Page 36 of To Follow her Heart

How I miss you, my dear friend. I feel like the mother hen you once compared me to… and all my chicks are determined to get eaten by foxes! ―Excerpt of a letter from Miss Matilda Hunt to Lady Aashini Cavendish.

22nd August 1814, Bodiam Castle, Sussex.

“There must be something we can do to help, Jasper.”

Jasper glanced down at his mother who had taken his arm and insisted he accompany her for a walk.

“Help?” he repeated, though he was aware of what she was talking about.

His mother had a romantic streak a mile wild. She was more than tender-hearted, and he and Jerome had been dreadfully spoiled as children. She was an adoring parent who indulged her sons and blithely ignored their faults. As a result, they both adored her equally, but Jasper was aware that her generous nature could sometimes cloud her judgement.

“Don’t be obtuse, darling,” she scolded. “Miss Connolly and Mr Baxter.” She sighed, holding her hand over her heart. “Such a romantic story, don’t you think? Imagine falling in love as children and still feeling the same way years later.”

Jasper felt her gaze on him and fought a blush. He cleared his throat and made a noncommittal sound she could take how she wished.

“Well, I have done what I can,” he said, moving the conversation on. “And have consequently made enemies of Trevick and Mr Derby.”

“Oh, Derby,” his mother said with a scowl. “Odious man. Do you know, he tried to get me alone on a balcony when I was sixteen?”

Jasper ground to a halt and stared at her in outrage. “He did what?”

His mother gave a delighted trill of laughter and a misty look entered her eyes. “It was at a family party, too. I wasn’t even out! I had only just met your father and fallen head over ears for him. He saved me, of course and gave Mr Derby such a set down. I remember it like it was yesterday.”

Her voice caught a little and Jasper felt his heart ache. His mother and father had been one of those rare couples who’d tumbled into love in a matter of days and had remained that way until the day his father died, seven years ago. It had devastated them all, but his mother was not the fragile, brainless beauty some people believed her to be, and she’d rallied for the sake of her sons, pulling them all out of misery and back into the living world.

Jasper raised her hand to his lips and kissed it, smiling as she sent him an adoring glance.

“I miss him,” he said. “He’d know what to do for the best.”

His mother nodded and held Jasper’s arm a little tighter. “I miss him too, darling, but you are very much like him, you know, and I have the greatest faith in you putting everything to rights.”

Jasper choked with laughter, giving her an incredulous look. “Much as your faith in me touches my heart, Mama,” he said, giving a sad shake of his head. “One can only presume you are queer in your attic.”

His mother huffed and smacked his arm. “Don’t be rude! I’ll have you know I’m perfectly serious, and I’m never wrong about such things.”

“Never admitting you’re wrong is not the same as not being wrong. This is something I could never get across to you with any success.”

“Now, Jasper,” she began, but he spoke over her.

“I can’t believe Mr Derby behaved so badly towards you, he must have been well into his thirties, and you a child! What an utter b—”

“Jasper!” his mother said hurriedly, glaring at him. “Yes, he was certainly that, and yes, he’s an odious man, which is all the more reason to help poor Mr Baxter marry Miss Connolly. Derby has always been a manipulative bully, and Trevick is even worse. I shudder to think how that poor boy has suffered at their hands.”

Jasper sighed. “You can see why Trevick opposes the match, though,” he said, needing to play devil’s advocate for a moment if only to ensure his mother fully appreciated the difficulties. “What if it were me?” he asked, wondering how she would take it. He stopped walking and turned to look at her. “What if it were me wanting to marry Miss Connolly, with her Irish merchant father, when I was all but engaged to Lady Frances?”

His mother looked back at him and wrinkled her nose, a look of distaste settling over her lovely features. “Jasper! Really? Need you ask? I would only ever want you to be as happy as your father and I. Dear me, a woman like Lady Frances would never do for you. She’s all ambition and calculation, dear me no. Though, Miss Connolly wouldn’t do either. Not because of her family; she’s just far too excitable for you. You need a steadying influence, dear. I’ve always thought it.”

Jasper rolled his eyes, but still saw the glint of determination in his mother’s expression. Too late to take evasive action, he recognised the danger. He walked on again, eager to avoid the coming conversation, looking wildly about, searching for someone to save him, but they were alone.

“No, don’t roll your eyes at me like that. It’s true, and it’s about time you did something about it too.” His mother tugged him to a halt and forced him to look at her. “It’s high time you married and set up your nursery, young man. At your age, your father already had you and Jerome on the way, so do stop wasting time and find yourself a wife.”

Jasper groaned. “Mother, please….”

“No, Jasper, it must be said. If your father was here, he’d have a man-to-man chat with you, but you’ve only got me and I’m no good at such things, so I’ll do the best I can with a mother–to-son talk. Isn’t there anyone… anyone you would like to marry? If there were such a creature, I’d do everything I could to help you, you know.”

There was an intensity in her eyes that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand all on end, and Jasper cleared his throat, avoiding her gaze. “I’ll… give it some thought. I promise,” he said in a rush, hoping that would placate her for now.

It seemed to do the trick, and she patted his arm fondly.