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With shaking fingers, she settled for reaching up to trace the blue tinge above his wound. “As predicted, you look quite ruggedly handsome.”

One corner of his mouth kicked upward in a wicked grin that had her stomach doing somersaults.

“Do I?” His tone was easy, but his hands, tightening on her shoulders, told a different story.

Her fingers cruised over his stubble-covered jaw to curve around his warm nape.

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You owe it all to my tending, of course. The swelling’s vastly improved, and hardly more than a tinge of color testifies to your injury.”

He closed his eyes and a shudder went through him. “You see? I’m fine. All thanks to you.”

He released her shoulders, and grasped her wrist. With gentle pressure, he pushed her hand away from him.

“Caden, please.”

He searched her eyes. A muscle ticked in his jaw. “What do you want from me, Anna?”

“You’ve asked me repeatedly to trust you, to confide in you. I’m asking the same of you.”

His mouth worked, but no words came.

Just as she gave up hope he would confide in her, his rumbling baritone curled into her ear. “Did you ever meet my father, Glory?”

She released the breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding and shook her head .

His mouth twisted into a smirk. “Count your blessings. He was a right bastard. In his cups more often than not. Selfish. Weak.”

He shifted away from her to face the flames, tunneling his fingers in his hair. “Zeke’s nothing like him.”

She blinked, trying to follow the thread of his thoughts. Zeke wasn’t like their father? “Did someone say he was?”

“Oh, he resembles our father. We both do. But inside…” He broke off to thump the center of his chest with his fist. “Inside, he’s nothing like the man who sired us. No, Zeke took after the earl. Steadfast. Responsible. Someone you can count on to always know—and do—the right thing.”

She arched a brow. She remembered Zeke as an arrogant, bossy boy who carried himself like a king and had no use for girls.

Caden gazed into the flames as if seeing into the past. “I told you just before attending the house party I quarreled with Zeke and the earl. I never said I instigated the entire affair. Suffice it to say I sought Zeke out, ironically intending to offer to my services in the overhaul of the quarry, to take it off of his plate so to speak. I ended up overhearing the two of them in a heated discussion about me.”

He slanted her a look. “Zeke was grousing to the earl about my wastrel ways. Claimed I’d perfected the art of gallivanting about England, jumping from house party to house party, doing nothing productive with my life. The earl defended me, of course.”

He switched his attention back to the grate. A muscle in his jaw rapid-fire ticked. “Said I wasn’t frequenting hells like our father, as if that was some sort of major accomplishment.”

He huffed out a mirthless laugh. “He was wrong, by-the-by. I’ve spent many a night at the hells. I just happen to be lucky—unlike our father. As I’ve had no need for their assistance in digging myself out of a catastrophic loss, neither the earl nor Zeke have a clue. ”

She licked her lips. “I see. You got angry after overhearing your brother saying some not very nice things about you, and your grandfather not doing such a stellar job defending you to him. Understandable, considering what you intended to offer. I presume you lost your temper?”

“In spades, and you know why that is? Because the best defense is a good offense. Zeke’s accusations hit a lot too close to home.

I said something to the effect of, ‘if you think I was a bad bet before, watch out.’ Then I left—and ran straight into you.

” With that he issued a bitter laugh that had gooseflesh springing up all over her body.

She started to ask what seeing her at the Fenton’s house party had to do with this conversation, but some sixth sense had her biting her tongue.

Hands fisting at his sides, Caden paced the darkened chamber, prowling the room like a caged lion.

“I mentioned earlier I’d met Bolton. I was a child, nine or ten years of age, hanging onto my father’s apron strings like some damned toddler, all the while hoping my presence might somehow convince him to give a damn about Zeke or me or himself for that matter. It was after our mother had died.

"Father had truly sunk into the abyss—not that I understood that. I only saw it clearly in retrospect. To be honest, I now know he wasn’t the staunchest of men before her death.”

“Oh, Caden,” she whispered, heartbroken for the little boy he’d been.

“Zeke told me not to bother. Told me I was wasting my time. But I wouldn’t listen. As usual, Zeke’s words proved true.”

“What happened?"

“We were in London for the season. Father was making his social calls and I begged to join him. We arrived at Bolton’s and there we stayed.

They drank—my father, into a stupor—and played an interminably long game of billiards.

I distinctly recall my father bemoaning the cruel fate that had prematurely stolen his wife and landed him with Zeke for an heir.

I stood up, meaning to defend my brother. ”

She gave him a tender smile. “Caden. Ever the champion of justice.”

“There was nothing noble about my motives, Anna. Father’s criticisms were unfair and unfounded.

Regardless, before I could say a word—” He broke off and drew a ragged breath.

He held out an arm, acting out his memory.

“My father pointed his cue stick at me and said.…I was just like him. That I would grow up and be just like him .”

Anna could not stay still one moment longer. She flew to him and wrapped her arms around him.

His skin was slightly damp, and feverishly hot. After a moment he returned the embrace. His arms, tight around her, felt so good. So right. She’d thought never to feel their strength surrounding her again.

“Oh, Caden, what a perfectly dreadful memory. Your father was ill. He spoke nonsense. You have to know that.”

To her utter disappointment, he released her, untwined her arms from around him, and took a full step back, putting distance between them for the second time in a span of minutes. In the meager light from the grate, his face was harder than she’d ever seen it.

“No, Anna. You don’t understand. He was right. And Zeke was right. I think I’ve always known it. I just didn’t allow myself to see it until now. Until you.”