Page 28 of Lady of Charade
David typically enjoyed throwing his lifestyle back in the face of his parents, for he was aware that while they were disappointed in him, they were equally disappointed in themselves for allowing him to become the man that he was.
But tonight… it was as though something had changed. He was actually regretting the fact that they disapproved of the man he had become. He felt the urge to prove to them that he was more than the rake all thought him to be.
“It is not that I do not want to marry the woman because I do not desire to be married,” he began. “I can tell you that the two of us will not suit. The woman barely speaks. I have no wish for a wife who would meekly do whatever I say.”
“I hardly see the issue with that,” his father said dryly, causing his mother to look over at her husband with a glance that was not particularly friendly, for she was far from a mild-mannered woman, though the two of them still seemed to get along just fine. “I am simply saying that I am sure she will come around in time,” he amended.
“Lady Georgina is a lovely young girl,” his mother said. “Perhaps you are right. Perhaps it is best that you do not sully her reputation as well by joining her name to yours.”
David rose, not allowing his family to see how much his mother’s words had hurt. But they did cut deeply. He hadn’t been aware of just how much his family felt they were suffering from the choices he was making.
“I apologize for any hardship I have caused you.” He turned and looked meaningfully at his brother, the one person to whom he truly meant his apology. “All of you. I will strive to do better. But I will not marry that woman simply because you, Father, choose it to be so.”
“I hardly see the issue with marrying a woman of your father’s choosing,” his mother said, changing her tone slightly, as though she felt that he might be convinced by a different approach. “Franklin did, and is he not happy now?”
A pained expression crossed Franklin’s face for a moment, and David knew he was torn between being the dutiful son and loyal to his brother.
“It is true,” Franklin said slowly, after a brief glance at his wife. “Lady Georgina could be a good match for you, David, if you consider the possibility.”
“I appreciate the thought, Franklin, but it will not work.”
“I know you think she will not suit, but perhaps try once more—”
“I cannot.”
His family looked on at him in silence now. David knew he likely sounded unreasonable — for what harm could one more meeting with the woman bring?
“False expectations,” he finally said, in an attempt to convince both himself and his family. “I do not want her to think that there could be more between us.”
In fact, perhaps he would have to call upon Lady Georgina herself to acknowledge that there would be nothing between them, to ensure that she didn’t raise her hopes for a marriage that may never occur.
“No,” his father said dryly. “It wouldn’t do for anyone to imagine that David Redmond, son of the Earl of Brentford, could possibly be mistaken for a man who might try for some semblance of respectability.”
David refused to look any longer at his father, whose words hurt more than he wanted to admit.
“I will leave you now,” he said, as he suddenly longed to be home with Sarah, a longing which scared him but which he nonetheless could not deny. “Goodnight.”
CHAPTER13
After such an evening, David could hardly wait for some peace. While he more than enjoyed conversing with Sarah, she seemed to sense precisely when he needed quiet and was perfectly happy to sit in his company in harmonious silence.
As he walked up to the door to her rooms, however, his footsteps changed from a walk to a run when he heard screaming from within. His heart began to beat in a rapid staccato as he couldn’t keep his mind from racing toward the worst of possible scenarios that could have happened to her if someone had forced his way within, or if she had been injured while tending to another.
He tried the latch of the door, relief flooding through him when he found it unlocked, and he threw the door open, only to stand there in shock at the scene before him.
For there on the bed was a woman, writhing in pain, with Sarah sitting on a small stool at the end of the bed in front of her.
“Emily, I know it’s early, but whether you are ready or not, this baby is coming,” Sarah said, her voice soothing even now as she looked back over her shoulder to see David standing in the doorway, though she simply nodded at him in greeting before turning her attention over to the laboring woman in front of her. “Where is your husband?”
“He’s working,” the woman managed. “That’s why I came to you myself. I had no one to send to ask you to come to me.”
“You were smart to do so,” Sarah said, “For you would not have wanted to do this alone.”
David began backing out of the door, knowing this was not a place for a man to be — nor did he have any desire to be present for a birth.
“David!” Sarah called, halting him. “I’ll need a bit of help here.”
He swallowed hard. What help couldhepossibly be? However, he couldn’t find it in himself to deny her, and he took a step back slowly into the room.
