“Then what is Lord Lancaster?”
“Meggie, your dowry aside, you and I have known Lord Lancaster for only two months, maybe not even that long. I knew his father, didn’t particularly dislike the man. He was secretive, Meggie, very tight-fisted, didn’t speak well of anyone. He was not a man I would have easily trusted. Now, I don’t believe you know this. The old earl divorced his wife and kicked both her and her young son out of Bowden Close. Neither of them ever came back. I have heard rumors about a second wife, perhaps another child, but I don’t know if any of that is true.”
“None of that in any way redounds on Thomas.”
“No.”
“Thomas told me that there had been a falling out between his father and his mother, and she took Thomas and left. He didn’t mention a divorce. I didn’t press him. He doesn’t like to speak of it. I believe he’s been very hurt by it.”
“I asked Thomas as well. He told me much of the same thing, all said in a voice so emotionless that it smote me.”
“Poor Thomas. He finally told me that he remembered terrible fights between his parents. He did see his father a few times over the years, but never here, never at Bowden Close. It is all very sad. I believe he came to hate his father. His father never visited him at school, where he spent most of his growing-up years, only in London, at one of his father’s clubs. I know that Thomas doesn’t trust easily, certainly understandable. And I know that he was very hurt by his parents, not physically, mind you, but his soul. Naturally he will not admit to any of this. He merely pretends that he doesn’t care. Perhaps when we have been married for a while, he will grow to trust me more, to share his concerns, to share old secrets that have hurt him. He feels things deeply, that I do know. You did not see his face when he believed Rory would die. But there is this well of distrust that is very deep in him. These things take time, Papa.
“I do know that Thomas Malcombe is a principled man, a decent man. He told me he wants to marry me because I make him laugh. I cannot think of a better reason.”
Tysen lifted an eyebrow. “Actually, he could have told you he loved you.”
“Somehow,” Meggie said slowly, looking up at the beautiful old church tower, wishing Mr. Peters would ring the bell at this very moment, “I cannot imagine him saying those words, at least not now. Actually, I didn’t say them to him either.” Meggie paused a moment, looking down at her clasped hands, and Tysen knew all the way to his boots that Jeremy was still in her head, perhaps even in her heart. Damnation.
“Yes, Thomas laughs easily now, a smile nearly always near his mouth. I’ll never forget that first time when he laughed with me. I thought he sounded rusty, as if he were somehow surprised that such a sound could come from him. I’ve made great strides with him, Papa.”
“Meggie, you are not marrying him out of some sort of misguided sense of gratitude, are you?”
“For saving Rory’s life? No, Papa, but I was very grateful, and the result was that I spent more time with him initially than I normally would have. And I came to like him a great deal. He is an honorable man, I am quite sure about that.”
“You won’t be living here, Meggie. Thomas was evasive. He said he has two other houses, both outside of England.”
“One is in Genoa, Italy. He was living in Italy, making his fortune. He came back to England only to take over his father’s holdings. Can you imagine sailing to Italy, Papa? I should love to travel, to see other places, how other people do things, how they think. I wonder where his other house is.”
At least Thomas Malcombe hadn’t told him one thing, then told his daughter something else. There were no inconsistencies that meant a lie. But it wasn’t the point. Tysen kissed his child’s forehead, rose, and crossed his arms over his chest, the father now, the authority figure.