Page 45 of Buon Natale, My Wicked Rogue
“You have his strength of mind.”
She frowned more deeply and cocked her head. “I don’t think so, Evan.”
“You’re young, and you still lack some experience in life.”
Hearing someone say something like that about her might have rankled her, but he was older than her. She knew he was telling the truth. “Yes, I suppose you are correct. But I’ll never be anything like him.Oh Mamma Mia, he is so strong-minded that he is formidable.”
He smiled, and his green eyes twinkled at her. Was that humor at her expense? Yes, but she could see it was intended in the most affectionate way.
“What?” she asked, feeling a smile tug at the corners of her mouth, even though she didn’t understand what the joke was. But she could feel safe laughing at herself with him.
“Give yourself time, my love. When you are his age, you might be a little formidable yourself.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. And she had no wish to quarrel over the matter. Even though she couldn’t see much of herself in her father, she was grateful that she had finally been able to get to know him. Perhaps he would be a grandfather figure for her children, and their lives would be enriched by him.
Perhaps.
“Do you think you could sleep now?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I just keep thinking about everything.”
“It is much to think about and much to grieve. I think it will take some time to place it all in proper perspective, my love. What bothers you the most besides your father?”
“Susan,” she said, feeling sorrow for her former friend despite the way she had betrayed her. “What will happen to her?”
“Susan will be charged with accessory to attempted murder and likely will be transported to Australia. Her cousin, who actually fired the weapon, will probably be executed.”
“It is so sad and so needless.”
“I could probably use the weight of my title and a significant bribe to have Tom’s sentence commuted to transportation to Australia as well.”
She raised her eyebrows. “You’d do that for the man who shot you?”
“I’d do it for you if the idea of him being executed disturbs you.”
She compressed her lips and then shook her head. “It’s true that he didn’t kill either of us, but he intended to kill me. I am not seeking any revenge on Tom. However, he was willing to kill someone for money. That’s evil, and he might hurt someone else. Then we’d both have that person’s blood on our hands. If the law says he should hang, I’ll not dispute the matter.”
Evan raised his eyebrows. “That’s a quick, firm, and well-reasoned decision that’s worthy of a duke’s daughter.”
She shrugged. “It is common sense.” Then, another thing occurred to her. “I don’t understand why Susan would have done this. I would have helped her in any way that I could.” She chewed her lip for a moment while painful questions still burnedthrough her. “Did you ever send her the money for legal aid to help her regain custody of her son?”
His mouth twisted, and she could sense his mind working. “I’d have preferred not to tell you this.”
“Please tell me. It is worse not to have the answers. I’d rather have the answers, no matter how painful they are.”
“I felt sorry for Susan when I first approached her, and she told me about needing money to regain her son. I went and visited her father-in-law, thinking that I could negotiate something between him and Susan. What he told me surprised me. He said that Susan had left her son with them voluntarily and that they had tried several times to work out a more balanced relationship between Susan and her son. Yet, she continued to visit him only on holidays.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“I’ll tell you something that Tom told Radstock during the interrogation the day after he shot me. Something that could explain her motivation to see you hurt. He said that when Jacob Berry visited here in England, your late husband and Susan had a whirlwind romance of sorts. But Susan was a flirt, and when she attempted to make Jacob jealous by flirting with his cousin, Jacob became enraged, not at the man, but at her, and he left England without saying goodbye to her. And shortly after, he visited Italy and met you, then soon after that, he married you.”
“Goodness, as you say, this is much to think about.”
“I am sorry that this has all turned out to be so painful for you. You deserved none of this. So many jealous, vindictive people were waiting for you here in England. I am surprised you’d want to stay here at all.”
She smiled at him. “It is not all bad. If I had not come here, I wouldn’t have met Lady Wyndam. She is the dearest person, and I love her. I have finally met my father, and while I should keep my expectations realistic, he seems to want to repair the past and build a new future with me. But most of all, I met you, and you are, day by day, showing me how different love can be from my first marriage. Even though we came together through deception, even though you are not the rake I initially thought you to be but a wily and scheming rogue, I understand your motives were pure.” Her smile broadened; she felt it stretching the corners of her mouth. “I forgive you.”
He took her hand and placed it to his lips. “Thank you for forgiving me, my love. I love you with all my heart and soul. I will never willingly hurt you again. I will protect you and cherish you all the days of my life.”
