A Lords love |Gerard Walseworth|

Welcome back Son ~ Chapter 2

London , England 1801

Gerard stood tall outside his home. It was all the same, just how he liked it. The same colour walls, the same ceiling and the same people. Gerard had been gone for a year and even then he had only seen his family for a mere three weeks, the strict call of Eton ate away at his teenage years, but it was all worth it for a proper education, was it not ?

The fifteen-year-old boy pushed open the front door and walked into his family home. Gerard took a moment to take in the scene in front of him—the warm, familiar smell of his mother's favourite flowers scattering around the house in neat and expensive vases. It felt like just another day, except for the fact that he hadn't seen his family in months. He had missed them dearly. Walking further into the house in search of his family who were no where to be seen he entered the living room and finally he saw his mother seated, a book in her hand and tea in another, "Mama ?" Gerard spoke out, walking closer. Upon hearing his voice, the brunette turned her head, "Gerard ?" Her eyes widened with glee, and she quickly placed down her tea and book, lifting almost tripping to l engulfing him in a hug.

"My little boy, oh how you've grown." She held him close to her, the last time she had seen Gerard she could place her head on his, but now the roles had reversed, "my little boy." She held her hand over her mouth. "Oh, you are so much older." Emily simply couldn't believe her eyes. "Mama, I assure you I'm still young." Gerard chuckled at his mother's reaction to his growth spurt, she wasn't wrong, he had grown a lot since Christmas. His squeaky and quiet voice was now deeper and low but still quiet, the fat from his cheeks had quickly vanished while his body had grown taller and taller. He was now just a couple inches shorter, than his lanky father.

"Come, come, your father is just outside." His mother quickly dragged him out, but was stopped by Gerard's still stance. Emily turned back to look at her son, her face forming a sadden look, "Gerard ?" His mother asked, her eyes searching her sons' unnerving expression. "I... I think it's best I stay in here" Gerard quietly spoke, staring at the ground. The last time the two had spoken was around two years ago, a falling out and disagreement of the sorts.

London, England 1799

"I'm not going to a private school, father, I-I don't want to..." Gerard argued back, his tiny hands in trembling fists. "Gerard, don't be foolish." His father laughed, mocking his thirteen-year-old son. "You are going to Eton, Gerard, there is no arguing to be done." Henry dismissed his son. "I don't want to go, you surly won't make me. I'm not leaving home. I'm not leaving mama and Eden, George and Clara to attend a prissy school filled with other snobbish boys competing for whom the richest and most high classed family. It's pathetic." Gerard began to list reasons why he couldn't leave. Why he didn't want to leave. "Pathetic ?" His father muttered his words, "Can't you see I don't want to go?" The Gerard interrupted his father's words "You're unbelievably ignorant and ungrateful, Gerard, you do know that, don't you." Henry looked the boy up and down, his face filled with a new expression of disappointment, disgust and anger.

"Eton is the best Boys school in England. My father, my grandfather, his father, and his father before him have all attended Eton, all the Walseworth men have. This "pathetic" school is the only way you will grow up, the only way you will get over your stupid issues, the only way you may learn to speak without stuttering you may just learn to partake with other boys and not just sit to the side holding your Mother's hand like a sulking boy." Henry knew how harsh he was being, he knew what he was saying, but he didn't know how much it would affect Gerard.

"Our house is  Nobel and ancient it is the house of Walseworth a high class family which dates back to the Middle Ages. We have an image, we have history ad we have wealth. We are a respected family and i your father has done his part to retain that legacy. Now you boy will do the same. It is not my job, not your mother nor Eden, George's or Clara's but yours !" Henry stepped closer to Gerard, grabbing the lapels on the boys' jacket, his anger, and frustration growing, wondering why his son couldn't see that what he wanted for him was what was best, what would make him be happy in the future. Why couldn't he just do what he had to do. "You are the sole responsibility for the Walseworth Family now and to be that you will go to Eton and you will learn to be a respected lord." Henry quickly let go of Gerard, stepping back and running a hand through his now dishevelled hair.