The Suitable Bride (The Emberton Brothers Series Book 2) by Karen Aminadra Page B

her.
    “Then what happened?” Lord Davenport took the glass from Edward and drank heavily from it once more. “Do not spare me, Emberton. I am well able to withstand the truth.”
    Unsure of the veracity of his statement, Edward took a deep breath, cleared his throat and began to tell Lord Davenport, with a trembling voice, all that passed between himself and Frances that afternoon and the allegations that lay at her door.
    The old man sat in complete silence. Not once did he look up at Edward as he listened to the recounted events, nor did he move, save to sip repeatedly from the brandy glass. Edward was disconcerted by the time he finished. Not only had he torn Lord Davenport’s daughter’s reputation to shreds, but now he feared he would lose his patronage too.
    What he had not expected was for the man to look him directly in the eye and to nod in the matter-of-fact way he did. “I see.” He said nothing more. He drained his glass, stood, and departed Sandon Place without another word.
    Edward thought to never see or hear from him again.
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Twelve
     
     
    Edward was quiet and withdrawn. He attended to his constituency business, but he had no passion for it. His heart was no longer in it. He had not realised just how ardently he had come to love and admire Frances Davenport. He was beginning to think that he cared not about her reputation. What kind of a man does that make me? he asked himself.
    He turned to the bottle more frequently than ever before, preferring brandy, port, and whisky even at breakfast. His fervour for life waned, and his family began to wonder if he would ever come out of the doldrums.
    Grace insisted that Edward visit Emberton Hall every Sunday for dinner. It was her belief that, given a little time, patience, and unconditional love from his own family, Edward would prevail and beat this dark cloud that hung over him. Edward was not so optimistic.
    As August drew to a close and the wind held the hint of the coming autumn, Edward sat with his brother Richard, their mother, and Grace under the arbour in the gardens of Emberton Hall. Grace was nearing her time and, as it was to be her first child, she grew anxious. Even Edward, despite his dark moods, was concerned. Childbirth, despite being commonplace, was never the safest and most trouble-free of events. Risk of complications was ever-present.
    Richard was teasing Grace with an ever-increasing absurd list of potential names for their coming child when the conversation was interrupted by the sound of a baritone male voice. “I bid you all a good afternoon.”
    As a person, they all spun around toward the unfamiliar voice. To their surprise, it was Lord Davenport.
    They all rose, bowed and curtsied in greeting. As Edward was the only person well acquainted with Lord Davenport, it was he who spoke first. “Lord Davenport, to what do we owe this pleasure?” Edward managed the standard greeting, squelching the impulsive words, “What do you mean by stepping on private land without being invited?” which sprang to mind at that moment.
    Directly to the point the intruder replied, “I thought I might discuss my daughter with you all.”
    Looking at each other furtively, the family shifted uncomfortably. None of them was inclined to discuss the woman they had so recently persuaded Edward not to marry; they were even less inclined to discuss her with her father.
    Edwina was the first to recover her composure. “Edward, would you please introduce us.” She looked at him stony-faced. Edward knew her opinion of Frances was fixed and she would not be moved.
    He cleared his throat. “Lord Davenport, may I introduce my sister-in-law, Mrs Richard Emberton…”
    Lord Davenport bowed politely, but Grace being unable to curtsey so well, did not return the compliment.
    “My mother, Mrs Emberton…” Edward turned towards his mother.
    Lord Davenport continued with the niceties, and Edward wondered how long this pretence of civility