Page 14 of Devoted to the Duke (The St. Clairs 1)

He dismissed the imaginary call. He would enjoy supping with her but somehow rescind his earlier remark. Giving her the impression that he was considering a bride was utterly wrong. She seemed too sweet and kind for him to give her false hope.

He collected a claret for himself and the lemonade she’d requested and returned to their isolated table. By choosing a table for two, he’d already caused the gossiping tongues to wag and could have kicked himself for linking their names together on his first evening in London.

She gave him a warm smile as he handed over her drink and sat.

“Who is the real Jeremy St. Clair?” she asked.

“I’m surprised you already know my name.”

“Lady Amanda called you Jeremy and mentioned that you and your brother used to visit her family.”

A dark cloud suddenly settled over him at the mention of Timothy. Perceptively, she leaned toward him and said, “I’m sorry if I brought up unpleasant memories, Lord Sather. Lady Amanda mentioned your brother had passed. It was cruel of me to mention something that still affects you so deeply.”

Tears welled in her eyes and, without thinking, he reached and took her hand.

“Timothy’s memory is never unpleasant to me, Lady Catherine. He was my best friend. I’ve missed him every day since he’s been gone. He should have been the marquess. As a second son, I was destined for the army. I should be there now, with other friends, fighting against Bonaparte. Instead, I’m to be the eventual duke and must remain in England.”

She placed her free hand atop his. “Your brother must have been a good man since he was not only your brother but your best friend. Tell me about him. I’d love to hear what he was like and what you did together as boys.”

She removed her hand and he did the same, freeing hers up so she could eat. Again, he’d done something that might draw the eyes of others. Hopefully, with their table in the darkened corner, no one had seen them touching.

As they ate, he began speaking of Timothy, which he hadn’t done in years. In fact, never. Once Timothy drowned, no one in the St. Clair house spoke his name, thanks to his father’s edict. Jeremy’s friends, after giving him their condolences, never mentioned him. It was as if Timothy had never existed. A part of Jeremy died with his brother and what was left became lost by not being able to speak of his closest friend and the biggest influence in his life.

The floodgates opened and story after story poured from Jeremy. At first, it hurt to talk about things he’d done with Timothy. Gradually, the hurt lessened and only the good times remained as he told Lady Catherine of growing up at Eversleigh. The things Timothy had taught him, from hunting and fishing to riding and boxing. He laughed until tears nearly fell as he told her of several scrapes they’d gotten into at school and how the St. Clair charm helped the pair escape punishment on more than one occasion.

She dabbed her lips with her napkin. “How I would have enjoyed knowing Timothy. He lived life to its fullest in the short time he was here.”

Jeremy realized that not only had they both cleaned their plates as they conversed but that most of the buffet room had emptied of ball guests. This lovely woman had done what no one else had before. She was almost a stranger to him yet he felt closer to her than anyone, other than Cor.

“I’m sorry to have dominated our dinner conversation, Lady Catherine. We’ve talked about nothing but me. I should like to learn more about you.”

“Oh, but I’ve enjoyed hearing about your antics,” she said, her lips curving in a smile. “You and your brother were quite the scamps. I’m afraid I am boring in comparison.”

“Thank you for allowing me to speak of my brother to you. I haven’t since his death.”

Her brows knit in puzzlement. “Why not? I adore my younger sister, Leah. If anything ever happened to her, I would most certainly remember her with both family and friends.”

“My father wouldn’t allow it,” he revealed. “He forbade Timothy’s name from being spoken by family and servants alike. At school, our friends probably thought it awkward for me to hear talk about Timothy so they, too, never mentioned him. It was a relief tonight to talk about him openly, with joy, and recall such fun, sweet memories.” He paused. “You’ve given me a gift tonight, Catherine. You’ve given me my brother back. For that, I will forever be in your debt.”

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