No love for Louisa

TWENTY FOUR

"Its not right Mother!" Alex declared as he paced up and down  his  drawing room after  the duchess had shortly just arrived to visit her son, and had found him in a rather unsettled state. She soon learned the reason why from him, as he could not contain his frustration and annoyance. 

It appeared Alex had been talking with Hettie Marshall, and on discovering that Rosemary Chapple  was all set for marrying Viscount Dupont, which had not really surprised Alex , he was not really interested in Miss Chapple's success for catching a husband, but he had used the opportunity to enquire after her cousin, Miss O'Mara. 

 Hettie  had went on to explain now that Rosemary would no longer be needing Louisa as a companion, and that Mr Joseph Chapple would no longer welcome Louisa's presence in his home in Devon, Hettie had been making enquiries about trying to find her a respectable position  as governess  or companion with a good family .

Learning this, after also recently receiving Louisa reply to his letter, in which she had made it clear  that she thought it best that they should no longer keep in touch or continue their friendship, he was finding the whole situation intolerable and unfair.

"She has noble blood running through her veins just as her cousin Rosemary does, and which is just as good as ours," he reminded her, "so why should she be considered less of a person through no fault of her own, and condemned to a life of  drudgery  because her mother dared to defy her family to marry the man that she loved and  then met a tragic end" he then demanded.

"Well my dear, it was a little more complicated than that" the Duchess tried to reason with him, "Its how they met their tragic end" she then reminded him meaningfully

"Oh, you mean because her father died penniless in a debtors prison?" Alex asked scathingly, "Tell me mother, which one of our many noble families in London alone, have not such a scandal of their dead relations or ancestors doing something of that ilk, or maybe even worse, but it has been conveniently overlooked because of their money and connections?"

But the Duchess only looked perplexed, "Really Alex, after  Mary, jilting you at the alter, whilst defying her family, and leaving you looking a fool, I find I am rather surprised you are taking sides with Miss O'Mara's parents.

"Its not her parents so much I sympathise with Mother, but for Miss O'Mara caught trapped in a situation that was not of her doing" he then explained feelingly "even despite what happened with Mary making me look like a fool, I would not wish any child she would conceive in the future, might have to pay for her folly" he then informed her

"That is all very well in your case Alex, but it seems Joseph Chapple does not share such sentiments" The Duchess then pointed out "and many would still agree with him, perhaps it is not right, but it is just the way it is."

"Well, I don't accept it!" Alex snapped defiantly ," Especially not in Miss O'Mara's case"

This declaration made his mother scrutinise her son's face more intently, as the realisation dawned in her, "Oh Alex, I believe you have succumbed to deeper feelings for Miss O'Mara than just friendship, and this is not just about being upset at some social injustice, or her uncle's treatment of her. But something far more personal" she then spoke up in slight dismay

"What if it is Mother?  are you so shocked?" he then demanded, still sounding somewhat defiant

"Oh Alex," was all she could reply, as she tried to grapple with the realisation still, not sure how she felt. Thinking back on it now, it seemed the gossips had found some hint of truth, she should have realised what had been happening under her nose over the last month or so.

 But she had been giving all her attention to her younger son and Miss Chapple,  expecting a wedding from that, and much to her chagrin that had not even happened. But after Alex had declared at the beginning of the season,  that he had no interest in romance or marriage, she had convinced herself, he had  just found a friendly distraction in Miss O'Mara,  and her situation, to take his mind of  other things  But it seemed that had not been the case