Catching Captain Nash (Dashing Widows #6)(24)

The prospect of getting her to himself, away from the hurly-burly, was the promise of paradise. And he’d finally meet his daughter.

His daughter!

It was too much to comprehend, when he’d spent so long hardly daring to believe he’d see his next sunrise. An embarrassment of riches to a man who had once thought a crust of bread the height of luxury.

“With your permission, Morwenna and I plan to go up to Woodley Park.”

“To see Kerenza?”

“Yes.”

Silas smiled. “She’s just like you. Without her, I don’t know how we’d have survived losing you.”

“So you don’t mind?”

“If you go to Woodley? Hell, no. It’s your home as much as mine.”

Not true. But nice of his brother to say so, nonetheless. “Thank you.”

“Getting away from London will do you good.”

“I feel I’m deserting you.”

Silas sighed and leaned back in his seat. “Being with a loving family asks too much of you right now. I understand—at least as much as someone who hasn’t suffered as you have can understand. I saw your face when you came in last night. That crowd nearly undid you.”

Robert’s lips twisted in self-derision. “I’m better than I was, thanks to Morwenna. Give me a year or so, and I might even get back to normal.”

“There’s no rush,” Silas said calmly. “You’re home, and heaven has granted us the chance to see you again. We can sort everything else out as we need to. The main thing is to return you to health and happiness. And if my sparkling company isn’t the answer, I can bear it.”

“Thanks, old man,” Robert said. He realized with a surprise quite how careful his family had been with him since he’d returned, and he was devilish grateful.

“I’m damned proud of you, Rob.” Deep feeling thickened Silas’s voice. “I’m proud of your brilliant naval career, and that you had the good sense to marry that fine woman, and that you have such a cracker of a daughter. I’m proud that you managed to get through your imprisonment, mostly in one piece. And I’m bloody beside myself with pride that you didn’t punch that officious Admiralty pen-pusher on the nose this afternoon.”

Robert gave a grunt of grim amusement that hid how his brother’s heartfelt declaration had moved him. There was no man he admired more than Silas. It was a shock to hear that Silas admired him in return.

“I came damned close.”

“Believe me, I know. When that pompous idiot said you hadn’t been working for the navy when you were in jail, and therefore shouldn’t receive your back pay, you looked ready to box his ears.”

“He nearly didn’t make it out of his office.” The brothers shared a glance of perfect understanding. “Vile worm he was.”

Silas looked thoughtful. “You know, it’s too early for you to make any decisions, but have you given consideration to your future? You and Morwenna are more than welcome to make your home at Woodley. The house is so big, we could set you up in private quarters in the east wing. And Kerenza would enjoy growing up with her cousins.”

“Thank you, Silas,” Robert said. “But I’d rather go out on my own. And I hope Kerenza will soon have plenty of brothers and sisters to keep her company.”

“Hmm,” his brother said, as if he understood exactly how mad Morwenna and Robert were for each other. Damn Silas, he probably did. There had never been anything slow about him. “That means you have plans?”

If only Silas knew how many lonely hours Robert had devoted to counting the mistakes he’d made and how he’d remedy them, if heaven ever offered him the chance. The miracle was that he’d lived to see a time when he might achieve what he wanted. “Of course.”

“So if you’re not coming to live at Woodley Park—and I think you should take my offer seriously—do you want to go back to the Portsmouth house? I know you and Morwenna are fond of it, but if you want a big family, it will rapidly become too small. Now you’re leaving the navy, there’s no need to live so close to port.”

“I think...” Robert paused. Odd that even with his brother, he felt shy articulating his amorphous hopes for the rest of his life. “I think I’d like to buy a small estate somewhere and farm. I’ve got prize money and my legacy from Papa. I’d like to give Kerenza and any other children we have a life like the one you and I had growing up. Loving parents. Freedom to discover who they are. All on a smaller scale than Woodley Park, obviously.”

“So you really do want to drop anchor?”

“And never leave home again. Yes. Although I imagine Morwenna might fancy coming up to London occasionally, having had a taste of excitement this season.”

Silas was shaking his head. “You know, I wouldn’t bet on it. We had to drag her here kicking and screaming, and while she’s borne it all with a good grace, she’d jump at the chance to become a farmer’s wife.”

“I hope so. Although if she wants to come to London, I’ll damn well see she comes to London.”

“You seem to have sorted out your priorities.”

His lips twisted. “It’s an ill wind that blows no good, brother. Five years of imprisonment gives a man plenty of thinking time.”