Cheryl Holt by Deeper than Desire

Author:Deeper than Desire [Desire, Deeper than]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Edward stood at the fence, his forearms braced on the top rail, observing his handsome, dynamic son out in the field with a mare and her colt. With the grass so green, the sky so blue, and the fluffy clouds floating by, it was like a placid scene out of a fairy tale.

Who could guess that so many undercurrents were rushing through the tranquil setting?

Since that dreadful afternoon they’d fought behind the barn, they hadn’t spoken, and he felt terrible about the horrid comments Phillip had hurled. How he wished there was some way to bridge the gaps that divided them.

Would Phillip always loathe him? Would their relationship remain that of employer and employee—two men who had nothing to discuss but horses? Could he repair the damage he and his wife had wrought?

For a long while, he’d deemed they were progressing. When Phillip had returned from his stint in the army—half-starved, partially crippled, and looking like death warmed over—Edward had been so relieved that he’d taken one of the few brave steps in his life: he’d begged Phillip to move into the manor. Much to Edward’s dismay, Phillip had declined, but as a compromise he came for supper every evening.

Then, stupidly, Edward had canceled their arrangement so as not to embarrass his current guests. At the time, the request had seemed prudent, but he’d made a huge mess of it, insulting Phillip and hurting him, when he’d never meant to. He’d merely wanted an easy solution to where Phillip belonged.

Edward could never quite decide, and therein lay the crux of the problem. Where did Phillip belong? What role should he assume? It was unfair to treat him like a member of the family when it was convenient, but to hide him when it was awkward.

He was ashamed of himself, and the result—which served him right—was that he needed Phillip’s advice and wise counsel, but he wasn’t entitled to receive it. An enormous quandary was plaguing him, the answer impossible to glean on his own, yet his demolishing of their cordial association ensured that he dared not seek Phillip’s guidance.

Should he marry Olivia? Could he marry Olivia? The recent letter from his solicitor was filled with rumors about the Hopkinses’ finances, so how could he refuse? Was he so callous that he could send the women home to fend for themselves?

He didn’t think so.

A proposal would ameliorate their fiscal predicament, and his wretched pursuit of a bride and heir could be concluded.

Olivia was a sweet, amiable girl, and he presumed they could trudge through matrimony together. There were many worse choices.

As he thought about it, he shook his head. Why was he willing to settle for so little? Decades earlier, he’d made the sensible selection, had followed the proper course, in picking his first wife. Their union had been ordinary, conventional, all that he’d expected and nothing more.

He’d been bored to tears. Each and every day.

Perhaps it was advancing age that made him restless and dissatisfied, but the notion of enduring another such humdrum partnership left him weary and annoyed.

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