Evermore

The parlor’s curtains were drawn back and the windows were open, allowing the July breeze to flutter through the room as Mary took a seat on the settee as Jonathan sat beside her. “I am terribly sorry for not arriving sooner, my lovely. Nathaniel grew fevered during my stay and I was loathing to leave him while he was ill. Then the rains set in and the roads were unmanageable. I tried to take a horse but sadly, it was lamed outside of Leeds and I had to await a carriage. Did you not receive my letters?”

A soft knock sounded from the parlor doors which were slightly ajar. Mary looked over as Sarah strolled in carrying a tea tray with a large smile spread across her face, “Would you like me to pour?” she asked, acting the ever diligent maid but knew the moment the two women were alone they would squeal and preen like two school girls.

“That will not be necessary,” Jonathan said kindly to the maid, “And please close the doors behind you.”

Sarah bowed out of the room, closing the doors behind her quietly leaving Mary and Jonathan alone once again. The interruption gone, Mary was given the chance to answer, “I never read it and had Sarah burn it. It had been two months Jonathan, I assumed that you had changed your mind, or found a more suitable match. That the letter would only validate my fears; confirm just how stupid I had been. In my defense I wrote you several times and never received a reply.”

“None of your letters were forwarded to my estate. I had not even returned to my townhome to read them before coming to you. I wish you had read the letter, Mary. It would have spared you the trouble of breaking your own engagement.” Taking her hand gently in his own larger one he said, “There were two letters; one to you explaining the delay, giving you all my love and another to give to your father, asking him to stay the marriage proceedings so that I could formally ask for your hand.”

Mary could not help but allow the tears to touch her eyes as she smiled at him, “I am so sorry for not having faith in you, in your honor. I should have known you would not have played games with my heart. I could only think the worse of you Jonathan and for that I am so sorry.”

“There is nothing to be sorry for; any person would have been under the same belief,” Jonathan soothed before giving her a large smile, “Now about our wedding; it should only take a week to have the license drawn up. Would you like a big wedding?”

Mary quickly shook her head, “Heavens no. Maybe a small ceremony? I do not want all the muss and fuss that comes with the months of planning a large affair. Besides, a remember a certain Earl telling me he does not like long engagements.”

Jonathan’s laughter was music to her ears, the sound inspiring the warmness of her heart to radiate outwards. “Yes, that is true. So we are in agreement, a short engagement it will be then. Sadly, that means I will not have time to send someone to fetch my sons. You will have to wait to meet them until we travel back to Scarbourgh in the first week of September.”

“But you will tell them about me, so that way they are not too shocked to find out they have a new mother?” Mary asked suddenly, finding herself awash with apprehension. She was to be a stepmother and she was worried down to her very soul about the task. The last thing she wanted to do was shock the poor boys with the news the day she took up residence in their home. “What if they do not like me, Jonathan? Oh, I do not want them to think of me as a wicked stepmother!”

“They already know about you, Dearest and both are very eager to meet you. Especially Alexander who is looking forward to parrying with you intellectually. I believe he has been sorely missing having a mother to coddle him.”

Mary found her smile growing even larger, “I would like that so very much. Hopefully you will not be angry if I coddle them too much?” Then curiously she asked, “I know it is very soon, and that we are not even wed yet and that you have staff of your own—who are no doubt very capable— but I wish to have Sarah with me in Scarbourgh. If she does not come along then my father will dismiss her and she will have to return to Lancaster and—”

Jonathan effectively silenced her with a wave of his hand, “Say no more, you will need a lady-in-waiting and it will save you the trouble once we reach Scarbourgh. You may bring along aby staff you please, is there another you wishing to employ?”

Mary was relieved by his words as excitement took over, never had she employed someone and the concept was exhilarating, “No. Thank you Jonathan! Sarah will be most appreciative as well. She will be thrilled to call herself a lady-in-waiting instead of just a maid.”

Lifting his hand from hers, Jonathan settled it against her cheek, cupping the curve lovingly, “Now that we have settled everything of importance, I must return home to bathe and take care of several matters to ensure that our license is processed in a timely matter.” Then, using his hand to upturn her face he leaned down and pressed his lips once more to hers. This kiss was more chaste than before; all the tenderness and love he showed her reflected in his actions. “Tomorrow, I would like to go for a stroll around the park.”

“I would like that,” she answered in agreement.

“Good, I would too. I will see you mid-morning then,” Jonathan stood and brushed his hand against her cheek once more before he turned and left the parlor.

Mary was alone for only a moment before her mother burst in, Charlotte in tow, “Tell us everything,” her sister breathed dramatically as she flounced across the room to sit across from Mary on the opposite settee. “Did he seduce you?”

“My word, Charlotte, that is hardly an appropriate question for a young lady,” Sophia gasped as she took the seat next to her youngest daughter.

Mary found no humor in her sisters question and stared drolly at the two, “Does it really matter? I am the disgraced daughter, unworthy to bask in the glorious honor that is this family.”

“Come now, do not be so dramatic,” Sophia scoffed, “You must understand why we were set on that particular path. You could have told us Mary Lynn; we would have called off the wedding and forced that Lord to marry you.”

“I did not want him forced, Mother. Jonathan, truly and deeply loves me; he came back for me despite the shame that was cast over me. I did not reveal our relationship because I feared you would turn it into a scene and he wanted to properly ask for my hand.”

“Kissing you before the eyes of all our neighbors is not exactly asking properly,” Charlotte chortled giddily before sighing dreamily, “Though it was quiet romantic.”

Mary tried to hold back a small smile at her sisters utterance, seeing the truth in her words. It had indeed been very romantic. “I believe a spring wedding will be in order then,” Sophia began excitedly, “and you will need a new gown for sure. Maybe we could have it at Scarbourgh’s estate? Oh Mary it will be so grand!”

“No, mother. We do not want a long engagement, or a large wedding. Once the banns are posted and the magistrate is in agreement we will be wed by September so we may return to the countryside for winter.”

Sophia frowned, “You are with child, then? Mary Lynn you will be showing by then! All of town will question the paternity. Surly the Earl will not that the blackness of that rumor floating about!”

“I knew it!” Charlotte exclaimed, excitement radiating her small body as she soaked up all the gossip “I will be a fount of information; in the know. Oh this is so much better than my lessons. People will be speaking of this until next summer, for sure!”

“Enough! Both of you,” Mary snapped angrily. “There is no child to worry about. Jonathan did not lie; we have only ever kissed and you were witness to the first.” Then with a heavy sigh, she rested her head in her hand questioning how her mother could be so oblivious to the facts. “We both agree that a short engagement is agreeable to us both that way I can return with him to meet his sons.”

“What of the rest of his family? His sister is the Duchess of Hanover, you know, and will no doubt wish to be in attendance to his wedding. Also, I hear his mother is traveling abroad in France.”

“Jonathan will take care of anything in regards to his family. I am sure they will understand. It is not as if he was not married once before,” Mary’s irritation with her two female relations rising to new levels. Standing from her seat on the couch, Mary looked to her mother and sister, “I do not want to talk about any of this for another minute. You are privy to all the details and anymore questions you have I would be grateful if you kept them to yourselves.” The before either could argue Mary said, “I am going to lay down and take a nap; I will see you both for lunch.”