CHAPTER 2

One week later…

The spring sunshine was finally starting to light up the London streets in the early hours of the morning, which always left Wesley in a good mood. There was nothing quite like staring out the window to see the color of the streets shining outside of his ancestral town house. It always left him wondering what the day ahead might hold…

"My Lord." But before he could get too lost in those thoughts, the house servant joined him in his bedchambers. "I am here to help you dress for breakfast."

At the mere mention of food, Wesley's stomach began to grumble. He had no idea what would be on the breakfast table, but his family had one of the best cooks in the city, so he knew that whatever was laid out in front of him would be delicious. He was very lucky in that regard.

As he dressed, he allowed his mind to wander, to consider all the society events that he had up and coming. It was time to plan for the grandeur of the Season, which was always the most exciting time of the year for the London ton. A whirlwind of balls, soirees, and social gatherings that would sweep him into a world of glamour and intrigue.

As he finished dressing, Wesley cast a final glance at himself in the mirror, adjusting his cravat with practiced precision. His reflection stared back, a vision of aristocratic elegance and poise. With a nod to the servant, Wesley made his way down the stairs to the dining room, where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and buttered toast greeted him like an old friend.

"Good morning, Wesley," his mother declared the moment he stepped into the room. "Your sister and I were just speaking of you."

Wesley met Harriet's eyes and saw his sister smile reassuringly at him. "You were?" he asked.

"Well, it is time for us to focus on your marital prospects, do you not think?" his mother continued. "We need to consider a strategic alliance, to ensure you marry right."

Wesley just about managed to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He hated this sort of conversation, it sickened him to his stomach. He would always participate in these conversations with a polite detachment because he knew that was what his mother needed him to do, but he was always conflicted. Much as he loved to do what was best for his family, and he of course wanted to make his mother smile, he did not like the idea of marrying for strategy.

Deep down, his personal desire was to marry for love. He wanted joy in his life, and he did not think that marrying a woman he did not know well would help him to achieve that. But his mother did not want to hear about those desires. He had learned that very quickly. She wanted him to have a bride fit for the family name. It was exhausting.

"I was thinking that it might be interesting if I talk to the Thompson family," his mother continued as if she could not sense his inner turmoil at all. "Their daughter, Rose, is a very well bred woman who I am sure will be a very fitting match for you."

Wesley screwed up his face in horror. "Oh no, Mother. I do not think so. Rose and I have never had much to say to one another. She is not interested in anything that I am, and I have never been able to engage in a pleasant conversation with her."

"You do not have to talk much." His mother frowned. She was clearly unimpressed with his response. "You have friends that you can talk to. We are discussing your wife."

"But Father and you used to converse with one another," he reminded her. "You were each other's dearest companions before his demise."

***

Guilt flooded him the moment his mother's eyes welled up. He did not mean to remind her of her heartache, but he did need her to see that he wanted the same for himself. He wanted love as well. Wesley did not think that he should be constrained from love just because he had been born into an aristocratic family. It was too much pressure on his shoulders and he could hardly stand it. He just wanted to be happy.

Luckily, Harriet who was far less constrained by societal expectations, tried her hardest to lighten the mood before things got too dark and they all sunk too deeply into the sadness that the head of their family was not around any longer.

"Have any of you seen the latest scandal sheet?" she asked, with clear delight. "It arrived early this morning and it spotlights my dear friend, Arabella. She has been referred to as the Season's most coveted debutante."

"Ooh, now Lady Arabella Easton, that is not someone I have thought of," Wesley's mother jumped in before the conversation could shift entirely. "As you both know, I am wonderful friends of the Duke and Duchess of Ervington. She might be a suitable match for you, Wesley."

Harriet shot him an apologetic look. This was clearly not the way she wanted this to go, but their mother was a force to be reckoned with. There was nothing they could do about her. Even as the weight pushed down on Wesley's shoulders, he knew that he could not quieten her down.

"I can not believe I did not think of Arabella," his mother laughed. "Well, do not worry, Wesley. I have already extended an invitation to the family for dinner this evening, so perhaps we may commence our preparations at once, before the Season even commences."

Wesley sighed and slumped his shoulders forward. Arabella was his sister's friend. Once more, not an individual he had ever contemplated as a romantic prospect, yet his mother was now quite taken with the idea. He found himself at a loss as to how he might dissuade her from this notion..

***

Wesley was grateful that he had arranged to meet his best friend, Edward, for a horse ride in Hyde Park in the afternoon, because the atmosphere in the house had become stifling. Now that his mother was focusing on Arabella as a potential match, she had already become relentless. She needed to ensure that the dinner in the evening went absolutely perfectly to impress the duke and duchess, and to see if there was any progress to be made with her plans.

Wesley could hardly stand it.

"Hello there," Edward cried from atop his horse, the moment he spotted Wesley. "Oh dear, how are you?"

Wesley could only shake his head. "Let us ride through the park a little first. I need to clear my head."

Edward nodded understandingly, urging his horse forward to join Wesley's side. They rode in companionable silence for a while, the rhythmic sound of hooves against the path providing a soothing backdrop to their thoughts.

As they meandered through the park, the weight of Wesley's worries gradually lifted. The lush greenery and the gentle breeze stirred a sense of tranquility within him, offering a temporary escape from the pressures awaiting him at home.

Finally, as they reached a secluded spot by the lake, Wesley turned to Edward with a grateful smile. "Thank you, this ride has been the perfect balm to the nightmare I am suffering at home. My mother is now far too excited about the upcoming Season. She is determined to ensure that I find my marriage match this year."

Edward nodded understandingly. "I see. Does she have any idea of who she would like you to marry?"

Wesley's expression darkened. "Oh, she has a number of ideas. But this morning, I believe she settled on my sister's friend, Lady Arabella Easton."

"And that is not someone you are interested in?"

Wesley shook his head and shrugged his shoulders at the same time. "I do not know. I have never formed a genuine connection with her, and she has been in my life for years. I can not imagine that we have anything in common. I do not think my mother even considers that I want love in my life. I keep trying to tell her that I am not interested in a strategic match, but she will not hear me."

Edward paused thoughtfully on this for just a moment. "Do you not think you can do both? Find a suitable match who you can also really develop something with?"

"If only. But I have not yet come across a Lady who I feel like I can talk to. Alas, there exists not a soul with whom I can share my time and cultivate mutual interests. Mayhap this Season shall unfold differently, yet I find myself unable to envision such a turn of events. I hold a flicker of hope, yet cannot shake the feeling of despondency. It seems as though my mother may arrange a marriage for me before I am fully prepared to embrace it."

"Then it may need to be something that you finally prioritise."

Those words sat heavy within Wesley.

He could not stop thinking about Edward's advice, even as he got home.

He had to admit to himself that Edward was right. He had not ever prioritized the idea of finding love, because deep down he had the assumption that when the time was right, he would just know. He would feel the sparks of love and then he could think about romance and marriage.

But now there was a sense of urgency looming over him, and he could not restrain himself any longer. It truly was the moment to prioritize finding a woman who captured his heart and stirred within him all the emotions he had always assumed would accompany falling in love.

After leaving his horse with the stable boys, Wesley headed inside the house, heading straight for his father's study. He often found refuge in this place because it allowed him to really feel his father's spirit. Wesley had always loved his father, he was a warm and caring man who gave Wesley a good role model. Someone he had always looked up to. He had spent such a long time looking up to his father that he had not spent long enough emulating him.

Now, he had the weight of the title pressing down on him, and Wesley was worried about upholding his father's memory well.

"What do I do?" Wesley murmured to himself, but it was almost as if he were reaching out to his father, willing him to answer. "How do I find a woman to marry who Mother is happy with, but who I also have feelings for? Who also makes me excited about the rest of my life?"

It seemed like an impossible task. The more that Wesley thought about it, the less he could think of a Lady whose company he had enjoyed. Throughout his life, he had been to many high society events, during which time he had danced with and talked with a variety of women. But he could hardly recall any of them, which was a real shame. There was no one he could think of that he would like to spend more time with.

But of course, Wesley did not get any answers. He did not immediately know what to do, and his father was not about to answer him from the grave. This was something he needed to do all by himself. Somehow.

Perhaps tonight, he should open up his heart a little to Lady Arabella Easton, just in case there was something there. Maybe if he gave her a chance, he would discover much more to her. Her family was friends with his, which had to be a good sign, right?

He could only hope so as he left the study and went to dress in his finest suit. He did not have a lot of hope in his heart right now, but he was certainly going to try and view this night as an opportunity, rather than something to dread instead.

***

"Welcome, Your Graces," Wesley's mother said to Charles and Winifred Easton, the Duke and Duchess of Ervington as she plastered a bright smile on her face. "And how lovely it is to see you, Lady Arabella Easton. Thank you so much for coming to our home." She stepped to one side and made a sweeping gesture with her hands. "And of course you already know my children, Lord Wesley Montclair, and Lady Harriet Montclair."

She was being far more formal than she needed to be in her desire to impress. Wesley struggled to hold his embarrassment inside as he greeted everyone. This was not going to be easy, but he was still trying his hardest to tackle this with an open mind. He was especially warm and friendly to Arabella, because he was trying to give her a chance.

Eventually, they headed into the dining hall where the wonderful smelling food filled their nostrils. As they settled into their seats around the grand dining table, the atmosphere seemed to settle a little. Wesley's mother, with her impeccable hosting skills, led the conversation with practiced grace, guiding it away from any potentially awkward topics.

Wesley kept stealing glances at Arabella, who seemed to be holding her own amidst the formalities. He could not help but notice that she kept pulling her face every time someone talked. She did not seem impressed by any of this, which made his heart harden a little.

"Lady Arabella, are you excited for the Season?" Harriet asked her, trying to engage her in conversation, and maybe to show Wesley more of her personality.

"Oh… yes, I am sure there will be some fun parties," she shot back scathingly, taking a very different tone to the way that Harriet had addressed her. It was a strange attitude that seemed to come from nowhere.

Harriet furrowed her brows, confused by Arabella. "You must be thrilled to be named the Season's most coveted debutante."

"Only in the scandal sheets," Arabella dismissed. "I do not think that is anything worth listening to. I would much prefer to hear that once the Season has actually started, from people who know what they are talking about. But I am sure that will happen."

"Yes," Harriet whispered back as her eyes hit the table underneath her. "I am sure it will too."

Even Harriet seemed stunned by the bad attitude of her friend. Wesley was surprised also, but less so than his sister because he had been observing her parents much closer too. Usually, he would attend these dinners with a disengaged attitude. He would be there in body, but not in mind. So seeing the way that the duke and duchess acted, like they were on a pedestal as well, made him less shocked.

She was clearly very much a product of how she had been raised.

He really had come into this evening, trying to have the most open mind possible, but the way that Arabella was behaving had his walls drawing back up. This was unlikely to be the woman he was going to fall for. His mother would probably still pursue Arabella as his best marriage option, but Welsey was already less convinced.

He would not close off the idea of her just yet, but it was going to be increasingly difficult to keep talking to her while she was behaving like this…

***

Wesley was exhausted as dinner came to an end, but he had to keep the smile plastered across his face as his mother took the Duke and him to the parlor for drinks. Nervously, he grabbed a drink and sipped it as he sensed the conversation was about to shift.

"I think you are right, Lady Victoria," Charles declared as he smiled at Wesley's mother. "I think that we should discuss the potential advantages of a union between our families."

Wait.

When did that conversation happen?

It must have gone on around the dinner table while Wesley was distracted. He could hardly breathe as he realized that this was already spiraling out of his control. He planned to tell his mother to halt the idea of him marrying Arabella as soon as he could or mayhap it was already too late for that.

"I am glad you think it is an interesting prospect," his mother agreed. "I am glad that it is something we can discuss. I am sure it will be hugely beneficial to both of our families."

"You have made some very good points. I am intrigued to discuss this further with you."

Wesley deflated.

He could not wait to retreat to the solitude of his bedchamber so he could wrap his head around it all. This had been a very confusing evening for him, and he most definitely needed to process it before he could make a decision of what his next move would be.

The thought of marrying Arabella, even with all of its strategic benefits, did not sit right with him. He had always thought that he wanted a relationship that went beyond the calculated engagements of high society. Wesley really did want love, real love, and he could not imagine finding it with Lady Arabella Easton, who had done nothing but prove that she really thought that she was better than everyone else.

How she was friends with his sister, Wesley would never understand. Harriet was so sweet and lovely to everyone around her, whereas Arabella did not seem that way at all. It was sickening to see how she treated Harriet with disdain, as if she would never be as good as herself. Wesley was most definitely going to have to keep an eye on that, to ensure that Arabella did not upset his sister. He did not like that idea at all.

As for marrying her for strategic reasons… Well, that was never going to happen. He was simply going to have to find a way to make his mother understand that. One way or another.