Page 50 of The Duke of Distraction
“No one.”He’d taken care of himself his entire life, and he expected that to never change.
Anthony found Sarah in the library before dinner that night.“Are those your horrid novels from London?”
She sat at a table with a trio of books stacked before her and turned to look at her brother as he came toward her.“Yes.Felix told you he ordered them for me?”
“I wish I’d thought of it,” Anthony said with a hint of regret.“I haven’t been a very good brother of late.”
“I haven’t been that great a sister either, but I think we’ve done what we must.”She gestured for him to sit with her.“Is it better, being here instead of in town?”
“I think so.I enjoyed being out yesterday.And I went for a long walk today.”
“You seem to be feeling all right.”She studied his features, and he gave her a small smile.
“Please don’t worry about me.I couldn’t bear it.”He looked away from her.“This has been a shock.”
“Yes, it has.”That was the very best way to describe it.One minute, they’d been enjoying themselves at Darent Hall, and the next, they’d been plunged into confusion and grief.
Anthony rested his elbow on the table.“I wanted to ask if you would mind if Felix and I missed dinner tonight.”
“Oh?”
“Felix suggested we spend the evening in town.”
“And you want to?”She reached forward with a smile and touched his arm.“That’s wonderful.Of course I don’t mind.”
His shoulders dipped in relief.“Thank you.”
“I’ve plenty to keep me busy.”She patted the stack of books.“And soon I will have even more to occupy my time.Felix took me to meet terrier puppies today.”
“Oh no, how many are you taking?”He let out a low laugh.
“Two.At his insistence.”She snagged the inside of her lip with her teeth.“But it feels a bit…wrong.”
“Why?”
“Mother and Father would never let me have them.Not in the house and definitely not in London.”
He looked away again, nodding.“I understand.”He found her gaze again.“And I think they would understand too.We must do what we can.If puppies will make you happy, you should have puppies.”
“What about you?”she asked.“What will make you happy?”
He shrugged, letting out a deep exhalation.“Right now, spending the evening with my friend and pretending as if nothing has changed.”
“Can you really do that?”Sarah wasn’t sure she could.
“I’m going to try.Felix says it will help.”
She wasn’t surprised by this—he’d spent the day trying to distract her from melancholy.“Felix is a master at diversion.”
“Of course he is.I can think of no one better to help us through this time.”
“Should we—” She hated to ask the question, but she’d begun to start thinking about what to do next, and she liked having plans or at least ideas and strategies.When it looked like she might not marry, she’d concocted an alternate scheme.It was both comforting and inspiring.“When are we going to Oaklands?”
Anthony stood and stalked across the room, stopping in front of a bookshelf and running his fingertip along the spines.“I don’t know.I’m not ready yet.”
The pain in his voice cut right through her.She rose and went to stand beside him.“It doesn’t have to be soon.”
He nodded.
