“Everyone makes mistakes,” his mother said. “All we can do is own them and try to do better. To show we are worthy of forgiveness through our deeds, even if we don’t demand it. Build back trust, one person at a time, and be accepting if it is something permanently broken.”
“Yes,” he whispered. “I suppose that is true.”
“We aren’t just our mistakes,” she said, and then drew her hands away. “And I’m sure you didn’t mean to do something wrong. I may not know you, but you have kind eyes.”
Roarke let out his breath and got to his feet. And she was gone again, forgetting him. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “They’re your eyes, Mama. And now I must go. I have a great deal to do. I’ll send Hilde back in momentarily, yes? You eat in the meanwhile.”
She did as she was told and didn’t say goodbye. He stepped out of the little parlor and into the hall. Hilde was waiting.
“I know it’s asking a great deal,” he said. “But I did collect a small sum of money and I’ll be finishing the improvements and increasing your wage within a few weeks. I hope you can be patient, even if I don’t deserve further consideration.”
Hilde looked past him into the room where his mother was quietly eating. She sighed. “You know I adore you dear mother. And I can see you’re under a great deal of strain, Mr. Desmond. I’ll keep on as I have been. But…I have responsibilities, too."
“I know.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. Thank you, Hilde.”
She inclined her head and then moved past him into the parlor. “And how is the food, dear?”
“Who was that man, Hilde? He seemed sad.”
Roarke flinched and strode from the house so he wouldn’t hear or see more. He was about to swing up on his horse when a carriage pulled up onto the street and blocked his exit. He sighed as he saw the crest on the door. The Duke of Sidmouth. It seemed his cousin was here to collect.
Only when the door to the carriage opened, it wasn’t Thomas who was leaning out, but Gertrude. She glanced at the little home he’d just exited, her mouth drawing down in a tight frown, and then said, “Get in.”
He blinked at her. “What are you about, Gertrude? I’m not leaving my horse behind. Why are you here?”
“My footman will ride your mount so you may continue on your way after we talk.” Gertrude speared him with a forceful look. “Please, Roarke. I need to speak to you privately. Now.”
There was something in the desperation of her expression, in the white-knuckled grip she had on the edge of the carriage door. It might be merely dramatic effect that caused it—Gertrude had always been a bit dramatic—but he didn’t want to risk that she actually had something meaningful to say.
Her footman was coming down from the back of the rig, and Roarke handed over the reins of the horse to him with a sigh before he climbed up into the carriage, settled into a place across from Gertrude and watched as she slammed the door and then banged on the wall behind her for her driver to move.
“Did you know that Flora went to the countryside with her friends?” Gertrude asked with no other preamble.
Roarke winced at the mention of Flora. He certainly didn’t want to discuss her with her very tormenter. “No,” he said through clenched teeth. “Though since you went to all the trouble to determine my location and demand I come into your carriage, I assume that means you three have realized that I failed in your vile objective. If you are here to threaten me, I already know you’ll be preparing to destroy me.”
Gertrude looked rather sick in that moment. “I’m certain my brothers will get to you. But right now they’re focused on her. Time is running out. The clause in the inheritance will be activated in three weeks.”
Roarke gripped his fists against his thighs and tried to meter his breath. There was no need to become protective—it wasn’t his place. Not anymore. Flora was with her friends, Gertrude said, which likely meant Callum and Theo were part of that equation. He had already warned her about his cousins’ intentions to hire anyone to seduce her, not just himself. There was nothing else that could be done, and Flora had asked him to leave her alone. If he was going to prove his true sorrow for his actions, he had to honor her request.
“If she is with her friends, I doubt they can reach her. Their idea to send some random man to seduce her underestimates her anyway,” he said.
“I hate that woman,” Gertrude said. “She stole my father’s affection and attention. She replaced my mother and made him love her most. Made him forget his first wife.” She shook her head. “But I’m…I’m afraid this isn’t about seduction or ruination anymore, Roarke. I’m afraid they’re going to have her killed.”
Those words hit him as hard as a blast to the chest would have. He recoiled. “What?”
Gertrude’s breath grew short. “You know that Philip has always been wild. Violent.” The way she turned her head made Roarke wonder briefly if that violence had ever been turned on her. If that was part of why she encouraged it, to make him veer toward another victim.
“Thomas manages him,” Roarke said softly, but he couldn’t help but think of Philip arriving at his home the previous week. Making his threats.
“Thomas has thrown up his hands in disgust after your failure and wants no part in the resolution of the matter. He told Philip he didn’t care how it was done. I think he thought there might be strong arming or intimidation…but Philip would do anything to impress our brother, anything. I overheard him in one of the parlors just yesterday with some wretched, vile criminal. He said he wanted her gone and it was evident gone didn’t mean out of town.”
“Did you talk to Thomas about it?” Roarke burst out.
“I tried,” Gertrude said. “But he was going away to handle some estate business for a few days and he didn’t want to hear it. He said I was hysterical.”
“Fuck,” Roarke muttered, and didn’t care that he’d cursed in front of his maiden cousin. “Let me out.”
Gertrude blinked. “What, but I wanted to talk more about—”
He leaned over her and banged on the wall behind her. “No, let me out.”
“Why?”
“Do you know where they were going?” he asked. “A friend in the country. Was it the Duke of Blackvale or the Duke of Lightmorrow?”
She stared. “How did you know?”
“Because I know her. And I know her friends.” He gulped back his fear. “Tell me which one.”
“Blackvale,” she said softly. “They left two days ago.”
The carriage stopped and Roarke jumped down even as it still rocked. He leaned back in and speared his cousin with a glare. “You said this happened yesterday. Did you send a message to Flora, telling her she might be in danger?”
Gertrude shifted and the fear flashed in her eyes again. “N-No,” she admitted. “I thought my brothers might find out and then it would be me who was threatened. I thought…I thought…”
“We’re all cowards in this family,” Roarke said. “And I can only hope that our spectacular failures as human beings won’t lead to harm to a woman who deserves nothing but the best things in this world. Deserves better than us, for certain.”