“Haven’t your family owned it for several generations?” She asked.
“Many. As far back as has been recorded. I don’t think we’ve ever been anything but businessmen. I’m… a little disappointed in it, to tell you the truth. I feel a bit wasted in my position, doing nothing but telling other people what to do all day.”
“It sounds like you aren’t having much fun. You should do something to amuse yourself…besides the balls and dancing, of course.”
Richard chuckled without humor, picking up his fork. He gave her a look through narrowed eyes. “That is not what I would consider fun.”
“You do not enjoy the dances?” She was surprised. He had never mentioned before that he was dissatisfied, though he never brought any of the Ladies home, not this Season so far or the one before. She was suddenly glad of that fact, realizing she would now be jealous and uncomfortable if he had.
“It’s not the dancing that I object to. I like to dance. It’s the fact that Elizabeth makes me dance with Ladies I have no interest in. Most of them are looking for a certain kind of man as I am looking for a certain kind of woman. I have these children to think of, as well. They are young and not capable of caring for my children as they should be taken care of.”
“I am here. I can care for them.”
“And that’s another thing.” Richard let his fork drop so that it smacked against the side of his plate, which startled Rose and all three children. He looked down and then up at each of them. “I’m sorry about that.”
“What did you mean?” Rose wanted to hear his answer very badly.
“What?” Richard blinked at her. “Oh, we are talking about the Ladies from town, aren’t we? I have Samuel, Charlotte and Frederick to think of, and you have been their governess for most, if not all of their lives. What if the woman I brought back here decided you were no longer needed? I dread the thought of living in a home dictated by a strong-willed woman.”
“There are no Ladies at all that you feel would be up to the task of caring for the children? I can find a new position, if that were so.” She actually felt a little sick to her stomach when she spoke the words. She hoped it didn’t show on her face. Relief flooded through her when Richard shook his head.
“That’s not what I want. The children would miss you. You care for them better than anyone else can. I don’t want someone else in charge of them.”
Rose pressed her lips together, wishing he would see past her plainness and lack of status to more possibilities.
“Daddy, I’m done eating, can I go now?” Charlotte said, putting her fork down.
“You ate very quickly tonight, didn’t you?” Richard answered.
Charlotte nodded, her blond curls bouncing on her shoulders. “I have a book to read. I started it yesterday, and I want to read it, so I hurried to get to it. Can I go to my room?”
“Yes, that’s fine. I’ll come in with Rose tonight and see you to bed. All right?”
“Yes, daddy!” Charlotte jumped up from her chair and went to him to throw her arms around his neck. He hugged her back, and she gave him a kiss on his cheek before running out the door.
Her brothers left soon after, leaving Rose and Richard to finish their dinners together. It was not the first time it had happened, but it was the first time Rose noticed they didn’t usually speak to each other. She decided to change that. Their conversation before the children departed made her feel that more was possible. The more they talked, the more they would bond.
“If you were to be doing something else besides what you do,” She began. “What would it be?”
Richard looked up at her in surprise, raising his eyebrows. “What would I do?” He appeared to be thinking about it. She smiled. “Well, I suppose I would…operate a race track. I’ve always loved horses, you know. When I was young, I used to dream of becoming a jockey.” He laughed softly. “Couldn’t do it. Too big. Too tall.”
“That must have been terribly disappointing.” She was still smiling and saw that he was amused.
“It was a big blow to my self-esteem. Why couldn’t I have been born thin, with barely any muscle mass.” They both laughed loudly. “I wasn’t crushed by it, don’t worry. I moved on into my rightful place as the head of the Wentworth company, and there I shall stay until the end of my days.” He said it in such a forlorn voice, completely the opposite of his previous joviality. She preferred the joviality.
“It seems a terrible waste to me.” She had long since finished her plate but did not want to get up. The conversation would end, and she would have to go tend to the children. She wanted to stay and talk to him all night.
He nodded, pushing his own plate away and sitting back in his chair. “I have to agree with you and thank you for saying so, Rose. It would be wonderful to just have something different happen every now and then. I am going through the motions, as they say, not getting much pleasure from this life.”