The Beauty of Coincidence | manxman | (Historical Fiction)

XXXIV - The Brace

Victor wasn't quite sure what to do in this predicament. He never thought a day would come where he'd have to prove he wasn't the father of a child that certainly didn't belong to him. How would a man go about proving he hadn't fathered a child, especially one that already looked a lot like him? It wasn't his fault he and Daloris shared similar qualities. Their blond hair, blue eyes, even their facial structure and builds were similar in certain aspects, but their features alone were what could bring further questions into the idea of adultery.

As much as Victor would absolutely love to view the young boy Jasper Lancechester as such, the harmful and salacious lie strewn regarding himself and the boy's mother was the most off-putting thing about this whole dilemma. He hadn't known of Daloris' existence up until a few months ago. Yes, they'd been set on a path to marry one another so long ago, but the severing of their union happened years prior to their first meeting. Who could bring themselves to believe these lies? People who enjoyed a good spat, that was for certain, and whoever commissioned the piece of gossip to be written was surely one of those folks.

It wasn't like he didn't already know who this person was anyway. Victor had only ever spoken to one person with connections to the publications office. Was he proud of himself? Victor wondered. Had he gotten what he wanted out of this? What was he hoping would happen now that the article was in circulation? Victor doubted anything good could come from this, but he also couldn't picture anything immensely detrimental coming from it either. His meeting with Ronald Lancechester was scheduled for two days from now, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the man had either read it already, or word of the piece would reach him before his arrival.

This man, Christopher Adley, wasn't aware of the meeting, but pitting the two noblemen against one another had to come with an end goal. Was he hoping Ronald would unleash hell against his name? Many people, including Victor, were familiar with the tales that followed such a name. The family title itself was bathed in blood, self-righteousness, and of course the desire to maintain high favor and status. If anything at all, an embarrassed anger would likely be following Ronald from his home in Brimonhive.

Victor sat forward on the sofa in his lounge, a tray of freshly brewed tea and milk before him. The nontoxic beverage didn't look appealing at all. Given the weight wanting to come descend upon him, he much preferred to down an entire bottle of whiskey than this. He set the printing before him then and breathed a sigh, his gaze switching over to the man still standing in front of him.

"You look anxious," the blond lord said, a half smile coming to his lips. From the very second Reynold arrived at the estate, he hadn't relaxed one bit, and looked far more nervous about this situation than Victor. What was he afraid of? Victor also wondered. Obviously Reynold Deighton had a right to be concerned with what was going to take place from here on between the name of Ramsey and Lancechester, but was he truly afraid of something more? "Do you fear for my well-being now that it seems I've acquired an enemy?" Victor asked.

"I would not wish for you to have a single enemy," Reynold sulked. He was standing at the other side of the low table set between them. There was no true fear nestled in him considering what would be entering the city alongside the Lancechester man. He only found himself stressed at the mere idea of another person in this world harboring such hatred for Victor. The blond man already had a faction of people who wished for his demise, for misfortune to brace itself against him, and a part of Reynold wondered what thoughts would cross their minds after coming across the article. "But..." the dark-haired man wanted to keep his voice leveled and unbothered, "If you are not fearful of what may follow this ludicrous accusation, then I will attempt to keep myself settled as well. Know this, though, my love, I will be beside you in every event to come."

"I know such to be the truest statement regarding this ordeal," Victor nodded. "Forgive me if I only let it be known that I am not too pleased with why this has come about."