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“This is what I wanted to protect you from,” he whispered hoarsely. “From the moment you showed up on my doorstep. Now, you cannot leave.”

Scarlett clenched her hands into fists beneath her skirts. This washischoice, and there was nothing she could do to change his mind.

She swallowed hard and forced herself to meet his tortured gaze. “Well,” she said, her mouth dry as dust. “I am very sorry for what you had to do. I wish you could have trusted me more. I wish I had been enough for you to leave this all behind, but you have made the choice for me. You force me to live in solitude. Hudson…” Her voice cracked. “I am not sure I want that.”

The carriage slowed to a stop, and she moved to the door. She did not wait for him or the footman.

She was done waiting for others to make decisions for her.

She had walked away from him, but that did not mean she could shake him off. He followed her all the way to her suite, watching as she picked up the puppy waiting for her at the door.

Snowdrop turned to him expectantly, but Scarlett had already closed the door behind her.

“Your Grace, the Duke of Ashton is waiting for you in your study,” the butler informed him quietly.

Hudson nodded and walked to his study, every step weighing heavily in his chest. He opened the door to find his friend sitting on the sofa, his expression neutral.

“I suppose the others sent you here,” he sighed and poured two glasses of brandy. “They had to pick the toughest one to talk some sense into me, is that it?”

Daniel smirked as he accepted the drink. “Actually, I lost a bet.”

“You? Losing a bet?” Hudson scoffed. The man owned more than a dozen gambling halls in London alone. Ashton never placed a bet he was not certain of winning. “Well then, say your piece, so you can leave.”

His friend’s eyes flickered slightly as he observed him. Out of the four Wolves, it was Daniel who had the greatest powersof observation. Hudson had no doubt he was being thoroughly dissected under that cool gaze.

“Perhaps you can start by telling me what happened, Wolf.”

“What is there to tell? You probably heard everything from Colin already.”

“Ah, but Colin was not inside the carriage with you and your Duchess, was he?”

Hudson glared at him and downed his drink. “She knows.”

A sly eyebrow rose. “Knows what?”

“I meant that Scarlett knows everything,” he enunciated sarcastically. “I told her everything.Everything. And that infuriating woman is not even furious about all the things she should rightfully be livid about.”

“You mean you found that remarkable woman who did not go running for the hills the moment she learned the truth about you?” Daniel mused, stroking his chin. “My, old friend. It seems you have stumbled upon a rare gem.” His lips curled into a smile. “And you do not even realize it.”

“Oh, I know that she is a rare gem, all right,” Hudson grumbled, pouring himself another drink. This conversation would probably call for the whole bottle. “Only a madwoman would stay after everything she knows now.”

“Oh, so you do realize it. You just refuse to accept it,” his friend pointed out with a shrewd smile. “From one friend to another—one who has had to deal with a rare woman himself—do not lose her. You will never find another one like her, Hudson, and regret is a far more bitter pill to swallow than your pride.” He finished his drink and set it down on the table. “Do not wait until it is too late, old friend.”

Then, he stood up and left.

It was not Daniel’s way to say goodbye. The man was not much for words, and he came and went as he pleased.

This conversation was probably one of the longest they had, but Hudson knew that his friend would not waste words with him.

Damn it all to hell, he cursed inwardly, pouring himself another drink. It looked like he was going to end up finishing the whole bottle by himself.

Hudson did not join her for dinner.

In fact, he had not emerged from his study from the moment they arrived after that fateful jaunt at the Park.

“He is a truly stubborn man, Snowdrop,” Scarlett sighed. “And I am just as stubborn as him, but even I cannot change hismind and make him see sense. He has to come to terms with everything on his own.”

Snowdrop whined and laid his head on her lap.