Page 5 of A Love to Remember
Philip laughed. “Your wife is quite capable of fishing. Why shouldn’t your daughter be?” He took a gulp of the warming whisky—and realized the import of Sebastian’s words. “Wait. Is this your way of announcing Beatrice is with child again and you are hoping for a son?”
“Yes. And no.” Sebastian nipped the flask out of Philip’s hand and took a swig. “My only hope is that both mother and baby survive the birth.” He flashed Philip a look of mingled pride and worry. “When it’s your wife, you’ll understand.”
Your wife. Philip remained silent. How did he tell his friend there was no wife in his future? No sons to fish with? No daughters to rock? “Well, I’m not married yet, so children are a long way off.” He looked over to where the boys huddled and whispered, “Drake, if you keep peering into the water the salmon will see your shadow and retreat.”
The boy obediently moved back.
Sebastian grinned. “Speaking of wives. What are your intentions toward Rose? You must know the ladies are expecting a proposal by the end of our time here.”
What?Philip jerked to his feet. “Why would they expect that?”
Sebastian shrugged. “You’ve been together for more than two years. You didn’t invite her to Scotland last year. This year you did. The ladies thought—and I did, too—that there was some significance to the invitation.”
Philip’s gut went cold and he rubbed his hand over his face. Obviously he had not thought the invitation through. He had not seen Rose for eight weeks, so the prospect of spending a couple of weeks at his Scottish hunting lodge with his friends, where society could not judge him or her, had enthralled him. He did not want to come without herorDrake. He’d grown very fond of the boy. Since he would never have children of his own, he welcomed the boy’s presence. He felt as if he had a family of sorts.
Family?Panic gripped him, and he began to pace.
DidRoseexpect him to propose? No, of course she didn’t. Since her disastrous marriage ended, she’d made it very clear she did not wish to marry again. She was safe. It was that safety that made their relationship work.
He glanced back to the boys and lowered his voice. “This isn’t the time or place for this conversation.”
Sebastian waved his concern away. “They’re completely engrossed. They need a fish.”
And Philip needed a drink. He turned to Sebastian and beckoned for the whisky flask. Sebastian handed it over.
After a large gulp of the fiery liquid, Philip blew out a breath. “Rose has made it perfectly clear she is not in need of a husband.”
Sebastian laughed and accepted the flask’s return. “Well, not in general terms. But what about you specifically? Her response might be different if you asked her.”
“Why?” Philip knew his face had gone completely blank. Like his mind.
Sebastian was grinning like a fool. “Philip. Evenyoumust know she’s never stayed with any lover for this long. Besides, Portia told Beatrice that Rose has been infatuated with you since she was a little girl.” He frowned. “Is that why you’re holding back? Do you think she would say no?”
Why didn’t one of the boys catch a fish and end this hellish conversation? Philip knew he should have ended his affair with Rose long ago, but every time he spent more than a few weeks away from her he…he didn’t know his reasons, but he could not let her go.
“I’m not ready for marriage yet.” He spoke the lie so easily because he’d been saying it to his mother for the past two years—and she, he knew for certain, would not understand his logic or his choice.
“Tosh,” Sebastian said. “You’re only a year younger than me.” His friend hesitated. “Is it her reputation? Do you hold her various lovers against her? Because if so, that’s unfair. You’ve had more than your fair share.”
Philip shook his head. “No. It is not that. I understand why she chose to live as she did. After being sold like a broodmare to a man old enough to be her grandfather…it’s no wonder she wants the freedom to make her own choices now, including lovers.”
Sebastian nodded. “I’ve heard rumors of Roxborough’s sexual proclivities. Rose is a brave woman to take the risk again after sharing his bed.”
Privately, Philip agreed. Rose had told him only a little but it hadn’t been hard to deduce the rest. A man like Roxborough and an eighteen-year-old innocent. No wonder she had been terrified, humiliated, and hurt.
“Then why not marry her?” Sebastian was obviously not going to let it go. “You need an heir and it’s obvious you’re wonderful together.”
“Unlike you, my friend,” Philip snapped with a slight edge in his voice, “I have three younger brothers. Any one of them would make a superb earl.”
A frown crossed his friend’s face, but Sebastian had done no more than open his mouth to speak when Drake let out a whoop.
“I have one!” he shouted. “I have one!”
Quickly, Philip moved to the boy’s side. A big salmon could pull the boy into the river.
With one hand firmly on Drake’s shoulder, Philip spent the next several minutes supporting the ecstatic child, instructing him in the finer points of reeling in his catch while Sebastian helped Henry—who was dancing excitedly and brandishing the net—land the fish.
The look on Drake’s face, Philip decided, was worth every second of the struggle. The child shone with pride, grinning like he’d landed a whale single-handed.
