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“Just so. Now, fix your cravat. We have to leave at some point,” the Duke said with a humored smile, gesturing to the loosened cravat. With Simon having long dismissed the valet before his friends had arrived, there was no one here to fix the cravat for him.
Simon once again took up the silk and returned to the mirror, trying to fix it, but he didn’t get very far. A knock at the door interrupted him and Lord Felton hurried to open it. He took two steps toward it before the Duke called out to him.
“Watch out for that chair leg!” It was a second too late. Lord Felton tripped on the leg and fell into the seat, before holding his arms out with flair.
“It was as if I intended to do that.” He was as surprised as they were to see himself sitting down so perfectly. A second impatient knock at the door sent him to his feet. “I’m coming.”
Opening the door, he revealed a face on the other side that Simon caught sight of in the reflection of the mirror.
Ah… I thought she would already be at the church.
Simon’s mother had appeared there, fidgeting with a bracelet that she wore around her wrist, jet black. It was a mourning bracelet worn in the memory of her late husband.
Georgiana was very tall, almost as tall as Simon himself, and seemed to his mind to be getting slimmer these days. Her thin face was becoming rather gaunt, and the dark auburn hair that had once been so full of life was beginning to grey in places. The green eyes he had also inherited from her lacked the exuberance they’d once had.
These days, Simon believed there was a coldness in his mother’s countenance that had not been there before.
“Simon.” She smiled, though that smile did not reach her eyes. “If you would excuse me, gentlemen, I would like a minute to speak with my son.”
“Of course. We’ll meet you by the carriage,” the Duke called to Simon and headed for the door. When Lord Felton tripped on the door jam, the Duke managed to catch his arm to stop him from falling in time. Simon laughed softly before the door closed and all fell silent.
Just be happy for me, Mother, I pray.
Abandoning his endeavors with the cravat, he turned to face his mother, smiling, wishing she would return it. She did, though it was still not a full smile. Then, it dropped completely away, making the gauntness of her cheeks quite prominent.
“I fear what your father would have said today.” She fiddled with the jet-black bracelet another time.
“I do not want to hear what he would have said, Mother.” Simon walked away and reached for the side of the room. His shoes were pressed against a wall, so he sat into the nearest chair and put them on. “He would have lectured me on how I should be marrying for money, for position, for connection, would he not?”
“Yes.”
“Then clearly, I know what he would have said, so do not need to hear it. Today, we are to be happy Mother.” Yet she didn’t smile at his words. “Are you not happy at all that I am marrying for love?”
“Love? Is it really what it is?” The dubiousness of her question made Simon so angry that he felt his cheeks heat up. He didn’t answer her but let her go on.
I do not want an argument today.
“It is hardly surprising for a gentleman to lust after a beautiful young woman. Many do so, but they make mistresses of seamstresses. They do notmarrythem.” Her frown was deep, furrowing her brow.
“Mother!” Simon cut her off, having had enough. The anger in his voice silenced her, but he did not let that anger continue for long. He breathed deeply, taking his time over putting his shoes on. “Today, there will be no argument. You will be happy for Rosaline and I.”
“But I beg you to think more on this, my son.” She rushed to his side and dropped to her knees. Simon was so startled she would break her posture out of anything less than rigid that he froze on his chair, watching as she kneeled beside him, with her hands clasped together. “You can still back out of this. You can still refuse to marry her.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because it is not the way things should be. You are an earl. You should not marry a seamstress.”
“Does my father’s ghost walk amongst us? Has he borrowed your lips to speak, Mother?” Simon asked in derision, finding his determination to be calm quickly leaving him.
“I speak to you now with full sincerity, in the effort to wake you up from these childish and romantic notions.”
“Do not belittle me so.” Simon’s voice was so dark that Georgiana shuffled back an inch on her knees.
“I will always try to protect you, my son. It is what I wish to do as your mother.” Her eyes seemed wet for a minute, as if she was fighting tears.
“That maybe so, but I do not need protecting from Rosaline.” Simon shook his head. “Mother, please, listen to me.” He reached for her hand and rested it between his palms, staring at her with so much fervor that she didn’t look anywhere else but straight back at him. “Rosaline is the kindest woman I know. I do not need protecting from her. What I need from you today is to be happy for me.”
“It is not her nature that worries me.” Georgiana shook her head. “It iswhoshe is. Right down to her core.”
