Page 61 of Deceiving an Earl
“Come now, we both know he needs a strong man to guide him. A mother can’t teach him what a man needs to know. I mean, look what’s happened. He’s been ejected from Eton.”
“He hasnotbeen ejected. He’ll return after the summer break.”
He squeezed her hands. “Very well. We can discuss Philip later. This isn’t about him anyway.”
But she was peeved now. Philip had always been a sticking point between William and Ellen. Having no children of his own, how was William to understand how difficult it was to raise a child, especially a son whose father had died at a pivotal moment in his life?
“You don’t have to answer me now,” William was saying. “I know I took you by surprise. Although I’m certain you’re aware that I have deep feelings for you.”
It was a relief to hear that he did have feelings for her and he didn’t choose her to be his wife because she got along well with the other wives.
He released her hands and stepped back. “Just think about it.”
She hesitated, confused as to what she was supposed to do and say now. William was a good companion and an interesting man…but marriage?
He led her to her front door and made sure she was safely inside. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it.
She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes, hoping to push the sudden memory of Oliver out of her mind. She didn’t want to marry William. She wanted to marry Oliver. She wished she could tell Oliver about Philip and they could run away and be together, all three of them, without Society’s pressure.
“Mother? Are you ill?”
She dropped her hands to find Philip descending the stairs.
“You’re home early,” she said, bypassing his inquiry.
“I haven’t left yet.”
“Isn’t it a bit late to be going out?”
“It’s barely eleven o’clock. Nothing interesting happens before midnight.”
Ellen pressed her lips together. If she told him that sixteen years old was too young to be going out this late, he would argue and they would fight, and she didn’t have the mental fortitude for a row with her son tonight, because it always ended with him slamming the door on his way out and her staying up half the night worrying about him.
William was right. Philip needed a strong man to take him in hand.
“You look a bit peaked,” Philip said.
“William proposed to me.” She’d had no intention of telling Philip this, but her mind was in such unrest that the words were out before she could stop them, and she instantly regretted them when her son’s lips twisted.
“I hope you said no.”
“I didn’t.”
“Surely you’re not seriously considering marriage to that windbag.”
“Philip! That’s unkind.”
“But the truth. The man is a pompous ass.”
“That’s enough, Philip. I didn’t raise you to be rude.”
“Which surprises me that you would be with a man like that.”
“Philip! This is beyond unkind.”
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I’m sorry, Mother. It’s just that you are so much better than him. He thinks only of himself, and you need someone who thinks of you.”
Her spine deflated. Philip had a way of deflecting her anger and showing her that he really was the caring boy that she remembered.
