Magnus’s gaze sharpened, the faintest flicker of irritation crossing his features. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Rowan. This has nothing to do with me. Eugenia has been miserable, withdrawn, and listless. She needs someone to care for her, to guide her. A motherly presence. That’s all this is.”
Rowan smirked knowingly, folding his arms. “Ah, but isn’t it convenient how this ‘practical’ arrangement just happens torequire you to marry someone yourself? Makes one wonder if there’s a touch of self-interest hiding beneath the surface.”
Magnus met his friend’s gaze evenly. “I don’t have time for sentimentality or loneliness. This is business. Nothing more. You know me better than that.”
Rowan’s grin softened as he rose to his feet. “Of course, Magnus. But you might want to keep an eye on your own heart. Sometimes, it has a way of meddling in the best-laid plans.”
Magnus gave a curt nod, signaling the end of their conversation. “I’ll keep that in mind. Good night, Rowan.”
Rowan smirked once more, his eyes gleaming with mischief, then turned toward the door. Just as he reached for the handle, the door opened, and Eugenia entered the room carrying a small, intricately embroidered sampler; trailing behind her was her maid, Jenny.
Eugenia’s bright eyes flickered nervously between Magnus and Rowan, clutching the delicate piece of needlework as if it were a shield. Magnus’s expression softened involuntarily, though he quickly masked it with his usual composed demeanor. Rowan paused mid-step, raising an amused eyebrow at the unexpected intrusion.
“Well, what have we here?” Rowan asked, stepping forward cautiously.
Jenny cleared her throat politely and stepped forward, taking the beautifully embroidered sampler from Eugenia. “Miss Eugenia wished to show you what she has finished,” she said, her voice gentle.
Magnus rose from where he sat and approached them. He took the sampler from her and looked down at the delicate work, his usual sternness softening just a touch. He glanced at Eugenia, who barely dared to meet his eyes, shrinking further behind Jenny.
An awkward silence fell. Rowan, still standing by the door, raised an amused eyebrow. “Well done, Eugenia. That is impressive.”
Eugenia managed the faintest smile as Jenny gave a small curtsy, then quietly stepped back.
Magnus’s gaze lingered on Eugenia a moment longer, an unfamiliar warmth stirring within him, before he cleared his throat and shifted his attention back to the matter at hand.
“You say she made it by herself?” he asked Jenny.
“Yes, Your Grace,” she answered.
Magnus turned to Eugenia. “You made this yourself?”
Eugenia’s wide eyes flickered up for a brief moment, but she said nothing as she never did. At ten years old, she had not spokena single word since Magnus had taken her into his care. Despite his efforts to find answers, employing numerous physicians and specialists, no one had been able to explain her silence. Her muteness remained a mystery, and that fact weighed heavily on Magnus’s heart.
She was his late sister’s daughter, the last living connection to a past he guarded fiercely. Watching her now, quiet and withdrawn, only deepened the ache he carried inside.
Magnus’s eyes lingered on the delicate embroidery, but his mind was elsewhere. He wondered if he was doing enough for Eugenia. The question gnawed at him relentlessly. Despite the endless business meetings, the endless calculations to keep the estate afloat, he couldn’t shake the worry that he was failing the one person who mattered most at home.
That was precisely why he had arranged for a motherly figure, a bride of convenience, who could offer Eugenia what he never could. Warmth, guidance, and someone actively present to coax a spark of joy back into the girl’s silent world. While Magnus managed the cold, hard realities of business, this woman would be the living presence in the house, gently working to bring life and laughter to Eugenia’s days.
It was not just a convenience. It was a necessity.
“Good job,” was all he said, returning the sampler to Jenny. “It’s late. She should be in bed.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Eugenia slipped quietly from the room, her head bowed low as if trying to make herself smaller, vanishing from sight like a fragile shadow.
Rowan, who had already started toward the door, paused and then turned sharply back. He fixed Magnus with a sharp look and crossed his arms. “You could have been a touch gentler, you know. A few kind words, a compliment here and there. That girl could use it. She’s as fragile as glass.”
Magnus said nothing, returning to his seat.
Rowan sighed but said no more. As he headed toward the door again, Magnus called after him. “Your invitation should reach your London residence tomorrow morning, Rowan. Prepare to attend.”
Rowan paused in the doorway, glanced back with a smirk, then disappeared into the hall, leaving Magnus alone with his thoughts.
CHAPTER SIX
“Would you have rather married Lord Hensley?” Howard's father asked as he stood beside her on the steps of the chapel.
