Page 55 of My Dangerous Duke

Eleanor slapped his chest as his grandmother hissed at him to be serious, and with a sigh, he rolled his eyes and came back down the stairs. It was only then he saw the worry etched in the older woman’s face, and his previous thoughts and feelings vanished. Carefully, he sat Eleanor back down on her feet, and they both went to the dowager duchess.

“What is wrong?” Eleanor asked quickly, clutching the dowager’s hands. In her left one, Xander could see a letter crinkled up in her tight grip, and his dread grew.

“Grandmother, what is it?” He asked.

“It is Richard,” she explained, her voice tight, “He has left us! Here, look at this. It was found in his room!”

As Xander took the letter, the dowager continued to sob harder and leaned her frail body completely into Eleanor’s. Eleanor embraced the older woman tighter and gave Xander another worried look. Xander met her eyes with the same emotion but did not open the letter.

“How could he do it?” the dowager sobbed. “How could he leave us? For aman?I know what he said about love, but- but this?”

Xander did not need to look at the contents of the letter, not if these were his grandmother’s questions. She understood Richard’s secret now. All of them did.

“Grandmother, I offer my deepest apologies for not handling this better,” he apologized.

He put a gentle hand on her shoulder, but her sobs only grew louder.

“My baby boy,” she wailed into Eleanor’s neck. “Who is going to protect him? He will not survive on his own, he is not capable of it!”

“Hush now,” Eleanor soothed, her voice gentle as she rubbed circles into the dowager’s back, “Richard is a Harrison. This already makes him stronger than most.”

“Oh, darling girl,” the dowager sighed, pulling away to dab at her tears, “How I do appreciate your comforting words. I so hope that you are right.”

“Honey,” Xander implored softly, looking toward his wife. She gave him an affectionate look, and he knew she was ready to help. “Please help Grandmother to bed, I believe this is far too much for her nerves.”

“Of course,” Eleanor replied quickly.

Xander gave her a look of appreciation and Eleanor sent him a look that said she would find him when she was done. He gave a furtive nod. Good. He needed to see her after this.

“Come now, Grandmother,” she urged gently, slowly leading the dowager up the stairs, “Let us get you in bed with a cup of warm tea for your nerves, yes?”

“Did you know?” she asked, a fresh wave of sobs pouring from her throat.

Xander’s chest tightened as he watched the two women he loved the most descend the stairs.

“It is all right,” Eleanor only soothed, keeping the older woman steady, “It is all going to be all right.”

Xander waited until they disappeared onto the second floor where his grandmother’s compartments were situated, then strode to his study with the letter. Once there, he smoothed out the paper on his desk and read its contents.

Dearest Family,

I have found a forbidden love. One that burns deep and true, but cannot exist in our country. I have tried to keep this love between Marcus and me a secret. To protect not just us, but all of you. Failing to do so has been my greatest defeat, and I cannot bear that I left you to pay for that.

Perhaps it is for the best, though, for I can no longer continue living my life of lies in England. I have taken a small sum, which you will notice in your accounts, and by the time you read this, I will have boarded a ship with Marcus. It is better that you not know where we are for now. All you need to know is that I am your burden no longer.

Richard.

P.S. I will return the funds when possible.

Xander crumpled the letter back up, not bothering to fold it correctly. He was not worried about the funds. Whatever the amount was, he cared little about it. Richard, for all of his faults, was oftentimes an asset to the family business and deserved a payout.

For a moment, he thought about tracking him down. Not for himself, but for his grandmother. Despite finding out about Richard’s lifestyle, he knew she still loved him deeply and would want him back where she could keep an eye on him. But… would Richard want that? Or would he want the chance to be free? Xander knew that he would beg his family to stay away if it was the only way to keep Eleanor, and therefore he could not blame his cousin for his choice.

From his desk drawer, he pulled out the letters Victor had used as blackmail and studied them for a moment. There it was, the penned words that had changed his life forever. In the beginning of it all, he had hated Richard for his mistakes; for being the one that forced him into marriage. Now, though, panic rose in him at the thought of not having Eleanor in his life.

Standing up from his desk, Xander walked the pile of paper and a box of matches over to the fireplace. With care, he stacked three pieces of dry wood onto the grate and then wedged the letters in and around them. A snap of light appeared as he struck three matches against the fireplace, and he tossed them in. The letters worked as tinder, catching immediately and sending embers over the wood. Within seconds, the small sparks billowed into healthy flames, and all proof of scandal was gone.

“Be well, Cousin,” Xander said aloud as he watched the life-changing letters turn black. “I wish you nothing but the best.”

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