Page 41 of Kismet

With her meal clearly forgotten, Lady Matlock began to argue in earnest. “I am the mistress of this house. I am the one who oversees the staff. What could you mean by trying to step into my place?”

“I mean to take control of my life and the people in my household.” Theodore’s stare was hard. It was the one he had used on raw recruits that had tested his patience. Despite his initial belief that it had no place in his current situation outside of the military, he found it curiously fitting with his mother.

A nervous titter escaped his mother as she played with her napkin. “Why would you think you don't have control over your own life?”

“Because, mother, I now realize that you have cunningly orchestrated every aspect of my life, molding it to suit your own desires and ambitions. Your actions were never for my benefit, but rather to further your own agenda. The realization of this betrayal cuts deep, for I trusted you implicitly, never suspecting the ulterior motives hidden beneath your facade of motherly love.” As Theodore's voice filled with emotion, it began to grow gruff and husky. Not having completed his speech, he took a moment to clear his throat before plunging forward.

“To my utmost regret, I now understand that your intentions were not limited to controlling my every move. You sought to tarnish the reputation of Miss Catherine, a woman who deserved none of the ill-treatment you inflicted upon her. Your relentless attempts to smear her good name have only become evident to me now, as I have finally broken free from your manipulative grasp.”

Leaning forward, his mother looked as if she wanted to interrupt him. Theodore's glare proved to be so fierce that she snapped her mouth shut. His mother looking as if she had been slapped as she slumped back into her chair allowing him to continue.

“I am burdened with guilt and regret for my lack of insight. I failed to protect Miss Catherine as I should have, allowing your machinations to go unchecked. My naivety and blind trust in you have caused irreparable damage to her reputation and her well-being. I can only hope that she can find it in her heart to forgive me for my failures.”

Finally speaking up, Lady Matlock argued, “You saw me trying to comfort the girl. How could you believe such lies? How could you take sides against me? I am your mother.” She brought the napkin to her face, holding it tightly at her mouth as her eyes blinked back tears.

“The veil has been lifted, Mother, and I am no longer blind to your true nature. Our relationship may never be the same, but I refuse to be a pawn in your game any longer.”

“You may be an earl now, but I am your mother. How dare you speak to me in such a disrespectful manner,” she retorted, her tone laced with indignation.

Theodore believed his mother might have a chance at stage acting should she ever gave up her pretense at playing a society matron. Unmoved by her display, he continued with his plan. “Sadly, that is true. It is the only reason I haven’t had you thrown from the house. I have a proposition, Mother. At your next at home, you will come forward and admit that you were trying to harm Miss Catherine for your own reasons and that you were the one who spread the lies. I also want a public apology to Miss Catherine from you at the upcoming ball. If you do not, this will be your last season in town under my largesse.”

“How dare you request something so ridiculous of me. I am the Countess of Matlock.” Standing so swiftly, she knocked her chair back to the floor. She spoke in a condescending tone, making it clear that she felt superior to him. Head tilted back, she attempted to look down her nose at him. “I am one of the leading ladies of society and you want me to apologize publicly to that Bennet chit? She is no one and has no respect for the bounds of society. She is full of pervasive ideas. It was bad enough when your cousin married her sister, but I refuse to let her corrupt our family.” The table shook as she pounded on it, causing the silverware to clatter.

Theodore returned to eating his meal, as if unaffected by her outburst. Mrs. Goodwin had outdone herself. The meat was cooked to perfection, and the brussels sprouts were roasted to a crispy, golden brown. He did not want it to go to waste. “You may feel however you want about the situation, but you seem to forget that I own this house, not you. It is within my rights to state that those who reside here must comply with specific expectations. At the forefront of those standards is kindness. I expect kindness, Mother; no more treating people the way you have. If you find it is not something that you can comply with, you are more than welcome to remove yourself to the home that you received in your marriage settlement.”

“But that is in Wales!” His mother’s voice reached heights that caused the dogs in the street to shudder and howl.

Theodore found it was surprising that he turned out so well, considering his mother was one of his models for behavior. He managed to reply without sounding condescending, but his true feelings were evident in the slight raise of his eyebrow. “Yes, I believe it is. You will be happy to know that Cedric had the foresight to have it redone recently. I have just today sent a message to the steward to make sure that there are staff there and ready to serve you should you choose to relocate.”

“I would never choose to relocate to Wales.” His mother's facade of grace crumbled, replaced by whining and uncontrollable shrieks. “There is no society there. The people are practically primitives. It is unthinkable!”

“I put a decision before you, Mother. It is your choice to apologize and conduct yourself with kindness. Kindness to everyone, mind you. Cruel gossip will be a thing of the past. You will admit your wrongdoing and apologize to Miss Catherine or move to Wales.” As Theodore looked at her face, he could see the defiance in her expression, so he spoke softly to try and make a connection. He was giving her one last chance. “I understand that may not be within your capacity to do, so I have made sure that you have a comfortable second option. The home is comfortable, and I will even make sure your expenses are taken care of.”

Screaming, his mother picked up her plate and threw it at the wall before rushing from the room. Theodore watched her go, then tucked back into his meal. He couldn't help but think it was sad that someone else hadn’t had a chance to enjoy the meal. It was a missed opportunity, as the meal was a delectable treat that deserved to be relished.

Marching up the stairs, Lady Matlock fumed. If her son thought to direct her behavior, that he knew what to do, he had seen nothing of her abilities thus far. Making her way to her room, she meticulously crafted a cunning plan. With the door closed behind her, a wicked smile played on her lips.

Chapter Nineteen

She was unsure as to when she had developed the habit, but Catherine realized that when her emotions were high, she painted. At the moment, she was elbow deep in paint. It was the same painting that she had been working on since Cedric’s death and it was almost complete.

Originally, it had been a momentary inspiration born from the desire to bring Theodore some comfort. Even though she was angry at him for his decision to end things between them, she would not stop working on what would be his gift. The pressure was on as she worked tirelessly to complete the intricate details of the art piece. She would never be a painter with any renowned pieces but like most artists, she felt the need to work sometimes, and this was one of those times. Cedric had such love for him, and she was afraid that he was losing sight of it. Maybe her project would touch Theodore’s heart and help him through his struggle.

It had only been two days, but the ache in her heart made it feel as though time was standing still without him. She was well aware of Theodore's inner turmoil, but she couldn't make sense of his decision to let her go, despite his clear affection. He had not lied when he had told her he loved her; she knew that much.

Pausing, Catherine stepped back from her work. Studying it intently, she realized that it was all but complete. It needed to dry some before she added one or two highlights and her signature in the corner, but it was finally done. Wiping at her forehead with the back of her wrist, she smiled at what she created.

Picking up a rag on the table next to her, Catherine began cleaning her hands. She rolled her neck trying to relax the muscles in her shoulders. Despite the joy that painting for hours on end brought her, her heart still ached at the void left by Theodore's absence.

Looking around, she spotted Lambert sitting in the corner mending something. “Would you care to go for a walk, miss?” Lambert asked. Having been Catherine’s maid for some time, she was aware of her habits when she started painting.

“Yes, I do believe some nature might help me regain my equilibrium. Let me just get cleaned up and we can go.”

It was only a matter of time before she and Lambert were leaving the house and heading at a sedate pace towards the nearby park. Seeking solace, she was determined to find a tranquil place where she could confront her shattered emotions head-on.

Timmy moved through the shadows, heading towards the Darcy place. Few people paid attention to a scruffy child moving about with a purpose. Though he tried to keep clean and relatively presentable, it was nearly impossible to succeed with no home. As he got to the house, he noticed the nice Miss Catherine leaving with her maid. Careful to stay out of sight, he avoided her attention; he was not ready to let her know that he was interested in going to the farm she spoke of.

He had nearly decided to come forward, but not yet. For the first thing, he was going to help with the laundry, and secondly, Miss Catherine did not look like herself. The only day he had actually spoken with her, she had been no less than a force of positivity. Everything about her had spoken of light and hope. Today it was like a rain cloud was blocking her sun. He was certain she was not having a good day.

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