Page 58 of Taken By the Icy Duke

“Forgive my intrusion, Your Grace,” he murmured to her. She simply offered him a polite smile, then glanced at Gilbert.

When Leopold disappeared up the stairs, Diana stepped closer, her voice hushed.

“Are you all right?” Her eyes searched his face, and the compassion there nearly eroded his composure. How he wished they could return to their quiet meal, to the conversation that had hinted at so many other shared possibilities.

He forced a faint smile.

“I will be,” he said. “It is…an unexpected development, but nothing we cannot handle.”

He paused, noticing the worry still creasing her brow. “Thank you for respecting my wish to meet him alone. Tomorrow, if you like, you may join us. I am not hiding you from him, only from tonight’s conflict.”

Diana nodded. “I understand,” she said softly. “If there is anything I can do…”

Gilbert let out a long, gratitude-filled breath. “Thank you, Diana. We will speak later.”

She smiled, her eyes reflecting the same affection that had carried them through their days and nights. With a quick press of her hand, she turned towards her own quarters. Gilbert lingered a moment, watching her vanish into the corridor. Only after she was gone did he climb the stairs, exhaustion creeping in now that the shock of Leopold’s arrival had dulled.

Reaching the top floor, he paused outside Leopold’s assigned guest chamber. Inside, he heard the muffled sound of hisbrother’s voice, likely instructing a footman on where to place his trunk.

Gilbert sighed, feeling the wash of memories flood over him, the tumultuous years of living with Leopold after their father died, and of the messes he had been forced to clean up on his behalf. He had thought then that his life would always be that way. However, just a few doors down, Diana would now be waiting for him.

And as he turned away, heading for his own rooms, the thought of Diana reminded him of how fragile his newly won contentment might be if his brother stirred up old hurts or ignited new gossip. He closed his eyes briefly, willing the tension from his shoulders. Then, with a firm resolve, he moved down the corridor, every footstep echoing the vow he silently repeated.

I will not let him disrupt what I have found.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Gilbert sat behind his desk, the lamplight throwing shadows across the shelves and the single breakfast tray that lay untouched on a side table. The morning had been taut with anticipation since Leopold’s sudden return the night before, and now, beyond the door, he could hear his uneven footsteps approaching. No more putting it off. When a faint knock sounded, he squared his shoulders.

“Come in,” he said quietly.

Leopold entered, his demeanor anxious. He looked older than the careless youth who had once roamed Rivenhall’s corridors, though his roguish persona remained, albeit subdued. Gilbert observed that Leopold’s slight limp was more pronounced than he remembered.

“I was abroad when the vile rumors reached me; twisted stories that you regret your marriage, and that you only wed because of some dire mishap with Diana, although we know that part tobe true. However, some even claim you despise her and never plan to consummate the marriage. It sounded worse than typical society gossip.” He paused, meeting Gilbert’s gaze. “I returned to see if you were truly all right.”

Gilbert tensed his jaw. “So you have said. And you thought my life so precarious that you had to come running?”

A faint, humorless smile tugged at Leopold’s lips. “I know it sounds absurd. Typically, I never worried about your affairs. But what I heard was… ugly. Talk of your hand being forced by blackmail or burdened by shame. I had to see the truth for myself—whether my scandal forced you into a life of misery.”

Silence followed, less charged than it might once have been, but still uneasy. After a moment, Gilbert spoke. “I will not pretend that your departure made things easy for me. But it is done. Diana and I have settled into our marriage in our own way.” He paused, his expression unreadable. “Whatever vile stories you have heard, you can see that I am hardly on the brink of despair.”

Leopold nodded, glancing over Gilbert’s desk, each piece of paper and pen in its specific place.

“It is just that I have never known you to place your own happiness first. You have always been about duty; covering my debts, shielding me. If the ton’s rumors are false, I am glad. But I also wonder whether you have locked yourself into a stifling path for my sake. You remain caretaker of everything, including me.”

Gilbert’s features tightened. “I promised our father I would watch over you, and I have. Do not twist that into a burden I resent. My marriage is another matter entirely.”

Leopold’s brow creased. “But I am now a grown man; I can face up to my own mistakes. You need not spend your life cleaning up after me while abandoning your own contentment. Even now, I see you tense whenever you mention your future. You are now a husband; perhaps you ought to consider being a…” He trailed off, wary of pushing too far.

Gilbert’s jaw flexed at the implication but did not lash out.

“That is between Diana and me,” he said, a hint of defensiveness in his tone. “And contrary to what society may guess, we live on fair terms. Whether or not I seek anything beyond that is for me to decide.”

Leopold studied him, then let out a shaky breath. “Right. Then forgive me if I overstep. I only want you to realize you do not owe me your entire future. I am not some child requiring constant rescue. You have a wife; perhaps you ought to think about a life that does not revolve around me.”

Gilbert eyed him for a moment. “If this is all to say you are finally willing to shoulder responsibility, then that is good news,” he said. “That is precisely what I expect if you remain here. Father wanted you provided for, but that does not mean you can roam as you will, free of accountability.”

A brief flicker of guilt passed over Leopold’s face. “I understand. I am prepared to do better. And I would like to stay on if you would have me. If your wife will have me,” he requested. “I do not mean to disrupt the household further.”

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