“Is that so? And with whom? I hope she is not with some baron—or worse, a baronet.”
“No, she is courting Graham Baxter,” Aaron replied quickly, getting it out of the way.
“Old Graham? Well done, I would have chosen him too had I known he was in town and looking,” Oliver said, nodding appreciatively.
Aaron nodded. “Yes, she’s been courting him for the past few weeks. She seems happy. Though I’ve not seen her much since.”
“Good,” Oliver uttered, a smile playing on his lips. “Any troubles? Is he going to make an offer?”
“You should ask her yourself,” Aaron replied, feeling a pang of something he couldn’t quite identify. “She will gladly tell you.”
As they neared a busy intersection, Aaron felt an overwhelming urge to be alone. Fortunately, they were almost at their destination.
“I’m going to catch a hackney home,” he said abruptly.
Oliver looked at him with concern but nodded. “Very well, take care of yourself, Aaron.”
Aaron was about to get out of the carriage when his friend grabbed his arm.
“Pray, will you do me one more favor? Call on me tomorrow. I want to talk to you and Judith together.”
“I don’t think that is necessary,” Aaron said quickly, not wanting to admit just how badly things had gone.
Suddenly, he worried Judith might tell her brother about the kiss. But that didn’t make sense. Why would she do such a thing? It would make things more awkward for everyone.
“Yes, I insist. I also want to share some of the delicacies I’ve brought back with me. That’s the least I can do. Call on us at one o’clock. I’ll have tea ready. I’ll hear no argument,” Oliver insisted.
Aaron nodded reluctantly before he stepped out of the carriage and watched as it drove away. He hailed a hackney, his mind awhirl with thoughts of Judith, Graham, and the path his life seemed to be taking. As he settled into the seat and gave the driver his address, he couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was slipping through his fingers.
The night air was cool and crisp, the city alive with activity. The hackney rumbled along the cobblestone streets, passing rows of townhouses and shops. Aaron leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment, trying to quell his inner turmoil.
His thoughts kept returning to the conversation he had just had with Oliver, and the realization that he had been more affected by Judith’s courtship than he cared to admit. How could he have allowed himself to fall in love with her?
Stupid…
He remembered the way Judith used to look at him, the way her eyes would light up when he entered the room. He had dismissed those feelings, convinced that he was doing what was best for her. But now, he couldn’t help but wonder if he had made a terrible mistake.
As the hackney drew closer to his home, Aaron felt a sense of dread settle over him. He paid the driver and stepped out, standing on the steps of his London townhouse. It had always struck him as excessive to own a home in Brixton, on the outskirts of town, and a townhouse, but the townhouse was convenient for times such as this, when he couldn’t be bothered to return to the country so late at night.
With a heavy heart, he entered his home, the door closing behind him with a soft click, leaving the noise and chaos of the city outside.
CHAPTER 29
The next morning, Judith woke up with a start. The room was filled with the soft morning light. She didn’t bother ringing for Marianne and dressed herself quickly, having taken a bath the night before. Her hair had a slight wave to it, and she made sure to let a few curls frame her face.
As she headed out into the hall, she could hear the faint sounds of activity downstairs. John had recovered quicker than expected and returned to Eton the previous week, and Matilda wasn’t in the habit of coming into the manor house so early.
Curious, she made her way to the landing, stopping only to stretch, feeling the friendly ache of a good night’s rest, and slowly made her way down the grand staircase. As she neared the bottom, she heard the voices coming from the drawing room.
“John has recovered now and gone back to Eton, but it was quite the disaster. Without your friend, we would not have been able to bring him home—it was rather unfortunate.” Matilda’svoice drifted to her ears. “That incident at Eton was entirely unacceptable. What if he hadn’t been there to help us?”
“I know,” came Oliver’s familiar voice.
Judith let out a yelp, clapping her hand over her mouth. She’d known he’d be back any day now, but to hear his voice first thing in the morning shook her. He had to have arrived in the middle of the night.
“I’ll speak to the headmaster and make sure that you are authorized to remove John if need be. But in any case, once Judith is married, we will have her husband on hand to help, should I have to go out of the country again,” Oliver explained.
“Good, I do not think it was right what happened,” Matilda reiterated.
