A Closed Heart by Oster, Camille (guided reading books TXT) 📗

not.” Very little had been said at all, other than ‘please stay’ and the rejection of that idea. “Have you seen her?”

“No. Why would I have?”

Julius shrugged, thinking that there could have been the off chance that Jane had come to London to see Eliza. He didn’t even have an address for her. Not that he would write. What would he say? What was there to say?

“If you don’t mind, I’ll send Atticus over to spend some time with your children. He does enjoy time with his cousins.”

“You brought him to town?” Octavia said with surprise.

“I promised to show him the zoo.”

“We could go together,” Octavia suggested.

His instinct was to fob the task onto Octavia, but that went against his intention to spend more time with his son. Going to the zoo wasn’t something he wanted to do, but he was being accommodating. Although having Octavia there might make it easier to bear, or she would berate him the entire time. One never knew with her.

“Why do we have such a combative relationship?” he asked.

“Because we were both raised to be difficult people,” she replied, putting her teacup down. “Perhaps it’s in our nature.”

That was true. They had been raised to lead, to defend the family, and to never let themselves be taken advantage of. Perhaps that had had repercussions on the choices they made in their lives. It had also made them unbending in many ways, maybe even blind to finer feelings and compromises that smoothed things over.

“Jane Brightly isn’t the only woman in the world. Not to mention, as I said, entirely incongruent with your lifestyle. You should turn your attention elsewhere.”

Except he didn’t want to. He wanted Jane—the intimacy they’d had. Truthfully, he couldn’t think of opening himself up like he had to another person. It was Jane that inspired him. Except, she’d never intended to stay, which now left him in a position of missing and craving her. Even with her absence he still held her close by carrying on conversations with an imaginary version of her. Then at night, he dreamt of her, to wake to the realization she was gone, and the only evidence of her ever being there were memories and a painting he struggled to look at.

It felt as if he couldn’t breathe properly.

Chapter 28

THE STUFFY OFFICE OF HIS solicitors usually had a comforting air of somberness, but it felt uneasy today as Julius waited to conclude their business. The man had gone to retrieve some documents that had just arrived.

“We are ready to proceed,” the solicitor said. “It should be a relatively straight forward procedure as your wife isn’t contesting it, and her adultery is well known. A divorce trial is never an easy thing. The public tends to take great interest. The scrutiny can be difficult to bear, even as the change in marital law has made the process easier in most senses. For that reason, it would be advisable to schedule the trial during the summer.”

“No, I want it done as soon as possible.”

Mr. Carter gave him an assessing look. “We can file earlier, of course. My understanding is that Lady Hennington will not be attending the trial at all. Unfortunately, the date of the trial will need to be communicated with her, allowing for sufficient time for her to attend, if she should so wish.”

“If that is necessary.”

“Legally, it is. A divorce proceeding can be contested on that very point. Which also lends itself toward a summer court date.”

With a sigh, Julius resigned himself. It wasn’t what he wanted. Ideally, he wished to snap his fingers and this divorce would already be in place, and improvements withstanding, it was still a cumbersome process. “Fine,” he relented. This also meant he had to come back during the summer, which he absolutely didn’t want to do, but this simply needed to be born.

“I will confer with Lady Hennington’s solicitor. He may have instructions that can allow us to proceed sooner. It is, of course, easier when both parties wish to proceed. The issue of support can be contentious.”

“Give her whatever is reasonable to make this happen.” Having to support her while she lived in another man’s house grated, but at this point, there wasn’t much point thinking what was right and just. It was better to do whatever was necessary to conclude this. Cressida and her character were her own business.

“I will attempt to make that support as little as possible,” the man said. It seemed he took the quest personally.

“Expediency is more important to me.”

“If you don’t mind me saying so, expediency hasn’t been one of your requirements so far. I take it that your circumstances have changed?”

In actuality, they hadn’t, but something had changed. Jane had changed things.

“You have your instruction,” Julius said and rose from his chair. This was business he didn’t like dealing with, so whatever he could do to get this over with quickly, he would, but he didn’t have control over the courts. Still, Mr. Carter suggested that due to his wife deserting him entirely to live with her paramour, the case wouldn’t be difficult to prove—even more so if she chose not to attend.

Although he didn’t actually know his wife well, he knew her well enough to understand she preferred to ignore unpleasantries entirely, and this would definitely be unpleasant. Something unfortunate to sweep under the carpet.

Saying a quick goodbye, he left his solicitor’s office and returned to the carriage waiting for him down on the street. Hopefully this would happen with all expediency possible. The streets passed by with their constant activity, seeping into the stillness inside the carriage. Again he wondered what Jane was doing. Maybe Eliza would know.

*

“There you are,” Eliza said, standing at the entrance to the zoo at Regent’s Park. She looked bright and excited on