Page 72 of What's a Duke Got to Do With It
And she had beenwealthy?
Francis must have seen her confusion—truly, how could he miss it?—for he spoke again.
“It seemed there was some contention with her estate,” he mumbled evasively. “Thus the delay. But I could not quite countenance that she had left you such a sum.”
Which might have stung if Katrina had been in full possession of her faculties. As it was, she could not countenance it either.
“I, of course, wished to verify that it was all above board,” Francis continued. “At the same time I worked at keeping the news of your sudden windfall quiet, to protect you from any would-be fortune hunters.” He narrowed his eyes, looking to Sebastian.
“For the last time, Francis,” she snapped, her emotions pulled taut beyond bearing, “Sebastian knew nothing of any money from Aunt Willa.”
“So you say,” her brother replied, not looking the least convinced.
“I do say,” she replied coldly, much colder than she had ever spoken to him before.
He pulled back, looking at her with first wariness, and then disapproval. But for the first time in her life, Katrina did not hurry to smooth things over at the first sign of displeasure. Raising her head, she said, “Why did you come to Seacliff, Francis? Why not simply send a letter informing me of the inheritance?”
He had the decency to look slightly abashed. But only slightly. “I admit I was too harsh in my last letter to you. I was… not thinking clearly. Hearing of Landon returning to England, after what he did to me…” He motioned to his empty sleeve.
Bitterness filled Katrina’s mouth. Of course he would focus on how he had been affected, and not on how her life had been ruined because of Lord Landon’s actions.
Ignorant of her less-than-complimentary thoughts of him, Francis continued. “I did not think a mere letter would suffice after my dismissal of you. Especially as I had hoped we could repair our relationship. We have never been close, you and me. I thought to change that.”
Just days ago, Francis declaring that he wished to be a brother to her would have been the realization of the deepest desire of her heart. How many years had she wished to have the love and acceptance of her family, to be welcomed back with open arms?
But she was not that desperate, hurting woman any longer, happy with the smallest crumb of perceived affection. No, she was strong now, had learned to respect herself. Sebastian had taught her that.
She looked to him now. His eyes burned as he stared at Francis. But his expression altered when he turned to look her way, the love and patience and trust there filling her up until she thought she would burst with it.
Taking a deep breath, she returned her attention to Francis.
“If that is true, and you truly wish to have a relationship with me, I will be more than happy to. However,” she continued as a smug satisfaction spread over Francis’s features, “it will take time. You have damaged our relationship nearly beyond repair; my trust will not be easy to reclaim. Are you willing to work toward that?”
She did not expect him to fall at her feet with apologies; that was not who her brother had been, and she doubted the past four years would have changed him into that man.
Even so, she was not wholly prepared for the anger that saturated his features. Nor for his hurtful words. “I see,” he snapped, rising. “You think now you are wealthy you can discard me like refuse? You owe me, Katrina, for all you have put me through, for all I have lost because of you.”
Katrina flinched from his barely banked fury but was not about to be cowed. “See it as you like,” she said, refusing to look away.
He glared at her for a long moment, no doubt expecting her to retreat. When she merely lifted her chin, he turned and stalked out the door. Soon the only proof he had been there was the faint echo of the front door slamming.
Katrina didn’t move. Sebastian remained still as well, his warmth at her side a silent support. And she knew in her heart he would give her all the time she needed to process this new turn of events.
Which only made her love him more.
“Do you know,” she mused, shifting in her seat to face him, “that was quite possibly the most freeing thing I have ever done.”
The worry scoring his beloved face melted away at her lighthearted comment. “Is it now?” he murmured as he gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“It is,” she said with a decisive nod. And it was true. She saw now, having finally claimed the power in her relationship with her brother, that she’d been held prisoner to her desire to please her family all these years. Now it felt as if she’d finally broken herself free.
“No doubt I will have a good cry about it later. He was still my brother, for all he has done to pretend otherwise. As well as a good cry for Aunt Willa. She was a harridan, and absolutely rubbish at being a chaperone, but she showed she cared in the end.”
She smiled wide then and held out her hand, palm up. “And because of her I no longer come to you empty-handed, Sebastian. You won’t need to leave Ramsleigh Castle.”
He took her hand in his and laid it over his heart. “But don’t you see, love?” he said, his voice tender. “You never came empty-handed, for you hold my entire heart in your hands.”
Some hours later, the carriage packed and ready to go, farewells said, Katrina stepped outside of Seacliff and to the gravel drive, sandwiched between Sebastian and Mouse. This place had been a haven for her, a place where she had found love and acceptance, and a found family though she had not realized it at the time.
