Page 27 of The Duke and the Widow
Chapter 11
Rosinawasunsurehowto tell James that she was almost certain she loved him, too, but that she couldn’t bear the thought of admitting it and then living a life in fear that she would lose him. She believed suffering from that pain would be far worse than the pain of walking away from him.
Before she could answer him, a young boy appeared in the room, followed by another, who looked almost identical to the first.
“What are you boys doing up?” James asked.
The boys stepped further into the room and closed the door behind them. “We couldn’t sleep.”
Once she got a better look at them, she saw how both boys also looked very similar to James. It would be undeniable to anyone that the trio were brothers.
“Come here, boys,” James said, waving them over. He placed an arm around each of their shoulders. “Boys, I’d like you to meet Lady Preston.” He shifted his attention to Rosina, and an amused expression played on his lips. “These scamps are my brothers, William and Walter.”
They each gave her a quick bow.
“I’m pleased to meet the both of you,” she replied. “You must have had quite the journey to seek out your brother.”
“Are you married, Lady Preston?” Walter asked. “It’s not proper for you to be in our brother’s chamber when you are married.”
She wouldn’t point out that it wasn’t proper for her to be in their brother’s chamber at all. Rosina drew a deep breath. “I was married before. But he died three years ago.”
Walter frowned. “I’m sorry, my lady. You must be very sad and miss him. We still miss our mama and papa very much.”
“I’m also very sorry about your mother and father. It’s a fortunate thing that you have your brother.” She already adored the earnest, charming boys. She could see so much of James in them and the influence he had in ensuring they were loved and cared for.
“We are returning home together tomorrow,” William said. “James said we can live with him and not return to school.”
She eyed them curiously. “Why wouldn’t you wish to return to school? Did something happen?”
“We would rather be with James,” Walter said, answering for his brother.
Rosina wasn’t certain that was the right choice for the boys, nor if James would wish to have her opinion on the matter. “Did you not enjoy school?”
“Oh, we did, very much,” Walter said. “We made so many friends, and our teachers have said we are excelling in all our studies. The food there isn’t as good as Cook’s, but it’s still quite good. We still get to ride when we want and play various sports with the other boys.”
They seemed to enjoy school, so their desire to leave made little sense to her. She caught James’ gaze, and he only wore a frown.
“Then why ever would you wish to return home?” Rosina asked. “It sounds as if you are doing quite well, indeed.”
William opened his mouth to speak but hesitated. Rosina moved to the settee and encouraged the boys to come and sit with her. She had always enjoyed children and had longed to have her own. It surprised her when the boys followed her so quickly, each taking a seat on either side of her.
James took a seat in the chair across from them, appearing just as surprised as she was based on how wide his eyes were, watching the scene unfold.
They sat in silence for a few moments before William finally spoke. “I’m afraid something will happen to James if we aren’t here.”
“Because of what happened to your parents?” she asked softly.
He nodded and gave a small sniffle.
She shifted her attention to Walter. “And are you also afraid?”
Walter contemplated her question. “A little bit. Not as much as William is, but I don’t want anything to happen to James. He’s all we have left.”
Rosina glanced at James and saw that his eyes had become watery, and he gripped the armrests of the chair to fight his emotion. She was almost certain she was overstepping her place, but it was clear that the trio needed a bit of help to move past the matter and help the boys see they needed to be in school.
“I can tell you adore your brother dearly, as I am sure he does you. But you can’t live your life in fear of the things you can’t control. That wouldn’t be a life worth living.” She contemplated her own words, and her heart swelled. “Your parents would want you to live a full life, and that includes going to school and making friends. And one day you’ll take wives, and you’ll settle into your own homes.” For the first time, she almost understood why Ry had told her what he did, pleaded with her even, and why he wished for her to find happiness again.
The boys appeared to truly ponder what she said as their brows furrowed and unfurrowed.
