Page 14 of In a Rake's Embrace
“Yes,” she replied with a small smile. “I received a letter from her today. She’s asking to extend her stay in Bath with Aunt Esther.”
“Bath is safe, and Aunt Esther would never allow any trouble to come to Victoria,” Thomas said reassuringly. “It’ll be good for her to experience all the frivolities there. She will hardly have time for it when she debuts next year.”
His mother sighed, her gaze softening as she looked fondly at Ronald. “Would you like to visit Bath with me for a time?”
Ronald swallowed the last of his hot chocolate, considering her offer. “Will your friend be there?”
“Lord Powell is no longer my friend,” she said gently. “I’ve told him as much. He won’t be visiting our home again.”
Ronald’s face brightened with visible relief. “Good. He is mean. I do not like mean people.”
“Nor do I,” his mother murmured, brushing the back of her fingers tenderly along his cheek.
Thomas turned his thoughts to the man responsible for his brother’s distress. Lord Powell ... yes, the viscount with the tall, lanky frame and the unfortunate mustache that had long since fallen out of fashion. Thomas mentally placed him in the category of adversary, for he was unforgiving of anyone who treated his brother with disdain or mockery. Powell had just ensured himself a permanent spot on that list.
“What about you?” his mother asked, her tone arch. “Is this the season you finally find your countess?”
Ronald nodded eagerly, grinning. “Mama says I’ll have a new sister when you marry. You are taking too long. Aunt Ester says she will help Mama find you a wife soon.”
Thomas turned a cool gaze on her. “Did she now?”
“Of course,” she replied, her eyes gleaming with a familiar, determined fervor. “I long for another daughter to shop with and share in our gossip, especially since you’ve filled Victoria’s head with this notion that she doesn’t have to marry—that she can lead a merry life as a bluestocking, traveling London and Scotland, drawing butterflies of all things!”
Thomas raised a brow. “And if my wife happens to be just as unconventional?”
“Oh dear,” she murmured, mock horror on her face. “Another one?”
“Precisely,” he drawled.
Her expression softened. “Unconventional or not, Thomas ... I hope you’ll come to see the value in marriage. So, does this mean you’re finally open to finding your countess this season?”
A sharp, almost exasperated smile tugged at his lips. “No, Mother, you know where I stand.”
She sighed, and her eyes showed a hint of disappointment. “Thomas, life can be terribly lonely.”
He chuckled. “I have you, Mother. And Ronald, Victoria, my aunts, cousins … I could hardly feel lonely with so many.”
She shook her head, a wry smile forming on her lips. “That is not the kind of companionship I mean, Thomas. A man needs a wife for his heart, body, and mind.”
“Ah, that delightful companionship,” he said lightly, “I can find inmanyplaces, and I assure you, it is quite sufficient.”
His mother’s cheeks tinged pink, and she scowled, muttering, “Scoundrel. I sometimes despair for you.”
He raised an eyebrow. “As long as you still love this scoundrel, all is well.”
“You’re utterly unrepentant,” she said, taking a measured sip of her hot chocolate. “You’ve always had this maddening certainty that you’re immune to loneliness—or love. Not everyone is untrustworthy, Thomas. One day, what you consider ‘sufficient’ may fall short. But I can see by your cold expression that my words are wasted, so I’ll leave it be for now.”
“I would prefer the matter remain closed for the rest of the year,” he replied dryly.
She shot him a glare, and he answered it with a smile.
As they finished their drinks, his mother asked, “Ronald, would you like to go home with me or stay here with your brother?”
“Home,” Ronald said without hesitation.
Thomas wasn’t surprised. His brother found comfort in familiarity, preferring to stay with their mother and sister, even though he had his own chambers at Thomas’s residence. Ronald had only stayed with Thomas a few times in London, always returning to the safety and routine of his mother’s care.
Once the last sip of hot chocolate had been taken, Thomas rose and called for his horse to be prepared. Despite the short distance from Grosvenor Square to their mother’s home, he would ride alongside the carriage, ensuring they arrived safely.
