Page 20 of Sleepless in Saunton
“It will not be easy for him. Some will accept him for his connections and his own merit. Others will mock him, or turn from him without explanation. Unwarranted antagonism is assured. I would prepare him for school. Take measures to teach him how to defend himself in the event of a physical scuffle, but instruct him on how to ignore taunting and follow his own path when he can. Some battles are unavoidable, but diplomacy is always best to pursue.”
Richard shook his head in disgust. “I cannot believe I have created this situation for my son.”
Barclay tilted his head back to study the painted ceiling. His own grandfather had overseen the beauty of the patterns depicted there. When he was prepared to speak, he leaned forward to peer directly into his brother’s eyes. “Richard, you are here for him now, and that is worth something. Tsar could have had me raised by strangers, but he did not. I owe everything to the old man for standing by me. Ethan is fortunate to have a father who feels responsible for the situation and who takes care to pave the way for his future.”
His brother’s hand came up to fidget with his cravat once more. “How did you handle it? All those issues you referred to?”
“Tsar is a man skilled in negotiation. From a young age, he taught me how to handle men. How to make self-important lords pay their bills in a timely manner, how to manipulate suppliers when they attempt to raise prices or delay deliveries, how to contend with competitors and maintain good relationships with all of these men while refusing to be taken advantage of. You will do the same for Ethan. The boy is intelligent, and he will turn this situation to his advantage.”
The duke cleared his throat. “The question that really lingers is … are you accepted socially?”
“No. I am tolerated for my professional prowess, but I am not invited into their homes. Tsar assures me that will change now that Richard has acknowledged me as his brother, but I have to say I am not excited by such a prospect. If I was not acceptable in my own right, I cannot respect these people for changing their minds because of my new connection to the wealthy Earl of Saunton. However, if it will ease the path for Tatiana, or allow my mother entry to places she wishes to be, then I will ignore the slights of the past. I will grin and bear it, so to speak.”
Richard’s face displayed his alarm. “You are not accepted socially? Not anywhere?”
“I have good relationships with tradesmen and suppliers. Some clients. They are more accepting of my situation, especially given my talents, but my mother has struggled. She has been attempting to join a lady’s society for some time, but she has been rejected on several occasions. Now she has re-applied on the strength of our change in circumstances. I prefer to not pursue unworthy connections, but it is important to her because my grandmother was a member and she wishes to follow in her footsteps. I have yet to discover how my own situation will be altered once word of this … our new relationship gets around.”
“What of your wife? Was she affected by the situation?”
“Natalya was a private woman who valued her time on this earth. Her days were numbered, and she had no patience to pursue relationships with English families that were hostile. She made friends where she could easily do so, despite being wed to a by-blow, and ignored the rest to spend her time with Tatiana and myself.”
His brother slumped back in his chair, his cravat now askew from his compulsive fidgeting. “I am sorry I did not learn of you sooner.”
Barclay smiled. “It is not your cross to bear, brother. The blame is squarely at the feet of the man who is not here to answer for his actions. I respect what you have done for Ethan, and I hope his path will be easier than mine. After all, he has the advantage of your support.”
The three men sipped on tea, each lost in the privacy of their respective thoughts, while Barclay thought of how Natalya’s fierce loyalty had meant so much to him.
Eventually, Richard broke the silence. “On another matter, I could do with some advice.”
The duke chuckled. “Is that not what we have been doing here? Advising you?”
“I meant on a less strenuous subject. This matter involves Jane Davis.”
Barclay nearly choked on his tea. He carefully placed his cup and saucer back on the tray and drew a fortifying breath. “Should I leave you to it?”
Richard frowned. “No, you are family now. I would appreciate your thoughts.”
Halmesbury finished his tea and put his own cup down. “What of the young lady?”
Barclay leaned back and found his head tilting so he might stare at the ceiling once more. The discussion about his situation had been uncomfortable, but he had seen the value in sharing his knowledge. Being in the room while Richard discussed the young woman he was so enamored with was bloody awkward.
“I received a letter from London. Lord Lawson has written to me to pose the possibility of his courting her. He states he was quite taken with her at the ball we held for Emma and Jane earlier this month.”
Halmesbury frowned. “The man is forty years of age! He has daughters of an age as Jane.”
Richard rose to his feet to pace. “Precisely. I know that the man is yet to have an heir, but his wife has been gone only two years and now he wishes to pursue a young woman under my protection.”
The duke sighed. “Unfortunately, it is common amongst the peerage for such disparate ages to exist between a husband and wife.”
“Not in our particular set. The man is a good friend, but I find myself quite repelled by the notion and I do not know how to reply to his letter. Jane is lovely and young. She could marry a gentleman with far more in common with her. There is no hurry to marry her off, and I know from Sophia that she is a romantic who wishes to marry for love.”
Guilt twisted and churned in Barclay’s gut. He was in his thirties. He had a daughter only nine or ten years younger than Jane, and he was coveting the young lady like a degenerate old man. Not dissimilar to the late Earl of Satan, in fact. How had he arrived in this situation, where he sat beside the earl repressing his shameful secret? He restrained himself from reacting as he concentrated his attention on the ceiling and reminded himself that a young Aurora had been robbed of her virtue in this very building, which was why he needed to stay away from Jane Davis, despite his daughter’s encouragement to pursue her.
“Perhaps Jane will find a gentleman at this house party and it will not be necessary to dissuade Lord Lawson’s inquiry?” the duke mused.
“Blazes, I hope so. This is deuced awkward!”
Barclay nearly flinched as his own thoughts from moments ago were echoed out loud. There were so many issues, he did not know which to focus on—setting a young woman up to be rejected by society because she was married to a bastard, or that she was far too young to foist a nine-year-old child onto. And if he had had any thoughts of approaching his brother about the possibility of courting Jane, they had been soundly put to rest. All he knew was that he needed to stay away from her before he gave in to his base desires.
