His uncle nodded slowly. “There is a new sense of freedom in the air,” he said, softly. “It fills all of London, I think. It breathes new life and hope into this world.” A small sigh escaped him, his eyes becoming sad as they held Jeremy’s. “Perhaps I have been wrong to encourage you to find the truth about Rebecca’s past,” he continued, his words filling Jeremy with astonishment. “Mayhap I should have asked you to allow the past to remain as it is. I cannot see what good will come of it now.”
Jeremy stared at his uncle, more astonished than ever to hear this from the gentleman he considered to be a dear, dear relative. He could still remember just how distraught his uncle had been when he had first told Jeremy of Rebecca, how much grief had filled his very being as he had spoken of her situation. His uncle had never been able to discover who had treated his daughter so abominably. Not wanting to cause Rebecca any further pain, he had chosen not to pursue the matter any further. Now, however, there was every reason to find out the name of the gentleman, so that some sort of punishment might be wreaked upon him, and the last thing Jeremy had expected to hear from his uncle was that the matter was no longer to be pursued!
Lord Northgate sighed heavily, rubbed his forehead and sat forward. “Avondale, I have other children that I must consider,” he said, slowly. “I have been neglectfu
l of my other daughter due to the fact that my mind has been consistently taken up with thoughts of Rebecca.”
“That can well be understood,” Jeremy replied, quietly, thinking of the months of mourning they had all undertaken. “
“Yes, I suppose it can,” Lord Northgate agreed, setting his glass of brandy aside. “But there is a choice before me now and I think I can no longer see any clear reason to pursue the matter.”
Jeremy shook his head, frowning. “Surely it is to ensure that the gentleman will not do such a thing again?”
“But what can be done?” his uncle asked, throwing up his hands. “If I were to call the gentleman out, then news would traverse through society and my daughter, Beatrice, would be tinged with scandal.”
“The consequences of this gentleman’s behavior would not have to be made known to all of society,” Jeremy replied, finding the idea of allowing the gentleman, whoever he was, to be entirely freed of any consequences to be unthinkable. “We might insist on secrecy and yet, somehow, find a way to ensure –”
“No.” Lord Northgate shook his head. “What good would come of it, Avondale?” He held Jeremy’s gaze, looking at him for a long moment before continuing. “Besides, I think that you have a good many other things on your mind, do you not?”
Jeremy hesitated, the vision of Eliza floating in front of his eyes. “I have some matters to consider, yes.”
“You may have more to consider than you think,” his uncle replied, carefully. “I take it you have not read the society papers this afternoon?”
Jeremy, who was not at all inclined towards reading such things, shook his head. “I confess that I take very little interest in such things, Northgate.” A slight tremor of worry ran up his spine as he looked at his uncle keenly. “For what reason might you suggest that I read them?”
His uncle rose, picked up his brandy and threw back the rest in one smooth motion. Then he walked towards Jeremy, settling one hand on his shoulder. “I would leave you now, Avondale,” he said, quietly, confusing Jeremy even more. “Consider what I have said in light of what you will soon learn. Mayhap you will find yourself caught up with matters of greater importance than the darkness of the past.” He pressed Jeremy’s shoulder again before walking quickly towards the door, leaving Jeremy in such a state of confusion that he did not quite manage to rise to his feet before the drawing room door closed behind his uncle.
Anxiety began to furrow into his heart as he finally got to his feet, worrying about what it was he would find within the papers. Why had his uncle not wanted to remain with him whilst he read whatever it was? Would his reaction truly be so visceral that it could not be witnessed? Or was it that his uncle believed that Jeremy would need the quietness of solitude in order to consider his next steps?
“The papers,” Jeremy muttered to himself, shoving one hand through his hair as he looked aimlessly about the room. “Where might they be?”
The study, of course.
Hurrying towards the door and trying to keep his fears at bay, Jeremy quickly made his way towards the study, the sound of his heart, to his ears, seeming to bounce off the walls that surrounded him. His hands clenched into fists with tension, a spiraling fear growing within his mind. What would he find? Surely it could not be anything to do with Eliza?
A trickle of sweat ran down his spine as he pushed open the study door, allowing it to swing closed softly behind him. Hurrying to his desk, he set aside the correspondence that was waiting for him, picking up the papers that lay beneath. The society papers usually went into the fire but today, Jeremy picked it up and laid it out on his desk, with an almost reverential air. Pressing his lips together, he began to look over each and every page, dread beginning to fill his entire being as he looked to see what his uncle had meant.
And then, he found it.
“No,” he whispered, reading the short announcement that declared that Miss Eliza Wells was to tie herself to Lord Montrose in matrimony.
Weakness rifled through him, his mind beginning to spin as he sank down into his chair, his eyes still fixed on those words. This could not be. How could Eliza agree to marry such a gentleman when Jeremy himself had told her of what he had overheard? It did not make sense! Eliza had always been sensible and level-headed and he had been quite certain that she had heard and understood everything he had been trying to tell her about Lord Montrose that night of the dinner party.
“Eliza,” he whispered, the word burning his lips as he spoke her name aloud. She could not be his, it seemed. All hope had been crushed, broken and splintered under Lord Montrose’s heel. Lord Montrose had been victorious whereas he had been thoroughly defeated. Eliza did not trust him, it seemed. Eliza no longer gave any weight to his words, choosing not to consider them and instead accept the offer of Lord Montrose’s hand in marriage. She would no longer be Miss Eliza Wells but Lady Montrose, becoming so far out of reach that Jeremy knew all hope was lost. She would live with Lord Montrose in his estate. There might be children. She would build a life for herself with that fellow and he would remain at home, filled with nothing more but bitter regret and sadness.
Sinking down into his chair, Jeremy closed his eyes and allowed grief to flood him. It was as though he mourned Eliza even though she still lived. Tears came to his eyes as he buried his face in his arms, resting them on the desk in front of him. How foolish he had been to hope! How ridiculous to believe that Eliza might return to him, might allow her forgiveness to rid her of the pain of the past. No. He had done her too much of an injury, it seemed. Even if she had kissed him in return, it had been a moment of weakness. Nothing more than a mistake. Why had he allowed himself to even think that she might forgive him? Why had he fanned the flicker of hope into a bright flame? Now, it was doused completely and Jeremy felt himself all the weaker for it. He was nothing more than a fool. There was nothing for him here any longer. To remain here in London knowing that Eliza was engaged to another, that she would be planning her wedding and that the banns would soon be called was nothing more than agony. He could not linger on. No, he would return home and grieve for her in private.
All he would have of her was the deep, abiding memories of their time together, of the happiness they had once shared. Regret would become his constant friend; shame, his ever present shadow. He would welcome them both, knowing that this was all his own doing.
“Lord Avondale!”
The study door flew open and, as Jeremy lifted his head, he saw Miss Titania Wells and Miss Catherine Wells standing in the doorway with a most apologetic looking butler behind them both.
“I have nothing to say to either of you,” Jeremy stated, before settling his head back on his arms. “Leave me.”
He did not truly expect Miss Titania Wells to do as he asked, for she was quite determined in her own mind as to what she would do, and therefore it did not come as a surprise when she walked towards his desk and slammed one hand down upon it.
“It is not as it seems, Lord Avondale.”