Forever And Always: Wedded Women Quartet by Jillian Eaton

Author:Jillian Eaton [Eaton, Jillian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-22T23:00:00+00:00

To say that dinner was an awkward affair would have been a gross understatement. With Catherine at one end of the long mahogany table, Marcus at the other, and Josephine and Traverson in between, the conversation was forced and stilted. For his part Traverson remained largely silent, staring holes in his rapidly diminishing glass of brandy.

He could not look at Josephine for fear of seeing her laughter, nor could he address the Duchess for fear of the same. That left only Marcus, who while a pleasant enough fellow, was fond of discussing accounts and bonds and things Traverson knew little about and cared even less for.

When dessert finally arrived in the form of trifles dipped in chocolate cream, he ate quickly and pushed his dish aside first.

“If you would excuse me,” he said, still looking down, “I fear I am not feeling well.”

“Would you like to retire to the drawing room for some port?” Marcus asked, setting his own spoon aside.

“No.” Traverson shook his head. “Continue your dessert. I believe a walk in the fresh air will serve me well enough. Good evening, Your Grace. Lady Kensington. Lady Gates.” He nodded to each in turn, but it escaped no one in the room that the nod reserved for his wife was the shortest and coolest of them all.

Escaping through the main door, Traverson shrugged out of his overcoat and vest, setting them aside on the railing before he descended the steps and turned left, towards the side gardens. The thick night air rolled over him, smelling of roses and jasmine. The heady scent reminded him of Josephine, and he forced himself to breathe through his mouth as he hastened through the gardens to the open field beyond.

The knee high grass slapped against his trousers as he walked, his long legged gait taking him rapidly away from the lights of the mansion until only the moon guided his sight.

When the estate had faded away and he was surrounded by nothing Traverson finally stopped. He bent over, grasping his knees as he fought to regain his breath. Now he knew why he never attended dinner parties. The stiff clothes. The suffocating stillness of the air. The rich foods. The bloody effort of it all. Sucking in a ragged breath, he stood upright and ran a hand through his hair, pulling his head back until he was able to stare pensively at the moon.

Even as a young man he had been more comfortable in libraries than drawing rooms. Had preferred open fields to gambling halls. Had desired the sweet simplicity of the country to the bloated swell of the city.

Not for the first time Traverson thought he would have fared so much better as a common man, without the restrictions and rules having a title in front of his name imposed.

“Complete your studies, gain the admiration of your peers, and marry a beautiful lady who will give you sons,” he said to himself, repeating the words his father had blustered a thousand times before.

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