Page 50 of Earl for the Summer
“Expose her to that ugliness?”
“She’s not as fragile as you make her out to be.”
Cassian didn’t see her as fragile. He saw her as hopeful, bold, generous. Yet she’d also come from a large, loving family. How could she understand the twisted upbringing they’d had?
“I know you think I’m being fanciful,” Julian said, “but if there’s one thing I know, it’s you. And I can say with certainty that if you don’t try to overcome whatever is keeping you from embracing this lady, you’ll regret it forever.”
Cassian stopped his pacing and drew in a deep breath.
“With her, you could undo what he had and make a happy home, a loving family.”
Julian’s words sounded like an idyllic dream, not anything he could ever dare to reach for. Though for the first time in his life, part of him wanted to.
“You’re a brave man, Cass. Now prove it.”
“This isn’t a naval battle, Jules. It’s much more precious and comes with far greater risk.” He stood with his hands on his hips, staring at the rug beneath his boots. “What if I fail her? What if I hurt her?”
“You wouldn’t,” Julian insisted. “But more importantly, what if you gave up on this chance at love?”
Hillcrest’s butler,Mr. Bartlett, struck Daphne as a genuinely kind man.
He made certain she and her sisters felt at ease in the manor house and seemed to take special delight in the twins. Now, as Daphne and her sisters explored the manor’s library, he remarked on how much they reminded him of the Rourke twins when they were Marigold and Hyacinth’s age.
“Did they also like to read?” Daphne asked him.
“They did, Miss Bridewell. Reading was a bit of an escape for each of them, I believe.” He scanned the rows of books. “As I recall, his lordship preferred stories of adventure like those of Sir Walter Scott, while Captain Rourke favored Shakespeare and history books and the occasional bit of poetry.”
“That seems odd,” Marigold opined. “Since Captain Rourke went off to have adventures in Her Majesty’s Navy, no doubt.”
“And Lord Windham was stuck being earl,” Hyacinth said, a bit of sympathy softening her tone.
Daphne smiled at Bartlett, whose silver brows had quirked up at Hyacinth’s comment. Their late brother had never looked forward to inheriting their father’s title, but Lord Windham might very well have seen it as a great honor to carry on his father’s earldom.
Bartlett approached the bookshelves and pointed out a few volumes clustered together. “These histories particularly intrigued the captain, and now I see one is a tome of Scottish history, which seems apropos.”
“Why?” Ivy asked.
“The captain now resides in Scotland,” Bartlett told her with a smile.
Marigold and Hyacinth exchanged a confused look.
“But he’s here in Berkshire, Mr. Bartlett,” Marigold said as if the man could have forgotten.
“Visiting, Miss Marigold, but I suspect he’ll head north again soon.”
Daphne nearly dropped the book she held. “How soon?”
Bartlett turned back to her, his brow furrowing as if with concern. As if he immediately recognized her distress. “When his lordship recovers, Miss Bridewell, which could be months from now.”
A shaky nod was all Daphne could manage in reply. Would he really retreat again? After last night?
“Where is Captain Rourke now?” Daphne couldn’t help but ask.
She’d dared to rap on Cassian’s bedchamber door after he failed to come down to breakfast. Then she’d explored the main rooms of the house, hoping to find him, but she never had. She’d tried to tell herself it was not purposeful. Surely, he was not avoiding her. Something important must have occupied him.
“He visited with his lordship this morning, and I believe he’s in Lord Windham’s study now.”
“Is Lord Windham unwell?” Lily asked.
