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‘It probably was.’ She smiled nostalgically. ‘He always made me look at the world in new ways and he saw the beauty in everything. It was one of the things I loved most about him, that optimism. You remind me so much of him, you know, even more than when you left, although I think you might be even more handsome.’
Sebastian bent to press a kiss on her cheek. After four days in his uncle’s house, he was finally starting to relax, enough to talk about his father. It was the first time that he and his mother had done so since his arrival.
‘Did you have any doubts when you ran away with him? He always said it was love at first sight, but it was a big risk.’
‘It was both. I remember the first time I saw him, standing outside the drawing room at Messingham Hall. Footmen weren’t supposed to look directly at us, but he was never very good at following the rules. I was eighteen years old and thought he was the most handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on. He quite took my breath away.’
‘But how did you know that you loved him? You can’t have spent much time together before you eloped.’
‘No. We met in the gardens a few times, but never for long.’
‘Then how could you be sure that he was the right man for you?’
‘I’m not sure. I just knew.’ Her brow creased slightly. ‘I suppose you could say I had anxieties more than doubts. I was afraid of upsetting my mother, but I was young and impetuous and I hoped that my family would forgive me and accept him eventually. Deep down, I suppose I knew that would never happen, but I also knew that I’d never be happy with any other man. So we eloped. It was the only way. If my father had got even the slightest inkling of how we felt, then he would have made sure we never saw each other again.’
‘So you never regretted it?’
‘Being estranged from my family? Very much. Marrying your father? Never.’ She stopped to smile up at him. ‘I consider myself a very lucky woman. I miss him every day, but we had seventeen happy years and two wonderful children together.’
‘And now you’re happy here? Even with your ailments?’
‘Yes.’ She nodded emphatically. ‘I still feel stiff most days, but I feel as though I can finally put the past behind me. Mainly because I know your father would have been happy for me. I’ve no doubts at all about that.’
‘Then I’m glad, too. As much as it pains me to admit it, I like them, your mother and Tobias.’
‘They like you, too. I can tell.’
‘Which means that they would probably have liked Father.’
‘Yes, but there’s no point in regretting that now. When you get to my age, you realise life is too short to harbour ill will.’ Her expression shifted as they started walking again. ‘You know, they like Henrietta and her nephews, too.’
‘Do they?’ Sebastian fixed his gaze on the lake.
‘Yes.’ Her arm tightened perceptibly. ‘As for myself, I understand your reasons for bringing her, but you must know how it looks.’
‘What if that were the truth?’
‘Then I’d be delighted. I’ve always liked Henrietta, but I’d also want to be sure that you have the right motives for pursuing her. She’s a very beautiful woman.’
‘Meaning?’
‘Just that it can be hard not to be blinded by beauty. Some people might mistake that for love.’
‘I know. So does she.’
‘You haven’t known her for very long.’
‘How many times did you say you met Father before you eloped?’
‘Touché. Then you truly care for her?’
‘I do.’ He didn’t even need to think about the answer. ‘Maybe I was dazzled by her beauty at first, but now she’s just...’ he gave an exaggerated shrug ‘...Henrietta.’
‘Do you love her?’
‘Love...’ he hesitated ‘...is a big word, but I like her a great deal. She’s caring and intelligent and much more than a beautiful face.’
‘She’s always been a great deal more than that.’ His mother smiled her agreement. ‘And if you can see that, too, then I wish you both joy. So...?’
