Beyond the Bedchamber

Teaching Heaven

"Lord Vincent Heaven, Earl of Cumberfield and Lord Louis Gale, Earl of Markington." They walked through the door, both somewhat nervous for very different reasons. The crowd looked up in interest. They were the guests everyone was most interested to see and meet tonight. They accepted the greetings from their host, and then Lord Gale introduced his nephew, Lord Heaven, to the guests little by little.

He seemed slightly overwhelmed by all the attention, but it was to be expected since he was young and attractive. He flinched when a rather forward young girl tried to touch his sleeve to gain his attention and Lord Gale was quick to step in. He suggested that her mother was looking for her, and she darted off with a blush.

Heaven whispered his thanks and asked if he could slip out for a bit. Gale suggested a walk in the gardens. More than the two of them went outside for fresh air. It was greatly needed though with all the heavy perfumes inside. The warm day was turning to a slightly cooler evening which was pleasant for all company.

Heaven stayed glued to Gale's side throughout the evening, and the guests remarked that they seemed to have become great friends in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, what Gale had feared had come to pass. He had run into the family he had sought to avoid for the last year at this community get together.

They kept their distance after meeting Heaven briefly in a crowd of others, but as the evening came to a close and the two seemed inseparable... they approached with purpose. Gale saw them coming but couldn't see a way to avoid the encounter, so he just sucked in a deep breath and braced for the onslaught.

"Lord Gale, you naughty boy. You have been ignoring my invitations. Why haven't you come to see us and our lovely daughter." Sir Henry crowed at him. He thought it might be obvious to the man and frowned at the comment.

"Forgive me, Sir Henry, but my wife passed away and then I was travelling quite a bit." Lord Gale said in a rather cheeky tone. He wasn't sorry in the slightest. Couldn't the man take the hint?

"Come now. Men don't go into mourning. That's women's stuff. It is time to pick a new wife and have an heir my good fellow. You can't leave your estate in the lurch now." He yammered on. Heaven caught Gale's gaze with a rather alarmed look and Gale rolled his eyes when the man wasn't looking.

"Well this man did, not that it is any of your business. I would say a man's decisions regarding his home and estate is a private affair, wouldn't you Lord Heaven?" He turned to his nephew for support and heard a murmur in agreement. The obnoxious family tried to regain their good favour with local gossip and compliments, but the damage was already well done.

"Now seriously boy, you should really think about marriage again. You owe it to the community or you are not doing your duty." He tried one last time, making Gale cringe in discomfort. How dare this buffoon try to berate him on duty!

"Enough. You have no idea what Lord Gale has done in the name of duty so you have no right to speak on the matter. He is steadfast, honourable, loyal, and has gone to great lengths to liberate me from an unspeakable situation. I do not think either of us would care to be associated with someone who would ignore the basic respect due to a beloved family member, even on death." Lord Heaven interrupted his speech and took Lord Gale's arm to pull him away from them, crossing the room in a direct snub.

"Bravo, boy. I think you have said only what many of us were thinking just now." A gentleman in the group they had crossed to patted him on the back. The women murmured their agreement and Lord Gale just stood and blushed in embarrassment over the whole thing. He appreciated being stuck up for but loathed the rather public display that the whole situation had thrown him into.

"Thank you." He quietly allowed Heaven when the fuss had died down some. The young man just smiled and nodded. They did not stay much longer after that, preferring to return to the estate for a quiet evening. On the carriage ride back, he got the question he was dreading from Heaven.