“He cares about Lady Effie, so you’re hurting him, and I care about Tristan, so you’re hurting me.”
He exchanged another stare with his brother, glad they understood each other.
Rowan moved the tip of his crutch in a circle. “It’s like a spiderweb. You touch a thread, the whole web ripples.”
He tilted his head towards his brother, impressed by his maturity. “Where did you learn that?”
“I’ve been cooped up in the house for weeks with nothing to do but read.” Rowan straightened. “What do you say, Uncle George? You don’t want more boys hobbling around with crutches, do you? You care about us as we care about you.”
George shifted his weight, lowering his gaze. Tristan didn’t say anything. It was Rowan’s moment, and his brother was handling it beautifully.
“Please, Uncle George,” Rowan insisted. “For me. I might never walk without a crutch again. If you stop now, I’ll be grateful.”
“I would do it for you and Tristan,” George said in a low voice as if he were ashamed of saying it.
Rowan ran to him as fast as his crutch allowed him and hugged him with one arm. “Thank you, Uncle George.”
George hugged him back. They held each other for a long moment. “Well, I must go now, if you want me to set things straight.” He exchanged a warm stare with Tristan.
Words weren’t needed. Stopping the attack on Winchester required all of George’s effort. But his love for his family was bigger than his desire for revenge.
Tristan gave him a nod as a thank you.
“I’ll do it for Rowan and for you.” George squeezed Tristan’s shoulder.
“I won’t forget it.”
When George left, Tristan was alone with Rowan, and a moment of silence thickened between them.
“You were brilliant,” he said. “I didn’t know how to convince him to stop.”
Rowan didn’t say anything.
“You’re an excellent negotiator. Thank you.” He stretched out his arm towards Rowan who ignored it.
“Will you stop hurting yourself?”
“I will. I promise. It won’t happen again.”
“You won’t leave me as my mother did, will you?” Rowan’s voice cracked with the sound of a young heart broken.
“Never. You have my word.”
Rowan hugged him in a surprisingly strong embrace. Tristan held him as emotion clogged his throat.
“I love you, brother,” Rowan said.
“So do I.”
If he needed a new reason to leave his addiction behind, his brother had just given it to him.
