The Runaway Groom (Tewkesbury X OC)

Chapter 4

When all the herbs had been cooked they went lovely with the mushrooms, Florence could not deny that as lousy her fiancés manners were his knowledge in plants and herbs was unrivalled. "I'm not entirely an idiot, you know." The Viscount said noticing Florence's gaze.

Enola licked her fingers off before musing at the Viscount "Hmm. I've been thinking. You need to disguise yourself a little. How do you feel about your hair?" she asked. 

The Viscount shrugged "I've never cared for it." 

Florence looked at him "Well I rather like the Viscounts hair how it is" he turned to Enola who had a sharp tool in her hand "Cut it off with a Knife. Of course you will."

Enola began using a rock against the blade "Who taught you how to sharpen it like that?"

"My mother." she replied. "Your mother is very different to mine." Florence told her a small smile on her face. 

"Who taught you about flowers and herbs?" Enola asked the Viscount. "My father." he explained. 

"I never really knew my father." Enola told them. Nodding solemnly the Viscount told her "My father's dead too."

Enola smile was full of grief as she said "I'm sorry." Florence noticed a sort of tension in the air so she said "Well I have both my parents but they never taught me anything other than how to look pretty and do things that any wife should know."

"Those are the most incredulous things I've ever heard. Things should not be this way for women." Enola sympathised. 

"It's fine. So why have you run? From home, I mean." Florence asked curiously. "I didn't want to go to Miss Harrison's Finishing School for Young Ladies." Enola explained quietly. "Why have you?" 

"I haven't run away, I'm taking my fiancé to London so my family can ensure his safe return for our engagement" Florence reminded her with a stern look at her betrothed. 

They both looked at the Viscount who nervously rubbed his neck "Well, uh, a tree branch broke above me while I was collecting wild mushrooms. It should have crushed me, but I managed to roll out of the way, and I realized that..." he trailed off. 

Wanting to have a better understanding of the man that was to be her husband she asked "What?"

"You'll laugh at me." he told  them his face turning a shade pinker. "I won't." Florence promised but Enola just shrugged. 

"My life seemed to flash before me. I was in an arranged marriage with a girl I had never met." he looked at her apologetically "I was just about to take my seat in the House of Lords. I had these ideas about how we might progress the estate. But my family were set on me joining the army and then going overseas, just like my uncle." 

He paused before carrying on "And I realized I was scared, scared I would hate every second of the rest of my life."

"Why would I laugh at that?" Florence asked. He looked into her eyes "Don't I sound pathetic?"

"A little" Enola told him truthfully. Florence cut in defending the boy "No. I think that the Viscount is very brave for what he did."

"Thank you Florence." he thanked. With a nod she agreed "Of course Viscount."

"Tewkesbury." he told her. Cocking her head to the side she asked "Pardon?"

"Tewkesbury" he repeated "Don't use Viscount or Lord. Just call me Tewkesbury" Florence could tell they were making progress. They would be back off to Basilweather estate to be married in no time "Very well then Viscount-" she corrected herself with a small smile "Tewkesbury"

Tewkesbury turned to Enola before carrying on the previous conversation "Why were they going to send you to the finishing school?"

Ignoring him Enola became a bit more violent when cutting his hair "In the morning, we'll have to move fast. The bowler hat man will be hot on your tail...Where's your destination?"

Tewkesbury smirked "I'm going to..." Florence interjected cutting him off "We're going to London."

With a nod Enola confirmed her own destination "Likewise." with a small stutter Tewkesbury asked "Well, then, shall we, um, stick together? If you like."

"No. We'll get to London and go our separate ways. Understood?" Enola asked being even more vicious with his hair. 

"Understood." he winced "Totally. Entirely." he gasped "Do you have to be quite so brutal with the hair?" he snapped. 

Enola smiled at Florence who also had a small smile on her face "Yes."

"Well, you would say that." Tewkesbury muttered to himself.