Page 96 of Claiming his Cursed Duchess

Claridge laughed, rubbing a finger over the thick cut just above his left eye.

“You remember the new gelding I bought? The damned thing threw me. He has not been trained properly. Worst luck to be on hard ground instead of grass, but there we are. It will heal in time.”

He took a step forward just as Rosaline moved to come out of the room.

“Perhaps we should go downstairs,” she said, about to close the door.

Claridge lowered the bottle, sucking a breath through his teeth.

“If it’s all the same to you, I would prefer to speak in private. An inn like this is no place for a lady after dark.”

“How did you find me here?”

“I have been feeling guilty since our last interaction. It might sound a bit untoward of me, but I kept an eye on you after that.”

“You’ve had me followed?” Rosaline gasped.

“Now, you make it sound so horrid! I only did it out of concern for you, niece. I heard that you had left the duke, and I knew it must have been due to what I told you. I didn’t mean to pull the two of you apart. Let me make it up to you with a drink, at least.”

Rosaline examined his face carefully. She had known her uncle all her life, and the expression of regret he wore seemed more genuine than any other she had seen.

“All right,” she said warily. “I suppose one drink couldn’t hurt.”

“Adam?”

Adam stirred from a deep slumber, unsure where the voice was coming from.

“Adam!”

He opened his eyes blearily to find Henry standing over him. His brother was sporting his usual ramshackle appearance, but his gaze was filled with concern.

“Have you been here all night?” Henry asked.

Adam squinted at the clock on the mantelpiece and hauled himself up on the uncomfortable chair. After Phineas had left him, he must have dozed off and now he could see the streaks of dawn on the horizon.

“When did you get here?” he mumbled, looking over his brother suspiciously. “What mischief have you got yourself into this time?”

Henry stepped back and gave him a hard stare. Adam glanced up at him, surprised to see such a serious expression on his brother’s face.

“I have gotten into no mischief. You saved my hide when you found that letter, do you truly believe I would undo all that work overnight?”

“Absolutely,” Adam muttered, and Henry crossed his arms over his chest in indignation.

“How little faith you have in me.”

“How little faith you have earned, brother.”

“Yet you have gone out of your way to help me, as you always do.”

Adam looked up, startled to hear the intimacy and care in Henry’s tone.

“I know we do not speak of such things,” Henry continued, “but I always know you will look out for me, whatever scrapes I find myself in. It is just the same with Rosaline.”

“You leave her out of this.”

“Out of what? Your life? I think you have done a good enough job of that yourself. Harris told me she walked out two days ago, and that you have barely left your room since.”

Adam sat rigid in his chair.