Mr. Hunt, I Presume (Playful Brides, #10.5)(31)

“Of course you didn’t, dear. Strong people rarely recognize their own strength. But I see it. I see it and I admire you for it.”

Tears burned Erienne’s eyes. “I hope you’ll be able to forgive me. I’m certain you’ll find another governess quickly. One far more suitable than I ever was.”

Lucy pulled her reticule atop her lap, opened it, and withdrew a folded sheet of vellum. She handed it to Erienne. “This is a character reference, signed by both Derek and myself. I’d hate for my pestering you to take the position with us to cause you trouble with Mrs. Griggs. I intend to visit her myself tomorrow morning, speak highly of you, and ensure you’re given every opportunity to interview for the next suitable position that becomes available.”

Erienne pressed her lips together. “Thank you, your—er, Lucy. That is far more generous than I deserve.”

The duchess stood and stepped toward the door. “You deserve much more than you’ve got, Erienne. And if my brother-in-law wasn’t such a fool, you’d get it.”

Erienne tried to withhold the instant response that sprang to her lips, but they had a mind of their own. “How is ... he?” Why, why couldn’t she stop caring about him? Stop wondering about him?

Lucy turned to her, sympathy shining in her eyes. “I don’t know what happened between the two of you, Erienne, either all those years ago or over the last few days, but I do know that one drunken night not too, too long ago, Collin told me about you, and I knew without a doubt he loved you desperately.”

Tears slid down Erienne’s cheeks. She dashed them away with the backs of her hands. Lucy had said loved. The word was in the past tense.

“I hope you know that’s the only reason I attempted to meddle in your affairs,” the duchess continued. “I truly did it for the very best of reasons.”

Erienne heaved a sigh. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. “I know you did, Lucy. I know.”

Lucy turned back toward the door. “I should go. The coach is waiting, and I need to be awake early to visit Mrs. Griggs before I return to Huntingdon.”

“Thank you for coming all this way and giving me the reference,” Erienne said, rising to follow her to the threshold.

“You’re more than welcome, dear.” And with that, the duchess was gone.





Chapter Twenty





Collin was fishing in the creek the next morning when Derek caught up to him. He’d brought his pole and a bucket of bait. As youths, the brothers had spent countless hours silently fishing side-by-side. Derek’s appearance felt strangely like old times.

Derek baited his hook and slung his line into the water. “Catch anything?”

“Not yet,” Collin replied.

“Pity.”

It was an old jest between them. As children, whenever their mother had come looking for them, asking if they’d caught anything, and they said no, she’d respond with, “Pity.” As children, it had made them laugh. Neither of them laughed today.

Several silent minutes passed before Collin finally asked, “Lucy went to London yesterday?”

“Yes. She’ll be back this evening.”

“She went to see Erienne?”

Derek stared out across the lake. “She wanted to make certain Erienne has a decent reference. Lucy blames herself for all of this.”

Collin flashed him a rueful glance. “Funny. I could have sworn she blamed me.”

A half-smile appeared on Derek’s lips. “She blames you for being an obtuse male.”

“Guilty as charged, I suppose.”

Derek continued to stare out across the water. “I would never ask this, of course, because I am a man and we don’t ask such things of other men, but if Lucy were here, she would want to know why you let Erienne go.”

“I didn’t let her go. She left me … again.” Collin’s voice was cold as ice, even to his own ears.

“She didn’t leave you the first time, did she?” his brother asked. “You told her you wouldn’t marry her.”

He frowned at Derek. “How did you—?”

“Lucy told me you mentioned Erienne to her once when you were in your cups. I think you’re forgetting another time you were in your cups,” Derek added, finally shifting his attention from the water to Collin’s face. “One night, fourteen years ago, we’d both come home on leave together. You’d been out for a while that afternoon, and we went to the pub in town. You drank more that night than I’ve ever seen you drink. And you told me what happened with Erienne.”

Collin cursed under his breath. “Leaving her was the bloody most painful thing I’ve ever done.”

“I understand, believe me. I also understand what it feels like to think you’re not good enough.” He set down his pole and scooped up a stone from the creek bed. “After I was made a duke, it took a great deal of time before I felt anywhere near comfortable around the aristocracy. Lucy was the only one I felt right with for a long time. And that’s because she’s so unconventional.”

Collin blew out a breath. “What are you trying to say, Derek?”

“I’m saying that you and I are the same. We came from nothing, and we’ve felt as if we deserve nothing because of it. But that’s not true. You’ve made yourself the man you are today, Collin, and you deserve everything good in life. Including love.”