist in whatever means you need as you always wanted. But it will be on my terms with the person of my choosing. Now, which will it be?”
His mother reached across the table and put her hand over his father’s. “Please, Richard. Be wise. I care not to lose two sons.”
Leonard could have said they haven’t even lost one, but he knew his words would not be welcome, and thus he kept his lips closed.
“We shall keep this all between us,” his father finally said, his hands pressed on the tabletop. “Is that clear?”
“Obviously,” his mother said with a huff.
Leonard felt a smile tug at his lips. He had finally spoken his piece, and for once, things seemed to be going his way. “Agreed.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
She had her regular afternoon tea, book in hand, when Wilson entered the room.
“Mr. Stanton here to see you, miss.” He backed away to reveal Leonard standing just behind him.
His eyes were dark beneath, as if he hadn’t slept well, but his dark blue coat flattered his eyes and hair regardless.
“Leonard,” Honora said, a bit dumbfounded. “I had not been expecting your visit.” She glanced at the tea tray, which had only been prepared for one. “Shall I call for tea? Or would you prefer some port?” She grinned, hoping he would pick up on her joke.
“I only need one thing from you.”
Her smile slipped at his serious tone, and her brow puckered as he took measured steps toward her. Had his parents discovered their evening out? Something was lurking behind those eyes as he watched her, and she worried that perhaps last night they had gone too far.
She straightened her shoulders under his steadfast gaze. “Oh? And what is that?”
He stopped just in front of her, his eyes studying her face. “To answer a question.”
