‘I would love to see Switzerland one day,’ she said. ‘Or Paris. I’ve never been further than Brighton.’
‘I first met your mother in France,’ Edward remarked.
Jonathan sat forward, fascinated. ‘I never knew my mother had even left England.’
Edward nodded. ‘I happened upon her and your father while they were newlyweds travelling in France. We were guests at the same pension in Lyon. When we discovered we were all hoping to see the Alps, naturally we fell in together as companions.’
‘Both my parents?’ Jonathan asked. He shifted in his seat and twisted the napkin in his hand. He didn’t even know if the swine was alive or dead and didn’t particularly care, but the thought that Edward had been intimately connected with him was unnerving. His parents travelling happily together was something he found impossible to imagine. Had there ever been a time they had been happy?
‘Oh, yes. For six months we travelled about as a little group.’ Edward refilled his wineglass. ‘Anne would read or paint while Christopher and I would disappear up mountain paths or over ruins. I think she was glad to have someone take him off her hands for a time. We parted when they returned to England and I went on to Italy. I had a yearning for Venice, you see.’
Edward sighed and his face grew wistful for a moment. ‘When you appeared at my door all those years ago it seemed as if my past was standing before me. I had to stop myself from offering you a partnership on the spot.’
Jonathan met Aurelia’s eyes. Her lips twitched into a slight smile and she cocked her head towards Edward, who was lost in his reminiscences. The movement made her earring drop against her neck, settling in the hollow between her jaw and ear, and Jonathan felt his heart speed up.
‘Do you know Lyon is a centre for silk manufacturing, just as Macclesfield is?’ he asked.
Aurelia shook her head. ‘No, I didn’t. How fascinating.’
Edward gave her a wide smile, returning from whichever memory had claimed him.
‘You should persuade Jonathan to take you there. It is an excellent city to fall in love in and even he could not make the excuse that it was not good for business with those connections.’
Jonathan decided this was quite enough. It was one thing having his wife and best friend plotting to widen his social circle, but talking of love and holidays was too far. But then Aurelia turned her eyes on him. Vibrant and questioning.
‘Perhaps we could,’ he said. ‘Though that will have to wait a year or two as Edward and I intend to present our merchandise at the Great Exhibition in spring.’
When Edward’s servants began to clear away the dessert plates, Jonathan patted his waistcoat pocket and caught Aurelia’s attention.
‘Will you excuse me while I slip outside? Edward hates the scent of cigarette smoke.’
‘Stench, not scent, Jonathan,’ Edward chided gently. ‘I keep telling you that.’
‘And I keep suggesting you should try it, Edward,’ Jonathan retorted. ‘It is well known that smoking improves the lungs and it might do you some good.’
Edward eyes flickered briefly towards Aurelia and Jonathan felt chastened. He closed his mouth. Edward’s condition had gone beyond the reach of any aid from any source. He mouthed an apology to Edward who gave him a brittle smile, then took Aurelia’s hand.
‘Mrs Harcourt, would you mind if I joined you in the drawing room while Jonathan partakes of his vice? I’m afraid it is rather unconventional, but I don’t believe any of us here are particularly burdened by conventionality.’
Aurelia looked startled at his words, perhaps thinking as Jonathan had of their irregular marriage, then she laughed. ‘Of course I don’t mind. Usually I sit alone and wait for Jonathan to return. I must confess I rather hate the smell myself.’
‘You’ve never told me that.’ Jonathan raised his brows.
‘You never asked,’ she replied, giving him a long stare that made Jonathan almost resolve on the spot to tear each cigarette into shreds.
He stepped outside, opened his cigarette case, but paused before removing the cigarette. It worried him a little that Aurelia had said nothing about her dislike and he wondered what else she endured uncomplainingly. He closed the case again and stared into the night sky, enjoying the peace and wondering if it was that moment of contemplation which did him more good than the tobacco itself.
* * *
When he returned indoors he discovered Aurelia and Edward had left the dining room and were sitting side by side at the piano in the drawing room, playing a lively duet; a polka, he thought. They were both giggling as they stumbled a little over the tricky rhythms. Jonathan had never heard Aurelia giggling and the sound made his spirits rise. He could not see her face, but he could imagine the radiant smile that he had only seen on occasions. He had intended to go straight back in to join them, but he could not bear to interrupt such a perfect example of domestic happiness. He often felt as though such happiness was not for him, but now he gladly stood in the shadow of the open doorway to watch his friend and wife enjoying themselves and taking his pleasure from theirs.
* * *
Aurelia’s fingers tangled across the piano keys while Mr Langdon thumped out the baritone harmony at the low end. When the piece ended they both burst into laughter and applauded each other.
‘I bow to your skill,’ Mr Langdon said. ‘You would make an excellent teacher.’
‘One of the first occasions Mr Harcourt and I spent time in each other’s company he asked me to teach him,’ Aurelia said, rearranging her skirts.
‘Was he successful?’ Mr Harcourt asked.
Aurelia laughed. ‘Not particularly, but we did not have very long together.’
She smiled to herself. She hadn’t thought of that quiet moment of mutual enjoyment for a long time. That evening that had been rather eclipsed by the unexpected proposal that had followed.
‘I think he could play well if he puts his mind to it,’ she said.
‘You have all the time you need now you’re married,’ Mr Langdon pointed out.
‘But he has not asked me again,’ Aurelia said quietly. She looked at Mr Langdon.
‘Then might I suggest you offer to resume teaching him,’ Mr Langdon said. ‘If you remember, I told you we should work on making him more sociable and that would be a good place to start, wouldn’t you agree?’
‘I’m not sure he would welcome that. He prefers his own company and interests,’ Aurelia said uncertainly, toying with the sheets on the stand. It struck her she knew relatively little of what he did enjoy doing. When she had first tried to intrude into his working life they’d gone from lovers to strangers over the course of a single afternoon and the quarrel had lasted until that very afternoon. ‘He’s extremely devoted to his work as you know.’
‘He thinks he knows best, but I believe he is not too old a dog to be taught new tricks,’ Mr Langdon said.
‘You care deeply for my husband, don’t you?’ Aurelia said.
‘Anyone who knows him for a time would be fond of him. I have perhaps greater reason than many,’ Mr Langdon said. ‘I think of him sometimes as the son that I would never have.’
‘And yet you persuaded Mr Harcourt to marry when he had no wish to do so!’ Aurelia shifted on her stool and briskly smoothed her skirts. ‘It seems to me that a simpler solution than forcing Jonathan to marry reluctantly would have been for you to provide your own heir.’
She bit off her words abruptly, hardly able to believe she had spoken so frankly to an older man in his own house. Jonathan would be appalled if he knew. To her surprise Edward laughed and held out his hand.
‘I am a hypocrite of the highest order, I’m afraid. Please call me Edward, Mrs Harcourt. I would be honoured to be your friend.’
Aurelia took the proffered hand. ‘Thank you, Edward.’
‘Now,’ he continued, ‘I am a hypocrite, but a w
ell-intentioned one. I knew from a young age I was destined to remain unmarried. I did love once, but that ended unhappily as I suspected it would from the start. I realised then that my life would be better spent as a bachelor, but at least I loved and was loved. Jonathan is different to me. He has a great capacity within him for love and his...shall I say childish refusal to countenance marriage as anything but unpleasant would cause more harm to him.’
Aurelia reached for her wine and sipped it, deep in thought. The picture Edward painted of a thwarted love and resignation to a life alone touched too close to her secret pain of Arthur’s betrayal.
‘Anne and Christopher did their child a great disservice with the disastrous impression of marriage they subjected him to and I took it upon myself to try rectify that. You must, as Jonathan has, forgive an old man for playing on your husband’s good nature to force him into happiness despite his own reluctance.’
Happiness, not merely marriage. It was an odd word. Edward’s description of Jonathan as a man too scared to try to find happiness touched Aurelia’s heart. That was what she had intended to do after learning of Arthur’s true nature. Marriage might be a chance for them both to achieve contentment.
‘Do you think I could really make him happy?’ Aurelia asked, uncertainly. She wasn’t sure, but then again she didn’t think she had tried too hard recently.
‘I believe you could—if you made up your mind to do so,’ Edward said. ‘Jonathan has a heart that I believe would be easy to capture if only someone was determined enough.’
Aurelia said nothing. She ran her fingers over the piano keys, playing a tune absentmindedly that she realised was the slow movement of the Moonlight Sonata. The melancholy languor of the notes made her sad and she wished her mind had chosen a jolly air instead. Was that what came to her mind at the thought of making Jonathan happy? She stopped playing and took Edward’s hand. She liked him immensely and had missed the intimacy of sharing thoughts and confidences with someone.
‘I will do my best, Edward,’ she vowed. ‘And I would be honoured if you would address me as Aurelia.’
Edward smiled. ‘I knew the first time we met that you would be the perfect wife for Jonathan. Now, where is he? If you do nothing beyond persuading him to cease smoking, that will be a marriage well spent.’
As if on cue there came the sound of the front door shutting loudly. Whistling tunelessly, Jonathan entered the drawing room with a smile on his face and his hands in his pockets.
‘Are you satisfied now you have worshipped at the altar of your filthy habit?’ Edward said.
‘Perfectly,’ Jonathan said with a smile.
‘Then pour us all a glass of wine and come be civilised.’
Jonathan obeyed. He smiled at Aurelia as he handed her the crystal glass. ‘What have you two been talking about?’
She paused halfway through taking the glass from him, her fingers on the delicate stem, and her eyes flickered to Edward. She could never admit they had been discussing Jonathan. Any woman who had spent time in company would guess she would be the object of gossip when mutual parties were left together. It was inevitable. She hoped Jonathan was innocent of such cynical views on the world.
‘I was playing the piano,’ she said. ‘We were playing together.’
‘Your wife has let me into one of your secrets,’ Edward interrupted. He accepted his own glass and ran his forefinger along the piano keys. Aurelia’s expression relaxed.
‘Aurelia admitted she has been teaching you this fine art. I would very much like to see how far her pupil has progressed.
Aurelia raised her hands and made a face of mock indignation. ‘I said nothing of the sort,’ she protested with a laugh. ‘Mr Harcourt, Edward teased the information out of me and I told him we had only had one short lesson.’
Jonathan’s lip twitched. Was it the use of their names that upset him? Aurelia still addressed him formally, which felt foolish now.
‘Well, now it’s time for another lesson,’ he said. ‘Move yourself, Edward, dear friend, and let me reclaim my wife before she falls head over heels in love with you and decides to leave me.’
Aurelia had started rearranging sheets of music, but at Jonathan’s unexpected announcement she fumbled them and they floated to the floor, drifting wide beneath the piano. She exclaimed in annoyance and knelt to retrieve them in a flurry of spreading skirts. Jonathan dropped to his knees beside her and helped her to gather them. They reached for the same sheet of foolscap at the same time and their hands closed over each other’s. A thrill of exhilaration ran the length of Aurelia’s arm. They both laughed in embarrassment and looked at each other. Instead of looking away Jonathan let his gaze linger on her. Aurelia smiled at him shyly and felt excitement starting within her.
‘Find me something easy,’ Jonathan murmured, slipping the sheets into her hand, ‘and I will do as you command me.’
He was looking at her with an intensity she hadn’t seen since their wedding night. Aurelia’s heart galloped in her chest.
‘If that is your wish,’ she murmured back, ‘I shall do as you command me.’
* * *
Aurelia walked home in light spirits with the tune she and Jonathan had played running through her mind. At one point she must have hummed it aloud because Jonathan smiled down at her and finished the tune himself, taking the baritone harmony. It was such an odd thing to bring them closer but Aurelia felt warmth spreading throughout her. They passed a night watchman who gave them a suspicious look and they both had to stifle giggles until they had passed him. It must have been the excessive wine they had drunk which made them so reckless, but they clung on to each other’s arm and it felt like they were dancing.
‘Did you enjoy yourself tonight?’ Jonathan asked.
Aurelia nodded. ‘Very much. I like Edward. You have good taste in your choice of friends.’
‘I have good taste in my choice of wife,’ he answered.
Aurelia put her hand to her mouth to hide her smile at the unexpected compliment. Compliments had tripped off Arthur’s tongue and all had proved to be built on quicksand, but this one sounded spontaneous and genuine. As they came to the crossroads he put an arm around her waist as he had done earlier in the day. Once again she allowed it.
‘I think I shall purchase a piano,’ he said. ‘You might teach me a little and I shall perform for Edward.’
‘You would willingly be taught by a woman?’ she asked, impressed. Many men wouldn’t, which was a continual thorn in Aurelia’s side. How would women ever be allowed to learn if they weren’t able to educate?
‘I don’t see any reason why women can’t teach skills in the female sphere,’ Jonathan replied.
Aurelia gave him a close-lipped smile. It was better than refusing to contemplate a female instructress completely.
‘It is such a pity Edward and your mother never found happiness together,’ Aurelia said.
The muscles in Jonathan’s arm tightened, hard enough for Aurelia to be conscious of them through his coat.
‘Indeed. I don’t wish to discuss that any further,’ he said.
* * *
He remained silent and distracted for the rest of the walk home and by the time they reached the front door he had not spoken two words to her since. She had intended to ask if he would like to visit her that night, but now she became convinced he would decline.
Jonathan helped Aurelia remove her cloak as they stood in the hallway and once again his fingers brushed against her collarbone. Her throat tightened and her stomach did a somersault as blood coursed through her body and desire made her quiver. Tonight might be a chance to begin again without the awkwardness of their first handful of encounters or the coldness of their disagreement.
She lifted her head and met his eyes. ‘Would you... I wonder if you would care to visit my bedroom this evening?’
Jonathan paused in what
he had been doing, unbuckling the clasp of her cloak. He had bent close to better see the clasp in the dim light from the oil lamp and she could feel the heat rising from his palm. His eyes bored into her.
‘Yes. Yes, I would. Very much.’
He spoke in a low whisper that sent thrills running through her. She put her hand over his and finished undoing the cloak herself.
‘I shall go wake Annie and ask her to help me prepare,’ she said in a low, confidential voice. ‘I shall send her to tell you I am ready.’
She walked up the stairs, lifting the front hem of her skirt out of the way with one hand, while the fingers of her other trailed up the banister.
‘Mrs Harcourt,’ Jonathan called.
She turned halfway round and looked back at him questioningly.
‘Would you leave your hair as it is tonight?’ Jonathan asked. He stood at the bottom of the stairs, hands clasped in front of him, eyes bright.
Aurelia lifted her fingers to the thick roll on the top of her head, taken aback at the request. She nodded mutely, fearful that to speak would betray the anticipation she felt. The small touches, the brush of their hands and the feel of their bodies moving and touching as they walked had all served to stoke a fire inside her. Tonight, she knew on a level deeper than she had before that they would both discover what fulfilled them.
Chapter Twelve
As soon as Aurelia had turned at the top of the stairs Jonathan followed two at a time and entered his own room. He was about to undress fully and change into his nightshirt as usual when he thought again. He removed his tie and waistcoat, but slung his dressing gown over the top of his shirt and trousers. If this was a new chapter in his marriage, he intended to rewrite the rules. He was determined that tonight he would do more than simply lie atop his wife and do his duty. If Aurelia was leaving him her hair to take down, he would give her something to do in return.
It felt like the night was almost over when the soft knock came at Jonathan’s door and he opened it to find Annie’s cheerful face beaming at him.
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