Page 26 of The Best-Kept Secrets
“There are a lot of difficult things about being poor,” she said quietly, “but the constant humiliation is among the worst.”
“I can speak with Colm, or my aunt and uncle, if you’d rather, without embarrassing you,” Duke said. “I have a great deal of experience navigating potentially humiliating situations without causing anyone distress.”
“But I don’t want you to have to do that for me.” She set the bowls she’d finished washing on the work top beside the basin. “You shouldn’t have to shoulder other people’s difficulties. I’ll not require it of you.”
“But you aren’t requiring it; I am offering.”
“I have seen how exhausted you are after defending your family to your grandmother and appeasing your grandmother on the matter of her family. And you’ve mentioned that your parents require the same mollifying of you. And when you talk about that, you don’t look just weary; you also look frustrated and sad and... lonely.” Good heavens, she was getting emotional. “You deservenotto feel that way, and I don’t ever want to be the reason you do.”
His deep voice was soft and gentle as he said, “I suspect, Eve, that you wouldn’t ever make me feel that way.”
With a shrug, she said, “I could try if you’d like me to.”
Duke smiled, truly smiled, and it was breath-catching. Now that he was done at Cambridge and would be a very eligible gentleman-about-Town, he was going to catch every young lady’s eye and break quite a few of their hearts.
And Eve was going to miss the entire thing.
“I wish you had been in London longer.” She sighed. “You never even danced with me, and I think that is horribly unfair.”
He resumed drying the last of the dishes she had washed. “I’ll stand up with you next Season. I understand the Huntresses make quite an entrance at the Debenham ball every year. I’ll finally get to see it.”
Eve was going to miss that as well. It would still happen but without her.
She began setting out a few of the things she would need in the morning to do her baking, hoping the mundane task would provide her some distraction. It helped only minimally.
From his place near the washbasin, Duke said, “You aren’t returning to London for the Season, are you?”
Eve shook her head as she set out mixing bowls. “Nia will be at more of a disadvantage in Town than we usually are, which I wouldn’t have thought possible.”
“Nia will be in London, but you won’t?”
Oh, botheration.“This is what I meant about not managing to stop myself from saying things when they flit into my thoughts.” She turned back to him, fully frustrated with herself. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone about our changed plans. Not even Nia knows yet.”
“I won’t say anything to anyone.”
She fully and immediately believed him. And there was such relief in havingsomeonewho knew what was weighing on her and the future she was facing. “Our family’s finances have always been fragile, but they’ve recently been rendered dire. Either I could return to London, or my brotherscould return to school. But not both. Edmund and Scuff have to find an occupation when they are grown, or they’ll be destitute. And they need an education to do that.”
“That is an awful decision to have to make: their futures or yours.”
It really was. “I truly am not supposed to tell anyone.”
“I meant what I said; I won’t tell anyone anything you don’t specifically say that I can.”
Her sigh of relief was more than just audible; it was soul deep.
“May I ask you a question?” Duke asked.
She nodded.
“Why is your brother called Scuff?”
Despite her heavy mind, she grinned. “We all have anglicized names. Edmund’s given name is Eamonn. Scuff’s given name is Risteárd. At first, he was called Richard, but that transformed to Rich, which then became Itch. Itch turned to Scratch and ended up being Scuff. And Scuff stuck.”
Duke smiled. Legitimately smiled for the second time in a matter of minutes. Utterly and wonderfully devastating. Eve needed to think about breathing in order to remember to do it, and her heart quite suddenly forgot what its ordinary rhythm was.
“What does Scuff think of his name?” Duke asked.
“Loves it.”
