'You may break, you may shatter the vase, if you will,
But the scent of the roses will hang round it still'

-Thomas Moore

Fletcher Alley;

The onyx carriage maneuvered its way through the murky pathway, lined by rows of dingy dwellings.
It came to a rugged stop in front of an iron-wrought gate, big enough to conceal the fancy building behind it.

Sigourney rushed through the guards at the gate, raising her skirts in her hands.
She stopped with a flushed face just as a man descended the carriage.

"Lord Seaborne! Thank you for gracing our humble abode with your eminent presence."
Sigourney bowed as Lord Richard Seaborne came to stand before her.

"I concurred that it was time for me to get some news of the establishment. It had been too long since I visited."
Richard spoke as he ran his eyes about him.
The aforementioned establishment was illuminated with lamps and candles on silver scorns.
Everything about it screamed elegance.

Sigourney stole a glance at Lord Richard Seaborne.
He was just as handsome as she remembered him to be. Age had certainly done him justice.
If she had been a few years younger, she could easily imagine herself being smitten by his rugged looks and honey-like eyes.

It was indeed a shock to her when the errand-boy came to her to announce the arrival of Lord Seaborne.

It was completely unexpected considering the fact that it was the first time in the last sixteen-or-so years that he had made his presence known at the place of which he was a patron and at which he used to be a regular customer for as long as she could remember.
They had been dealing only with his subordinates for almost the last two decades.

Sigourney knew not what had transpired to change a man like Lord Seaborne.
His reputation had been that of a philanderer in the entire kingdom till he suddenly stopped his acts altogether.
He even stopped visiting the brothels, hers being one of them.

The entire kingdom had been perplexed by his everted behaviour.
For a man who tried- and almost always succeeded- in getting under the skirts of any Lady, notwithstanding the fact whether she was married or unmarried, he unexpectedly turned to a celibate.
But she, along with all the men of the kingdom, was not complaining.
Not as long as he continued his monetary support for her brothel.

"Do allow us to serve Your Lordship tonight. I can arrange the best of the beauties to keep you company."
Sigourney stated in a meaningful tone.

Richard looked at the woman in front of him with a wry smile.
She was no longer the lithe beauty that he remembered her to be.
Her sagging shoulders and wrinkled face reflected her years but her eyes had still not lost their fierce spark. It was the one thing that allowed her to survive amongst the wolves.

"I thank you for your generous offer Sigourney but I have to decline it.
The manor awaits my return. There is a lot that needs to be done. I simply came to see whether my old acquaintance was fairing well."
He spoke in a soft tone.

Sigourney smiled widely.
"By the generosity of His Grace over the years, I have been able to keep this humble abode running. However, I feel we have been taking undue advantage of your kindness, Lord Seaborne. You have not even visited us for so long. At the very least, let us serve a few delicacies to you."

Richard contemplated for a few moments before seeing the expectant look on Sigourney's face.
"Alright. But I can only spare one hour."

"Of course, My Lord."
Sigourney grinned as she ushered him inside.

Richard's mind filled with the moments that he had spent in the same brothel years back.
Each night was spent in arms of a new beauty.
He sighed as shame for his past actions again filled his heart.
He knew he could not change what he was. That was a reality that would always be there.
But he had vowed, all in the memory of the woman whom he had wronged, that he would mend his ways.

"Please have seat, My Lord. I would be back in a moment."
Sigourney had him seated in the most elegant corner of the hall before she left.

All the eyes were on Richard Seaborne.
The women, wrapped in the arms of other men, were looking at him with an unhidden desire in their eyes.

He was a fine specimen of a man. He knew what effect he had on the fairer gender. But their attention was no longer the thing that he craved.

A few of the men were snickering as they finally caught the infamous Lord Richard Seaborne red-handed.
They had believed it to be a farce that the man was putting up just to distract others.
They knew that sooner than later, Lord Seaborne would be back to his philandering ways.

Richard Seaborne decided to ignore the prying eyes of the other customers at the brothel.
Many of them were men of high stature.
Some were Lords whose wives had graced Richard's sheets years back.

He scoffed.
They were no saints themselves to judge him for his actions, not that their opinion mattered to him.

He thoughts were interrupted by a clatter of tumblers and a frantic voice apologizing to one of the men.

"Please forgive me, sire."
Richard turned in the direction of the sweet voice and saw a woman bowing in front of the sour-looking Wade Baxter, the local wine merchant, his white tunic soaking wet with what he assumed to be the scarlet wine that was filling the now-empty tumbler lying at their feet.

"You whore! Do you have any inkling of what you have done?"
The pig of the man screeched, his puffy face had turned red with anger.

Richard could see the unmasked relief on the youthful face of the girl lying on the settee from which Wade Baxter had stood up moments ago.
She was hurriedly fixing the front of her corset that was haphazardly half-opened.

The woman in front of him however, was shaking in fear.
Her face was hidden by her golden locks but Richard could not help but notice her slender frame, well-endowed with curves that even the loose, unappealing peasant's gown could not hide.

"I-I apologize, sire. It- It was not intentional. Do forgive me."
Her velvety voice rang in his ears.

But Wade Baxter was not having any of this.
Richard saw his face contort with anger before he held her chin and forced her to look at him.
His face lost its composure for a moment as his stance faltered.
He quickly composed himself before speaking,
"I see...I would forgive you. But there would be a price to pay."
He spoke in a sickening voice.

Richard could not contain himself as he gauged the intention behind the man's words.
It reminded him of a mistake that he wished he could undo.
He stood up and took long strides to where they were standing.
He saw the woman still upon hearing the words.

"How about we leave the matter, Baxter?"
Richard's authoritative voice cut through the lust that clouded Wade Baxter's senses and he removed his gaze from the tentalizing beauty in front of him. His girl for the night could not hold a torch in front of this woman.
If only he had seen her earlier...

"Lord Seaborne! I did not expect to see you here."
Wade spoke in a thick tone, trying to shake his senses.

Richard could feel all the eyes upon them as he smiled coldly.
"Of course; though I don't think I need to inform you of my arrangements for the day beforehand, do I?"

Baxter fumbled as he sensed the hostility behind Lord Seaborne's voice.
"Of course not, My Lord. I was simply reprimanding the woman for being careless enough to spill the wine on my tunic."

Richard nodded shortly before replying,
"I would pay for the damages. Do not fret over a maid now. Are you satisfied?"
He looked pointedly at the hand that has its hold on the woman's slender wrist.

Wade hesitated before releasing his grip.
Richard glanced softly at the woman who immediately retreated a few steps as she softly stroked her wrist and was struck by her beauty.
He could suddenly understand the reason behind Wade's disgraceful behaviour.
The woman was indeed a rare beauty. Even the humble tatters covering her and the unkempt locks, could not hide her elegance.

"Lord Seaborne! What is the matter?"
He heard Sigourney's worried voice as she hastily made her way to them.
She gave a questioning glare to the woman, who quickly lowered her head.

"Nothing Sigourney. The matter has already been solved. Has it not, Baxter?"
Richard raised his eyebrows as he looked at Wade.

Sigourney sighed in relief as she saw Wade Baxter swallow and nod his head.

She had feared the worst when she heard the commotion. She could not afford to lose a customer over the carelessness of a woman.

She gave a sharp glance at the woman in question.
She should not have taken her in. It was already troubling enough that she was as beautiful as the best of her girls but her reluctance to work as a prostitute when she was totally suited for one, was really a source of annoyance.
No matter how insignificantly she dressed or how unappealing she looked, sharp eyes could easily identify the beauty that she was.
How was she to ward off all the men who would clearly desire her once they laid their eyes upon her?
After all, this was a brothel.

She would soon have to get rid of her if she intended to avoid trouble...

"Sigourney, do not blame the woman. She made no mistake."
Richard spoke as he looked at her meaningfully.

Sigourney quickly composed her expressions before speaking,
"Of course not, My Lord. She is just an errand-girl. She is new so is not accustomed to the working of the brothel. I would be a fool to place much importance to her."

Richard nodded as he gave one last glance to the timid woman, who was trying to avoid his eyes and made his way back towards his seat.

Just an errand-girl? He begged to differ...
____________________________

Graves Tavern;

Gwen gave a worried glance at the forlorn figure of the man sitting at his usual place.

This was his fifth bottle of ale. She knew from experience that he could keep a lot more and still not be inebriated.
She had been seeing him for the past one and a half decades since he started visiting the place.
He tried to drown his sorrows in alcohol but still stayed as awake as the lark.

What kept on bothering him, she knew not.
But one look in his eyes was enough for her to decipher the loss that they reflected. They were the eyes of someone who had lost his love.
She could relate as hers were the same; they had been the same since Lord Fitzgerald's death.

She gingerly made her way to where he sat, taking care of the reverent eyes that stayed upon the man.

He was no less than a hero in the eyes of the people of the kingdom.
His presence emanated the bravery and selflessness of an idol Knight.
His courageous acts in the various wars that were fought through the years were the talks of legends.

Gwen knew that even this side of his would not be frowned upon. Their eyes were only open to his bravery but blind to his pain.
Since the moment he entered in the tavern, they would watch him with respectful eyes but would not question his need of visiting such a place.

Her trail of thoughts was interrupted as she saw him open another bottle.
She hastened her steps and gently pulled the bottle out of his hands.
"My Lord.."

Geoffrey's eyes settled on the woman.
"Gwen."
He breathed out the name, acknowledging her presence.

Gwen's heart clenched on seeing the stark bereavement in his eyes.
She would have given anything at the moment to uncover the reason behind his agony and to relieve him from it.

Lord Geoffrey Berkeley looked as forlorn as he felt.
His handsome features were covered by a fierce stubble and he looked tired- a kind of tiredness that exudes from the soul.
His raven locks, falling to his shoulders, were unkempt and the lines on his forehead reflected how the years had not fared so well for him.
The rest of his body however, was as good as new, with the muscles taut against his tunic, a result of years of ruthless training.

"My Lord, you should return for tonight."
Gwen started in a soft voice.

Geoffrey smiled drily as he looked into her pitiful eyes.
"I am fine, Gwen. This would not do me much harm...unfortunately"
He added the last part with a rueful expression that did not go missed by Gwen.

"But, My Lord-"
Gwen's protest was cut short as he pulled the bottle back with little force, his eyes conveying the fact that her protests were not going to yield any results.

Gwen sighed in defeat as he poured himself another glass.
She knew that whatever it was that was troubling him, nothing would ever be enough to soothe that pain...

_____________________________

Hayworth Estate;

Averey sighed as he made his way through the corridor.
His brother was adept at pulling the right strings to get him to agree to his demands.
It was the umpteenth time that he was made to lie to his grandmother just to save the arse of his brother...if only he could escape his inescapable charm!

A startled gasp pulled Averey out of his thoughts and he glanced ahead to meet a pair of annoyed eyes.
He realised that being too lost in his thoughts, he had bumped into someone and looked down at the piled up fabric at his feet.

"Oh...are you alright?"
His spoke in an embarrassed tone.

The said person- a very upset Emma Mortimer- gave him a fierce glare before bending down to pick up the fabric.

Averey followed her action, in an attempt to make up for his mistake.
He managed to pick up only a scarf, the other girl being too quick to be in need of his help.
They both stood up and Emma snatched the scarf out of Averey's stretched hands, keeping her glare fixed on his face.

"I did not mean to bump into you. Forgive me."
He spoke out of curtsey and also as a means to avoid a confrontation with the perpetually fiery friend of his sister.

However, his attempt at making peace with her was met with a scoff.
"Like I would believe that. Do you have trouble watching what lies ahead ?"

Her accusing tone made him look at Emma with widened eyes.
The ability of this girl to make an argument out of every single situation never ceased to amaze him.

He could simply continue to gaze at her with the same expression while she gave him another annoyed look before walking past him.

Avery shook his head in disbelief, wondering for the millionth time how the kind and soft-spoken sister of his had managed to remain friends with that foul-mouthed girl...
________________

"Isn't this beautiful, Emma? I wonder what she was thinking when she painted this."
Maya's hand hovered over the painting as her eyes roamed over it adoringly.

Emma smiled as she piled the fabric on the bed and looked at her friend.
She was standing near the window, admiring one of her mother's many paintings.
She tried to forget the unpleasant meeting with Averey Hayworth for the moment.

"Of course it is. We know how good Lady Hayworth was at painting. That is where you have got your talent from after all."
She spoke fondly as she came to stand next to Maya.

Maya smiled at her statement.
"I would never be as good as her though."
She spoke with an unmasked longing in her tone.

Emma's smile dimmed as she recognised the look on her friend's face.
She would always have the same look whenever she looked at anything that reminded her of her mother- not that she had any memory of her. Simply the knowledge of her existence was enough.

"Maya..."
Emma spoke softly as she placed a hand on her shoulder.

Maya shook herself out of her haze and smiled at her friend.
"I am alright, Emma."
She then turned to look at the bed.
"You brought them from the laundry."
She stated as she glanced at her dresses.

Emma's face scrunched up as she replied,
"Yes, I did. The task would have been easier though, had your dear brother not interrupted me."

Maya cast a quizzical look in her direction but before she could inquire further, a scurry of feet sounded by the window and she rushed towards the windowsill, glancing at the garden beyond.

"Who is it?"
Maya's asked in an alarmed tone. She was immediately joined by Emma, who took a more protective stance in front of her friend.

For a moment or two, the girls could not hear anything before a head popped by the windowsill, causing them to give startled gasps which were soon stifled as they recognised the face as that of Brandon Hayworth.

"Greetings, beautiful Ladies."
Brandon spoke in an effortlessly charming tone as he jumped up through the window, dusting his tunic after landing with a soft thud on the carpet.

Maya cast him a rebuking glance as the other girl looked at him with an unmasked distaste.
"Brandon! When would you stop scaring me out of my wits?"
Maya's spoke in a chiding tone, with an exasperated glare in his direction.

"Oh, dear sister! You know that I cannot do so. It is one of my limited sources of entertainment. Also, this time it was something urgent. I saw grandmother standing at the front door and had to avoid her at all costs. I could not let her see me enter the manor from outside you see. She is under the impression that I am already here."
Brandon spoke in his usual nonchalant tone as he took his seat on the bed, deciding to ignore the daggers that the other girl was throwing his way.

"Avoiding grandmother? But why? What did you do this time?"
Maya's tone took on an exasperated turn as she came to stand before him.

Brandon chose not to reply, choosing to study the tapestry instead.
However, realisation soon dawned on Maya and she gaped at him with reproachful eyes.

"Do not tell me that you again went sparring without her knowledge! Brandon! You cannot do that. You know how much it scares grandmother. What do you gain by brawling with those hooligans anyways? What if something happens to you?"
Maya spoke in a worried and disapproving tone.

Brandon finally looked at his sister and sighed in defeat.
"Yes, I went sparring. But you do not need to worry, Maya. Your brother is not some amateur lad. I am preparing for knighthood. Such contests are starting drills for me."
He spoke in a lively voice.

"Besides, do you have any inkling of your brother's fame, my dear sister?"
His voice took on a cocky tone as he pulled out an embroidered handkerchief from his breast-pocket.
"You see this? This is a gift from one of my numerous admirers. You should have seen the ladies fawning over me! They could not get over the dazzling effect of my bravado and this handsome face."
His face now held his signature wicked grin.

Maya sighed resignedly as Emma scoffed.

"Yes, right! They were of course fawning over you! Are you sure this was not given to you to wipe that conceited look off your pretty little face?"
Emma spoke in a mocking tone, finally losing her patience.

"You are saying this because I do not give you any attention. But you should not be too sour about that, Emma. If you make a little effort to improve your humble self, you might pass as being worthy of at least one glance from me."
Brandon spoke in an equally mocking tone, finally giving in to the temptation of a squabble with Emma.

"Yo-You're...incorrigible! Maya, are you sure this..oaf is your brother? I find it really hard to believe!"
Emma's face heated up with anger as she pointed an accusing finger at the person in question.

Brandon smirked, her insult having little effect on him.
He was by now habitual of Emma Mortimer's gusts of anger.
His retort was immediate and effortless,
"And I wonder how a foul-mouthed girl like you has managed to remain her friend...perhaps she is too kind to tell you off."

Emma's expression turned even more hostile, giving Maya the cue to interrupt in another of their spats.
"Stop it, you two! Brandon, could you please be sincere for a moment? Why are you so determined on having your way? Could you please listen to grandmother for once?"

Brandon had another of his answers ready for his sister but they were interrupted by the hurried entry of their brother.

Averey caught his breath as he entered the chamber.
"Brandon! Thank goodness you are here! I have told grandmother that you are with Maya in the garden-chamber. She must be coming to check upon you. But mind you, this is the last time I am lying on your behalf. Do not expect me to do so the next time."
He spoke hastily, not acknowledging the side glance of Emma Mortimer.

Maya cast a pitiful look at her younger brother.
He was always the one suffering while Brandon had his adventures.
"Averey, you did not need to lie. You should make him taste his punishment at least once for him to be redeemed."
Maya spoke fervently.

Averey smiled softly.
"It does not matter Maya. However, I promise this to be the last time."

Brandon finally stood up from his position on the bed came to stand beside his brother.
"Do not fret, dear sister. This is what brothers are for! We have each-other's backs, do we not little brother?"
He spoke brightly, emphasizing the last words, knowing fully well how it irritated Averey when he called him his little brother.

Before Averey could protest though, they heard the distinct footsteps that signalled the arrival of their grandmother and all of them quickly composed themselves.

"Ah! There they are- my grandchildren!"
Lady Margaret smiled adoringly as she saw the three of her grandchildren standing before her.

She saw Brandon and Averey standing close together while her granddaughter stood with her friend.
All of them greeted her in unison as Emma curtsied.

Lady Margaret gave a quick inspecting glance at Brandon, checking for signs of outing. Finding none, she sighed inwardly with relief.
Her eldest grandson was one to give her the most reasons for being alarmed.

True to his namesake, Brandon was always the most adventurous of all her grandchildren.
She feared that one of these adventures might cost him a lot.

Therefore, although much of her fears had been put on rest by the assurance of her much sincere grandson, Averey's words alone could not quench them completely. She had to see his well being personally to be sure of it.

"Grandmother, we were just having a little conversation here."
Brandon smiled widely as he stepped away from Averey.

The rest of them simply nodded in affirmative, playing along with his act.

"Of course, my dears. I simply came to see you all. Brandon, I am glad you listened to me and did not go to the sparring contest today. You might think this to be injustice right now but you would understand someday that I am only doing this for your well-being, my dear. You know how ruthless these contests can be. I cannot bear the thought of you getting hurt."

Brandon his the speck of guilt that clouded his eyes for a split second.
"Of course I understand, grandmother. I know you only want what is the best for me. Do not worry. I would never do anything to make you worry.
Come to think of it, has it not been a long time since I had a good conversation with you, grandmother? What would you say about sparing a few moments for your grandson?"
Brandon spoke in a convincing tone as he pulled Lady Margaret gently towards the door.

Lady Margaret chuckled softly before replying,
"Of course, my dear. I would love to."
She gave one last loving glance at her other grandchildren before allowing Brandon to pull her outside.

The rest of them shook their heads resignedly as Brandon have a last grin and winked at them before exiting the chamber.
He truly was incorrigible...
_________________________________

Author's note-

Hello to all my wonderful readers!💕

I really feel like an evil person to keep you waiting for so long!😅

So, here we finally are with the sequel of His Undesirable Wife.
I know that I have taken an undue amount of time for this update and I apologize for that.
I was simply not getting the time for this.

Now that I'm back, I would like you to know a few things about this book-
1) For those of you who are new- this book is a sequel to His Undesirable Wife. It might be read independently but it would be better understood if it's read after finishing the other book.
2) As you already would have noticed, this is also going to be in a third person POV.
3) Since there is no such 'main character' in this book, unlike HUW which had Saya, do expect it to dwell less on the emotions of the individual characters as compared to HUW.
4)There are a lot of characters to be focused upon so chapters would be in numerous parts- based on different locations.
5) It is going to take a lot of time to finish this book. I might not have a fixed schedule for the updates but do know that I would NEVER abandon this book. I am SURELY going to finish this, no matter how long it might take.
6) I would try not to make it as morbid as His Undesirable Wife. That was a sort of reality check- this is not.
7) This book is prone to some cliche moments, lots of regret, lots of love and romance and LOTS of pairings/ ships to sail!

Thank you to those who have decided to join me on this journey.
This is for our beautiful Saya and I hope that I'm able to do justice to her memory.

Till the next time!👋