Page 18 of A Marquess' Season of Secrets
The young women he had met had all been beautiful, respectful, from good families, and had none of that adventurous spirit he disliked so much. They would be dependable and trustworthy wives, but he hadn’t been able to give any of them his attention beyond a greeting and light conversation.
“You know the type of woman I would prefer to marry, Johnson,” he eventually said. “Why would my heart think differently?”
“You have the same spirit as your parents, Your Grace. You may have locked it in and tried hard to forget about that side of you, but I recall a young boy who wished to sail the seven seas, fight pirates, go through African jungles for lost treasure, and earn a scar or two while doing it.”
“That boy is gone,” said Nash, his voice flat.
And he was never coming back. Losing his parents had meant sobering up and taking care of his sister and the family estate. Nash didn’t have the time to waste on adventures.
“Perhaps he is not, Your Grace,” the valet argued. “Those women were perfectly compatible with the man who favours responsibility and order, but they did not appeal to the part of you who wishes for spontaneity, intrigue, and mystery. Mark my words, the woman who will catch your eye will not be a regular woman.”
“I’ll let you have your opinion, old man,” said Nash.
“Old man? I could still outrun and out-shoot you, Your Grace. Name a time and place.”
Nash laughed. “You’re always ready for a competition. How does your wife put up with that?”
“Antoinette loves my display of power and skill,” the man claimed.
“I’m sure she does,” Nash replied, unconvinced.
Mrs Johnson was a no-nonsense sort who preferred practicality and had no time for anything that didn’t have a purpose. Johnson frequently had his head in the clouds and was far more romantic than she was. It made Nash wonder how they got along.
“Love allows all things to happen, Your Grace,” the man said as though reading his mind.
“That is why people often say love is blind.”
“No, it’s optimistic and thinks no wrong,” the valet corrected. “A person does not have to be loveable to love them, neither do they have to fit your ideals. You could fall in love with a woman who seems all wrong for you, but is in fact, the perfect person for you.”
Nash snorted. “I do not see that happening, Johnson. I have both my feet planted firmly on the ground. I will never fall in love with a woman so different from what I want in life. Never.”
“Never say never, Your Grace,” Johnson warned. “That is asking for trouble.”
“Not if you are confident.”
“Do not say I did not warn you.”
Nash emitted an exasperated sigh. “Rest assured, Johnson. Nothing unplanned will happen to me.”
The valet gave a slight shrug and turned to the carriage window. Nash looked out on his side of the carriage, a bit annoyed that his valet was so stubborn about this. Why did everyone presume to know what was best for him?
Did they have a crystal ball to look into the future and see what he would do? Nash already had his life planned out perfectly and would accept no one ruining it.
Looking up at the sky, he marvelled at the brightness of the moon. It was nature’s own light to govern the night and provide some relief for late travellers like himself.
Nash drew out his pocket watch, surprised three o’clock had passed. “Another hour or two, and the sun will rise.”
“We’re nearly home, Your Grace. We’ll likely get there mid-afternoon. Why not sleep until then? It has been a long day and night.”
“I do not feel tired. You may sleep if you wish.”
“I think I might just do that. I have business to attend to once we reach the estate and do not wish to fall asleep while doing it.”
The valet drew his blanket over his shoulders and slid a little lower before he closed his eyes. His snores could be heard within ten minutes. It always surprised Nash how quickly the man could sleep when he often lay awake for hours trying to do so.
Leaning his head on the carriage window, Nash resumed staring outside the window, frowning when he made out a dark mound on the ground just ahead of the carriage. As they drew closer, he soon realised it was the crumpled figure of a woman. He immediately used his cane to tap on the roof to get the driver to stop.
Johnson awakened with a start, staring around the carriage with surprising alertness.
