Nathaniel remained quiet, though a grin played around his lips. Sebastian shrugged with a lopsided smile. “So her father insisted on marriage to save face, and I agreed. I was meant to marry one sister regardless, so I thought why not simply marry the other.”
At this, Nathaniel finally burst out laughing. “No one else would marry in that manner, my friend,” he let out and Sebastian shook his head, though he too laughed softly. “Did you at least make the intimacy worth it?”
Sebastian shook his head with a laugh. “It is not like that, Nate.”
Nathaniel looked at him through narrowed eyes, swirling his brandy in the glass before taking another sip. “It’s not the most auspicious start to a marriage,” he said at last. “But perhaps it is not so terrible. What is she like? Your wife?”
Sebastian couldn’t help but smile. “She is something else,” he said with a laugh. “She is beautiful, I have to admit. And she is witty, and there is something about her… something that I don’t think I’d ever seen before.”
Nathaniel grinned mischievously. “And did she live up to the expectation after the wedding?”
At this, Sebastian’s face flush and a frown appeared between his brows. It was banter between him and Nathaniel as always—they’d never been shy to share details about their experiences. Nate knew all about Lady Amelia and his past paramours–especially about the parts that perhaps made them a little less ladylike. When Sebastian remained quiet, a curious frown appeared between Nathaniel’s brows.
“Come now, Bas,” he insisted. “You simply must tell me. Is she delicate like a porcelain doll, with you having to be careful not to break her? Or is she more like a wildcat who was forced to be proper for too long?”
To his surprise though, Sebastian didn’t want to share intimate details about his wife, even with his best friend.
“She’s great,” was all he said gruffly, his tone making it quite obvious that he would not discuss his wife’s skills in the bedchamber.
Nathaniel didn’t press the matter. Instead he grinned, then wagged his eyebrows suggestively. “Well, if the marriage bed proves unsatisfactory, you know there are always other options,” he teased, his tone light. “A man in your position is hardly expected to be faithful, after all.”
Sebastian frowned pensively at this. “I thought about it,” he admitted. “No one would even raise an eyebrow if I considered getting a mistress and… to be honest, there is a part of me that is quite unwilling to sacrifice the life I’ve grown accustomed to. But I saw Lady Amelia today and she… she propositioned me and I must admit, I did not feel any desire. I think… I think I want to do right by Caroline.”
Nathaniel lifted a brow at this. “Sebastian Fairchild. Are you saying you will be a devoted husband?”
Sebastian laughed softly and shrugged. “I may not have chosen the marriage,” he said carefully. “But I am in it now. And I will do my utmost to be the best husband I can be. I… she will adjust to life as a wife as I will adjust to life as a husband. But I will not be my father.”
Nathaniel lifted his brows, though the look on his face was one that seemed quite impressed. “I wish you and your wife happiness, my friend,” he said simply and Sebastian smiled.
“Thank you Nate. It means a great deal to me. And I must confess… I do find myself quite enamored with her, if that is the right term. She is beautiful. But there’s more. She’s… so at ease with being herself. There is nothing holding her back and it’s something I rather admire.”
“Are you claiming that this might be a happy union after all?” Nathaniel teased and Sebastian laughed with a shrug. “Who knows?” he said simply. “I will not pretend to be in love with Caroline. But I do believe that we have a great deal in common and I am not against the idea of getting to know her better. And I will admit that I do find the idea of teaching her the ways of life and love quite alluring.”
Nathaniel simply laughed at this, his eyes gleaming with delight. “Oh, ever the rake, Lord Casterbridge,” he teased, and Sebastian shook his head.
“I can hope that she sees me as more,” he said simply and Nathaniel nodded.
“A wise approach. And the sister you were meant to marry? How does she fare in all of this?”
Sebastian sighed at this and shook his head.
“Lady Beatrice,” he said with a frown. “I am afraid she’s not doing well. Caroline hasn’t complained much, but she’s mentioned a thing here and there. She seems to feel cast aside and betrayed in all of this. She’s taken the situation rather hard and unfortunately she is taking it out on my wife.”
“I suppose it’s understandable,” Nathaniel murmured. “To have one’s prospects so suddenly upended and by her own sister no less. I am certain it is a bitter pill to swallow.”
“She is shy and rather reserved,” Sebastian admitted sympathetically. “Which makes it worse. I was hoping that I could ask you to keep an eye out for her when you return to society.”
Nathaniel raised a brow at that and Sebastian shook his head quickly.
“I’m not asking you to court her or anything of the sort,” he explained quickly. “Just… be kind to her. Ask her to dance if you see her sitting alone or engage her in conversation… I was hoping to help her feel less alone.”
Nathaniel sighed dramatically, though not without a glint of amusement in his eyes. “You ask a great deal of me, Sebastian,” he teased. “To take pity on a beautiful, eligible young lady? How will I survive this ordeal?”
Sebastian chuckled and shook his head. “I am sure you will manage. But truly, I will be most grateful. She struck me as a sweet girl, and she doesn’t deserve to suffer in this way—and nor does Caroline. I am hoping if she sees that she’s not without admirers, she will speak to her sister again.”
“Very well,” Nathaniel agreed with a laugh. “I will do my best to be a gallant knight to your fair sister-in-law. But you owe me for this, Fairchild. I expect your firstborn child to be named in my honor.”
Sebastian laughed with another shake of his head. “If the firstborn is a son, I might consider it,” he teased, and the two men clinked their glasses together with a laugh.
