Page 53

The mouthwatering scent of fresh baked bread wafted over him as he stepped foot in the warm, sunlit room.

A gleaming silver pot of coffee sat atop the counter beside a mound of thick sliced bread, butter and confiture, and assorted fruits.

His stomach loosed a low rumble, reminding him he’d neglected dinner last night. When had he eaten last?

He was still pondering the question when his raven-haired sister-in-law burst into the kitchen through the back door opening to the gardens. A plethora of fragrant blossoms and greenery spilled from the apron she held out in front of her like a basket .

She offered Caden a warm smile of welcome as if she, and not he, lived here. “Good morning. I hope we didn’t wake you.”

“We?”

As if in answer, a sober-faced Zeke trailed in after her.

“Ah. May I?” He gestured toward the spread they’d prepared.

“Please.” She rummaged in a drawer, finally locating a small utility towel.

“Your hospitality knows no bounds,” he said dryly.

Ignoring his sarcasm, she lay the small towel atop a clear section of counter and began sorting her clippings.

“When Zeke told me he planned to pay you a visit this morning, I asked to tag along to get a look at your gardens. Though sadly overgrown, they boast numerous herbs and other leafy greens, in addition to the myriad flowers.”

“Fascinating.” He poured himself a cup of coffee then selected a slice of still warm bread. “Would either of you care to join me?”

Zeke grinned. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Soon, he and Zeke sat across from one another at the scarred wooden butcher block style table in the kitchen’s center.

Caden took a bracing sip of steaming black coffee and felt some of the night’s cobwebs fall away.

“You have something you wish to discuss, Zeke? If it’s a report on the status of the quarry you’re after, I’m afraid I won’t have much to share for several weeks.

I’ve increased production and brought on more workers to see to some much needed road repairs, but the other projects will require those road repairs completed to make transport to specific locations feasible. ”

Zeke eyed him over the rim of his cup, a considering expression on his face. After a moment, he set the cup down with a decisive click .

Out of the corner of his eye, Caden saw Kitty turn her back on her work to face them, arms clasped behind her.

Caden glanced between the two of them. “Is everything all right with the earl?”

“The earl is fine,” Zeke replied.

Caden nodded in relief. So he was to be the recipient of a stern talking-to for some unknown reason, likely the fact he’d moved into the decrepit cottage, something each member of his family had tried to dissuade.

“You may as well get on with the lecture. I’ve a busy day ahead.”

Zeke opened his mouth to speak, but Kitty beat him to whatever he intended to say.

“Zeke simply wanted to check-in on you. Make certain you're sleeping and eating, that sort of thing.”

“Zeke, eh?” He leaned back in his chair and sipped more coffee. “Right as rain, as you can see.”

Kitty’s dubious expression said she disagreed. “Cook says you’ve barely eaten any of the evening meals she’s prepared.”

“It’s been two days. I’ve been working late. I’m sure when I’m not exhausted, my appetite will rebound to surpass your wildest expectations.”

In true Kitty fashion, she continued unabated. “You’re more than a bit rumpled, as well. We'll send over a valet.”

“If you like.” He ripped a piece of bread and slathered it with butter and jam.

She glanced pointedly at Zeke who appeared not to notice her scrutiny.

As if losing her patience, she threw her arms open wide. “Zeke? You wished to discuss some things with your brother, I believe? ”

He gave a resigned sigh and set the slice of apple he’d cut on his plate.

“Quite right my dear.” He gave Caden a frank look. “The thing is, Kitty and I both think…” He eyed the ceiling. “How can I put this?”

Caden had never seen his brother tongue-tied. If it was anyone else, he might guess the subject involved Anna’s defection, but, Zeke? Impossible. His brother would never interfere in Caden’s personal affairs, not those involving the opposite sex, at any rate.

Kitty once again spoke up. “We both think you’re being an idiot. Meant in the kindest possible way, of course.”

“Of course,” he said. “You think I ought to move back into the Hall until the renovations are complete.”

Zeke gave him a pained smile. “Not quite.”

“If this is about the quarry, I already told you—”

“The quarry!” Kitty exclaimed, clearly vexed.

Zeke spared her a brief, quelling glance. “Cade, forget the quarry, and your ridiculous insistence in living in a half-dilapidated cottage. Can you think of any other area of your life where you may have, of late, mismanaged things dismally?”

Yes . Caden glared at his brother. “No.”

Kitty snorted.

Zeke gave his wife another speaking look. “I’ll spell it out. You clearly love the woman. She clearly loves you. What Kitty and I want to know is, why aren’t you fighting for her?”

Caden was struck momentarily speechless. Then he propped both elbows onto the hard wood table top. He scrubbed his hands over his stubble covered cheeks.

“Could you elaborate? The part about…” Heat rising up his neck, he cleared his throat. “About Anna clearly loving me? ”

“I knew it,” Kitty hissed, triumphant. “Zeke Thurgood, if only you’d talked this over with Caden like I suggested before she left. The poor, dear girl—”

Caden’s head snapped in Kitty’s direction so fast, her words died in her throat. “She. left.” He articulated each word.

Her expression softened. “Darling, did you never ask yourself why?”

He erupted from his chair, nearly upending it, and stalked to the counter to stare out the window into the riotous garden beyond. Anna’s garden, it was meant to have been.

“I didn’t need to ask myself,” he said in a low voice. “She asked herself what I had to offer as a husband and found me wanting.”

“Caden,” Kitty sputtered, “what utter nonsense. Why would you think—”

“Kitty.” Though Zeke spoke in a low voice, his tone carried unmistakable command. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with my brother alone.”

After a brief hesitation, she stalked out to the garden. She did not close the door behind her.

Caden turned, leaning into the counter, arms crossed over his chest.

Zeke rose and moved to stand beside him. “What do you have to offer?” he asked softly, as if considering the question.

He crossed one arm over his chest, propped his elbow on his forearm and his chin in his hand.

“Let’s see. To date, you’ve offered to rescue Miss Masters from a well-connected, if disliked member of the nobility, you mended the schism in your family, from whom you had broken ties thanks to me and my pig-headedness—No, let me finish,” he said when Caden opened his mouth to argue that the fault for the rift lie with his pig-headedness .

“You played your part, I played mine. Bottom line, I should have recognized you’d turned into a man and asked questions rather than making presumptions. We’ve established that much.”

“Yes, but I gave you good reason. My whole life I’ve tended toward our father’s bents, whereas you emulated the earl. We both know which of the two is the better man.”

Zeke’s eyes flashed with ire. “You have some of our father’s traits, Cade. That is not a crime. Don’t you know men would kill to possess one ounce of your natural charm? Your magnetism, with both women and men alike? Your bloody luck, for that matter, which, I’ll add, our father never possessed?”

“These are my so-called good traits? I sound like a shallow, rudderless cove.” He snorted. “Thank you for making my point.”

“You’re actually missing my point, Caden.

They’re not bad traits and they’re not your only traits.

You’re also noble and trustworthy. How, otherwise, could I have left the country for months on end during my own imbecilic phase?

I could because I knew I could trust you not to leave England and to see to the earl in my stead—which you did, by the by. ”

Anna had said the very same thing—not that the fact added up to a hill of beans. “Care to elaborate on what about your actions were imbecilic?”

“I was running—from everything our father taught us to fear, same as you’ve been running. We just did it in our own ways. I’d probably still be running if not for Kitty. And I believe your Anna is the same sort of…” he broke off as if searching his mind for the right word.

“Anchor,” Caden suggested, his voice barely a whisper. “I thought, with her, I could be the man I’ve wanted to be. I never really tried for fear of failing. No gain ever made the risk worth taking, at least not since my formidable disasters. ”

“Your…what?”

Caden felt his cheeks heating. He may as well get it all out. “I couldn’t help father, and I couldn’t help you, despite my best efforts. It seemed nothing I ever did made much of a difference. Then there was University, when my mate nearly died, and then the quarry business happened—”

“—By God, I’m a right bastard, you know that? Caden, you have grown up and you have always made a difference for the better in everything you do, even when things didn’t work as intended. I should have told you. I was so worried that if I wasn’t tough enough on you…” He shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

“This isn’t on you.”

Zeke shook his head. “It is. I knew something in you had changed when you swallowed your pride for her in coming back here. Even if it wasn’t for her, alone, doing so took an inner strength I doubt our father ever possessed, or if he did, he neglected it so long it shriveled and died.

“You’ve always had a noble streak, Cade.

When you tried to save our father, when you stood up for the lonely little girl down the lane who needed a friend, when you tried to take on responsibilities rightfully mine, and your friend’s, and God knows whose which should never have been your burdens to begin with.

When you went in Sterling’s stead to the Fenton’s house party—”

Caden held up a hand, palm out. “Stop. That last bit, especially, is a stretch, and we both know it. I’ve been running wild, and I went to the party with the intent to debauch myself with women, wine, and what-have-you, only Anna’s presence curtailed my baser instincts.”

Zeke’s mouth twitched. “Fair enough. My point with all this is, what you have to offer her is a good man who loves her, who would sacrifice anything for her safety and happiness.” He broke off and a look of dawning understanding lit his face.

“Which is, apparently, why you let her leave. You made up your mind she didn’t want you, in the end. I’m right, aren’t I?”

“She agreed to marry me under one set of circumstances. Then her long lost grandmother arrives like a bloody fairy-godmother and she chose greener pastures.”

Zeke fixed him with a frank stare. “Did you give her all the facts?”

“Such as?”

“Did you tell her you love her?”

Caden’s jaw hardened. “Ah. You mean, did I beg?”

He laughed. He laughed.

“I’m glad you find this funny.”

Abruptly, Kitty flew into the house, her skirts billowing behind her. “Caden, only recall how close Zeke came to losing me.”

His brother eyed the ceiling, as if seeking divine help. “Eavesdropping again, darling?”

She pressed her lips together. “Yes, well, listening-in, and we can discuss that later. The point is, Zeke, you resisted admitting you loved me, and that was the one thing I needed to hear. Tell him, before he makes the biggest mistake of his life.”

Zeke gave Caden a considering look. “She’s right. I risked my pride, and Kitty’s rejection, by telling her how I felt. In the end, it was the only viable choice. The thought of living my life without her held…” He shook his head. “…no appeal.”

Kitty launched herself at Zeke, who caught her up in his arms.

A momentary stab of pure jealousy pierced Caden’s guts. He wanted what they had—with Anna, the one woman who’d ever inspired such insipid longing in him.

“If losing her is an acceptable option— ”

“Enough,” Caden cut in, his voice hoarse with the effort of holding back his emotions. “Enough,” he said again, resigned.

“But Caden,” Kitty began, only to be silenced by a touch from Zeke.

“She deserves better than me, Lord knows she does,” Caden began, “and, despite your claims to the contrary, she made her choice.”

Kitty opened her mouth to protest further, but Caden held up his hand.

“Even so, selfish bastard that I am, I made up my mind last night to do anything and everything in my power to convince her to spend the rest of her life with me.”

Kitty bounced on her toes, all but vibrating with excitement. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

One corner of his mouth quirked upward. “It means I’m going after her. It does not mean I shall be successful. I had intended to get an early start, and the sun is creeping higher as we speak, so if you don’t mind…”

“We’ll get out of your hair,” Zeke said. “But first, allow us to give you this.” He pulled a folded piece of parchment from his inner vest pocket.

Caden took the paper, frowning. “What’s this.”

Grinning ear-to-ear, Kitty answered. “It arrived last night. It’s from Lady Wentworth, addressed to me. In it she states only that she and Anna are guests at the Black Swan Inn, and that they intend to depart later today for NorthUmberland.”

Caden blinked. “But why would she…?”

Kitty lifted her chin, her expression one of feline satisfaction. “Isn’t it obvious? She loves her granddaughter, and she believes her granddaughter loves you.”

“Huh,” was all Caden could think to say. Hope blossomed within him, as intoxicating as it was terror inducing. He raked a hand through his hair.

Kitty sent him an impish grin. “Did we mention we brought one of the earl’s best horses for you?”