Page 71 of His Abandoned Duchess

Richard stiffened. There were several parts to that string of sentences to which he responded less than gladly. Had he really called his wife by her first name? He knew that they had spoken, however, and Amelia had made it a point to tell him of the exchange once more just yesterday.

Hugh was also apparently getting married in the near future, and that was quite the nugget to drop so unceremoniously.

“You’re getting married?” Amelia asked happily, her teacup rattling slightly as she set it down on the saucer.

“I am, that is, my beloved is aware that I plan to ask for her hand in marriage. We have taken to calling each other betrothed already, though the banns have not begun yet.” Hugh took another sip of his tea and then forced his stare to Richard with concerted effort. “Actually, I was quite hoping that I might obtain your blessing on the arrangement so that I could put forth the banns to be read.”

“Why should it matter if I give you a blessing? You are free to wed as you are of age. I assume that your mother has agreed to it all as well.”

The look of disappointment in Hugh’s expression was not well-hidden. He either lacked the skill to maintain a stoic demeanor or was not of a mind to hide his feelings. Which would be both refreshing and unusual.

“Yes, Mother had blessed the marriage with her acceptance, though I am still uncertain if she will even live to see it.” Again, Richard was taken aback by the raw frankness of Hugh’s words. “I thought to ask for your blessing because you are family, the reigning heir of the Knight line. Your opinion matters to me.”

Richard wanted to scoff at that. He wanted to be the type of man who brushed it off and saw through Hugh’s act to get into his good graces. Still, the truth of the matter was that Hugh was offering something he needn’t, and his brother had also taken on a particular risk and discomfort to be here.

He was trying.

And Richard had promised Amelia that he would do the same. Even more, he wanted that more than the old part of him wanted to hold onto a grudge. It was time to let the past go, for all of their sakes.

“Before I give my blessing,” Richard began, “I’d like to hear what you told Amelia when you met her that day. She did an excellent job reciting it for me, but I’d like to hear it from you if I could.”

Hugh’s eyes widened, and he swiftly nodded, scooting to the edge of his seat. “Of course. Firstly, I must say that I did not know how poorly Father mistreated you. It was kept from me by my mother, likely in an effort to shield me from the horrors.”

Nodding, Richard swallowed hard, still uncomfortable with open talk of his past. “Go on.”

“Mother has fallen ill, as you have likely heard. It appears that she had taken to a similar practice as many of those who fear they are not long for his world. She had come clean about past mistakes and regrets, the foremost of which was leaving you, according to her own words. She has told me that she attempted to take you with her, but Father beat her for it. Which was hardly the first time, also per her confessions.

“I have seen the old scars on her body, and I have found it impossible to disbelieve her. I was too young to understand the gravity of the situation. I apologize for that. While it may be aviable excuse, it still must have been highly unpleasant to have seen me treated so differently from you.”

Richard could read a man well. He could ferret out the truth behind lies or, at the least, see that he was being swindled. Hugh was not showing any of those classic signals. He spoke in earnest, and the overwhelming relief that washed over him at knowing that his stepmother and half-brother had not merely abandoned him was nearly too great to withstand.

“Thank you, Hugh.” The Duke held back nothing from his tone, allowing hisbrotherto see him for his truth. “I was furious and brokenhearted for years, thinking that neither of you saw me as worthy of joining you. I only possessed the excuse of age to a degree, and I wish I had simply told my father I wished to go or asked you about it all those years ago. It appears that many of the mistakes that have haunted me are the result of lack of communication.”

Amelia did her best to restrain a laugh by masking it with a cough, but Richard picked up on it regardless. He turned toward her, narrowing his eyes playfully.

“Yes, it appears that is a weak spot of mine.”

Blushing, his wife hid her smile behind a sip of tea but then turned to him and gazed in a way that openly showed her affection. It was still an odd thing to be on the receiving end of, particularly with his past being what it was.

“It is a fact of life, it seems. I have been not so much better than yourself at communicating with my mother or Father. Even Mother has been quite awful at it. It has been the only upside of her feeling unwell. And I say that terrified that she might leave this earth while I am away.”

“We should come to visit her then. Join her this time in a meeting of family and friendship before she is called home.”

Hugh’s eyes welled up, glassy and shimmering. Richard could see the hearty bob of his throat as he swallowed, forcing down the swell of emotion so that he didn’t openly sob. Reaching out a hand, the Duke offered it to his brother—a gesture of understanding.

When Hugh took it, Richard smiled, shaking once before using the hold to get them both to their feet.

“It is good to have you back,” he locked eyes with Hugh, “Brother.”

“I truly look forward to re-establishing our connection, Richard.” Hugh nodded, smiling as his stare remained lit with unshed tears. “And it would bring Mother nothing but joy to see you again. She has spoken fondly of the times in our youth quite often as of late. A comfort while she is in pain.”

An air of seriousness gripped Richard, and he furrowed his brow as he stood there with Hugh. “What of her care? Does she have a fine doctor seeing to her?”

“The best that is available outside the city and closer to Blackford.” Hugh’s smile was tight now, dampened by reality.

“That is not nearly good enough. The Dowager Duchess will be brought with the utmost care to Heartwick. We have the room, and the finest physicians in London can take care of her.”

Hugh’s mouth dropped open in shock, and it wasn’t until Amelia stepped forward and offered a kind hand on his shoulder that he closed it once again.

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