Page 28 of A Troublesome Circumstance

A smile tugged at his mouth. “Then I happen to know a perfect hiding place in the woods. Comes complete with a roof, a fire, and complimentary rabbit stew.”

A laugh escaped her lips. “You are utterly ridiculous.”

“I’m not the one out here in the corridor crying while the cook’s roast is growing cold.”

“I wish you were eating dinner with us,” she admitted before she could stop herself.

“No, you don’t,” he replied. “Besides, I have duties tonight. Gamekeeper things.” His tone turned mock-serious. “Very important things.”

“Of course. I am sorry to keep you from them,” she responded.

“Josephine?” Charlotte’s voice floated down the corridor.

Josephine turned, startled. Charlotte stood at the dining room doorway and her eyes flicked to Jude’s hand still resting lightly on Josephine’s sleeve.

“Will you be joining us?” Charlotte asked.

Jude immediately withdrew his hand and took a step back. He gave a crisp bow. “My ladies,” he said before walking away.

“Yes,” she replied quietly. “I believe I shall.”

Charlotte offered her a reassuring smile and slipped an arm through hers as they walked back towards the dining room.

Jude sat in the corner of the warm kitchen, his arms braced on his knees as the faint crackle of the hearth filled the silence. The servants had long since retired, leaving only the low hum of the clock and the distant wind whistling against the windows. He was waiting for Josephine to go up to her room so he could finally confront his brother.

He hadn’t been able to shake the image of her in the corridor—eyes glistening, voice trembling as she tried to mask her embarrassment. She’d been through enough already. She didn’t deserve Luca’s cutting words, even if they had been delivered with the best of intentions.

She trusted him—him, not his brother—and he had sworn she’d be safe here. Yet somehow, she’d started the evening in tears.

A soft voice broke through his thoughts.

“My lord,” said Mrs. Farr, their silver-haired housekeeper, stepping forward with a candle in hand. “Lady Josephine has retired for the evening.”

Jude straightened at once. “Finally,” he muttered, rising from the chair. “Thank you, Mrs. Farr.”

She offered him a kind look. “Lord Luca is in the drawing room, awaiting your arrival.”

“Of course he is,” Jude said under his breath.

He left the kitchen through the servants’ stairwell, his boots echoing faintly as he climbed. By the time he reached the corridor, his irritation had sharpened into something hotter—protective anger mixed with guilt. He had promised Josephine peace and comfort, and instead, she had been made to feel unwelcome.

When he entered the drawing room, he found Luca lounging on the settee beside Charlotte, the two of them speaking quietly. The glow of the fire threw soft gold across the room, illuminating Luca’s infuriatingly calm expression.

“Luca,” Jude said, his voice tight. “What in the blazes were you thinking, speaking to Josephine in such a manner?”

Luca looked up, amusement flickering across his features. “Good evening to you as well, Brother. I didn’t realize my tone required defending.”

“You made her cry,” Jude snapped.

Luca’s brows lifted a fraction. “Did I? I merely reminded her not to speak of the cottage again. There was no need for tears.”

“Perhaps not in your mind,” Jude said sharply, “but she took it to heart. She’s our guest, not some gossiping servant to be scolded.”

“That was never my intention,” Luca replied. “But you know as well as I do the danger of such talk spreading. If word got out that the heir to the Duke of Ashmoore had been nestled in a cottage with a young lady—well, you can imagine the scandal.”

Jude clenched his jaw because he knew his brother was right. And that only made it worse. “You could have exercised more tact.”

Luca’s mouth curved into a faint smirk. “I’ll make note of that for next time. Though, I must say, I’ve never seen you so undone over a young woman before.”