Simon set one of the cravats on the bed and returned the other to the armoire. “Do you have any thoughts on the selection of your waistcoat today?”
“Just pick any blasted waistcoat,” Colin grumbled.
“I see that you are in a pleasant mood this morning,” Simon said lightly, removing a green waistcoat from the armoire. “Is there a particular reason why?”
“I should be out in the field with my regiment, but I am stuck here at my estate,” Colin said.
“Some might consider you fortunate.”
“I am not one of them.”
Simon held open the waistcoat. “You fought valiantly against Napoleon and were one of the lucky ones to survive.”
“I should have died alongside my men,” Colin asserted, turning to insert his arms into the garment. “Instead, I lived, but so many of my comrades died.”
“It is not your fault that those men died.”
Colin rubbed his left leg where a bullet was still lodged. “I could have done more.”
“You were injured—”
Colin cut him off. “It matters not.”
Simon gave him a condoling look. “You are being much too hard on yourself, sir,” he said. “You were near death when the medics found you among the casualties.”
Colin walked over to the bed and picked up his blue jacket. “They should have fixed me up and sent me on my way.”
“You know very well they couldn’t do that,” Simon remarked as he wordlessly took the jacket and replaced it with the cravat. “Wellington received orders that you were to be on the next ship home.”
Walking over to the mirror, Colin began tying his cravat. “Rather than dealing with what truly matters, I am resolving petty disputes amongst my tenants.”
“It does matter,” Simon attempted. “You employ hundreds of people and have even more tenants on your land. Without you, what would become of them?”
Colin dropped his hands to his side. “I have no doubt that they would survive.”
“I can’t help but wonder if your mother is right,” Simon said as he assisted Colin into the jacket.
“About what, precisely?” Colin asked, warily.
“Perhaps it is time for you to take a bride.”
Colin tensed under the brush Simon was using. “I have no plans to marry.”
“May I ask why that is?”
“No, you may not.”
Simon tipped his head. “I apologize if I offended you,” he said. “That was not my intention.”
“Some people are destined to be alone, and I am one of those people.”
“You don’t have to be.”
“I deserve to be.”
Simon eyed him curiously. “Why do you say that?”
“It hardly matters,” Colin replied curtly, opening the door. “I’m afraid I am late for a meeting with my gamekeeper.”
