Page 11

Marcus threw his head back in a peal of laughter. “That’s love, dear cousin, not an illness,” he countered amidst bouts of laughter. “And you seem to have been bitten by the bug as well because since Lydia passed, you haven’t visited the brothels or…”

“Marcus,” Hector warned, clenching his teeth.

Marcus raised his hands in mock surrender. “I’m sorry. I’ve only come to wish the groom well.”

Hector leaned back in his seat.

The impending marriage weighed heavily on his shoulders. Still, he had resolved to go through with it, refusing to show any sign of weakness. But that wasn’t what bothered him at the moment.

His mind seemed bent on parading his future wife before his eyes. He couldn’t shake the image of Juliet’s alarmed expression when he had announced their wedding plans.

Her protests, though brief, had been filled with a feistiness that intrigued him. More often than not, Hector now found his thoughts lingering on her.

“I am truly sorry about Lydia,” Marcus said solemnly when his cousin remained silent.

“Well. At least she’s finally free from her pain and suffering,” was all Hector could manage.

Hector recalled the somber night he’d made that promise to his sister. Days had turned into weeks as Lydia’s condition had worsened. He’d remained by her side, providing her with what little comfort he could.

Her request still haunted him, but he was going to see it through regardless. He’d immediately begun making inquiries to learn more about the convent where Juliet had been confined.

The reports he’d received were far worse than Lydia had described. The girls housed there suffered from neglect, malnutrition, illnesses, and harsh discipline.

Marcus quipped, “I am glad that you have finally regained your senses. I am sorry that this was what it took, but it is likely for the best.”

He was drawn out of his thoughts by Marcus’s words. “Of course.”

“You need to find a way to connect with Juliet,” Marcus said without preamble, “if this marriage is happening just as you’d planned. You can make it something more than just a duty to Lydia and build something for yourself in the process.”

Hector frowned, his jaw tightening. “I have no desire to do so. I shall perform my obligations, but that is where it ends.”

Marcus leaned forward in his seat. “I know, but think about what Lydia would have wanted. She would not have meant for you to be unhappy, and she certainly wouldn’t have wanted you to make her friend miserable either.”

Hector ran a hand through his hair, pondering his cousin’s words.

“My sister asked me to take care of her friend, and that is what I shall do. She never asked me to love her. I did not believe that marriage was the best or only way to support a woman I had only heard of, but it was what Lydia requested of me in her final moments. I will not disappoint my sister, but I refuse to get more involved with the woman than necessary.”

“That hardly sounds like a marriage, then,” Marcus stated worriedly. “I really do hope you’ll make the most of it at least.”

Hector waved a hand in the air dismissively.

“I will do as Lydia asked, but no more than that. My marriage matters aside…how have your businesses been fairing as of late? I suppose that’s part of the reason you stopped by.”

Marcus smiled gently. He had once been like Hector, resolute and resistant, until his wife had claimed his heart. Seeing Hector’s stubborn expression, he decided to let the subject rest. “Yes. There is a potentially profitable business idea I want your opinion on. If we are successful in its execution, it shall yield great benefits for you and your Duchess.”

“Am I the only one who will reap such benefits?” Hector asked, raising an eyebrow.

Marcus laughed. “I was getting to that. We expect to earn greatly from it. And when I say we, I mean the two of us and our partner.”

Hector frowned. He didn’t like involving others in his affairs. He preferred running a business on his own rather than pairing up with shrewd businessmen. “I won’t do it.”

Marcus sighed, resorting to a familiar tactic.

“Pity. I did promise to buy my darling Emma some new dresses and give the children riding lessons. I suppose I’ll have to find a different extremely promising business opportunity," he said.

“That is low, Marcus. I will skip right over that, my friend, and ask how your wife and those sweet little beasts are doing.

Leaning back in his seat, Marcus relaxed. “They are well. We must investigate these estate deals, and then they shall love me all the more.”