“Not quite,” said another voice altogether.
Like everyone else, Durward snapped his gaze to the salon door, where a tired, pale, almost emaciated young man stood. A boy—Alex—supported him on one side. Orchid held his other hand as though she had dragged him here.
An audible gasp echoed around the room. In the suddenly empty space between them, the newcomer’s gaze clashed with Durward’s.
Everything in him tightened. His heart—all of it that wasn’t held by the girl at his side —flew to his old friend.Oh God, Foster, I am so damnably sorry...
“Not remotely dead,” Foster said, detaching himself from both Alex and Orchid and walking unaided into the room. “No death, no charge, constable.”
“The charge isattemptedmurder,” the runner, Dance, maintained. “My warrant stands.”
“Not against me, it doesn’t,” Foster retorted. “I have made no charge against Lord Durward, and nor will I. In fact, I deny it, and I believe I am meant to be the victim. Sir John? These delightful children tell me you are the magistrate here. Perhaps you would explain the matter to our man from Bow Street. After the wedding breakfast, of course. I apologize for my interruption.”
Laughter caught in Durward’s throat, though it felt more like a sob. Emotion, elation, overwhelmed him and yet he could not move. Dance strode to him and grasped his arm, as though fearing he would bolt.
“My dear fellow,” Grandison said seriously, going to meet Foster with his hand held out. He was the perfect host. “No one has ever been more welcome. A short rest, perhaps, before you join us for breakfast?”
Foster shook hands briefly. “You are kind.” His voice was civil but unspeakably weary, and Durward’s weight of guiltcrushed him. “But don’t let me keep you from your guests. Sanderly, my congratulations.”
Sanderly too clasped his hand, as though secretly grateful for the sign of friendship. And it suddenly struck Durward that this was why, despite everything repulsive in Sanderly’s manner and everything people said about him, Durward had always liked him. Beneath the haughty sarcasm he was vulnerable, secretly hurt by the way supposed friends and strangers alike had turned on him.
Everyone is vulnerable. There is no shame in it. This realization, on top of all the others this morning, almost overwhelmed him.
Foster bowed to the room in general, and turned back to the door, where the old butler awaited him. He took a couple of exhausted steps, then paused, glancing over his shoulder to meet Durward’s helpless stare once more.
“Travis. Perhaps you would give me your arm?”
Durward’s throat closed up. Carina slipped her hand from his. He couldn’t recall shaking the runner off, but Dance no longer held him back. Durward moved, his paralysis broken by the knowledge that the friend he had wronged needed him.
He linked arms with Foster, taking as much of his weight as he could, and they walked slowly from the room together.
CARINA SWALLOWED HARD. She had no idea what this meant. She could not think further than this present moment which was surely good for everyone.
As the chatter started up again with fresh excitement, something tugged at her hand. She glanced down at Orchid. In fact, she was surrounded by children.
Of course... She swept her gaze around them. “Youwereup to something. How did Mr. Foster get here? How did you findhim before the rest of us knew anything about his presence at Grand Court?”
“We wrote to him,” Rose said apologetically.
Carina blinked. “But why? When? Surely none of you is acquainted with him? Except Duncan, perhaps, and he only just got here!”
“I spoke to Snake,” Alex admitted, “asked him about Lord Durward.”
“And I asked Harriet about him,” Lily admitted.
“But why?” Carina asked again.
Orchid tugged her hand. “We didn’t want you to be unhappy. His name made you sad, and we thought maybehewas the reason you weren’t betrothed like Harriet and everyone else we know.”
“We learned about the duel,” Alex said, “and Lord Durward having to escape. But Snake said he was not a bad man, just a troubled one who was already sorry and that the man he’d shot was still alive.”
“So we wrote to Mr. Foster,” Rose said with an air of pride. “And told him about the wedding.”
“Alex wrote it and signed it,” Lily said anxiously, “so there was no impropriety such as a female writing to a strange gentleman.”
In spite of herself, Carina felt her lips twitch. “Quite right. Though I still don’t see why a letter from you should bring him from his deathbed to someone else’s wedding!”
“We told him Snake wanted Lord Durward to be his best man,” Rose said.
