Page 24 of Wedded to the Beastly Duke
“I am sorry I did not seek you out in town.” Adam rubbed a hand over his face, suddenly exhausted.
Nicholas looked, now that they were standing a little closer to each other, just as run down and exhausted. Grief gathered in fine lines at the corners of his eyes. Nicholas and William had been the same age, two years older than Adam, and of the three boys, they had been closer. In the same year at Eton, then Oxford, and launched into London Society at the same time.
Adam, following in their footsteps, was always welcomed, always considered Nicholas as one of his closest friends, but they had never been close in quite the same way as William and Nicholas had.
Nicholas was probably the only man on this earth who would fully understand what he was going through.
“No need to apologize,” Nicholas said with a small, wry smile. “I understand why you did not. It must have been a shock, coming back to England to find…”
“A shock,” Adam muttered, sinking onto the sofa. “You could say that.”
“Why were you coming back in the first place? I thought the Navy—you were doing well, last I heard. Will was always proud of you.”
The twinge in Adam’s chest made him want to bend over forward and thump it away. “I heard wind that Will was in a bad place—debtors closing in, some worry that he might have to sell the estate.”
Nicholas barked out a laugh. “Sell Crowny? You can’t be serious.”
“Well, things aren’t that bad, but it’s run-down, as you can see.” Adam waved a tired hand at the worn upholstery and curtains. “And there was certainly something going on. Will always loved nothing more than a dance and a game of cards, but this feels different somehow.”
“In what way?” Nicholas asked.
“I don’t know. Why was he spending so carelessly when he knew of his obligations? Something does not add up here.”
Nicholas’s face tightened, his lips pressing together and his eyes narrowing. “Are you suggesting foul play?”
“Not necessarily.” Adam huffed out a laugh. “I have been through his correspondence. There’s nothing to suggest blackmail or anything of that sort. Or even that his spirit was ruffled, although I know it must have been. Did you notice anything strange?”
“About William?” Nicholas raised both eyebrows. “I am afraid not. You can’t think it was self-inflicted?”
“Oh, no.” Adam could not allow himself to think ofthat. “Just… something about his death strikes me as wrong, and no one else seems to see it. I thought perhaps you might.”
Nicholas leaned against the back of the sofa, his long legs sprawled elegantly in front of him. “My dear friend,” he said after a pause, “you know your brother would not have wanted you to get caught up in this kind of investigation. Think about your future. The estate. Your wife.” He raised his eyebrows meaningfully. “I did not think I would see you engaged so soon after Will’s death.”
“I had an estate to save.”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I don’t doubt it was for immensely pragmatic reasons.”
Adam scowled, though his marriagehadbeen. Something Emmeline never failed to fling in his face. “Is it so odd that I only settled down out of necessity?”
“The next thing you know, you will be contending with a gaggle of children. A brood of them.”
“I have no wish for a brood of children,” Adam said dryly. “Perhaps you are getting my wishes confused with yours. Areyounot recently married?”
Nicholas bowed his head. “I am.”
“Who is she?”
“She was formerly Miss Hanaway,” he said, “before I asked for her hand. Thought it was about time.”
“And my brother wasn’t looking to settle down?”
For the first time, Nicholas glanced away. “I… don’t know. I don’t believe so. We spoke little on the matter.”
Adam nodded. That made sense. William rarely liked discussing more unpleasant topics, and he had never shown any desire to marry. In fact, William rarely seemed to enjoy any part of his role as Duke.
In terms of temperament, Adam had the discipline and the rigid work ethic that made him an excellent duke. He was prepared to take responsibility for his tenants and the farmland, and to ensure all their different properties across England were maintained. His brother, however, had been lax in these things.
William had never felt the same responsibility toward the estate as Adam had. He had come so close to destroying it.
