Page 11 of A Duchess to Fight For
“He said he’d agree to bathe, put on clean clothes and eat. Then he wants to leave. I’ll obviously try to get him to stay. If not, he’s thinking about coming once a week to clean up and eat.
“I need to change. I fear I have the stench of the docks clinging to my clothes.”
Amelia smiled again. “Yes. You do smell. Isn’t it wonderful?”
He grinned. “I’ll go now. I don’t want him to be finished before me.”
When Frederick saw the clean, shaven, dressed Hobart, he began to cry again.
“Frederick, if you are going to cry all night, I’m not going to be able to take it,” Hobart said.
Hobart sat with Amelia, Louisa, and Frederick in the parlour before dinner. Frederick had told Amelia and Louisa to stay away from asking personal questions, so Amelia asked about Hobart’s childhood.
“Frederick told me you used to sneak into his bed every night. He said he always missed you when you weren’t with him, and he slept better when you were beside him.”
“We were across the hall from each other, so it was easy to do. It gave me a feeling of comfort having him there. Of course, I had to tell him to stop talking several times a night so I could sleep,” Hobart said.
Dinner was a success. Hobart ate the duck, closing his eyes and humming between bites. The pudding at dessert was a special treat.
“Amelia, please tell your cook that I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. I haven’t had pudding in at least ten years. What a treat.”
Frederick stood. “Ladies, if you will excuse us, Hobart and I are going to the library for an after dinner drink.”
Louisa said, “Goodnight, Uncle Hobart, it’s almost my bedtime.”
He walked over to her and squatted to face her. “Goodnight, Louisa. It was a pleasure meeting you.” He kissed her forehead and stood.
In the library, Frederick handed Hobart a glass and sat. “What do you think?”
“Your family is very nice, Frederick.”
Frederick shook his head. “What do you think about staying? Perhaps forever.”
“I can’t.”
“But why?”
“Look, Frederick, I can’t.”
“You need to tell me why, Hobart. I can’t let you go unless I know why. Is it me? Are we no longer brothers and friends?”
“Frederick, do you know how some people say you can go a year without seeing your best friend and pick up where you left off the minute you see each other again? We did that tonight after ten years, no less. It was never you. It will never be you. I just can’t stay.”
“Hobart, please listen to me. Ineedto know why. My brain is thinking the worst.”
“What is your brain thinking?”
“That you killed someone. That you’re stuck hiding because you see no way out.”
Hobart gave a bitter laugh. “You know me too well Frederick.”
“So, tell me the details, and we’ll brainstorm about how to handle it.”
Hobart sat back in his chair. “You’re serious. You want to help me get away with murder.”
“I don’t know what I want you to get away with until I know what happened. First, how long ago did it happen?”
“Look Frederick, I didn’t steal a chicken from the neighbour’s yard. People think I murdered someone.”
