“I’ll do my best.” Landon agreed, looking about. “So far, I’ve heard things, good things, about this marriage of yours. His Grace speaks very highly of you.”
“Does he?” she said in surprise.
“Yes, he only mentions how you’ve driven him up the wall on occasion. For the most part he seems rather proud of you. His Grace is the only reason why I’m not in prison or on the streets. So, please, dear sister. I beg of you, do not make him angry,” he pleaded, hands plastered together in prayer.
“I’m not doing it intentionally. I had to help you, remember? And the previous argument was over trying to get his niece some simple painting lessons that I thought she would enjoy.” She shook her head.
“Never mind any of that,” her brother dismissed her problems again. “This,” he said as he picked up the purse from the wreckage, “is the money I owe you. Every cent accounted for, and every one of them very much earned through hard work and not gambling. It has been a hard couple of months, but I’ve learned so much.”
Lydia frowned at him. “But I got back my dowry; there’s no money to return.”
“And what about everything you sold to make sure we didn’t starve to death? I never returned that. Until now!” Landon had a proud look on his face as he gifted her the purse.
She looked inside, and there was a mound of coins piled together in that bag. “Landon, you know you didn’t have to pay me back. You’re my brother, and I’ll lend you whatever amount you need, without any expectations.”
“I know that,” Landon said confidently. “But I wanted to. His Grace made an excellent point that you had given enough. Until now, I didn’t realize how true that was. He was right. I have taken too much. And I do not want to keep taking and never give back.”
“That does sound like the sort of thing he would say.” she said, unable to stop smiling.
“For someone who’s been forced into a marriage, you seem fairly happy,” Landon said suggestively. “Why else would you be smiling like that?”
Startled, Lydia felt the warmth in her cheeks grow, not realizing she had been thinking of Archer so fondly. Suddenly, there were small butterflies in her stomach and a nervousness she didn’t expect.
“Perhaps, it’s not all bad,” she said lamely.
“Well, it does my heart good to see you taken care of.”
“He does take good care of me,” Lydia murmured. It was hard not to feel something for someone who cared and respected her. She never thought she would know someone so passionate about what made her happy.
After the Duke had retrieved her dowry—yes, she was angry but happy too. That small joy made her even angrier because she thought she shouldn’t feel that way. She may have taken it out on Archer, not showing how she really felt.
“I care for him deeply,” Lydia said out loud, and fear slammed into her heart.
“Wonderful,” her brother said joyously.
“No,” Lydia shook her head. “Our pre-nuptial agreement is clear: love is forbidden.”
“Well,” Landon scoffed, “that is the most preposterous thing I have ever heard. You cannot control your feelings.”
“I will have to, Land. The Duke has been very strict in that manner and has shown no signs he will change his mind.”
“All in good time, dear sister,” Landon said, not taking Lydia seriously. “Now,” he straightened up and started rummaging through his pockets before pulling out a rectangular box. “I have one last thing to gift you before I’m on my way.”
Landon handed her the velvet box. Clearly, it held jewelry of some kind. Lydia weighed it in her hands, wondering what it could be. Popping open the lid, she gasped in surprise.
“Oh, Land,” she whispered in astonishment. “Grandmother’s cameo!”
“It took forever to track down, but it was worth it.”
Lydia picked out the ivory cameo clasped to a double strand of white coral. It was an expensive piece crafted in the image of her grandmother as a wedding present from her grandfather. Lydia hadn’t known her grandmother long, but the wonderful woman would always hold a place in her heart.
When the time came to start selling pieces of her jewelry, she had given away the least sentimental ones she could find. She had cried two days straight when her brother took her grandmother’s necklace.
Landon beamed ear to ear as his sister cried tears of joy.
“Here,” he jumped up. “Let me put it on you.”
“Thank you, Land. I’m so proud of you.”
