“No, I cannot. Evidently, I insisted that any documents pertaining to the exchange were taken by my hand. I would not allow my solicitor to copy them.”
Lord Stoneleigh groaned as he shifted in his chair, resting his head back.
“I assume that you do not have such documents in your possession any longer either?”
Henry shook his head no. Shifting in his chair, he gripped the arms in frustration.
“Repairs and improvements at the estate will have to be suspended, where they can be.”
“Has everyone lost a great deal?”
Again, Lord Stoneleigh asked a question, but it took some time for the gentlemen to respond.
Lord Wiltsham’s brow twitched.
“Yes.”
His voice was quiet but hard.
“I have lost a significant amount,” came Lord Silverton’s reply, “and shall have to make a great many changes if I am to be able to live out my days without fear of starvation.”
“I shall have no fripperies and enjoy no frivolity.” Henry sighed and closed his eyes, aware of the heaviness in his soul. “And I shall have to pray that the crops at my estate do reasonably well for the next few years.” Swallowing hard as he faced the reality of his new situation, he ran one hand down over his eyes. “My mother currently resides at my estate also. There is the Dower House but….”
At present, Lady Thornbridge, his mother, lived at his estate while he remained unmarried, which was precisely where she belonged. There was a Dower House waiting for her for when his circumstances changed, but now that he was in financial difficulty, could he really afford to have another home staffed and furnished for one singular lady? Then again, it was not something he needed to consider as yet, he realized, his rueful smile taking the edge of his mouth. He would not be marrying anytime soon, for what young lady would wish to even consider him, now that his wealth, fortune, and good standing were significantly reduced.
What of Lady Emma?
He was a little surprised at the depth of feeling which crashed through him when he considered her. This last fortnight he had since spent a great deal of time in her company, being with her almost every day, in fact. They had walked together, taken tea together, danced together, and his interest in the lady had been noticed by society. He had not cared about their considerations nor their gossip, however, for his interest in Lady Emma was genuine. She had captured his eye from the very first moment, when they had been introduced, but he had not allowed himself to consider her with any significance for some time, waiting to see if his interest remained or if after a short while, it would fade away.
During his first few weeks of the Season, Henry had been a little intrigued as to how often his eyes sought her out amongst a crowd, and it had been then that he had decided, in his own heart, to pursue the lady with a little more intentionality. These last few weeks, he had done precisely that and had been glad at her eager response. For himself, his interest in her had not waned - in fact, it had only grown, but now that connection would have to be broken.
The thought of separating himself from Lady Emma was so painful that his heart felt as if it had torn itself asunder. A groan escaped him, without him having had any intention of allowing it to do so, but his depth of feeling would not permit him to do anything else. They had spoken of courtship. He hadassuredher of his commitment to her and now, what was he to do? His heart was not unaffected by the lady. He had found himself feeling more for her than he had ever expected and, if he was honest with himself, had been considering matrimony. Everything he had thought of had been of his future with her, expecting it to be bright, hopeful, and secure. However, it seemed that he would have to leave those plans aside. He would have to shift everything from his heart and forget about her entirely. Such a notion seemed quite impossible, but there was no other way for him to continue. His hopes for the future, with Lady Emma by his side, were gone completely. Everything they had enjoyed thus far would have to be set aside completely. He could no longer touch her hand in brief, hidden moments nor share secret smiles with her that he gave to none other. Those beautiful, wondrous moments which had held so much promise were now torn from him, leaving him with nothing but shadow and dust.
“Gentlemen.” His thoughts were interrupted by Lord Foster, who strode into the room looking at them all through bleary eyes. “My butler said something about someone being injured?”
“It is more serious than that,” Henry replied, unable to find the strength to rise from his chair. “We haveallbeen injured, with Lord Stoneleigh bearing the physical pain. Lord Foster, it seems that we are all feeling the brunt of severe and malignant cruelty.”
His own heart turned over on itself as he once more faced the stark circumstances which surrounded him.
There was not even a hint of light and, as Lord Wiltsham began to explain, Henry felt himself sinking even more deeply into shadow.
* * *
“If anyone calls,they are to be shown in at once. Do you understand?”
The butler nodded.
“Yes, my Lord.”
The man did not ask anything further, but Henry caught the slight glimmer in his eyes, telling him that the man was somewhat confused about the current happenings. Henry did not care, however, and nor was he about to explain.
He was not in his study for more than a few minutes when the door opened and Lord Wiltsham stepped inside, coming into the room, and sitting down without even so much as a word of greeting.
“It is as we feared. It is all confirmed.”
Folding his arms across his chest, Lord Wiltsham closed his eyes tightly for a second, then shook his head.
Henry sucked in a breath, his chest immediately tight.
