He shook the physician’s hand and waited until the older man’s footsteps had stopped echoing through the hallway. Callum breathed deeply and attempted a smile, then pushed open his mother’s door.
As he entered, his mother’s maid looked up and moved away from the bedside, but not before brushing fresh tears from her eyes and dabbing at her nose with a handkerchief. Callum understood the sentiment all too well. He, too, had wanted nothing more than to succumb to the anguish that his mother’s illness had brought on them all.
“My dearest boy!” Jane managed to whisper as she slowly turned her head towards him. Even that motion pained her, and she gritted her teeth to keep from crying out. “You’ve come to visit me again!”
“Of course, Mother. I thought we might play at some cards today, unless you’d rather hear all the news of the ton,” Callum said brightly, walking over to the window and lifting a small gaming table he’d had brought up. “How about piquet?”
“No, the rules are too complex for my tired mind, I’m afraid,” his mother slowly replied. “I should think just talking to me would do.”
“Certainly!” Callum answered with a false exuberance before settling himself in the chair and looking at her. “First, I’ve only this morning learned of an upcoming marriage. You’ll never guess who it might be.”
While his mother struggled to think of a name, Callum continued to grin, feeling every bit the fool. How could he smile and talk of such things like a dolt, things he’d never cared a whit for himself, when his mother was so pained? Simply knowing that it took her mind elsewhere for a brief while was good enough to spur him on, though.
For the next hour, Callum regaled his mother with all the gossip he could find, and some which he himself had concocted just for her. What harm would it bring if the woman went to her grave believing a few sordid tales that hadn’t been truthful? If it gave her any relief, he would smear his own name!
Finally, the Duchess lifted her hand for him to stop. “My son, there is an important matter to discuss…”
“No, Mother. No important matters today! That’s for financiers and solicitors to worry about. You and I shall only discuss frivolous things that make us both laugh!” Callum joked, pretending to evade her words.
“No, my boy. This is too grave a matter to leave to others.” She smiled though, and Callum noted how her eyes were still bright, still seemingly full of mischief, even in her state.
“All right, Mother. What is it?” he asked, breathing deeply to calm the sad tremor his voice.
“Your future,” she whispered back, closing her eyes briefly and trying to recover an ounce of strength. “You are not married…”
“Oh dear! I’m not? Then who’s that woman who shares my bed and has already borne me four children?” he teased, but Jane shook her head slightly. When he saw how it hurt her, Callum grew serious. “I’m sorry, I’m only teasing you. But yes, you’re quite right. I have not yet married.”
“I know I will not be here to see that day, but I want you to seek a bride. You deserve every happiness, and…” His mother paused as a desperately weak cough escaped from her lips, then said, “…and you will make a fine husband for any lady.”
“Mother, I know these things,” Callum said softly. “I’ve only come into my own property last year, and already the matrons of the ton are shoving daughters and nieces in my direction. One hapless young lady was literally shoved so that she might fall in front of me!”
Jane smiled thinly. “You jest again.”
“I swear, I do not! The poor girl fell to the ground, but I was so surprised I jumped back a pace. Fortunately, Sir William jumped in to help her to her feet before I could recover myself, but alas, now they’re to be married next month.”
“Son, don’t make me waste the breaths I have left chastising you for lying!” Jane managed to say.
“Yes, Mother,” Callum said, trying to look ashamed of himself but failing. He sighed, then said, “But I know that your heart’s desire is to know that I am happily wed. I give you my solemn vow—not with a laugh or a jest, but with my most sincere heart—that I will find a wife when the time comes, and we shall name our first child after you. Even if it’s a boy! No, don’t look at me like that, I’m not playing now. All right, fine, we’ll change his name to James.”
The Duchess smiled at her son, and Callum took her hand as he leaned forward in earnest.
“Mother, I must offer you a deal. If I’m to give up my carefree ways and shackle myself to a wife at your request, you must give me something in the bargain,” he said, the tears beginning to fall as he turned serious. “Please let Dr. Preston give you something for your pain.”
Lady Jane closed her eyes and frowned, unable to argue. She opened them again and attempted a look of firm disapproval, but Callum pressed on.
“I know you are only refusing so that you can be lucid until the end,” he whispered, “but Mother, it’s time. You need not suffer on our account. You did not raise me to be so selfish as to think only of myself, to keep you in pain so that I might speak to you and laugh with you a while longer. Think of it as yet another gift to me, heaped on all that you’ve ever given me… please don’t remain in this agony on my account, or Father’s.”
His mother leaned back against the pillows even further, then nodded slowly. The relief from acknowledging the pain and accepting whatever relief the physician might provide was visible on her face. Callum squeezed both of her hands gently in his own and smiled.
“I promise you, I will do as you ask. I will seek a wife and marry before the next year is out. I only grieve that you will not be with us when that day comes, but you have my every assurance that it will be so.”
Jane opened her eyes and pointed to a gold inlaid bureau across the room. “Bring me the case,” she said.
Callum looked to where her thin hand gestured, then crossed the room to retrieve his mother’s jewelry chest. The opaline and gold case was heavy, but he lifted it and brought it to the chair where he’d sat. Kneeling at her bedside, he looked to her curiously before opening the case.
“All of these will belong to your wife. I know they will be nothing compared to her beauty, but she will adorn herself with them whenever you venture out, when you entertain together. But this piece…”
Jane pointed to the lowest drawer and Callum slowly opened it to reveal only one item. It looked like a simple tiara of sorts, something a child might wear while pretending to play at being a princess or fair maiden. It was certainly by far not as opulent as the other pieces she possessed, ones with diamonds and emeralds and rubies. He lifted it out and held it up, smiling at the simplicity of the twisting vines of silver adorned all over its face with small white pearls. Tiny leaves of silver were merely dotted here and there with flakes of gold, looking very much like drops of sunshine on the surface.
