The Courting
Page 5
“Where did you hear that?” he frowned.
“Here and there. Besides, Uncle Bennett is courting her so he can’t be her father.”
“Well, darling, I think it’s best if we leave that conversation there. That is private information. Elisabeth’s family life is not our business,” Brayden said, gently.
Wellesley appeared to announce Bennett’s driver had just pulled through the gates, causing Alice to spring up from the sofa.
“Alice,” Brayden warned. “Behave properly, please,” he said, putting his hand out toward her.
“Father, I can’t help the source of my adrenaline,” she defended as they abandoned the sitting room.
Brayden couldn’t help but crack a smile and then transferred his attention to the front doors when they reached the foyer. Wellesley opened the double doors and stepped aside.
“Bennett, Elisabeth, lovely to see you,” Brayden said, as two uniformed maids appeared to take their coats.
“I daresay it might snow,” Bennett remarked as he straightened his blazer after his coat was removed.
Alice wanted to roll her eyes. It was a rather momentous evening with Elisabeth moving to Waldorf Manor because they were courting and her Uncle Bennett was talking about the weather!
Wellesley stepped aside for Bennett’s driver, who appeared with two suitcase trunks and left them near the back corridor with instruction from Celia who rather appeared out of nowhere.
Elisabeth was smiling, but she seemed to be watching the staff going about their rather background duties. Alice watched Elisabeth and remembered her first few months when she did the very same. Her Uncle Bennett’s property at Barton-Court House had staff, but not as many as Waldorf; they also hadn’t been a domestic team for very long. The bulk of the staff at Waldorf Manor had worked together for more than a decade.
“Uncle Bennett,” Alice said, giving a half-hearted bob with the corner of her dress before he bent down to kiss her once on each cheek. Before she could move to Elisabeth to greet her, Bennett remained bent down and held onto her arms.
“I want to have a chat with you in a moment,” he said, looking directly into her eyes.
Alice nodded as she looked back at her uncle. The first thought that came to her mind was the one other time that her uncle had used that same phrase some eight months earlier. It had been followed by a horrid episode of mouth washing and bottom smacking. But she couldn’t recall anything she’d done to deserve being punished, so surely a ‘chat’ meant exactly what it sounded like.
“Yes, Sir,” Alice replied.
Bennett stood up and let Alice proceed to greeting Elisabeth.
“Hello,” Elisabeth said, smiling widely as Alice stepped around Bennett and gave her a big cuddle.
“Hello,” Alice said, in a more subdued voice than she’d intended. She was already anticipating the conversation with her uncle.
“I can’t believe we get to live together,” Elisabeth said, holding Alice’s hand. Alice smiled.
Once they had all been served pre-dinner drinks in the sitting room, Bennett told Brayden he wished to speak privately with Alice, then led his niece by the hand across the vast room. He walked to the far side, near to where the pair of large, closed double doors led to the music room next door. They sat opposite each other in leather wing chairs. Bennett placed his brandy down on the table in front of them.
“Am I in trouble, Uncle Bennett?” she asked, straightaway.
“No, you’re not in trouble,” Bennett replied, crossing one leg over the other as he looked at Alice. As usual, his long and lean tailored suit made him look rather severe and imposing - precisely the look Bennett intended. His always tidy tie, waistcoat and perfectly parted and combed hair pushed the point.
“I want to know how you feel about Elisabeth moving here with you and your father,” he said.
Alice took a drink of orange Pellegrino from her crystal goblet and returned it to the table. She shrugged. “I’m happy for you,” she replied.
“That’s not what I’m asking, Alice. I want to know what your thoughts are on all this, and without the shrugging, please. I know you don’t take to change very easily,” Bennett said, folding his hands.
Although Alice was Bennett’s adopted niece, she couldn’t deny how handsome he was. They’d had a rather awkward start to their relationship as uncle and niece, but it didn’t change the fact Alice could easily see how Elisabeth had developed affections for him. Bennett Fowler was indeed as sternly charming as he was wealthy. It was a different sort of charm than the kind Brayden James carried, but all the same, it was charm.
“Did my father tell you that?” she asked.
“Your father tells me everything.”
Alice looked up at him and stopped fidgeting with her hangnail. “Does that go both ways?” Alice inquired, her eyes intent on his.
Bennett adjusted his posture in the chair and leant forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He knew Alice was referring to the unjust punishment he gave her months prior following an unwelcome, albeit private, telling off from his mother after Alice witnessed Bennett rolling his eyes at his father.
“You’re still cross with me for that,” Bennett said, looking down at the floor momentarily.
“Whatever, it doesn’t matter. I’m happy you’re happy and Elisabeth will be whisked off the property every day to be spoiled and I’ll be stuck here being treated like a ten-year-old child and then you two will be married and that will be that.” Alice looked away.
Bennett glanced across the vast room at Brayden and Elisabeth having their own conversation. “It sounds as though you’re unhappy,” Bennett replied, returning his attention to Alice.
“I’m not unhappy, I’m just... I’ve been ten years old for almost a year. I want to know what’s next for me. Elisabeth just got here and it seems like she gets a fairy tale ending and everything in between.”
Bennett observed Alice before replying. “You’re annoyed that Elisabeth has been allowed to remain her chronological age. However, you made it clear from the beginning of this arrangement that you needed to be regressed. Your father will move you to the appropriate place in this household when he sees fit. I think you were understanding of that until Elisabeth came along and demonstrated what life is like when one is treated their age. You’re right, it is different for you.”
Alice looked away.
“He loves you deeply, Alice, and he knows what is best. Your place is to trust him; trust your father to do what needs to be done until you’ve developed properly. I’m afraid you don’t understand the great burden that wealth can be. He only wants you to be prepared to handle his estate, your trust fund and all the pressures that go along with it,” Bennett said.
“Is it?” Alice asked.
“What’s that?”
“Is wealth a burden?”
Bennett sat up so that he was no longer leaning his elbows on his knees. “More than you know, darling. And more than I hope you’ll ever know. There is an incredible amount of responsibility when you come to learn of all the relationships, causes and organisations counting on your support. And you keep those relationships because you understand that the work they enable is far more meaningful than any bank account balance. He will tell you these things when the time is right, but perhaps you needed to hear some of this from someone who isn’t your father,” Bennett said.
Alice looked down and slowly straightened the skirt of her pinafore. The only words she’d truly taken in were the ones accusing her of being unhappy at Waldorf Manor, which didn’t sit well with her.
“What I said before; I didn’t mean to imply I’m not happy here. I am,” Alice said, looking up. “More happy than I could ever really say. But yes, I see Elisabeth and you just now and I think, what about me?” Alice asked, her eyes more vulnerable than Bennett had ever seen.
“You know, Alice, those were my thoughts when your father announced he was adopting you.”
She stared back at Bennett, feeling
as though she’d been hit like a bag of rocks.
“Alice, I have always cared for you,” Bennett said, his face taking on a more serious look than it normally did – which was serious anyway. “I’m very strict and at times you’ve had the worst of it and yes, whilst we’re here having this moment, I would like to apologise for the incident where I unfairly punished you earlier this year. It hasn’t sat well with me these last few weeks.”
Alice blinked a few times.
“Will you forgive me?” Bennett asked.
Alice could hardly believe his words. Her Uncle Bennett, who seemed faultless (and sometimes heartless), had just asked forgiveness for a punishment she was sure he’d enjoyed giving. She wanted to remain humble about it as Brayden taught her, and nodded.
“Yes, Sir,” Alice replied, succeeding at hiding her shock.
Bennett frowned, out of adoration for how Alice had made an impression on him, then cleared his throat. He didn’t like to show emotion and Alice, recognising that immediately, vacated the chair and put her arms about his neck. She hugged him tightly. Caught off-guard, but certainly not unappreciative of the gesture, Bennett pulled Alice into his lap and returned the affection.
“You know you will always have me, Alice. No matter what, I’m your uncle until the end of time. And beyond that. All right?”
Alice nodded.
“I’m still going to thrash you when you’re naughty so don’t expect otherwise,” Bennett said, as he straightened one of Alice’s satin hair bows on the side of her hair.
“Yes, Sir,” Bennett suggested, giving Alice an expectant look.
“Yes, Sir,” Alice replied, barely able to find her voice.
“Good girl.” Bennett gave the side of her leg a firm pat before encouraging her to slide off his lap. He took a sip of his brandy as Alice returned to the adjacent wing chair. She wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself after that.
Across the room, Brayden and Elisabeth had kept their conversation to polite inquisition because the real conversation, the one Bennett had gone along to Waldorf Manor that evening to have, would take place after dinner. Brayden didn’t want to encourage any kind of discussion about Elisabeth’s transition to Waldorf without Bennett. It would certainly be delicate ground; Brayden and Bennett were best friends of twenty years and Bennett’s first ever courtship with his first ever girlfriend would occur whilst Elisabeth moved to live under Brayden’s supervision. There would be talk of roles and boundaries, which would be laid as scrupulously as any pipeline.
Brayden sat at the head of the long, polished dining table meant for twenty and unlike the first evening the girls met, Alice sat in her usual chair to Brayden's left. Bennett and Elisabeth sat beside each other, across from Alice. She watched Wellesley pull out Elisabeth’s chair and noticed that Bennett didn’t sit down until she was settled. Alice quickly looked away and placed her napkin in her lap. She could see that more than a subtle change in her Uncle Bennett had occurred. Bennett had always been concerned about the welfare of those around him, but not to the depth he clearly demonstrated whereby he wouldn’t even sit in his own chair until the butler seated the woman he was courting. It certainly took Alice by surprise.
The first course was served and produced nothing less than an eye roll from Alice, who despised fish. Of course, it had to be fish. And it had to be on the evening they had guests. Alice hid her displeasure as she slowly picked up her fish fork and quietly dissected it with the help of her knife.
Conversation was flowing between Brayden and Bennett, whilst Elisabeth just watched Bennett most of the meal.
Alice’s mind was on plotting how to avoid eating the crab cake starter expertly laid domino-style in an arc on her plate. The pinkish looking sauce sat in a beautiful miniature crystal dish surrounded by green leaves of some kind. It was all very normal to Alice nearly a year into living at Waldorf, but it didn’t change the fact that she hated fish as much as she hated change.
Brayden noticed Alice was quiet and her eyes were on her plate, but he didn’t entirely want to draw her out because it helped maintain her implied age of ten years old. Brayden reminded himself that there would be two girls to look after for a period of time and it was important they understood very clearly their place and especially that they differed from each other. Alice was well within her place to eat her dinner quietly. Didn’t ten-year-olds often go off into their own world or imaginations? Brayden was sure they did. He remembered doing so. Elisabeth on the other hand, was nineteen and expected to participate in conversation actively.
Of course, if Alice was spoken to or directly addressed she would need to reply.
After the dessert course, the topic of conversation changed to classical music. Elisabeth seemed terribly interested in every word Bennett was saying despite confessing she neither played any instruments nor ever listened to classical music.
“Not to worry, darling, that will change,” Bennett replied, giving Elisabeth a glance.
Elisabeth blushed and returned to enjoying her spiced gingerbread cake with frosting and cranberry embellishment. It was clear that Elisabeth liked the amount of control Bennett had over her and wasn’t at all offended that he’d plainly told her in no uncertain manner ‘you might not play an instrument now, but you will at some point and I shall see to it.’ Elisabeth couldn’t help but glance across the table at Alice and share her satisfied smile.
After dessert, Brayden led the way up the grand staircase with Bennett and Elisabeth close behind, holding hands. Alice’s peripheral glance proved it. She thought it was sweet, although she didn’t quite know how to handle all the Uncle Bennett and Elisabeth affection.
Luckily for her, she was about to find out how to handle it.
Brayden had asked for a tea tray to be brought up and it arrived just as they sat beside the fireplace and the large mahogany table in the middle of the seating area. Brayden sat in his leather wing chair with Bennett in a matching one beside him. Elisabeth and Alice sat on the Chesterfield sofa beside each other. Alice had been living at Waldorf long enough to notice that Bennett had chosen to sit in a wing chair and not directly beside Elisabeth on the sofa for one reason and one reason only – to make it clear that they were having a serious discussion regarding exactly where the boundaries were. Alice didn’t need to know a lot about the courting relationship between her uncle and Elisabeth to also know that he was still in charge and that Elisabeth wasn’t his equal. At least, that’s what she could gather from all the non-verbal communication.
“All right,” Brayden started, once everyone was settled with a full teacup. “Alice darling, you are here for the first part of this conversation because I want you to properly understand the situation and the boundaries regarding Elisabeth’s place here,” Brayden started, folding his hands as all attention seemed to turn to Alice. “Being that you are ten years old and Elisabeth is nineteen, there will be a clear expectation for you to acknowledge that age difference,” Brayden said, glancing at Elisabeth.
“What does that mean, Father?” Alice asked, tentatively. She was aware she should have waited to ask, but she couldn’t resist.
“It means that whilst Elisabeth is like a companion, she is also your elder.”
“Can I still call her Elisabeth?” Alice asked, clearly concerned that she would lose that privilege.
Bennett nodded seriously.
“Yes, for the time being, you may carry on using her first name,” Brayden replied.
Elisabeth glanced at Alice, grateful they weren’t mandating otherwise. That would have been awkward for both of them at that point.
“Regardless, Elisabeth will have a later bedtime and different privileges. She’s in a courting relationship with Uncle Bennett now and she will be coming and going quite often whilst you will carry on with your regular schedule.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Beyond that, nothing is really changing. Elisabeth will have the same introduction to living here that you did,” Brayden added.
“Uncle Bennett, is there anything you should like to add?” Brayden asked, looking at his best friend.
Bennett, whose long and lean stature was magnified (and somewhat glorified) in his suit, seemed even more so than usual. His white shirt and navy blue waistcoat accentuated his figure so perfectly and because his legs were so long, whenever they were crossed one over the other he looked even more spindly than usual.
For the first time, Alice looked at her uncle and felt a short breath of air escape her lungs. She immediately realised her internal reaction and looked away from him. It was human nature to look at one’s family members and think, ‘if they weren’t related to me...’ The fact Bennett wasn’t related to Alice by DNA was irrelevant; Bennett was as much her uncle as Brayden was her father. Alice was also as human as everyone else, and that included when she found her uncle attractive for about three milliseconds and then immediately dismissed it and reprimanded herself.
Alice looked over at Elisabeth and noticed she was doing the same thing, albeit unashamedly, as she should, considering they were courting. She also realised the only reason those thoughts entered her mind was because his apology had painted a very different picture of the uncle she thought she’d come to know. Clearly, Bennett Fowler was a deeper man than she’d imagined.
“I think the main thing to remember, Alice, is that Elisabeth is staying at Waldorf so that we may get to know each other properly. Her time here is limited so I suggest neither of you take this arrangement for granted.”
Alice and Elisabeth nodded; they certainly didn’t intend to take it for granted.
“You can have a bit of a laugh here and there, but I don’t expect, Elisabeth, for you to be sharing details of your relationship with Bennett to my ten-year-old. And neither should Alice be asking. Do you understand?” Brayden asked.
“Yes, Sir,” they replied simultaneously.
“Conversation between you girls should be age appropriate,” Bennett added, looking at them both with a lingering glance in Elisabeth’s direction.