Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 347: Mutual Respect

Chapter 347: Mutual Respect

"I heard Talia left Louis’ presence broken-hearted after he expressed his concerns towards the man she chose." The Dowager Queen took a sip of tea. Although she seemed nonchalant, her sharp eyes noticed every single expression of Jerome Brunton in front of her.

She knew Talia would visit both of them today so she visited Brunton to make it easy on her to visit both of them. She had escaped near death and without resting she is running around. She is more like her great grandfather in this aspect.

She received news that after storming off weeping, Talia went back to Louis and asked permission to have Little Henry with her for a couple of days. She’s really unpredictable.

And she has thoughts whether Arthur would be the perfect match for Talia. Status aside, her happiness and security is the priority. If he is someone who can’t provide both, he can’t be her husband.

Arthur is someone who has made many enemies in his pursuit to become ’The King’. And he still has wild ambitions to have the political structure of a nation changed. Will he be able to handle an equally powerful woman without trying to put her down?

Along with the enemies Talia has as she bears the Brunton name and as someone from Rosandale Royal family, she need not have more enemies from her husband’s side too.

Wouldn’t it be feasible to choose someone quiet? To choose someone who doesn’t create much splashes and without much aspirations? One who would be content living in her shadow?

Sure she had this thought always. And that’s why she was not against Walter Trembley pursuing Talia. He would be of lower status than her and he would know the duties that come along with being a Princess’ consort.

Arthur by any standards has equal standing as Talia. He might have a lower rank title, but as a man he is an equal to her. He also seems like a man with ego. Will his ego allow him to always walk a step behind her when he has every qualification to walk by her side?

She thought Talia and Arthur won’t come this far. They are close enough to announce their relationship to the public now. She thought the passion of Talia’s first love drove her back to Arthur and she thought that fire would dwindle and they would breakup after facing some hurdles in their path. But they are going strong.

Talia is happy with Arthur and that is an irrefutable fact. She’d changed a lot thanks to him too. But even then, her old heart couldn’t help but worry.

Will her happiness last? She is too dependent on him. Her happiness is depending on him too. Is that healthy? What would be of her if he breaks her heart? Will she be able to survive?

She wanted to know Brunton’s thoughts on that. If she had thought this much, he would have had similar thoughts too.

"Don’t think too much, Your Grace. You’ll only add wrinkles to your pretty face." Jerome chuckled.

The Dowager pressed her lips. "I should be honoured to think there is someone who still thinks my face is pretty."

"Of course I mean it." Jerome smiled politely as he drank his cranberry juice. His mood always gets cranky drinking this, but he has to endure if he wants to see his granddaughter getting married.

He can understand the Old lady’s concerns, but he wasn’t that worried. He believed his granddaughter will choose the best for her. She succeeded this far in life mostly by herself and he trusted her decisions would be wiser in the future too.

And he loved Arthur. He had watched him for the past ten years and he didn’t think there would be anyone else who’d be more suitable for his Mary-Ann than Arthur.

The Dowager took another sip of tea and took in a deep breath of the fruity aroma of the tea as silence ruled once again. She was not pleased Jerome is not willing to express his thoughts to her.

"I heard you weren’t this calm when your daughter introduced Robert Whiteford. Would you have been more welcoming if you knew he was of Royal blood?" The Dowager saw the ripples in Jerome’s face and was glad her probing had worked. She believed his status was not the only thing that would have made Jerome react negatively towards the man his daughter chose.

"Nonsense! I didn’t care about his status. What status can I, Jerome Brunton, not buy for my son-in-law?" Jerome clenched his jaws. "He was her professor! I sent my daughter to college for gaining knowledge and he... That scoundrel! When I didn’t give them my blessings, he went and got her pregnant before getting married. And his drinking habits were terrible. I had reservations about it, but my daughter always had something to say, ’Papa he’s just happy today!’, ’Papa he’s sad today!’, ’Papa we had a fight and that’s why he didn’t hold back his drinking’ Hmpf! As if no one else is happy or sad each day. He was an-" Jerome paused as he realised that he is talking to his late son-in-law’s grandmother.

Even if she didn’t know him, he still is her blood. And who’d like to hear nasty things about their grandchild despite them being the truth?

"Ah, so he inherited my family’s genes," The Dowager wasn’t offended and was calm. She really cannot blame Brunton for getting this angry. No one can be calm seeing their child getting mistreated in the name of love. He must have left Robert alive because of his daughter. "Alcoholism runs in my family. Even my brother died early because of it. And that’s why I’m glad when I see the restraint Talia shows towards alcohol. I guess she got my husband’s side of the gene pool. He was always the best."

"She’s more of a Brunton than a Saville," Jerome didn’t like to give up his granddaughter to the Rosandale Royal family. She might have taken up their appearance but she is more like his sweet Maria and him.

"Mmm..." The Dowager fell silent. "Maybe if Robert was raised by his kind mother, he wouldn’t have turned the way he did." There was a deep grievance in her eyes and Jerome kept his silence. He knew this old lady rarely talks about her daughter and he could understand why. So rather than his opinions, his silence would be more comforting for her.

"Talia spoke about how you helped everyone during the war. It put me to shame when I recalled that all our family did was hoard as much as we can for our servants and ourselves." She added.

"I don’t deserve your praises as that’s what I did too," Jerome smiled.

"I know you’re being modest, but it made me wonder... If my daughter was lucky enough to live anywhere near you during the war, she might have survived. She wouldn’t have died of malnutrition after giving birth as I know your wife and you would have shared food from your plates if necessary, to keep her fed." The Dowager’s voice trembled.

"You’re thinking too highly of me, Your Grace. I too am a flawed human with regrets." Jerome closed his eyes. He didn’t know why Ralph’s face came to his mind just then. Was it because they were talking about the war? Or is it because everyone calls him benevolent when he turned his back at that one boy who cried in front of him?

No! I made the right decision.

There was a comfortable silence in between them as both of them were in their own thoughts. As those who have lived for decades, both of them have their fair share of regrets. That’s what made them grow and that’s what made them who they are now.

And that wisdom they gained through the years is what makes them worry for their next generations. Worrying too much that their successors might do the same mistakes as them, they sometimes act harsh on them.

But the children are not their extensions and they have the right to learn everything through their own experiences. They can give advice and it would be up to the children to take it or not.

Jerome broke the silence as he didn’t want anyone interfering between Talia and Arthur.

"Don’t think too much about Talia and Arthur. Both are smart kids and they are truly in love and they respect each other. They will have a good married life in my opinion. Although I didn’t approve of Robert for my daughter and they were nowhere near perfect like my Annabelle and I were, there were times when I saw genuine happiness in her face when she was with him. At those times I really didn’t regret my decision to give into Maria’s wishes. There is no guarantee that everyone will have a perfect married life like us or you. As long as there is mutual respect, everything will be fine. And who are we to predict and dictate matters of the heart, right?"

"You are right." The Dowager agreed. Mutual respect in a marriage will hold any marriage more strongly than passion does. Passion may dwindle with time, but where there is mutual respect, there will be love. She has lived that life and she understood that.

But Arthur... Does he respect her enough? Will he let her share his burdens just like she shares her burdens?