Page 10

Regents Park, London

M orning rides with her father were one of the small joys Regina held dear.

It was something her mother’s anxiety hadn’t yet forced her to give up.

Having a military father meant most of their quality time was spent shooting or fencing or riding.

His self-defense lessons had saved her at least once some nights ago at the Trawley Ball.

Her father’s presence, however, gave her the look of a paternally inclined daughter rather than an untamed Indian native racing across a civilized English park.

“What did you think of Mr. Kingston, choti rani?” he asked.

“I think he’s been a very good friend to Mr. Thornfield.”

He smiled, “That seemed a rather prepared response.”

“It was a rather leading question.”

He shook his head ruefully and glanced up at the sky as he was wont to do. Jokingly praying for patience. “You did seem rather taken with him.”

“Because I participated in a conversation?” What on earth was she meant to do, sit there like a statue and stare into the void?

“Your mother said you were staring at him.”

“I was looking at him when he spoke.” Not quite the truth, she’d had difficulty looking away from him regardless of who was speaking but she’d die before she admitted it. No matter how skeptical her parents were.

“So she was lying?”

“No but she can blow non-issues out of proportion, you’ve seen it yourself.” Again not quite true but close enough. The last thing she needed was to be banned from any social interaction at all. She’d only just managed to get a full taste of it over the past week.

“Your mother can tend towards being overly cautious, but I would draw the line at hysterics.”

“You are ruining our father-daughter time with this line of questioning.”

“Regina…”

One word was all it took. She sighed and turned her head to face him. “Mr. Kingston is an interesting, admirable, and amiable gentleman.”

“A gentleman?”

“By nature, and education, yes.”

“What do you know of his education?”

Damn. Her mother wasn’t the only one who knew how to lay traps.

“I know that Mr. Thornfield attended Eton and Cambridge and was schoolmates with Mr. Thompson and Mr. Kingston. It is how they became acquainted. It is true he has a profession, a trade if you will, but I defy you to find his equal among the ton irrespective of birth and race. But it doesn’t mean I have forgotten myself entirely. ”

“That is good to hear,” his tone was noncommittal but even that was part of the trap.

“Yes. You can report back to aai that I am not in danger ruining years of preparation.”

“I was not trying to interrogate you.”

“No, you were engaging in reconnaissance.”

He sighed heavily and she mentally scored a point for herself. “It is an immense opportunity, choti rani.”

“I am aware of the fact.”

“Good morning, Captain! Miss Mason,” a dark haired, middle-aged woman with a small dog and two maids in tow called out to them.

Regina tried to place her. She was only familiar in the most basic sense, as in she looked like every other chubby dark-haired woman in England from the abundance of sausage curls, bows and lace, to the forced smile and milky complexion they seemed to prize.

“Mrs. Harrison-Cox, isn’t it?” Captain Mason greeted her, tipping his hat. “Good morning.”

“Yes, it is.” She smiled and Regina had the distinct impression of watching a snake bare its fangs. “I imagine you have both received our good news.”

Regina glanced at her father who shook his head in confusion.

“We have not been so fortunate,” Regina replied with a practiced smile.

“My Edward is to be the new Baron Starkley, and as such our families are to be united.”

Oh God. Had that come already? Sweat bloomed on her glove covered palms and her stomach flipped over.

“Oh, my felicitations,” Captain Mason replied when Regina found her mouth glued shut.

“Indeed,” she turned her eyes on Regina. “I mean to visit your home soon to check on your progress, young lady, before my Edward arrives.”

The outrageousness of the statement shocked words out of her. “My progress?”

“Indeed, I see you are keeping more rarified company such as viscounts which is good. Smart to get acquainted with the sphere you are moving into beforehand, but there are things only one such as I can teach you.”

That hadn’t taken long at all. The utter temerity of the woman. “Of course.”

“You are infamous already. When the term ‘noble savage’ was coined, I don’t believe anyone expected it to be a literal social aspiration.”

Her father bristled visibly. “Madam—”

“Oh, I mean no offense, Captain,” She interrupted, all wide-eyed innocence and good intentions. “And rest assured while I do not relish the idea of an exotic daughter-in-law, we must all make the best of things, it is the British way after all.”

She knew how to play that role at the very least. She’d been surrounded by women like this her whole life.

“Yes, we must,” Regina replied evenly, breathing carefully through her nose to stave off the sudden nausea.

The idea of such a creature existing so close to her for the majority of her life however, was sickening.

“Well good day to you, Captain. I shall see you very soon.” She nodded and bustled away, leaving the day somewhat darker than it had been a few moments ago.

They rode along in silence for a few minutes while Regina came to terms with the reality of her new mother-in-law. It was a good deal of information to digest before breakfast. Her time was ostensibly up, and the woman who raised her fiancé was the most obnoxious, racist bitch of a woman.

“Perhaps we should head back,” her father said frowning after Mrs. Harrison and her dog.

“You go ahead, baba.”

“I am so sorry you had to hear that.”

“Her sentiments are offensive but not novel. Please, baba, give me a few moments more.”

For a moment as he sat quietly, she was afraid he wouldn’t agree.

If her father had made one thing clear to Regina it was that he wouldn’t sleep alone just to satisfy a whim of hers.

His first priority was always his wife, and Madhavi Mason wouldn’t appreciate her daughter being left alone in public for five minutes let alone the twenty it would take for her father to get home and send back a chaperone.

Then he let out a sigh and shook his head. “Shall I send back a groom for you?”

“If you wish, baba.”

“Rani,” he reached out to touch her shoulder, but she couldn’t let him. She didn’t want him to know how upset she was.

“I’m alright. I just need a moment to myself.” A moment to catch her breath.

He nodded and set off at a leisurely pace.

She watched him until he was out of view and then dismounted her Arabian mare, Kali.

She didn’t trust herself to keep riding when her emotions had her fingers curling into fists around the reins.

It had been a long time coming, but she was beginning to understand that very little could have prepared her for the reality of the life she was about to enter.

If she was lucky her husband would not be on close terms with the woman who sired him.

If she was very lucky, he would be the sort of man that was easy to get around.

She strolled along the path, the reins in her hand until she reached a park bench.

She sat there still, watching absently as Kali nibbled on the grass.

She’d spent so long imagining her married life, and while she’d known better than to expect a loving husband or a supportive mother-in-law, she didn’t know what it would feel like to know that the people with the closest control of her life would be so cold and intolerant.

It didn’t lessen her resolve, but she’d be lying if she said it hadn’t set her back on her heels. She would always be that ‘noble savage’ to them. She wondered if perhaps she should have adhered more closely to her mother’s advice instead of clawing at every ounce of freedom she could.

Would it have made a difference? Would she have been able to conform enough to satisfy Mrs. Harrison and those who thought like her?

She had lost so much in the name of assimilation and appeasement.

To be judged as wanting at first sight without so much as a test was infuriating and demoralizing.

But perhaps it was a path. It was always a mistake to underestimate one’s enemies and if anything, they would always be counted on to underestimate her.

They never understood those like her as well as she had been forced to understand them for her own sake.

There would be little dignity or peace if any, but perhaps if she bided her time and played a long strategy she would be able to win a victory for herself.

It could be through her children, or by simply surviving him.

As long as she secured an heir quickly, the likelihood of her being subjected to her future husband would be slim.

“Miss Mason?”

Her head snapped up to see Leo Kingston watching her carefully, the morning sun framing him in its lemony light. “Mr. Kingston.”

“Are you well?”

Regina didn’t know what to do with her face. How long had he been standing there?

“I am, thank you.” Why was he here? Why did he look so fresh and perfect while everything inside her was ragged and sickly.

“You are here alone?” He glanced at Kali, running one ungloved hand over her chestnut hide with easy familiarity. She was trying to remember if she’d ever seen him wearing gloves.

“Not for long. My father is sending a groom to escort me. I asked him for more time this morning.”

“I didn’t mean to intrude on your privacy. You looked…disturbed.”