Page 4 of The Earl's Demure Spinster
As they meandered through the park, the weight of Wesley’s worries gradually lifted. The lush greenery and the gentle breeze stirred a sense of tranquility within him, offering a temporary escape from the pressures awaiting him at home.
Finally, as they reached a secluded spot by the lake, Wesley turned to Edward with a grateful smile. “Thank you, this ride has been the perfect balm to the nightmare I am suffering at home. My mother is now far too excited about the upcoming Season. She is determined to ensure that I find my marriage match this year.”
Edward nodded understandingly. “I see. Does she have any idea of who she would like you to marry?”
Wesley’s expression darkened. “Oh, she has a number of ideas. But this morning, I believe she settled on my sister’s friend, Lady Arabella Easton.”
“And that is not someone you are interested in?”
Wesley shook his head and shrugged his shoulders at the same time. “I do not know. I have never formed a genuine connection with her, and she has been in my life for years. I can not imagine that we have anything in common. I do not think my mother even considers that I want love in my life. I keep trying to tell her that I am not interested in a strategic match, but she will not hear me.”
Edward paused thoughtfully on this for just a moment. “Do you not think you can do both? Find a suitable match who you can also really develop something with?”
“If only. But I have not yet come across a Lady who I feel like I can talk to. Alas, there exists not a soul with whom I can share my time and cultivate mutual interests. Mayhap this Season shall unfold differently, yet I find myself unable to envision such a turn of events. I hold a flicker of hope, yet cannot shake the feeling of despondency. It seems as though my mother may arrange a marriage for me before I am fully prepared to embrace it.”
“Then it may need to be something that you finally prioritise.”
Those words sat heavy within Wesley.
He could not stop thinking about Edward’s advice, even as he got home.
He had to admit to himself that Edward was right. He had not ever prioritized the idea of finding love, because deep down he had the assumption that when the time was right, he would just know. He would feel the sparks of love and then he could think about romance and marriage.
But now there was a sense of urgency looming over him, and he could not restrain himself any longer. It truly was the moment to prioritize finding a woman who captured his heart and stirred within him all the emotions he had always assumed would accompany falling in love.
After leaving his horse with the stable boys, Wesley headed inside the house, heading straight for his father’s study. He often found refuge in this place because it allowed him to really feel his father’s spirit. Wesley had always loved his father, he was a warm and caring man who gave Wesley a good role model. Someone he had always looked up to. He had spent such a long time looking up to his father that he had not spent long enough emulating him.
Now, he had the weight of the title pressing down on him, and Wesley was worried about upholding his father’s memory well.
“What do I do?” Wesley murmured to himself, but it was almost as if he were reaching out to his father, willing him to answer. “How do I find a woman to marry who Mother is happy with, but who I also have feelings for? Who also makes me excited about the rest of my life?”
It seemed like an impossible task. The more that Wesley thought about it, the less he could think of a Lady whose company he had enjoyed. Throughout his life, he had been to many high society events, during which time he had danced with and talked with a variety of women. But he could hardly recallany of them, which was a real shame. There was no one he could think of that he would like to spend more time with.
But of course, Wesley did not get any answers. He did not immediately know what to do, and his father was not about to answer him from the grave. This was something he needed to do all by himself. Somehow.
Perhaps tonight, he should open up his heart a little to Lady Arabella Easton, just in case there was something there. Maybe if he gave her a chance, he would discover much more to her. Her family was friends with his, which had to be a good sign, right?
He could only hope so as he left the study and went to dress in his finest suit. He did not have a lot of hope in his heart right now, but he was certainly going to try and view this night as an opportunity, rather than something to dread instead.
***
“Welcome, Your Graces,” Wesley’s mother said to Charles and Winifred Easton, the Duke and Duchess of Ervington as she plastered a bright smile on her face. “And how lovely it is to see you, Lady Arabella Easton. Thank you so much for coming to our home.” She stepped to one side and made a sweeping gesture with her hands. “And of course you already know my children, Lord Wesley Montclair, and Lady Harriet Montclair.”
She was being far more formal than she needed to be in her desire to impress. Wesley struggled to hold his embarrassment inside as he greeted everyone. This was not going to be easy, but he was still trying his hardest to tackle this with an open mind. He was especially warm and friendly to Arabella, because he was trying to give her a chance.
Eventually, they headed into the dining hall where the wonderful smelling food filled their nostrils. As they settled into their seats around the grand dining table, the atmosphereseemed to settle a little. Wesley’s mother, with her impeccable hosting skills, led the conversation with practiced grace, guiding it away from any potentially awkward topics.
Wesley kept stealing glances at Arabella, who seemed to be holding her own amidst the formalities. He could not help but notice that she kept pulling her face every time someone talked. She did not seem impressed by any of this, which made his heart harden a little.
“Lady Arabella, are you excited for the Season?” Harriet asked her, trying to engage her in conversation, and maybe to show Wesley more of her personality.
“Oh… yes, I am sure there will be some fun parties,” she shot back scathingly, taking a very different tone to the way that Harriet had addressed her. It was a strange attitude that seemed to come from nowhere.
Harriet furrowed her brows, confused by Arabella. “You must be thrilled to be named the Season’s most coveted debutante.”
“Only in the scandal sheets,” Arabella dismissed. “I do not think that is anything worth listening to. I would much prefer to hear that once the Season has actually started, from people who know what they are talking about. But I am sure that will happen.”
“Yes,” Harriet whispered back as her eyes hit the table underneath her. “I am sure it will too.”
