Forged In Love

Lieutenant Lord Henry Whitestone of Southampton hadn't the foggiest idea where he was or where he was going and his confusion no longer surprised him. He wasn't familiar with this part of England. Thankfully, the men he was traveling with knew exactly where they were headed, it was, after all, home to most of them. All Henry knew was the name of the manor they were going to, Cadishead Manor, it was to be his new home. His majesty, King George III, had decided that Henry should marry and settle down. Henry would have rather stayed in the Marines, but after the battle of Waterloo he was too injured to return to active duty. Thinking about his missing eye made Henry feel things he would rather not. He had already grieved the loss of his left eye and would not indulge in any more self-pity. Honestly, Henry should be overjoyed that he would be receiving a title and manor of his own. Being the second son of a duke, he stood to inherit very little. He would be taken care of, but none of it would be his. Everything would belong to his older brother, as it should. When Henry had been old enough he joined the Navy and later switched to the Marines. It was exciting to travel the seas and visit foreign lands. Henry had made a name for himself in the service, and it made him proud to serve his king and country. Henry didn't necessarily enjoy killing people, but that is part of military life. Those who would threaten the Crown, his homeland, and his family must not be allowed to prevail. He had often dreamed about being a hero as a child, funny how he grew up to be one. Henry had taken many risks on the battlefield, but none like the one that earned him a metal and cost him his eye. Henry shook his head and chided himself for thinking about things that were not important. He really should be paying more attention to his surroundings. He had never been to this part of England and being unfamiliar with one's surroundings was how one got lost. And a decorated officer of His Royal Marines would never be able to live that down. It may be easier to keep his mind on the here and now if he focused on the few details he had been given about Cadishead Manor. He knew that it was a backwater place that wasn't talked about very much. The former Duke of Bridgewater never ventured far from his home and no one really knew what his daughter looked like. Henry wasn't too concerned with what his future wife looked like, mostly he worried whether she would have an agreeable personality. Looks faded after all, and he wasn't as handsome as he had once been. He was sure she was worried about how her soon-to-be-husband would treat her more than how he looked. Henry knew that Cadishead mainly dealt in coal and that the whole property was full of the stuff. It seemed that they would never run out. At least he knew he would be able to afford to run the estate. While he wasn't raised to be the next Duke of Southampton, Henry had been taught how to finance a household. it may not be so bad living in a secluded part of the country, Henry thought. After the years he spent in the service, quiet sounded nice. Henry still couldn't help the nagging thought in the back of his mind that quiet wasn't what he was in for at Cadishead Manor. After what seemed like hours, and probably was, they finally stopped for the night. They all set about making camp and getting dinner going. Along the way, one of the men, John, had snagged a few rabbits. At the beginning of this journey, Henry was left with nothing to do. Who tells the son of a duke and soon-to-be-duke what to do? He wouldn't stand for that. Henry would pull his weight like any other man. It was best that these men saw him as someone they could count on and not some pampered pansy. After all, Henry was a veteran and rose through the ranks for his hard work and merit. He knew he wouldn't get far if he tried to ride his father's coat tails in life. Henry had just taken charge of tasks before others could and was able to make a place for himself among them. Henry chuckled to himself thinking about it now as he unsaddled his horse and took care of him before anything else. They had all seemed shocked that he would do anything so "beneath" himself. Henry then set about gathering wood for the fire. They were going to roast the rabbits and there was still some bread and cheese. They had ridden hard that day and hadn't stopped much. Being a seafaring man, Henry wasn't used to being in the saddle as much as the other men. Good thing they will be arriving at their destination tomorrow. Henry sat in a circle on the ground with the rest of the men and waited while the rabbits finished cooking. Some of the men were discussing what they would be doing once they got home tomorrow. Some of them talked about projects around their homes that needed to be done. Others talked about what they were going to be doing with their wives. Many of them hadn't been home in months and all they really wanted was to get back to their normal lives and routines. Henry could understand that, this whole ordeal was an upheaval from his norm. He just hoped it didn't take long to settle down into a new routine and life. Henry had often thought about taking a wife and becoming a father one day. He had just hoped it would be with someone he loved or at least knew. He had never met Lady Charlotte of Bridgewater and knew almost nothing about her. The smell of the roasting rabbit snapped him out of his thoughts and Henry realized just how hungry he was. It had been hours since they had stopped for their midday meal, which hadn't been much of a meal. Henry was used to three meals a day, being in the marines and often on a ship, but when traveling by horseback you had to pack light. This meant small meals and eating what they caught or found. Henry never complained, but he knew it was just for a few days, and then he would have a real meal and a real bed and...a wife. Again he circled back to that thought. Most men his age saw marriage a duty and more. You married, had children and increased your status and wealth for the next generation. If you wanted more, you were discreet about it. Henry never liked the idea of extra martial activities. It all just seemed messy and complicated. He had seen how unsatisfying they could be and how devastated those involved could become. No matter how unhappy he was, that would never be an option for him. Once again lost in his thoughts, Henry missed a piece of the conversation that was directed at him. Looking up at several pairs of eyes staring at him, Henry asked," I am sorry. Have I missed something?". "I asked if you had any experience of taming wild horses, My Lord", repeated Alex. "No, I don't." replied Henry. To which he was met with a chorus of laughter. Confused, Henry demanded to know what was so funny. Surely there was a hidden meaning in their question, and it was to bring insult to Henry. "Well, My Lord, it is probably best you see for yourself when we reach the manor" offered Philip.