Page 65 of A Deal with the Broken Duke
“Yes, I remember that day,” Juliet said.
She’d been upset to see him, and upset because he had called herChipmunk, and she recalled feeling guilty about her anger with him later that evening when she’d learnt the truth about what had happened. His unkind words had seemed so small in comparison to the fact that he had just lost his mother.
“His mother had been ill for a long time,” Daniel said. “I don’t know how aware you were of that fact. We didn’t ever say much to you or Matilda about it because you were too young.”
“I don’t remember knowing that,” Juliet agreed.
“Harry knew for a long time that she wouldn’t live to grow old,” Daniel continued. “But even so, I don’t think anyone is ever ready for that kind of loss. It drove a wedge between him and his father. And when his father wanted him to marry, Harry resisted, and then his father died young as well.”
“And that’s when Harry decided to honor his father’s request and marry Lady Susan.” Juliet knew all this.
“It’s more than that, though,” Daniel said. “I think he thought of his marriage to Lady Susan as a kind of redemption.”
“Redemption? For what?” Juliet asked.
“He felt guilty after his father’s death. They hadn’t gotten along since his mother died, and Harry knew he had caused his father strife by refusing to go along with the ideas he had for his marriage. Now, with his father gone, it was too late to make up for it all, but Harry wanted to try. He wanted to make it right. His engagement to Lady Susan was supposed to heal all that guilt and remorse he had been feeling, and then she died. The third person in his life to have died before growing old.”
“It’s terrible that he’s been beset by all that tragedy,” Juliet murmured, trying to understand the point her brother was making.
“When that many bad things happen, I think it’s natural for people to start seeking out patterns. Harry wanted to find a reason. He wanted to know what had caused all this misfortune.”
“Well, nothing hadcausedit,” Juliet said. That seemed obvious to her. “These were three unrelated deaths. There was nothing anyone could have done about them.”
“That’s probably right, but Harry didn’t see it that way.”
“What do you mean? How did he see it?”
“He became convinced that he was cursed.”
“Cursed?” Juliet frowned.
“He believes, or at least, there’s a part of him that believes that everyone he cares about will die, just because he cares for them.”
“But that’s absurd! Nobody dies for reasons like that.”
“You can’t really blame him for thinking it,” Daniel said. “Everyone he’s ever cared abouthasdied.”
“But that isn’t his fault. Hasn’t anyone told him that? Haven’t you?”
Daniel hesitated. “I did tell him that. At the time, anyway.”
“Well, what doesthatmean?”
“When he started courting you, I may have…”
“Daniel, youdidn’t!”
“I was worried,” Daniel defended himself. “I don’t know that the curse isn’t real.”
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard you say. Of course it isn’t real!”
“But how can I take a chance when it comes to you? You’re my sister. If there’s even the slightest possibility of it being real—”
“What did you say to him, Daniel?”
“I told him that if you ever became ill, he would have to end things right away.”
Juliet sighed. “So that’s why everyone’s been watching me so carefully. You’re all waiting to see if this curse touches me.”
