Chapter 97

“I see you’ve not regressed from your sullenness,” while the actual descriptor Russell was tempted to use was ‘grumpy’, he figured being less volatile towards his God brother would encourage better conversation between them. Solaire had been stalking through the halls like a predator ready to pounce on an unsuspecting victim. And while Russell could not prove it, he felt that was the reason the guests starting ebbing away early.

Not that Solaire minded, hell, the man had even scared his fiancé away without any outward regret!

“Shouldn’t you be at home with your wife,” Solaire was busy removing his coat since the last of his guest were gone, all but Russell of course. “I imagine all pregnant women would wish for their husband’s presence.”

Russell’s brows furrowed and his thoughts shifted, “How did you…”

“Know?” Solaire finished his God brother’s sentence with a scoff. How could he not know? There was a gentleness in the way Russell treated his wife tonight. Inviting her to converse her energy and even sending her home early with her mother. It was obvious really. And something about it made Solaire angrier at the hand he’d been dealt. “Does that matter?” he rolled his eyes, “I am almost certain that it is a frownable offence to leave one’s pregnant wife unattended to pay mind to another’s business,”

Solaire had thought to have been excited for the cultivation of a life with Mendora and she’d ruined it with her coming out moment and her profession of love. Perhaps Solaire was better off honouring his initial decisions. Marriage was not his calling. He could not see himself being happy in such an institution. Especially not now. Not with such a damning start.

Russell shock his head. It was true, they’d found that his wife was pregnant and it had been exciting news. News they both decided to withhold until his wife was further along and while Solaire’s observation was shocking, Russell decided not to let it deter him.

“Such an expert on the female needs,” Russell had been learning to be braver in his approach to his God brother and he did not question it. “when your own fiancé left the party without so much as a spirited farewell,” he countered Solaire’s bitter words with his own.

“What do you want, Russell?” Solaire snapped. He’d had enough bickering for one night, his mood irreparably altered and all he wanted to do was drown his thoughts in a pint or two.

“To understand how the night had evolved to elicit such a sour taste.” Russell could not bear to witness Solaire or Mendora in bad spirits, not when he’d been secretly cheering for them from the beginning. Not when he knew that Solaire was a different man with her.

“It’s a private matter,” Not feeling comfortable to divulge his conversation with Mendora. He was still wrapping his head around it himself. Any attempt at explanation might go awry or worse, dampen his mood further.

“And you can confide in me,” Russell’s tone morphed, “we are family and I can attempt to provide some unbiased insight that may provide some illumination on the matter.” He attempted to convince Solaire to confide in him.

“or you can sulk for the remainder of the night,” Russell followed up as Solaire remained silent and brooding. With a heavy exhale, Solaire raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“I was taken off-guard by her transformation,” he announced without meeting Russell’s eyes. He’d never had cause to discuss his sexual life with anyone. He’d always been private. Hell, nothing had ever bothered him to the point that he cared to talk.

“Taken off-guard?” he echoed Solaire’s explanation, signalling that it made no sense to him. “You’ve known her secret when everyone else thought she had some illness, what exactly surprised you so?”

“That she’d show up here, intent on telling the world the truth of her appearance.” Solaire paused, his sight growing distant, “that it would be public and that all interest, feminine and masculine would be drawn to her.”

The cloud obstructing Russell’s ascent into understanding cleared in the few extra moments of silence that fell upon them. “Are you fretting because other men could find your fiancé attractive now that she longer hides behind

“No,” the contradiction immediately fired out of Solaire’s mouth but Russell was beginning to match the pieces together.

“Does this have anything to do with your parents? With your mother’s long list of lovers post marriage to your father?” Knowing he’d stumbled upon the exact cause and reason by Solaire’s resulting silence he paced in a circle.

“You idiot!” Russell groaned, his hands coming up to cover his head momentarily, “can you really not handle competition? Is trust that difficult for you to have for someone who’d never betrayed you or illustrated any such signs to occasion suspicion?” he’d stopped abruptly, turning to face Solaire again, no way finished in his rant.

“Your parent’s relationship and circumstances are not your own. You’ve allowed your trauma and hurt to dictate your entire life and now you are on the verge of losing your love because of it, how foolish of you!” he sucked in a breath of air to replenish his spent lungs, “and all over circumstances that you’ve formed your own opinion off as a child just based off your own hurt. No one can know for certain what occurred between the Duke and Duchess so why draw parallels where none exist?”

“Who knows the truth better than I?” Solaire gritted out through clenched jaw. Unbiased opinion my foot! “Women are easily strayed by attention, especially when such comes to them easily,”

“And what of the faults of men?” Russell countered angrily, “One can argue that you receive your fair share of attention from women and can control yourself in those matters, Moreover, the ton is overflowing with men who entertain mistresses and illegitimate children and yet women still trust. Miss Garrick has agreed to marry you despite those truths.”

“I am not most men of our generation,” Solaire declared, “I keep my word and I honour my commitments,”

“Then if you can be an exception in your gender why can’t Miss Garrick be one in hers?” Russell posed the question but the look in Solaire’s eyes, unbothered and closed off, told him one thing for certain. The Marquess could not be reasoned with at this point. His own beliefs were infallible and he’s have to come to the realisation of his hypocracy himself.

***

“I can hardly believe that you’ve lied to the Marquess all the while inviting him over to check on Mendora when Mendora is nowhere around!” Teresa raged on. There had been some hope instilled in all parties that Mendora would somehow change her course and return home.

That was dashed when they’d awoken this morning to find Mendora’s room vacant with no sign of her or Ginger. Teresa began panicking, wondering if the Marquess would check in today for his fiancé.

“Calm down child,” Lavinia groaned as she sipped her morning tea. Aldrich had left early in the morning which allowed for them to carry on their private conversation,

“I can barely form a single thought with all your panicking.”

“Well what should I do mother?” Teresa was pacing the dining hall, unsure how her mother was able to stomach any food or drink at a time like this. Just last night she’d been in a frenzy and now she was calm. “Mendora is gone, God knows where and you are sitting having breakfast!” she all but screamed. “I do not understand why you’ve lied to the Marquess, surely he’d possess the resources to locate Mendora a lot faster than us.”

“Another letter was delivered this morning,” Lavinia exposed, the admission causing Teresa to halt in her tracks and finally look at her mother for longer than one second, “as for the Marquess, your sister has expressly asked us not to involve him and I shall comply with her wishes and so should you.” She advised her younger daughter. Lavinia had to trust her daughters and she should not force them upon a man just because of a silly engagement.

If Mendora wished to run from the Marquess, then Lavinia should not question it. Instead, she’d support her daughter’s decision. Especially since it was almost noon and the Marquess hadn’t the decency to search for his intended bride. That lack of interest had cemented Lavinia’s decision.

“What does the letter say?” Teresa, already forgetting about the Marquess, rushed her mother for information about her sister.

“A reiteration of last night’s. Assuring us of her safety and that once she has settled we will hear more. There is no indication of where she might be and she promises to inform us soon. I have stored the letter among her things to keep it from being discovered.”

Teresa was able to seat herself. Her mind turning, “Surely her presence will be missed soon enough, what shall we say to the curious questions?”

“I have it planned my dear,” Lavinia assured her, knowing that it wouldn’t be long until Mendora’s return for it was clear her daughter had unfinished business but for now all Lavinia could do was buy her some time.