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"I don't know," Wesley said with a careless shrug. "I will say that there wa
s something different about the way Irene spoke and behave. Nothing overt, but just something that made me feel like she was thinking more... like she'd grown up a little bit overnight. She always struck me as rather child-like, even though she's older than Nell, this morning she didn't."
"Interesting."
Personally Edwin had his doubts about Irene now that she's shown some of her true colors. But he also hadn't spent very much time with her and as long as she made Hugh happy then he supposed he should be happy.
"You seem rather judgmental for a man who's having to take his own wife from London out of fear that she might run away without you," Wesley observed, but there was no bite to his words. Indeed they were said almost cheerfully.
Edwin still growled. He knew that his friend was amused by what he had taken to calling "marital obsessions." But then Wesley had never met a woman he couldn't let go of and when he did think of marriage at all he always assumed he'd make the usual ton marriage to a girl of good breeding who would bear him an heir and be responsible for his social duties while he enjoyed himself with his mistresses on the side. He didn't understand either of his friend's all-absorbing interest in their wives.
******
The house that Edwin had rented for them was in the most fashionable part of Bath. It was also quite a bit smaller than Hyde House in London, but Eleanor supposed that was to be expected. After all, it had been procured on rather short notice, and they weren't going to be staying long. Only until the end of the Season, at which point they'd go to visit Edwin's parents. She looked forward to seeing Lord and Lady Clarendon, although it still startled her to realize they were now her parents-in-law. After her wedding she'd received the nicest letter from Lady Clarendon, welcoming her to the family and expressing her delight to have Eleanor as a daughter-in-law, as well as an invitation to visit them at the Manse whenever she pleased.
Wandering into the small parlor, which was decorated in a muted pinks and yellows with accents of blue, Eleanor admired the furnishings. She could be very comfortable here for a few weeks, and she had to admit she was rather relieved to be out of London. It wasn't until they'd arrived that she realized how tense she'd been in the city; she felt much more relaxed now.
"Sweetheart!" Eleanor's mother burst into the parlor, the butler trailing behind her looking rather embarrassed that he hadn't been able to hold back the Countess.
Smiling as she hugged her mother, Eleanor waved him away. With a little bow of his head, the man closed the door to give them some privacy.
Wrapped up in her mother's arms, Eleanor felt herself unwind even more. She knew that her father thought her mother had spoiled her dreadfully, and perhaps she had, but they'd formed a very close bond as Eleanor had approached womanhood. When she'd been younger they hadn't been close at all because Eleanor had been interested in more boyish pursuits; which was only to be expected since she'd always trailed after Hugh and his friends. Once they'd gone off to school and Eleanor had grown up a bit, under her mother's influence she'd found that she rather liked being a girl as well.
"You look lovely," her mother said, pulling away. There were tears in her eyes and Eleanor found that her own eyes were feeling rather watery as well. "It's so delightful to have you here in Bath with me again! Is there an… ah... ulterior reason for your leave-taking the city before the end of the Season?" Arching her eyebrow, her mother glanced down at Eleanor's stomach.
She blushed.
"No I'm not... that is..." Eleanor took a deep breath. "I wanted to come visit you in Bath, although I was going to wait until the Season was over, but I hadn't discussed it with Edwin yet and he found out... well, we had a bit of a row and he decided that we would both come and since Wesley was already coming out to Bath to see his mother, it just seemed convenient."
"Ah yes... his ward..." Something like amusement tempered with worry crossed her mother's face, little wrinkles crinkling at the corners of her eyes. "Well it's good that he's here to take that situation in hand, the Countess needs all the support he can proffer." Taking Eleanor's hand, her mother smiled and led her towards the couch. "Come dear, sit so that we can have a good coze. I've missed you so, I want to hear everything about what you've been up to."
"Let me just ring for some tea."
After giving the maid instructions for tea and scones, Eleanor went to join her mother on the couch, hissing slightly as she sat a little too abruptly, having forgotten the sore state of her bottom.
Eyeing her, her mother raised that all-knowing eyebrow again. "A bit of a row with Edwin, you said?"
"Yes," Eleanor responded a bit grumpily. She'd expected her mother to be affronted on her behalf, not amused. Then again, her mother had always allowed her father to handle any disciplinary measures, so she supposed that it didn't bother her that Eleanor's husband might employ the same ones.
A small smile played on her mother's beautiful face. Eleanor almost smiled herself, seeing it. If she aged half as well as her mother she'd be quite happy.
"You know, I've found over the years that it's much better - and much less painful - to avoid rows with one's husband," her mother said, in the same calm manner that she'd often imparted words of wisdom to her daughter. "It's quite possible to work around getting what you wish without a show of outward defiance."
Rather aghast, Eleanor stared at her mother, wondering if she was implying what Eleanor thought she was. "Painful? Papa... he spanked you too?"
"More than once dear, although I've learned to give him as little opportunity as possible."
The tea arrived at that moment, stymying Eleanor's outrage on behalf of her mother. Although they looked quite a bit alike, it had always been obvious to Eleanor that she was made of hardier stuff. Her mother was delicate, almost ethereal at times. Was this why she never protested when Eleanor's father sent her away? As much as Eleanor loved her father, she had never been able to countenance his treatment and neglect of her mother. Knowing that he enforced his edicts to her with the same harsh measures he'd used on Eleanor herself incensed her.
Once the maid had left she poured the tea, trying to get a better grip on her emotions. She didn't want to distress her mother after all, but she was going to have words with her father the next time she saw him!
"You know, I was very happy with the match your father made for you," her mother said, delicately sipping from her cup as Eleanor stirred sugar into hers. She smiled warmly. "I've received quite a few letters from friends in London congratulating me on my daughter's grace and manner."
"I'm glad to hear it, but why do you give Edwin the credit for it?" Eleanor asked a little sullenly.
Her mother just laughed. "Because dear heart, I could see as clearly as anyone else what you were headed for if someone didn't curb your behavior. I knew Edwin would be good for you; the men you were encouraging weren't nearly strong enough for you. Edwin's very much like your father, I knew that you'd be happy with him once you accepted him as your husband."
"You wanted me to marry someone like Papa?" Shock suffused Eleanor to the point where she nearly dropped her teacup onto her lap. The liquid sloshed but fortunately didn't make it over the edge. How could her mother want that for her? She knew that her mother was in love with her father, but surely she couldn't have wanted the same for Eleanor, considering how she suffered from the lack of her husband's love.
