Page 27 of An Offer for a Spinster
“Oh, I got home. Good.”
William felt a surge of irritation. WhatwasAlexander thinking? He was the youngest of them all, meant to be the one who was sensible and kind and caused no trouble. And yet, here he was.
“Don’t let Katherine see him in this state,” he muttered.
Henry rolled his eyes. “Do you think that I would?”
“Frankly, I don’t know with you at the moment, Henry. I just don’t.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
The brothers squared up to each other, arms folded, glaring. William felt unsettled, as if his skin were too tight, the sense of unease he’d been feeling all day intensifying.
What has that wretched will done to us all?He thought despairingly.We never hated each other so much before.
“It’s supposed to mean that you’ve been distant and unfriendly, acting as if you’re the only one suffering. Do you really think we’re thrilled about being forced into marriage? Do you think Katherine is pleased to find our entire fortunes resting on her shoulders? Do you think a ticking clock hanging over our heads makes us feel safe and happy? Do you, Henry?”
Henry shook his head angrily. “I washappy, Will. Really, truly happy, and it was all just wrenched away from me. At least being here, you were all used to being miserable.”
William flinched at that. “How can you say that? What are you even saying – that we’re used to it, so it shouldn’t bother us anymore? We were going to befree, Henry. We were so happy. And then it was all wrenched away. At least you got to be free for a while. You got to travel.”
Henry shook his head violently. “I’m not going along with it. I’m not going to stay here and shop for a wife. No, I’m leaving.”
William hadn’t been expecting that. He blinked, staring. “I… you’re going to leave? You can’t leave.”
“Of course I can,” Henry retorted. “Why shouldn’t I?”
“You won’t get your inheritance.”
Henry shrugged. “Well, it would be better than marrying someone simply to get my hands on Father’s money. I reckon it would the best revenge, don’t you? Show him that I’m not dependent on him. That I won’t play his game.”
William held his gaze for a long moment, then groaned, raking his hands through his hair.
“Oh, Henry. Look, I can’t prevent you from doing what you want. And I wouldn’t want to. I’m not going to be that kind of Duke.”
Some of the anger melted out of Henry’s face. He looked, all of a sudden, younger, more like the little brother William remembered.
“I’m not leaving right away,” he muttered. “Just eventually. I won’t up and go without warning, if that’s what you mean.”
“Are you two fighting?” came a hoarse, gurgling voice from the floor. They glanced over to where Alexander lay. He was awake now, albeit a little disoriented looking.
“It’s nothing to worry about,” William said firmly. “We’re just tense, all of us.”
Henry mumbled what might have been an agreement.
There were noises coming from the kitchen, and William was fairly sure that the servants would be along soon.
“Come on,” he said firmly. “Let’s get him upstairs and into bed, shall we?”
Henry grumbled, but obediently grabbed one of Alexander’s arm. Together, they hauled him into a standing position, and began to drag him towards the servants’ stairs.
“I know I shouldn’t have drunk so much,” Alexander said later, as they were manhandling him into bed. “’I am sorry, Will.”
“It’s fine,” William sighed, pulling off Alexander’s boots. “Just don’t make a habit of it, eh?”
“It’s just… just the ball, you see. I tried my best, I tried so hard. I danced with everybody I could, I was as charming as possible, and I just felt… I just felt nothing. And don’t get me wrong, the women I danced with were all perfectly pleasant. They were pretty, and intelligent, and seemed to enjoy spending time with me. And yet I feltnothing. I was waiting for that feeling they talk about in books. I wasreadyto fall in love, so that when Katherine gets married I could get married right after, and we’d be set for life, my wife and me. But I felt nothing. That’s when I realised how it was going to be.”
“And how’s that, Alex?”
