Page 12 of An Orphan for the Broken Duke

His expression hardened, and he had to bite down his rage. “I can assure you that Lucy is everything I care about, and if you cared for her half as much as you claim, you would say yes. Or are you too selfish?”

“Why?” she demanded. “Why Lucy?”

He grimaced. “That is… personal.”

“And a marriage proposal is not?” she cried.

He groaned and rubbed his eyes. “Were you not just a few days ago telling me that a child needs more than security and comfort? That they need love and someone who truly cares for them? If that is not me, it is certainly you. Do this not for me, not for you, but for Lucy. Or do not…” He shrugged. “In which case, perhaps you are not who I thought.”

His words hit a chord, and he saw their effect. Miss Beaumont winced as if she was struck, and doubt crept behind her eyes.

There she is… finally, she is being reasonable.

“I need to think about it,” she said slowly, her mind turning behind her large eyes. “Surely, you will allow me that.”

“One day,” Rhys said. He had expected such an answer, so he was prepared for it. “At which point, I hope you reach a decision that is beneficial for Lucy. If not, she will be taken away, and whatever you might think, know that with both of us, she has a real chance at a proper future.”

With that said, Rhys turned and left Miss Beaumont on her doorstep.

The conversation had gone about as well as he could have hoped. Not wonderfully, but it was certainly not a tragedy. Also, he knew that if Miss Beaumont was who he thought she was, she would eventually say yes. She was many things, but she cared deeply for Lucy. Hopefully, that would be enough

Four

“If there is one thing to be said about you, Violet, it is that your life is never boring.” Miss Charlotte Fairchild tittered as she sipped her tea. “Truly, it makes reading a bore, as it is rather hard to find anything that excites me as much as your life does.”

“This is not a joke, Charlotte,” Violet snapped.

“Oh, I know,” Charlotte said. “It is quite serious. But as you are looking so forlorn and utterly lost, I thought a little humor might be needed. At least one of us ought to laugh.”

Miss Charlotte Fairchild was Violet’s closest friend and her cousin. She was the same age as Violet, and as she lived just two streets away, the two girls had grown up together. They were so close, they might as well have been sisters.

While that type of familial bond was appreciated, what Violet respected most about Charlotte was that she was the one person in her life who did not abandon Violet and her sister when their lives took a turn for the worst. Rather, Violet’s woes only brought them closer. She was always there, she was also quick to offer support, and if she had the money to do so, she would have happily given it without question.

As was often the case, she was the person who Violet went to when she needed answers.

It had been a few hours prior that the duke had made his offer to Violet. One that could not be real. One that must be due to another reason. And one that Violet was hesitant to take… for many reasons. The first being that she simply did not trust him.

After hours of pacing in thought, Violet knew no answers would come to her, just as she knew that she needed a second opinion. Rose was not an option, because Violet would not burden her with such a problem. So, she hiked up her dress and made her way to Charlotte’s home. There, she was led into the drawing room, some tea was poured, and Violet told her everything.

“It just does not make any sense,” Violet appealed to her friend. Her tea sat untouched, turning cold in its cup. “The duke is one of the most eligible men in the country! He could marry anyone he wishes. Why would he choose me?”

“He told you that,” Charlotte said. “Your relationship with Lucy.”

Violet scoffed. “Which I am having a hard time believing. He knows how close I am to Lucy, so he likely just used that as some sort of excuse to manipulate me. That way, I would have no choice but to say no.”

“And his offer to pay your debts? To rescue you and Rose? Why would he make such an offer if he did not want this? By the sounds of it, he is desperate that it be you.”

“Which begs the point!” Violet cried. “Why me? No…” She scrunched her face in thought. “Maybe it is because of Lucy. If he truly means to adopt her, perhaps he knows that this is the only way. So then… why Lucy? Why is he so determined to adopt her?”

“Does it matter?”

“What? Of course it does!”

“Does it, though?” Charlotte looked pointedly at Violet. “Whatever his reason, that he wants to at all should be cause for celebration. Even you must admit that it would be best for the poor girl.”

Violet scrunched her face. “Assuming he is being honest.”

“Has he given you any reason to think that he is not?”