The Beauty of Coincidence | manxman | (Historical Fiction)

XX - To Let it Be, Let it Flourish

"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, so long lives this, and this gives life to thee."

Shakespeare, Sonnet 18

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It'd been an hour and a half since Reynold last saw his father. Lawrence and Norman closed themselves in a study on the second floor away from everyone else. He was trying not to focus on what the two men could possibly be discussing after watching he and Victor as they'd been, embraced and sharing in what could only ever be viewed as a moment of intimate affection, but Reynold couldn't help himself from wanting to know of the thoughts going through his father's mind in that second. Were he and Norman Ramsey arguing? Was a much heated debate taking place behind the closed door upstairs?

Currently, Reynold was seated alongside Lady Daloris in Victor's library, trying to put his mind at ease by engrossing himself in other conversation. At the moment, Victor was out of the room speaking with Benard and Dorothy about their visit to Scotland over the past month. Reynold's inner distraction came back into focus when a hand touched his knee. When he met the blue eyes of the woman beside him, he emptied his worries and blinked, "Yes, my lady? Did you say something?"

Daloris' laughter was charming, her cheeks dashed with a fair blush, lips painted a catching light coral pink. She was fitted gracefully in a white dress with a high lace collar and long sleeves that flared a bit at the wrists. There were vine-like olive green prints about the pattern, and a large white bow was tied around her thin waistline. "I feared you would drown," she said with a shake of her head. "I don't believe you've blinked once in this last minute. Are you alright, Mr. Deighton?"

"Yes," Reynold nodded, "My mind is cloudy due to all the work I know must be done once I return home."

"Ah, I see," Daloris mulled for a moment. "Well, I am glad you decided to make the trip here. I know Victor certainly anticipated your arrival earlier. He spoke on and on about the growing friendship between you two, and I find that in itself rather wonderful. While I know we were once in an anticipation of our own when a marriage between us was on the table, though of course while Victor was unknown to it, I am grateful to have at least gotten the chance to know him as he is now. We weren't meant to be, but this path we're on now is fine for us."

"I'm sure with your husband and your son now," Reynold said, "You don't believe you're missing out on anything."

Just at the mere mention of her son, Daloris looked across the library that was filled with more porcelain collections than books, but her young son had surely found his way to the books anyhow. He was sitting in front of the only shelf occupied by books, a piece titled Emma by Jane Austen open in his lap. "I'm sure if fate had permitted it," Daloris carried on, "Victor and I would have ended up together, happy perhaps, but I could not envision a life these days without my sweet boy, my lovely Jasper. If ever my marriage falls apart, and the world crumbles down around me, the mere notion of having the most sincere and lovely boy to call my son is all I will ever need. I pray to the heavens each day that his life will always be filled with wonders, that he will always know rosy peace and happiness in the times to come."

Hearing the mere tone of his mother's voice, the blonde little earl stood with the open book in his hands and neared Daloris. "Mother," he said in his pitched voice, and then he seemed to pick up on the desolation that entered the young woman. "Are you sad, mother?"

Reynold watched as the fair lady blinked the partly risen tears in her eyes away. "Of course not, my darling," she said, standing and she scooped the boy up off his feet. A round of happiness shook from Jasper's lungs as his face was kissed all around. "How could I ever be disheartened when you are at my side, my beautiful boy? You are my greatest love, and I just know you will grow into the true embodiment of love one day. Oh, how lucky one will be to have you at their side when you someday find your special someone."