Madison Cleary

Chapter 7

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The sparks have began to fly and Madison and James are beginning to want something one of them knows they cannot have......

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MILLICENT let the sheets fall from her slender frame. Her face had long lost its luster, she now looked spent. Charles lifted his head from the pillow and looked up at Millicent who was now sitting upright, her bossom in full view. 'I find it odd,' she said.

'What?' Charles asked. He had left for the London the day after his conversation with his mother. He did not want to blame her for paying more attention to James after their father died, it was not her fault but it was certainly not his either. He understood James was the one to take the title and he had never been responsible, even his father knew. Whenever he would get up to mischief his father would let him off with a stern warning knowing there was nothing he could do about it.

However, unlike many men who turned to the bottle to free themselves from misery, he turned to women. He found comfort in another being looking to please him at all costs. And being the brother to the Duke of Abercom certainly secured him more eyes ready to please.

He was glad James had a good head on his shoulders, he would hate to see his father's legacy be run to the ground by his two children. He felt guilt for letting his mother shoulder most of his grief but he was not in the position to deal with the ghosts his father had left behind.

'Your family left London far too soon.'

'Once my mother decides she has tired of London, we all have to tire of London.'

She pushed his hair away from his face. Millicent had graced one too many beds, she never sought marriage or any form of labeling from the men she dangled with. She was content with the non committal relationships that caused her no heart ache.

She often sought out the troubled, she could spot them. Charles was one. His ghosts kept him from wanting more from the women he toyed with and that was a fact that caused her great joy.

'What entertainment exists in Abercom?' she watched his eyes run over her before he turned to lay on his back, his eyes to the ceiling.

'None, except my mother's newest project.'

'From your tone I assume it's a woman.'

He shielded his eyes with his arm draping it over his head, 'I prefer if we would not speak.'

Millicent received his message and lowered herself back down and pulling Charles' hand away from his face.

The gossip around London was circulating like a storm, Madison had been away from the town for a while, no one had heard of her after her alleged accident. The physician that had attended to her spoke of a Duke coming to inquire about her welfare but he did not give his full title and the physician did not see his carriage.

She had disappeared as soon as the Duke of Abercom had left London and here she with was his brother, but she could not very well ask the man. What she needed to do was secure an invitation from him, but that would mean she would have to make him believe she was in love.

Madison left Justina to her own wisdom, she did not know the pain the woman was suffering so she was not in a place to give her constant advice. Justina had preferred to spend her day locked away to nurse her pain, a pain Madison was surprised her son did not know she had. She looked youthful and had energy as much as any other woman her age, but by sunset her eyes looked dim and there were shadows under them. The glow of her skin would not be so radiant and her step faltered.