as they drew closer to Lord Markham’s country estate. She wondered at this sudden trip and why they had to leave town so abruptly.
To gather courage, she gazed for a moment on the lush countryside outside the carriage. She hadn’t been into the country since her come-out; she’d forgotten how breathtakingly beautiful the verdant rolling fields could be. In the distance, menworked their land. For one moment she envied the simplicity of their existence. She wasn’t silly enough to romanticize their hard life, but sometimes actually working for a living seemed more honorable than marrying for money. They had a term for women who exchanged their bodies for money. Right now she hardly felt different from a well-paid courtesan.
She let the beauty of the sun-filled countryside wash away these distressing thoughts. The large cart horses, lumbering along distant narrow lanes, past grazing sheep and cattle, reminded her of when she was young and they’d spent long, hot summers at her family’s estate. Happier days.
She lost herself in the earthy view until Sebastian moved on the seat opposite her. She turned to face him, determined to get some information out of her new husband. Suddenly she found the courage to speak.
“You seem very pensive, my lord.”
Sebastian stirred and deigned her a look. “I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“I suppose so. It’s not every day that one of London’s most notorious rakes gets married.”
His mouth curved with a hint of bitterness. “I wasn’t actually dwelling on our wedding. I had an urgent summons to come to Lord Markham’s estate. I’m worried for him. He was in trouble before I left for Jamaica.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Besides, I’m sorry to have left my sisters so quickly. I have only been home for a day, and I could see the hurt in their eyes when I left so abruptly.”
Hearing the rough emotion in his voice, Beatrice felt an odd constriction in her throat. None of her family, she thought, missed her at all. The gentleness in his tone suggested he cared very deeply about his sisters’ welfare.
For a man who disdained love, he seemed to care for his family. “I envy you your close relationship with your sisters. My closest sibling was Doogie and he resented me.”
“We know why.”
She nodded. “He avoided me as much as possible.”
“Because you reminded him of obligations he wished to forget.”
“You don’t find your sisters an obligation?” she asked.
“Sometimes. They can test the patience of a saint.” He bent his head, rubbing one temple with elegant fingers, as if to ease the pain. “However, I’ve realized how selfish I have been. I had never really thought about my sisters’ situation, given myfall from grace. They are both of marriageable age, and the things I do reflect on them.”
“A man with a conscience. That speaks well of you. I haven’t thanked you for helping us. You could have declined.”
He was silent for a moment. “I owed your family, nothing more to be said. Besides, I have neglected my responsibilities for far too long. I realize that now. Our parents perished at sea when the girls were at an age where they needed a mother, and I took over guardianship of them.” Sebastian grimaced. “I’d been avoiding home for years before my parents died, the arguments driving me away. Besides, what the devil did I know about rearing innocent young girls? I saw they received an excellent education befitting ladies of wealth and rank, but other than the occasional visit home, I rarely saw them. I left it all to Aunt Alison. Until they came to town, they spent most of their time at my estate in York.”
“Marisa is very beautiful. She is nineteen now, isn’t she? I don’t suspect it will take her long to have a marriage proposal,” Beatrice ventured gently. “Then there will only be Helen at home.”
He took a slow, steady breath. “It seems so soon. It seems like only yesterday Marisa was causing havoc with the
To gather courage, she gazed for a moment on the lush countryside outside the carriage. She hadn’t been into the country since her come-out; she’d forgotten how breathtakingly beautiful the verdant rolling fields could be. In the distance, menworked their land. For one moment she envied the simplicity of their existence. She wasn’t silly enough to romanticize their hard life, but sometimes actually working for a living seemed more honorable than marrying for money. They had a term for women who exchanged their bodies for money. Right now she hardly felt different from a well-paid courtesan.
She let the beauty of the sun-filled countryside wash away these distressing thoughts. The large cart horses, lumbering along distant narrow lanes, past grazing sheep and cattle, reminded her of when she was young and they’d spent long, hot summers at her family’s estate. Happier days.
She lost herself in the earthy view until Sebastian moved on the seat opposite her. She turned to face him, determined to get some information out of her new husband. Suddenly she found the courage to speak.
“You seem very pensive, my lord.”
Sebastian stirred and deigned her a look. “I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“I suppose so. It’s not every day that one of London’s most notorious rakes gets married.”
His mouth curved with a hint of bitterness. “I wasn’t actually dwelling on our wedding. I had an urgent summons to come to Lord Markham’s estate. I’m worried for him. He was in trouble before I left for Jamaica.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Besides, I’m sorry to have left my sisters so quickly. I have only been home for a day, and I could see the hurt in their eyes when I left so abruptly.”
Hearing the rough emotion in his voice, Beatrice felt an odd constriction in her throat. None of her family, she thought, missed her at all. The gentleness in his tone suggested he cared very deeply about his sisters’ welfare.
For a man who disdained love, he seemed to care for his family. “I envy you your close relationship with your sisters. My closest sibling was Doogie and he resented me.”
“We know why.”
She nodded. “He avoided me as much as possible.”
“Because you reminded him of obligations he wished to forget.”
“You don’t find your sisters an obligation?” she asked.
“Sometimes. They can test the patience of a saint.” He bent his head, rubbing one temple with elegant fingers, as if to ease the pain. “However, I’ve realized how selfish I have been. I had never really thought about my sisters’ situation, given myfall from grace. They are both of marriageable age, and the things I do reflect on them.”
“A man with a conscience. That speaks well of you. I haven’t thanked you for helping us. You could have declined.”
He was silent for a moment. “I owed your family, nothing more to be said. Besides, I have neglected my responsibilities for far too long. I realize that now. Our parents perished at sea when the girls were at an age where they needed a mother, and I took over guardianship of them.” Sebastian grimaced. “I’d been avoiding home for years before my parents died, the arguments driving me away. Besides, what the devil did I know about rearing innocent young girls? I saw they received an excellent education befitting ladies of wealth and rank, but other than the occasional visit home, I rarely saw them. I left it all to Aunt Alison. Until they came to town, they spent most of their time at my estate in York.”
“Marisa is very beautiful. She is nineteen now, isn’t she? I don’t suspect it will take her long to have a marriage proposal,” Beatrice ventured gently. “Then there will only be Helen at home.”
He took a slow, steady breath. “It seems so soon. It seems like only yesterday Marisa was causing havoc with the
Similar Books
