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“I love her Charles,” Edward said. The confession was easy. “He has threatened me to stay away from her or he would ruin her. But I can’t.”
Charles frowned. “What are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to marry her.”
“Why did you keep this to yourself for so long? I could have helped you,” Charles said in a dismayed voice.
“I wasn’t sure myself before,” Edward explained. He felt guilty for almost turning his back on Ariadne after what his father had told him. “I need her as much as I need air to exist.”
“Never took you for a vexing poet,” Charles chuckled. “Ah, love does change men though I cannot pretend to admit it’s always for the best.”
Edward glared at him. “Are you going to sit there and make fun of me or will you actually help me?”
“Of course I will help you,” Charles said. “Tell me how I can assist. Do you want me to kidnap you both and take you to Gretna Green to get married secretly?”
Edward grimaced. “I don’t want any of that dramatic mess. I don’t want to run away from this. When we get married, it will be in front of the whole of London.”
Charles shook his head. “It might not be such a good idea. You know how your father is.”
“He has already done the worse of it,” Edward said, telling Charles about the threatening letters. “What am I to do now?”
“You should talk to your mother and get her on your side. Explain everything to her, hopefully, she will come around,” Charles said. “Your wedding is just a month away now. She’s the most excited one of everyone. She needs to know the truth first.”
Edward knew that was true. His mother had already started shopping for jewelry for Jane. “The engagement was moved up without consulting me.”
“Do you know why she did it?”
“She wants me married as soon as possible but you’re right, I do need to speak with her.” Nowadays all his mother could talk was about his marriage so much so that he had started to avoid her. But despite everything he knew he couldn’t run away without letting them know. Not only would it cause a huge scandal in society, considering Ariadne’s previous reputation, it would also break her heart. He would have to make them see that Ariadne was worth it.
Just then Lords Arlington and Larson approached their table. Since it was Sunday lunch, there was a considerable crowd at the dining hall. Edward and Charles hadn’t been served lunch. “Whitely,” Rowe said nodding at him. Edward gestured to his friends to sit down.
“At last we see him,” Arlington commented, throwing Edward a look. “Too busy to play polo with us, I see.”
“I have been,” Edward said. “But I have some issues to raise at the next session of Parliament.”
“Are you thinking of putting forward a reform?” Larson asked in astonishment. Edward hadn’t thought so far but it did sound like a good idea. “I haven’t decided yet but the idea is dear to me.”
“Are you working with someone?” Edward looked at Charles who shook his head. “I mean someone from your borough,” Larson continued.
“I’m actually looking into the situation at Clerkenwell slum,” Edward explained.
Larson and Arlington frowned. “But that doesn’t fall into your borough,” Larson said.
“I hardly want to venture past Mayfair anyway,” Arlington said with a shudder. “And you’re here talking about a slum, my Lord.”
“I used to think the same. You might say certain circumstances have made me realize that we need to see past party interests and our status. Our seats bring us much power that we need to utilize correctly.”
“You speak of revolutionary things, my friend,” Larson said seeming to get an inkling of what Edward was trying to do.
Edward smiled. “I just want to see a small shift in the right direction is all.”
After the gentleman left, Edward and Charles resumed their lunch. “Word of it will get out.”
“Arlington and Larson can be discreet.”
“Maybe,” Charles said looking uncertain. “But you’re trying to shake things up around here. There will be talk among the ton.”
At this point, Edward didn’t care. He had been brought up to value others' expectations of him. He needed to change that.
