Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sebastian was rather quiet in the carriage back to the Fairchild estate. He shifted uncomfortably, the silence between him and his parents growing rather tense, broken only by the steady clop of the horses' hooves against the cobblestone streets. A frown furrowed his brow as he looked at his parents, his mind swirling with thoughts of his impending marriage.

"Well, I think that went rather splendidly," Margaret Fairchild chirped suddenly, her voice filled with contentment. "Lady Beatrice is a lovely young lady and I do think she will make a wonderful wife for you, Sebastian. Her parents seem quite lovely too."

Sebastian could not help but scoff at his mother's words. "A wonderful wife, mother? Forgive me, but where was I when you spent enough time with the woman to arrive at that conclusion?"

Lady Burlington pressed a shocked hand to her heart at this and Fitzgerald Fairchild fixed him with a stern look. "Sebastian," his voice boomed through the carriage, "You know very well how things are done in our society. It is high time that you settled down and took on the responsibilities that come with your life and the title you stand to inherit."

Sebastian scowled at this and shook his head. "Ah, yes. The grand tradition of marrying for duty, no questions asked. How dare I not be excited about the prospect?" Sebastian remarked dryly. "Forgive me for not throwing a party about the idea, father."

The earl's eyes narrowed, his voice taking on a warning tone. "Watch your tongue, Sebastian. You should be grateful for this opportunity. Lady Beatrice comes from a respectable family, and this union will bring great benefits to both our estates."

Sebastian leaned back in his seat, a wry smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Of course, Father. I'm positively thrilled at the prospect of spending the rest of my life with a woman I barely know, all for the sake of land and wealth."

His mother reached over, placing a gentle hand on his knee. "Sebastian, darling, we only want what's best for you. In time, you may grow to love Lady Beatrice, just as your father and I did."

"Love?" Sebastian let out a humorless laugh. "Do not misunderstand me, mother. I have no romantic inclinations or notions and there is not a part of me that dreams of a marriage based on love. I am quite satisfied with a marriage of convenience."

The earl nodded approvingly. "That is what I want to hear, my boy. Love is for the romantics and the naive. A successful marriage is built on mutual respect, shared goals and the understanding of one's duties. Of course, it would help to have a few things in common…"

Though Sebastian nodded, a thin frown furrowed his brows. He glanced at his mother, who kept her gaze on his father intently. Their marriage had been arranged—just as his with Beatrice was—and yet, they had grown to be great friends and partners over the years. He could not help but wonder if he would be able to find that same level of companionship with his future wife. Even leaving love out of the equation.

As the carriage pulled up to the Fairchild estate, Sebastian braced himself for the conversations that lay ahead. He knew his father would have more to say about the impending marriage, and he could not deny for a second that he was growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of power and autonomy he had over his own life.

He was quiet as he followed his parents into the manor, and Fitzgerald quickly beckoned his son to the study, where he closed the heavy oak door behind them.

"Sebastian," he started, "I do not want to have this conversation in front of your mother, but I do want to ensure that you fully comprehend the significance of this marriage. You will be representing our family, and I expect you to be on your best behavior."

Sebastian fought the urge to scoff and simply nodded stiffly. "Of course, father. I would not dream of tarnishing the family name. You know that."

Fitzgerald's gaze hardened and he sighed. "I am serious, Sebastian. You have a tendency to make sarcastic quips, and your rebellious attitude has become a grave concern to me. I hope that you will treat Lady Beatrice with the utmost respect and be the dutiful husband she deserves."

A scowl appeared on Sebastian's face at that, and it took all his self-control not to raise the questions growing within him. What about what he deserved? Did he truly not have a say in his own future?

Of course, it was not that he thought poorly of Beatrice, not at all. She was sweet enough and he supposed she was pretty enough, and they could manage to have a conversation, but the stilted conversation between them was rather troubling.

"Sebastian." Fitzgerald suddenly sounded tired. "You know the realities of your life. You have a duty to this family, and you have no choice but to accept that. Lady Beatrice is a fine choice, and you should count yourself fortunate to have her as your future wife."

Sebastian sighed. He knew that his father was right, and he had no real reason to fight him on this. "Yes father," he said at last. "I understand."

Fitzgerald's expression softened slightly and he looked at his son with a sigh. "I know this is not easy, Sebastian," he said at last. "But trust me when I say… you are making the right decision. I believe that in time, you and Lady Beatrice will find happiness together just like your mother and I did."

Sebastian merely nodded before making his way out of the study without a second word. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, and a scowl took up residence around his mouth. He knew he was doing what was expected of him, he knew he was doing what was best for his family: he was doing what he had to.

Still, there was a small part of them that was worried about it. His father seemed so certain that he would find happiness with Beatrice, but he was not quite as sure.

His mind drifted back to the stilted conversation they had shared and a smile flashed across his lips when he remembered how easily her younger sister, Caroline, had managed to lighten the mood. She was quite the firecracker, he thought with a soft laugh. She seemed rather rebellious and feisty, but he could not deny that he quite enjoyed talking to her. She was as beautiful as her sister too—he could see the hint of womanly curves under the dress, the way she moved with a hint of wanton and mischief.

Despite the other sister being his supposed betrothed, Sebastian could not stop his mind from wandering treacherously to Caroline. He could imagine the fire in her eyes directed at him with less mirth and more lust. He could imagine the softness of her skin under his fingers, the taste of her lips against his own. He could picture her writhing beneath him, her chestnut hair spilled across his pillows as he teaches her the meaning of pleasure.

These forbidden fantasies made his body tighten with desire and he shook his head in a fruitless attempt to banish them. Beatrice too, was beautiful, though she had shown less passion than her sister, he was certain that he would be able to elicit it from her.

Lady Caroline had taken mighty offense at his words about the strength of a woman. His lips curled into a smile.

There was something about her.

But no, he couldn't allow himself to entertain such thoughts. He was to marry Beatrice, and that was that. He would be a good husband to her, provide for her and any children they might have. That was the arrangement, whether the two of them got along easily or not.

A deep sigh escaped his lips, and he shook his head. He'd always known that he was going to marry a woman chosen by his parents and as he had said to his father, it was not the idea of a marriage of convenience that bothered him.

It was, however, the feeling of utter powerlessness that had him frustrated.

"Sebastian?"

It was his mother's voice that stopped him in his tracks, and he paused, looking down at her tenderly.

"I will be fine, mother," he promised before she could get another word out and she shook her head.

"I don't understand," she said at last, her deep brown eyes searching her son's. "You have never shown in any way that you were opposed to this. Why now?"

With a deep sigh, Sebastian wrapped an arm around his mother's shoulders and led her to the drawing room. "Let us have some tea," he said simply, and his mother nodded, following him to the drawing room wordlessly.

For a short while, silence reigned between mother and son—a silence that was foreign to Sebastian. He looked at his mother gently, then let out a deep sigh.

"I must apologize, mother," he said at last, and the countess lifted her brows as she looked at him. Sebastian wiped a hand over his face and sighed deeply.

"I know that Lady Beatrice and I will probably be able to have an amicable, happy marriage," he said at last. "I know that things could have been much worse: she is beautiful, clever, kind… And I was perfectly honest when I said that I held no illusions about true love and romance."

Margaret leaned forward worriedly. "Then what is it, my son?" she demanded, and Sebastian sighed.

"I just… I don't like feeling powerless," he admitted at last, and his mother frowned. In truth, Sebastian knew that he could not be too surprised by her lack of understanding. Feeling powerless was not something she seemed to be bothered by.

"I am a man," he explained. "I stand to inherit the title of earl, I make my own decisions and I have always made sound ones. I always knew that my marriage would be arranged, and while that is something I am fine with… I merely suppose that I would have been granted more time to ensure that I would get along with my wife."

Margaret sighed and reached over to rest a hand on her son's wrist.

"My darling," she said at last, her eyes searching his. "I know that everything

is happening fast and I do understand that you want to be sure that you will get along with your future wife, but you… you must know that your father and I only want what is best for you."

Sebastian forced himself to smile and he took the last few sips of his tea before rising to his feet. "I understand," he said at last, his voice heavy. "And I am certain that I will get on splendidly with Lady Beatrice."

Margaret looked at her son hopefully, and he nodded, a rueful smile playing around his lips. "Yes, mother," he said at last. "I will marry her. And I am sure I will be perfectly content."

Though Margaret beamed as Sebastian pressed a gentle kiss to her hair, he could not help the frown that formed between his brows.

What if he could not be happy with Beatrice Wentworth?

Of course, he knew that duty mattered above all else and his loyalty to his family was not something he would ever sacrifice…

But could he really marry a woman he could hardly converse with… and be with her for the rest of his life?

Once again, the younger sister's fiery gaze flashed through his mind, but he suppressed it quickly.

It was no use wondering if, why or how. He would marry Beatrice Wentworth and be as happy as possible. There was nothing else to it.