“But… what exactly happened between them?” he asked, aware that neither she nor his father had ever disclosed the real story behind what happened between them.
His mother waved her hand dismissively then got up. “Oh, it happened such a long time ago, it doesn’t matter any longer. In addition to that, your dear father is not with us anymore. Why dig up old wounds that have healed?”
Only, he wasn’t certain that all those old wounds were fully healed. His father hated the Earl of Reeves, that much was obvious, but at the same time, he still kept the man’s letters. Leo had seen them with his own eyes. Why would someone keep such mementoes of someone whom he no longer considered important or valuable to his life? It simply did not make any sense.
“Father was a proud man,” Leo said. “Too proud sometimes.”
He hoped that his mother might continue the story, that she might be tempted to somehow clear his father’s name in this story, but she did not grab the bait. She was far too wise for that. Leo should have known.
“We are all guilty of that transgression sometimes,” she smiled benevolently, walking over to him and placing her hand on his cheek lovingly. “You will see for yourself…” she paused as if she wondered whether or not she should continue then she did. “Sometimes, we say words that are intentionally meant to hurt someone. We say them in the heat of the moment, but we don’t mean them. But once they are said, they are out there. They have done their damage. We might regret them, but we can never take them back. This is where we draw the line how proud we are. Are we willing to say those most difficult words or not?”
“I’m sorry?” he asked.
“Yes, exactly those,” she confirmed. “It is hard. Much harder when it comes to someone we love.”
She pulled her hand away from his cheek and he felt its sudden disappearance. She stood in front of him, adjusting his cravat perfectly this time.
“To be quite honest, I think you should not busy yourself with this brewery all that much,” she confided. “You are a handsome young man who will make one lady very fortunate by marrying her. Why not focus on that instead of this brewery?”
Leo didn’t really know how to tell her that his marital status would also be the subject of discussion during tonight’s dinner. But he didn’t wish to reveal that part just yet. She would be there, and she would see it all for herself.
In fact, he was looking forward to seeing the Earl’s daughter. He would rather be struck by lightning repeatedly than admit it to anyone, but Jane Pratt was and continued to be the only woman he could not cease to think about. Her beauty was beyond compare. He had admitted this to himself thousands of times, but it was not her beauty or her beaming smile that taunting him so. It was the mere knowledge that she had been the only one he could not have.
Leo never considered himself a rake. It was a derogatory term for men who did not respect women. He had much respect for ladies of all social status. His mother had taught him better than to disrespect a woman in any situation. As an eligible bachelor, he had no one who obliged him to remain faithful, and Leo found solace from the world’s troubles in many a lady’s arms. Such situations benefitted both him and the lady in question since he always remained discreet about it. Hence, his reputation had never reached the true definition of a rake, yet he believed himself to be well versed in the language of love making, the same language which he yearned to speak to Jane Pratt although a chance had never presented itself.
Now, it seemed that he was able to create that chance for himself by offering her father this business proposition and fortifying it with something else, something none of them would ever expect. The very thought of the look on Jane’s face already made him smile. He had no idea why it brought him such pleasure. The hunter and the prey. That must have been it. That sheer desire to have what one always thought one could not.
“There shall be plenty of time for marriage, Mother,” he smiled, realizing that he had taken a few moments too long to ponder, and his mother was looking at him expecting an answer. He took her hand and planted a soft kiss on it, reverently. “As for this evening, I need you to be there by my side because you of all people know what Father would wish.”
“I told you that he left the brewery to you,” she was adamant. “I know he left it in good hands. If you think you can make it into a blossoming business then do it. If you think it is not worth the hassle, it is better to leave it.”
“You know I like a challenge,” he grinned, once again remembering Jane. What a challenge she had proven herself to be.
“I know,” she smiled back. “You are just like your father.”
“And proud of that,” he answered, letting go of her hand and taking one last look in the mirror. Somehow, he was completely satisfied with the way he looked. He oozed charisma, confidence, and assurance. There was a little bit of arrogance peppered in there as well, just for good measure.
“I shall go and see if everything has been set up,” his mother said, smiling softly then walking out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Leo inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. He still wasn’t completely certain whether this was a good idea, but like he said, he had always liked a good challenge. Convincing the Earl to merge their breweries would prove to be a tricky endeavor but worthwhile in the end. He was absolutely convinced of that.
He looked up at the clock on the wall. It was ticking slowly. The time for the dinner was approaching. He straightened an invisible crinkle on his pants then turned around and followed his mother. He should also assure that everything was in its place this evening.
Nothing could be amiss. Nothing.
CHAPTER3
Jane had never felt more uneasy than at that moment, under the scrutinizing eyes of the Duke. Once, she would have relished being the object of his gaze. Once, but that was such a long time ago that it felt as if it belonged to a completely different life. Now, all she felt for him was disdain. Well… disdain and something else. But those emotions would emerge solely in the privacy of her own bedroom, during those sleepless nights when all she could do was stare at the ceiling and think of him and what could have been.
“Please, follow me to the dining room,” the Duke exclaimed cordially, spreading his arms wide in the direction where they were all supposed to go.
Jane sought her mother’s gaze for support. The countess returned her gaze lovingly and reassuringly.We are in control here,Jane tried to remind herself.We came because we chose to come not because he forced us to.Thinking in such a manner made her feel as if she managed to regain at least some semblance of control over the situation although it was her father who should be in charge of it all.
Yet, he wasn’t. That much was clear. From the moment he squeezed her father’s hand and kissed both hers and her mother’s, the Duke had asserted himself as the alpha animal in this make-shift pack. He did everything according to the rules ofthe ton.He complimented the ladies, inquired about the gentleman’s health, and welcomed them cordially into his home. Jane could not fault him regarding his hospitality.
What shecouldfault him for was the fact that he kept his eyes mostly on her, and she distractingly noticed that he was as handsome as that first time she laid eyes on him. He walked first alongside his mother, a lady whose beauty was only matched by her mistrustful stare, leading them towards the dining room where everyone was seated at a table, already lavishly set up. The lady of the house followed the old adage that a fine table should be covered but not crowded, and that was exactly how it was.
All the dishes for all the courses were already laid out with the first of them being artichoke soup—not one of Jane’s favorites, but the sight of Mackerel with fennel and mint made her heart leap with joy. The second course was roasted meat alongside sweet and savory pies and tarts. There were several different kinds of vegetables, dipped richly in butter sauce. Jane could not remember the last time they had butter. She frowned at the thought that the Duke brought all this out solely for the purpose of showing off his wealth. Finally, she noticed the dessert, beautifully exhibited in a stylish pyramid shape, made entirely of fruits and marzipan. By the side of each plate, there was an already full glass, containing a drink lathered with spiced, sweet ginger which Jane absolutely adored.