Page 93 of Madcap with a Marquess
Wonderful. This was a great start to the conversation. Small shards of patience, the very little he had left, fell away like shredded ice.
“No, Mother, I did not discuss anything of the like with her,” he bit out. “And I do not intend to. She has been through enough today. She needs to be seen by a doctor and to rest. She does not need to be berated.”
Her chin jerked in. “Pardon? I cannot have heard you correctly. You will allow her to disrespect me without consequence?” She blinked up at him with wide eyes, slowly shaking her head like she couldn’t fathom his refusal. “Your mama. Your own flesh and blood. Do I mean nothing to you?” she whispered.
His jaw ticked, his teeth aching from how hard he clenched them. His mother had always been demanding when it came to attention. But all she’d ever had was him. She’d spent a decade caring for his invalid father. And Rupert was really starting to feel like she wielded that dependence like a weapon over him.
“Considering I stayed by your side instead of looking for my wife,” he said pointedly. “I would argue that shows just how much I care for you. And I see how little you appreciate that, especially given the fact that you knew how badly I wanted to be out there looking for her.”
“It’s so much worse than I feared,” she said faintly. “You have been married just over a fortnight, and you’ve already changed so much. You’re already pushing me from your life.” Her dark eyes pooled, and she searched his visage beseechingly. “First losing your father, and now you—” Her voice broke, and she turned away from him, her eyes fluttering shut.
He balled his fists on his thighs. Like that. Right there. The weight that seemed to have lifted the past sennight with Franny came crashing back down. Oppressive.
He wanted to scream. Rail. At her. At himself. He wasn’t trying to push anyone away; he wasn’t lost to anyone. God fucking bloody hell. He just wanted his wife. He just wanted his mother to accept his wife. Why could it not be simple?
His mother’s shuddering breath echoed around them, and she finally lifted her gaze back to his. “I raised you, practically on my own, while caring for your invalid father, and now I find myself abandoned by my own son not even a month into his marriage.”
His brows shot to his hairline. Raised him on her own?Thatwas a stretch given his army of nursemaids. He didn’t have many memories of his mother from his childhood now that he thought about it. Besides her rules. Always explaining the rules. How he needed to present himself. The rules of society. The rules of a gentleman. The rules the Lord had set out for them.
Rules, rules,rules.
And what exactly had these rules done for him?
Because right now it felt like these rules were the crux of the problem. But one-and-twenty years of rules were impossible to erase. So, he swallowed down his frustrations and tempered his emotions.
“Mother, I am not abandoning you. And to be frank, you both shared words in the kitchen garden that were anything but respectful. I cannot ask her to apologize and not expect the same from you.”
“Oh, don’t make me laugh, Rupert. I never said anything offensive in the least to her. She needs someone to apply a firm hand with her. She is out of control. She is going to be the ruin of you. I can see it now. And it breaks my heart that you choose her over me, whenIam the one with your best interests at heart. It is like you have forgotten everything I have done for you, everything I do for you.”
“No,” he said firmly. “No, she is not. Franny is going to make an incredible Lady Rutledge. I have complete faith in her, and it’s something you would—”
“She is taking advantage of you.” She cut him off, the whites of her eyes stark in her wide-eyed gaze, fear rippling off her in waves. “Can you not see, son? Of our position in society, our wealth. And I finally see what she is doing. She is trying to drive us apart. And she is succeeding. She has somehow infected your mind, corrupted your way of thinking.” Her voice broke, and she sucked in a choppy breath. “That-thattrollophas turned you against me, drawn you into sin. My own son. The most important person to me.”
Rupert dragged a hand over his frown. His mother was spewing nonsense. Franny wasn’t taking advantage of him. They had been betrothed since babes, neither had any choice in the matter. Franny hadn’t once asked him for money. Goodness, she had snuck out and gambled to try to gain money on herown.
And to call her a trollop? His blood simmered even as his voice came out icy. “I would ask you to not refer to my wife in such a manner, if you please.”
“That is what you retained from what I said? Heavens, even when we have a conversation, all you think of is her. I apologize for being such a burden to you, dear son. All I was trying to be was a loving mama. But apparently you have no more use for me now that you have a harlot for a wife.”
Rupert’s body went rigid, his blood heating from simmering to boiling.Breathe, Rupert. Now is not the time for your temper to flare when Mother is in such a state.It wasn’t uncommon for her to grow a touch irrational in her demands when she got like this. He had learned to placate, rein her back in. But it had never been this…extreme. To the point she made no sense whatsoever.
She stood, and Rupert followed suit, the behavior as innate as breathing at this point.
“I will be fine. Don’t worry about me—not that you would—I am used to being alone.”
He tapped his thigh in slow beats and counted to five, centering himself.Calm. Placate.“Mother, I apologize that I have hurt your feelings. That is not my intention.” He stepped in front of her before she could take another step and gently took her hand. “Please, sit with me. I want to discuss this with you. I am not going to leave you alone.”
His mother settled back in her chair with a huff, and he helped arrange her lap blanket, then sat in the armchair adjacent to hers.
“Things are going to be different.” He stared steadily at her. “You are not going to be abandoned. But I have a wife now—”
“Yes, quite different,” she interrupted.Again. Lord, if he did such a thing, she’d flay the skin from his hide. “I will face disrespect and insult at every turn. Do you know the strain that puts on a woman of my advanced years? Constantly living with the fear of not knowing how her daughter-in-law will berate her next.”
Well, that was rich coming from her. Rupert bit back the words, prayed that the fates would be generous and grant him the ability to hold on to his sanity.
“Mother, I ask you to please try to be, in the very least, cordial with Franny. I will speak to her as well. But it will take effort on both ends. Will you do that for me? I feel as though I am in an impossible position. I want to somehow fix this enmity that has fallen between you two. If you spent some time getting to know Fran–”
“It is unfortunate you feel that way, Rupert,” she said abruptly. “While your aim is admirable, it is clear you are much too soft and sensitive when it comes to your wife. I do not see what I could possibly do to better our relationship when she will surely be cutting me down at every opportunity.”
