A matter of honour
Based on a flight of fancy from 3.8 trailer; Edith's editor makes a shocking proposition. Luckily Anthony is on hand to rescue her but can he win Robert's approval as a result of his actions?
Chapter 1 an indecent proposition
Edith walked into the restaurant and the hovering maitre d' relieved her of her cloak. It was a chill evening but the restaurant was warm. He showed her to the table where her editor, Michael Gregson, was seated.
"I'm sorry to be so fashionably late," she apologised, "but the taxi took a wrong turn and not knowing London I had no idea."
"Never mind; you are here now."
Edith sat down and pretty soon the waiter bustled over.
"Please order for me," Edith said, "You have the advantage of knowing this place."
"Not really, it's only the third time I have been here myself, but I thoroughly recommend the chicken and asparagus soup."
"I'll have that then."
He ordered for them and the waiter departed.
Edith felt uncertain; she bitterly regretted telling him that she had been jilted but she wanted to give him the impression that she was capable of moving on although her heart told her different for Sir Anthony Strallan was still her last thought before sleeping and her first on waking. She hoped that he would not raise the subject again for it was none of his business and she saw no point in telling him that no man had a chance of winning her heart while Anthony Strallan drew breath. She had not enquired about his private life; did he have a fiancée, sweetheart or wife or did he prefer men? In truth Edith could not have cared less either way.
Anthony Strallan entered the restaurant; as he waited to be seated he caught sight of her name in the reservations book and he drew a sharp intake of breath. He had not known she was in London; it was the last place he expected her to be. He realised he had forfeited the right to know her whereabouts and how she felt the day he had walked out on their wedding. He was spending more time here in London at his club because Yorkshire held too many painful memories.
"Are you alright, Sir?" the maitre d' said.
"Yes I'm fine, "he lied.
He was shown to a table and on the way he saw Lady Edith chatting animatedly with a young man. His heart ached but she deserved someone younger, someone whole and he had lost her forever now. He was not to know that she was here on business. She had her back to him but he noticed her shiver slightly as he passed; as though she sensed his presence. He was seated at a table by a mirror which enabled him to study her and her companion. He was not sure he liked this voyeuristic position but he had no idea how useful it would soon prove.
He ordered and Edith clearly heard her voice; her editor had gone to the men's cloakroom so she was able to look back but unable to see him.
The editor returned from the cloakroom and resumed his seat; Anthony was acutely shocked by the jealousy that burned deep within him at seeing her with another man.
The water brought their main course and left.
The restaurant was noisy so Anthony put into practise a technique he had discovered during his time on the Western front; the ability to tune out background noise and focus in on things he wanted to hear. Sadly this technique had not worked on the day he had taken the bullet that had cost him the use of his arm but it was proving useful now.
"I'm really looking forward to working with you, Lady Edith; your women's rights article generated so much mail and interest that we had to employ two extra staff purely for the purpose of responding to enquiries and most of them asked if you would be writing for us again."
Anthony had been so proud of her the day her letter had been published. He had cut her article out and kept it in his desk drawer. He began to feel less threatened as perhaps this man was not a romantic interest after all although Anthony was pleased that someone other than himself and her family had clearly seen her potential. He loved her as a person and she had proved that she had a social conscience and understood and cared about the world at large.
"I have a few ideas," she admitted," just ideas at the moment which may require research to develop."
"The reason I have invited you here is because I have a proposition for you, Lady Edith," he reached for her hand and Anthony felt sick to the stomach.
"I hope it's not indecent," she laughed nervously.
"Well I don't think so; nor does my wife,"
Edith withdrew her hand forcibly from his grip.
"You have a wife?"
Anthony concentrated hard; this conversation was important.
"Yes. We have been married since the end of the war. Last year though she suffered a miscarriage and since then she has lost her taste for certain aspects of marriage."
"What's that to do with me/"
"She is anxious I not suffer and so we have discussed the prospect of me taking a mistress with her full knowledge. You would be well kept and looked after. You would get on with her, Lady Edith, for she too has a social conscience."
"How can a woman who advocates her husband keeping a mistress for his own gratification have a social conscience? I am totally shocked and disgusted and there is no way I will play that game. I may be emotionally vulnerable, any woman would after losing the only man she ever loved on the whim of her family but that does not make me easy prey."
She had said it; she had admitted she loved him and more than that, that he was the only man she had ever loved. The words were the sweetest music to his ears; sweeter than that concert he had taken her to before the war.
She threw her nearly full glass of wine in his face and looked around for the maitre d' to fetch her cloak; she had to get out of this place for she felt suddenly hot, dizzy and very unsure of herself. He grabbed hold of her wrist.
"Please Lady Edith; the man who jilted you did not see how beautiful you were and how talented."
"I will write something; exposing you for the lowlife sleaze that you are," she spat. "You may not print it but my sister, Lady Mary Crawley, was once engaged to Sir Richard Carlisle and he would have no qualms about printing dirt on one of his rivals. When he's done no woman of any kind of reputation will touch you with a ten foot pole. What you dare suggest is obscene and it really shocks me you would think me a likely candidate."
His face turned pale at the mention of Carlisle's name and Edith was glad for this was the reaction she had hoped for.
"Is everything alright, Lady Edith?" Anthony's shadow fell across the table as the editor began to wipe his wet face and shirt with his napkin.
"It's fine thank you, Anthony," she said, "this is the man who jilted me but he would never make such an amoral suggestion,"
"I would have thought he wouldn't need to since women tend to go for the injuries these days."
Anthony's face was like thunder; Edith had never seen him so riled and she wished he had stood up to her father and grandmother in this way.
"Are you going to hit me?" the editor challenged.
"I would not waste the energy," Anthony virtually spat, "Lady Edith is in this position because I listened to the views of her family ahead of hers; I may never be unable to do that but at least I care enough to not expose her to moral degradation and filth. You have soiled her but to me she is pure and will remain so. If you print but a word then I will go and see Sir Richard Carlisle myself as well as the Chief Constable of Scotland Yard,"
Edith was shaking and caught herself wondering if had heard her proclamation of love.
He put his good arm around her and drew her to him as the maitre d' brought her cloak and she threw it on.
Suddenly she felt her head spin and everything went black.