Chapter 7
Ben straightened his cuffs as he walked out of his own room, into the hall, and over to Rey's doorway to wait so he could escort her to the carriage for church. He could scarcely believe that he had already been married for a week, though alternatively it felt very much like more time had passed.
He paced in front of the doorway, feeling nervous. He was simply escorting her to church, so there was no cause to be nervous, but the last time he had seen his wife had been shortly before he set about destroying several glass items in the drawing room and he had no earthly idea what she thought of him after hearing the destruction as she left.
The door opened abruptly and Ben found himself once more assaulted by the beauty of his wife. They stared at one another for a long moment, Ben struggling to keep his face blank while several emotions passed through Rey's eyes. Ben stepped forward and offered his arm. Holding her head high, however, Rey pulled on her glove, ignoring Ben's proffered arm and walking swiftly down the stairs. Ben trailed behind, wondering what had brought on her sudden frosty demeanor.
A footman helped Rey inside the carriage, Ben following shortly after, taking the seat opposite her. Rey seemed to be avoiding his glances, staring out the window without speaking.
After several long moments of silence, Ben could take it no longer. "Have I offended you?"
Rey considered him a moment, irritation plain on her face.
Turning back to the window she replied with a clipped, "No."
There was another brief moment of silence as Ben studied her. Despite her answering in the negative, she was very obviously upset with him. Her entire body was tensed, her hands fisted rather than clasped in her lap, and her jaw moving as she ground her teeth together.
"Clearly you are upset," Ben said. "Might I know, what is the cause of your ire?"
Keeping her face turned towards the window, Rey glanced back at Ben.
"How has your week been, sir?" she said. "Busy?"
Ben narrowed his eyes as he wondered why she was choosing to ignore his question. What game was she playing? "No more so than usual."
Rey returned her gaze out the window. "And do you usually seclude yourself in your study at all hours of the day and night?"
Ben stared. Was it possible she was upset by his absence? He quickly quashed the notion that she might have desired his company. Every time they spoke, including this one, they rapidly dissolved into quarreling, so surely his absence was not the cause of her irritation. After several long moments, Rey turned her head to look at him.
"Did you imagine I enjoy being left alone in a large house with nothing to do?" she asked.
Ben cocked his head. Curious indeed. Perhaps his initial assessment was correct. He found his heart leaping at the notion, and struggled to keep an indifferent expression on his face as he asked, "Is it my absence that has brought on this dour attitude?"
Rey huffed and turned her head back towards the window.
"Certainly not."
"Then what, pray tell, is the matter?" Ben asked, irritation coloring his voice, despite his efforts to keep it neutral. Rey's refusal to answer him outright was beginning to try his patience. He did not enjoy the mind games he found himself often subjected to by the women in the peerage. It was part of the reason he sought a woman such as Rey for a wife. Had he known that he would be subjected to the same games from Rey, he might have questioned his decision to marry her.
Rey closed her eyes, taking a steadying breath before turning back to face Ben.
"It was not your absence, sir, but do you not imagine I would become lonely with nothing but reading to occupy my time?" Rey swallowed thickly. "I…I'm not used to having so much leisure time, and therefore have very little idea how to fill it."
Ben's severe expression relaxed as she explained herself. Though he had tried to be thorough in preparing Rey's transition into the peerage, it appears he had not considered that she might need help with her leisure time as well.
"There are any number of activities to occupy your time and should you wish to learn them, you have but to ask. Would you prefer music? Painting? Perhaps horseback riding? Friends whom you could invite to dine with us?"
Rey reluctantly shook her head. "I had very little time to make friends. The only friends I had made in my months here with Mr. Plutt were the Smiths, who shall be coming over after the church service for a visit. They are both employed at your parents' estate and have only Sunday afternoons free."
Ben said nothing, digesting this information. Every mention of Plutt lowered Ben's already low opinion of him. It was unsurprising, to be sure, that Plutt had not taken the time to teach her activities such as painting, but to keep her from having friends? Ben retracted his earlier thought, glad that he had removed her from such a terrible situation.
It was beginning to dawn on him just how much he had to offer Rey and the thought filled him with a curiously warm feeling. Before he could further ponder this thought, the carriage stopped. Ben shook himself out of his thoughts as he exited the carriage, preparing for church.
The following day, Ben spent a good deal of time in his study dealing with correspondence. Late in the afternoon, there was a knock on his door. Ben was surprised upon opening the door to see Rey's maid Beatrice before him, looking apprehensive.
Swallowing, the maid curtsied.
"I beg your pardon, Your Grace, I hope I'm not disturbing you."
Ben's brows knit together in his confusion. Stepping back, he gestured for the maid to enter.
"Not at all."
Ben walked over to his desk and sat down, gesturing for Beatrice to do the same.
The maid seemed nervous, fidgeting her hands, and Ben wondered if she was about to confess some wrong she had committed.
"How may I help you?"
Beatrice took a deep breath. "I don't wish to betray the confidences of my mistress, but I felt it important that you know she arrived from the Skywalker estate very upset."
Ben frowned. What on earth had his mother done?
"I see." Ben paused before asking, "Did she confide the particulars of what happened?"
Beatrice shook her head. "No, sir, but she was distraught to the point of requesting she be dressed in her bedclothes. When I left her, she had taken to her bed."
Ben leaned back in his chair, sighing as he digested this information. After a moment he nodded towards Beatrice.
"Thank you for informing me. You may leave."
Beatrice nodded, exiting the study and leaving Ben to his thoughts.
He wanted desperately to go to Rey, to find out the cause of her distress, but would she welcome his presence or would he only cause her further distress?
He stood, pacing to pour himself a brandy before going to his window. He gazed out at the grounds, drinking the brandy and pondering what to do. The pull towards her room was very strong.
After several minutes of internal debate, Ben tossed back the last of his brandy and headed towards Rey's room. He had to know what his mother had done and how he might fix it. Rey's loneliness already weighed heavily upon him. It would not do to have her further distressed if there was a means of fixing the issue.
Once her door was in front of him, Ben paused. Should he knock first? What if she had fallen asleep? He did not wish to disturb her if she had. Taking a chance, Ben opened the door and took a few careful steps inside.
"I'm quite fine, I assure you," Rey said, her voice coming out hoarse with emotion.
She must assume it was her maid who had returned. Ben swallowed thickly.
"And I assure you, you do not sound fine."
Rey sat up quickly, startled to find him there and then flushed. Ben wondered if his seeing her in her bedclothes was the cause.
"Sir, I…I was not expecting you," she stammered, quickly getting off the bed, and attempting to smooth down her clothing and hair.
Ben regarded her a moment before stepping further into the room and closing the door.
"It was brought to my attention that you returned from my mother's quite upset."
Rey swallowed, becoming visibly upset at the mention of his mother.
"It was nothing," she said quickly. "I made a fuss over nothing."
Ben continued to walk slowly towards her as he narrowed his eyes. It tore at his heart to see her red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained face.
"No," he said softly. "You're still upset."
Rey shook her head, but did not reply as Ben neared. He did not stop walking towards her until she backed away a step. For several moments they stared at one another, Rey's breath hitching. Ben felt a riot of emotions flooding him at seeing her so distressed and longed to find a way to fix it.
"Was it my mother?" Ben asked. "Did she say something?"
Rey swallowed and shook her head. "Your mother was lovely."
If not his mother, then who or what else would have caused her so much anguish?
"Who else was there?" he asked, his eyes roving her tear lined face.
Rey took a step back, shaking her head and wiping at her face. "It does not matter."
His eyes snapped back to hers as anger at whoever caused her such pain welled up inside him. "It does matter. You are clearly upset. Who did this to you?" With each sentence Ben's voice rose. Stopping and taking a breath to calm himself, Ben asked again, "Who else was there?"
Rey's breath quickened and she began chewing on her bottom lip. Ben's eyes were drawn to the movement, the thought of kissing her coming unbidden into his mind.
Releasing her lip, Rey replied softly, "A Lady Sindian and her two granddaughters."
Ben's eyes widened slightly at the name and then irritation arose once more. What had his mother been thinking?
"I see. I'm well acquainted with Lady Sindian's manner."
Rey's brows knit together. "Yes, she mentioned you were acquainted."
"What did she say that has you so upset?" Ben pressed.
Rey turned away and walked towards the chairs by the window, hugging herself as she stared out at the darkening sky.
He would certainly be dealing with both his mother and Lady Sindian, but first he needed to know what had been said. He had no doubt that the Lady had latched onto, or perhaps even started, rumors about their marriage. She had been ever resentful of Princess Leia's status in life and that she had squandered it to marry a commoner. The fact that her son had done the same would not have increased Lady Sindian's opinion of the family, especially as she had made it very plain that she wished him to marry one of her granddaughters.
"My dear – " Ben started to say, the endearment slipping out without him realizing it.
Rey laughed hollowly and turned around to answer his question.
"They questioned me as to how our courtship went, and how I had managed to catch you." Rey laughed again humorlessly as Ben watched her. "When I let them know how few times we had met prior to our engagement they said…" She trailed off, a flush creeping back up her face. Clearing her throat and looking away from him, she continued. "That is, they insinuated that the only reason you proposed was because…because we…that I…" Rey sighed, keeping her eyes trained on the floor. "That we engaged in an improper relationship prior to your proposal."
There were several moments of silence as Ben realized with horror what rumors were being spread about his marriage, that he had married Rey to save her honor.
"That's absurd. Why would I marry a woman of low birth for that reason? Our country is littered with bastards from such relationships. There's no need to marry a woman if that's all you want."
Ben immediately wished he could take back the words as Rey's eyes snapped up, ire flashing within them. "Do you think so little of the feelings and reputations of women beneath your station, sir?"
Ben frowned. "No, I-"
Rey did not let him finish. "Do you feel you did me a service with this marriage, that I should be grateful?"
Ben opened his mouth, but Rey pressed on. "You have done me no service. Rather now people assume I'm a harlot. You have ruined my reputation and for what, sir? A life of supposed leisure in which I am set adrift with nothing to fill my time, no friends to speak of, and constant degradation by my supposed peers." Turning back around and hugging herself again, Rey softly said, "Please leave me. I wish to be alone."
Ben wanted to go to her, to wrap his arms around her and offer comfort, but instead he simply replied with a soft, "As you wish," and walked out the door.
A/N: Updating on a Wednesday. Will wonders never cease? lol Thanks for reading. A special shoutout to my friend Evi, without whom I would probably never have written A Scandalous Match. It was she who pushed me to write it when I said I had some ideas. And today is our friendiversary. A year ago we started chatting about a little ship called Reylo. ;)
