Page 80 of Duke of Bronze
Anna's brows drew together in quiet concern. "Is everything quite alright?"
Roderick exhaled, his gaze fixed on the leaves of a potted fern as though deep in thought. "I suppose one makes plans, yet fate always seems determined to deal a different hand."
Anna studied him carefully, sensing there was more beneath his words. "That is rather cryptic," she observed. "Would you care to elaborate?"
He hesitated for a fraction of a moment before answering. "Suffice it to say that my sponsorship dealings have not unfolded as I expected."
"Never say the sponsors are pulling out?" Anna's concern was deepening.
"On the contrary," Roderick gave a humorless little snort, his expression unreadable. "I have received more offers."
Anna blinked. "Then I do not see the difficulty. Is that not cause for celebration?"
"Not if they see me as a charity case," he replied, his eyes flashing with unmistakable displeasure.
She frowned slightly. "What makes you think they do?"
"I do not think it—Iknowit," he bit out. "Even from the way the latest offer was made, the intent was clear."
Anna's lips parted slightly, but she was unsure of what to say. There was a note in his voice, in the rigid set of his shoulders, that made her chest tighten.
He feltinsulted.
"Far too often, we presume to know the minds of others," Anna said gently. "That we may discern their opinions, their judgments—when, in truth, we are captives of our own conjectures. And more frequently than not, such suppositions prove false."
She held Roderick's gaze, willing him to listen. "Do not let unfounded suspicions make you forfeit a good opportunity, Roderick. You have worked far too hard and come too far to let pride stand in your way now."
Roderick's expression darkened with thought, his jaw tightening. A long silence stretched between them before he finally exhaled, his voice quieter than before. "I must leave."
Anna stilled. "Leave?"
"There is nothing for me here," he said, shaking his head slightly. "Coming was a mistake."
Anna frowned. "Is your career a mistake, Roderick?"
His head snapped up, eyes narrowing slightly at the question. "My career is my priority—after my family," he corrected. "It is my life, Anna. Not a mistake. And I love every aspect of it."
"Which is why you have labored unceasingly to refine your craft," she urged.
A glimmer of confusion passed over his features, but he gave a small nod, nonetheless.
Anna took a careful step closer. "Your reputation as the Mighty Stone was not bestowed upon you, nor was it a stroke of fortune. You built it, Roderick. With your own hands, your own sweat, your own blood. You have endured more than most men can fathom, and still, you rise." She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing. "Sponsorship is not charity. It is not a handout. It is a recognition of your achievements—a reward for your labor. And if you reject it on the grounds of pride, then you are, in essence, rejecting the worth of your own hard work."
She allowed her words to linger, trusting that they would take root within him.
"This is a certain matter youearned, Roderick," she urged, her voice softer now. "Take it. And feel no shame for doing so."
Roderick did not respond immediately. His gaze drifted downward, his fingers flexing at his sides as though weighing her words.
Anna did not press him further. She could see the contemplation in his features, the slow unraveling of his stubborn resolve. And with that, she allowed herself a small glimmer of hope.
He would think on it. And perhaps, in time, he would accept it.
The morning after his conversation with Roderick, Colin sat in his study, attempting to focus on his ledgers. He had spent the better part of the morning immersed in calculations, yet his mind drifted, revisiting the previous day's exchange.
A sharp knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Enter," he called, setting his quill aside. He expected a servant or perhaps Fisher with the morning's correspondence. What he did not expect was Roderick.
