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He blinked down at the letter, glimpses of his brother’s familiar handwriting glaring back at him.

For a moment, he was tempted. He had a fairly good idea of what the letter might contain—not professions of love for Anna, he was sure of that—and it would be the easiest thing in the world to take it, read it, and know what it contained once and for all.

It would not, however, answer his question. One person could love another despite all the secrets in the world, and Annahadwanted to marry Henry first. She held the letter out a little further, the paper almost brushing against Theodore’s chest. His fingers itched to take it. He could read the first sentences…

“No,” he said firmly, turning away.

Anna seemed to deflate, her arm dropping down to her side. “So you believe me, then? You’ve given up the nonsense about me beingin lovewith Henry, who is like a brother to me?”

He smiled grimly. “I thought you didn’t have any brothers, Anna. How on earth could you know what brotherly love feels like?”

She blinked. “I’m not a fool, Theodore. Regardless of what you seem to think.”

He said nothing but rounded on her again.

To her credit, she barely flinched and didn’t move back at all, not conceding an inch of ground to him. She met his eyes squarely, and he felt the familiar frisson ofdesireagain.

“Perhaps you prefer my brother,” he said shortly. “Perhaps not. But one thing is very clear, and I must make it clear to you also—I do not like sharing. I think we must renegotiate our terms, my dear.”

She frowned. “Renegotiate? What does that mean?”

“I am not about to pick up my brother’s leftovers, not in matters of the heart. My Duchess must be mine and mine alone. I will not come near you unless I know it’s me you want and me alone.”

She blinked, confusion written all over her face. “But… but you said it was a marriage of convenience, and that we weren’t in love.”

He grinned. “I never said anything about love.”

She understoodthat, at least. It was almost comical to see how scandalized she looked.

“You are wasting your time with this. With me,” she insisted, although her trembling hands, breathlessness, and wide eyes said otherwise. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

He leaned closer, close enough so that their lips almost touched. Almost, but not quite. That half-inch of distance was extremely important. It could be his imagination, but he was sure that Anna leaned forward, just a smidge, with the intention of meeting his lips, only to catch herself at the last minute.

“I won’t come near you,” he said, slowly and clearly, “until you make it clear that you want me. Until youbegme.”

She cleared her throat. “Begyou? Never. Why would I do such a thing?”

He gave a one-shouldered shrug, leaning back abruptly. She blinked when he pulled away, caught off guard.

“I can be persuasive. It’s been noted many times. Perhaps now is the time to show you just how persuasive I can be.”

Without waiting for her to respond—no doubt she’d come up with some clever response once she closed her slack jaw—Theodore turned on his heel and strode out of the room.

Theodore walked fast, not allowing himself to think over what had happened or even give a name to the tight, pent-up feelings inside him.

One thing was clear, however. Marrying that wretched woman was a mistake. He should have just let her walk right out of his home and his life, and leave Henry to clean up his own mess.

It’s not Henry who would suffer, though.

He bit down the qualm of conscience and quickened his pace.

As always, he stopped before the door to the nursery and eased it open.

Kitty was asleep in her bed, a mess of disheveled hair and blankets, and a stubby candle burned on the nightstand beside her. Holding his breath, Theodore tiptoed inside.

Martha slept next door, of course, but he still worried about the candle. However, Kitty’s terror of the dark was so intense that he couldn’t bear to insist on her being left without a candle.

He watched his daughter for a moment, her breathing smooth and even, tired out after a long day. Carefully, so as not to wake her, he leaned down and swiftly blew out the candle, and then crept back to the open door in the pitch black.