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He glanced at her, understanding how hard she made him work for her attention. Each time she bestowed it felt like a gift. “Things have been given to me, handed to me, fixed for me. Gifts have been bestowed and I accepted them as if these things were my due. I have taken and withheld without consideration to consequences.”

“And–”

“And,” Lachlan said, then drew a deep breath, understanding now where he was going with his thoughts. “I have never been afraid that my feelings might not be reciprocated.”

“Why?”

“Because I didn’t care. I didn’t reciprocate anyone’s feelings—not that common feelings were shared. I think perhaps in most of my interactions except for my family and Ollie, and you, others used me as much as I used them.”

“And now?”

He stopped walking and turned to her.

Thinking back to all his interactions with Tarley since meeting her, she had only met him with resolve, stubborn pride, and annoyance. He wanted to prove himself to her that he could be more than just Crown-Prince Lachlan. He wanted to earn her favor because she clearly didn’t bestow it easily. This woman didn’t care who he was in his past, only who he was in the present.

“I guess that’s the right question,” he said. “Because I do care, now. Very much.”

“Hmm,” she said and continued their walk.

Lachlan wondered if maybe he should have said more but didn’t know what to say, slightly insecure in her silence. Was it believable to think he loved her? Was he even capable of love?

“We’re here,” she said when they reached an opening in a hedge. He’d have missed the doorway had he not been with Tarley. The tall natural wall appeared as if the forest had grown up and around whatever was inside, shielding it, dense with dark green foliage and bright, white blooms with a pistil a shade darker.

He followed her inside to a corridor even darker than the lane. Lachlan looked over his shoulder, but the doorway had disappeared, leaving him to wonder if the path was curved, even though he’d been sure they’d been walking a straight line.

It wasn’t much longer they emerged from the corridor into a forested glen, where he followed Tarley through the meadow, past a barn to a quaint cottage. Wisps of smoke rose into the blue sky streaked with orange, the sun now hovering above the horizon. Golden light reached through the mullioned windowpanes, the flower boxes beneath were bright with sprays of blooms of varying colors clearly cared for with adept hands.

The door opened before they were even to the steps and Brinna darted out, squealing with joy as launched herself into Tarley’s arms. “I had a dream–” Brinna stopped abruptly when she noticed Lachlan, and pulled away from Tarley, smoothing the front of her blue dress. “I was afraid you’d finally succumbed to Mr. Rufus’s persuasion.”

Lachlan suppressed a smile. He could see Brinna was teasing Tarley.

“Why would you think that?” Tarley frowned. “You remember Ollie?”

“Good evening, Miss Fareview.”

“Call me Brinna,” she said, “otherwise you’ll be ‘Miss Fareviewing’ the lot of us, and it will get overly confusing.” She grinned, and Lachlan was entertained by this sister’s energy. Tarley was so different from her.

“Watch out, Brinna,” Tarley said in that dry, acerbic way of hers. “I’ll bet you’re next on Dr. Rufus’s list. You or Jessamine, that is,” Tarley snickered.

Brinna linked her arm with Lachlan’s. “Certainly not.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “What about Auri?”

“Her too.”

“Have you met Auri’s suitor yet? I don’t think he’d approve and might turn Dr. Rufus to ash with one of his looks.”

Tarley laughed, which Lachlan loved. “That’s so true,” Tarley exclaimed. “He’s a sight, isn’t he.”

Jealousy pulsed through him like lightning at the sound of her assessment of this other man.

“He is a dream,” Brinna breathed.

Tarley looked at Brinna, her eyebrows high. It was clear that Brinna seemed oblivious. “He’s here?”

“Yes!” she whispered, leaning around Lachlan toward Tarley, who was realizing he was inconsequential in this conversation.

“You both have given me hope.” Brinna’s gentle gray eyes threaded with shades of blue flicked to Lachlan as she laughed. “There’s hope for Jessamine and me yet.”

“There’s always Dr. Rufus,” Tarley said from behind him as Brinna, guiding him toward the cottage, laughed good-naturedly. Tarley leaned forward and said for him alone, “Enter at your own risk.”