Sequel: Everlasting ›
Evermore
vi.
“How do you fair this evening?” Lord Scarbourgh asked suddenly, as if now that they were alone it was acceptable to have a conversation.
Mary struggled at maintain her smile as she said, “All is well. I am sorry if you felt obligated to come. My mother… she should not have invited you.”
“You do not want me to be here?” He asked, surprise contorting his handsome features. It was apparent that it was not every day a young girl did not swoon at the thought of him attending a function she was also in attendance to.
“Oh no. No My Lord. It is not like that at all.” Mary stammered quickly, trying to sooth away any bruises to his pride she may have made, knowing her bluntness had been improper. “I am truly honored you grace my humble household with your presence. Rightly I am and grateful too! It is just, you are Earl and that means you must be so very busy with whatever it is that Earls do.” Pausing she took a quick drink from her glass to wet her dried tongue, her stammering sending her nervousness to new heights. “You have proven true to your honorable character, responding to my mother’s unthoughtful invitation. She must not have known you would respond out of obligation to do so. Whatever ills you felt you had to correct by making an appearance here were not needed, for I hold you in such high esteem.”
Lord Scarbourgh’s deep blue eyed pierced Mary like knives and she felt like she was going to whither beneath the critical gaze as she stared back at him with her own gaze. “You misunderstand my attendance. I am obligated to do naught.”
“Blast it!” Mary cursed quietly before she could help herself. “I am botching all of this. Please forgive me, My Lord for my assumptions. I just assumed…”
“Yes, your mother did send me an invitation along with a letter thanking me much as you did for not brining public shame onto your household for the behavior of your foul mouthed maid. The invitation was a thank-you of sorts and a gentleman never lets an invitation go unanswered.”
Mary nodded feigning understanding when she really did not, “Of course My Lord.” Then with a curious look towards the chevron shaped ess pattern on his sleeve and asked, “You are in the army?”
He gave a curt nod, “Lieutenant-General in His Majesties royal army, yes.”
“I… I did not realize a titled Earl could enlist,” Mary stated, shocked. His rank surprised her as well, he was older than her by at least a score but even then many men did not gain rank that high until they were half a century old.
“If I was an only son I most definitely would not have been allowed,” Lord Scarbourgh explained, “But my family was gifted with a slew of sons to carry on the title, in the unfortunate event I was blown to bits on the battle field.”
Mary frowned at his explanation, the last part striking fear into her, “It is very dangerous then?” She’d never met an army man before, seen a few in the streets but never had she been allowed to speak to them but Lord Scarbourgh was the first titled man she met who held an esteemed rank.
“Of course, silly girl,” he scoffed, “War is not fairy tales and baked goods. Many men lose their lives or are maimed beyond recognition from their own mothers.”
“It is a blessing then,” Mary began softly, “That you have come home safely. I am sure your mother would have been much aggrieved to lose her eldest son in such a manner.”
“Hardly a blessing, I am a sure shot and fast on my feet,” he explained coolly. “You learn when you are gone from home for so long.”
“You were gone very long then?” Mary asked, her memory lacking in regards to his history so she improvised. Many men of his caliber were married with families. “Your family must have missed you; your wife but I am sure they were glad once you returned home.”
Lord Scarbourgh frowned, “I am a widower.”
Mary frowned in return, castigating herself for not remember such a heartbreaking thing, “I am sorry. I do not keep up well with social news. Was it very long ago?”
“It will be five years this year,” he supplied as he turned to reach for a glass of punch himself, taking the glass and sipping from it. “The children were more upset than I.”
Mary could not keep her frown from deepening, his disregard for his departed wife a bit disconcerting but the news of children shocked her. “Children? I thought you were childless.” All the young debutants had preened over Lord Scarbourgh and his ruggedly handsome features, his vast fortune and many estates but never once had she heard anything about children.
“My late wife died in childbirth with our third, a daughter who also passed. We had two sons who live at my country home year round.” Lord Scarbourgh explained and Mary was thankful to him for he did not seem put out by her questions and answered all without scolding her. “I am alone more often than naught that most forget that I have children.”
“I am sorry for dredging up such horrible memories, My Lord. I was never properly introduced to society. My fiancé and I were engaged before I made my coming out so I never thought to retain the knowledge the other girls my age shared with me.”
“No need for apologies, it was very long ago.” He told her off-handedly before asking, “Your fiancé… you are in love with him?”
Mary could not help but scowl at the man for his blunt question, “Love is not required.” She told him bluntly, “Surely you must know that.”
He nodded in agreement, “Yes, I am well aware though I hear love matches are better than mutually beneficial marriages. They’re slowing becoming all the rage amongst the Scots.”
Mary scoffed, “We sire, are far from those dreadful Highlands. Though I must ask, do you plan to remarry?” Mary asked suddenly, “I mean, a man of your rank does not bring up loving one’s fiancé unless he himself has someone he loves.”
“As I side, it has become all the rage. Alas I am alone and as far as I can predict I will remain alone. There is no reason to remarry, I achieved my intended goal my first marriage, why enter another?”
Anger shot up Mary’s spine at the calloused way he referenced his marriage, as if it had been nothing more than a business deal and that the life of his late wife and daughter had meant nothing. “I do believe I made a mistake in my judgment of you; maybe you are not as honorable as I once believed, My Lord. For one who is honorable would not act as if marriage is a finish line or a battle to be won. You should cherish your offspring, and honor the one you lost.” Then, her feathers bristled as sat down her long empty glass and turned to him, giving him a sharp curtsy before saying. “I am excusing myself afore I say something that would be impolite of me and embarrass my family. Good eve, Sir.”
She turned abruptly, not waiting for his words of dismissal as she stormed away from him. Her anger gaining the best of her.
Mary struggled at maintain her smile as she said, “All is well. I am sorry if you felt obligated to come. My mother… she should not have invited you.”
“You do not want me to be here?” He asked, surprise contorting his handsome features. It was apparent that it was not every day a young girl did not swoon at the thought of him attending a function she was also in attendance to.
“Oh no. No My Lord. It is not like that at all.” Mary stammered quickly, trying to sooth away any bruises to his pride she may have made, knowing her bluntness had been improper. “I am truly honored you grace my humble household with your presence. Rightly I am and grateful too! It is just, you are Earl and that means you must be so very busy with whatever it is that Earls do.” Pausing she took a quick drink from her glass to wet her dried tongue, her stammering sending her nervousness to new heights. “You have proven true to your honorable character, responding to my mother’s unthoughtful invitation. She must not have known you would respond out of obligation to do so. Whatever ills you felt you had to correct by making an appearance here were not needed, for I hold you in such high esteem.”
Lord Scarbourgh’s deep blue eyed pierced Mary like knives and she felt like she was going to whither beneath the critical gaze as she stared back at him with her own gaze. “You misunderstand my attendance. I am obligated to do naught.”
“Blast it!” Mary cursed quietly before she could help herself. “I am botching all of this. Please forgive me, My Lord for my assumptions. I just assumed…”
“Yes, your mother did send me an invitation along with a letter thanking me much as you did for not brining public shame onto your household for the behavior of your foul mouthed maid. The invitation was a thank-you of sorts and a gentleman never lets an invitation go unanswered.”
Mary nodded feigning understanding when she really did not, “Of course My Lord.” Then with a curious look towards the chevron shaped ess pattern on his sleeve and asked, “You are in the army?”
He gave a curt nod, “Lieutenant-General in His Majesties royal army, yes.”
“I… I did not realize a titled Earl could enlist,” Mary stated, shocked. His rank surprised her as well, he was older than her by at least a score but even then many men did not gain rank that high until they were half a century old.
“If I was an only son I most definitely would not have been allowed,” Lord Scarbourgh explained, “But my family was gifted with a slew of sons to carry on the title, in the unfortunate event I was blown to bits on the battle field.”
Mary frowned at his explanation, the last part striking fear into her, “It is very dangerous then?” She’d never met an army man before, seen a few in the streets but never had she been allowed to speak to them but Lord Scarbourgh was the first titled man she met who held an esteemed rank.
“Of course, silly girl,” he scoffed, “War is not fairy tales and baked goods. Many men lose their lives or are maimed beyond recognition from their own mothers.”
“It is a blessing then,” Mary began softly, “That you have come home safely. I am sure your mother would have been much aggrieved to lose her eldest son in such a manner.”
“Hardly a blessing, I am a sure shot and fast on my feet,” he explained coolly. “You learn when you are gone from home for so long.”
“You were gone very long then?” Mary asked, her memory lacking in regards to his history so she improvised. Many men of his caliber were married with families. “Your family must have missed you; your wife but I am sure they were glad once you returned home.”
Lord Scarbourgh frowned, “I am a widower.”
Mary frowned in return, castigating herself for not remember such a heartbreaking thing, “I am sorry. I do not keep up well with social news. Was it very long ago?”
“It will be five years this year,” he supplied as he turned to reach for a glass of punch himself, taking the glass and sipping from it. “The children were more upset than I.”
Mary could not keep her frown from deepening, his disregard for his departed wife a bit disconcerting but the news of children shocked her. “Children? I thought you were childless.” All the young debutants had preened over Lord Scarbourgh and his ruggedly handsome features, his vast fortune and many estates but never once had she heard anything about children.
“My late wife died in childbirth with our third, a daughter who also passed. We had two sons who live at my country home year round.” Lord Scarbourgh explained and Mary was thankful to him for he did not seem put out by her questions and answered all without scolding her. “I am alone more often than naught that most forget that I have children.”
“I am sorry for dredging up such horrible memories, My Lord. I was never properly introduced to society. My fiancé and I were engaged before I made my coming out so I never thought to retain the knowledge the other girls my age shared with me.”
“No need for apologies, it was very long ago.” He told her off-handedly before asking, “Your fiancé… you are in love with him?”
Mary could not help but scowl at the man for his blunt question, “Love is not required.” She told him bluntly, “Surely you must know that.”
He nodded in agreement, “Yes, I am well aware though I hear love matches are better than mutually beneficial marriages. They’re slowing becoming all the rage amongst the Scots.”
Mary scoffed, “We sire, are far from those dreadful Highlands. Though I must ask, do you plan to remarry?” Mary asked suddenly, “I mean, a man of your rank does not bring up loving one’s fiancé unless he himself has someone he loves.”
“As I side, it has become all the rage. Alas I am alone and as far as I can predict I will remain alone. There is no reason to remarry, I achieved my intended goal my first marriage, why enter another?”
Anger shot up Mary’s spine at the calloused way he referenced his marriage, as if it had been nothing more than a business deal and that the life of his late wife and daughter had meant nothing. “I do believe I made a mistake in my judgment of you; maybe you are not as honorable as I once believed, My Lord. For one who is honorable would not act as if marriage is a finish line or a battle to be won. You should cherish your offspring, and honor the one you lost.” Then, her feathers bristled as sat down her long empty glass and turned to him, giving him a sharp curtsy before saying. “I am excusing myself afore I say something that would be impolite of me and embarrass my family. Good eve, Sir.”
She turned abruptly, not waiting for his words of dismissal as she stormed away from him. Her anger gaining the best of her.