Page 119 of The Reckless Love of an Heir
It had been.
The boys wanted to escape the miserable atmosphere in the house. Though they did not use those words, Henry knew that to be true. He could not blame them; at their age he would have felt the same. He would have returned to school too, to be with his friends. But he did not wish to put the boys in a carriage and send them off on the long journey back to school alone.
Henry walked into the breakfast room a little after eleven, with Stephen, Gerard and Percy.
‘There is ham left, and some eggs,’ their mother stated as Stephen and Gerard sat down.
Despite having eaten toast earlier the boys’ appetites had risen again and they both looked at a footman to encourage the offer of plates and food to put on them.
Still on his feet, Percy leaned over Gerard and picked up a sweet pastry from a plate on the table.
‘Sit down, Percy,’ Mama ordered, in a voice sounding reassuringly normal.
It was only his mother and Susan at the table, sitting opposite one another. It looked as though his mother had not eaten, she sat before a cup of chocolate.
He walked over to Susan. He had not left a note beside the bed, but surely she had assumed the reason for his absence.
She smiled.
She was not upset with him, then.
He leaned and pressed a kiss on her lips, then sat in the seat beside hers facing his mother. He wanted to speak. The wordstumbled through his throat. He swallowed them back. He would not ask her anything before his brothers.
‘Susan has only just come down. I am keeping her company…’ His mother smiled at him.
He held Susan’s hand as it lay on the table.
‘Would you like anything to eat, my lord?’
Henry looked at the footman. ‘No, thank you, but I would welcome a cup of coffee, Ron.’
He nodded. ‘Sir.’
Another footman poured the coffee. ‘Thank you, Simon.’
His mother spoke to Percy and the boys.
‘Did you enjoy your ride?’ Susan asked.
He sighed out a breath before answering, quietly. ‘Yes, but I am still thinking about the things you said to me last night. I wish to speak to Mama alone…’ Her fingers tightened about his hand. ‘Gerard and Stephen want to return to school, I think it would be best if Papa accompanied them.’
‘But you do not think he will.’
‘No.’
‘Smile, Henry. It would not be so awful if you must take them, would it? Or are they beasts?’ It was a jest, said to lift his mood and make him laugh.
He made a face at her. But within a moment, his mocking face became a genuine smile and he wished to embrace her. That would shock his brothers, and probably his mother. He had not spoken of his love for Susan to anyone but her.
‘When the others leave,’ she said more seriously, ‘I will leave too, so you may stay with Au… with Jane.’
‘Thank you.’
He kept hold of Susan’s hand as they joined the others’ conversation.
The boys took twenty minutes to eat their fill, then theyfinally stood to go and find something else to do. Percy stood at the same time. Susan rose, and her hand settled on Henry’s shoulder in reassurance. He looked up and smiled. His mother had not risen.
‘Good day.’
