Page 159 of Courting the Wrong Duke

Her heart tightened at the words.

William held out his hand. “First, we bring your father home.”

Rosalind looked at his waiting hand before slipping hers into it.

His fingers closed around hers, warm and familiar, and for the first time since she had walked away from him that afternoon, some of the terrible pressure inside her eased.

“All right,” she whispered. “We find Papa first.”

A chair scraped behind them.

Gabriel rose. “And apparently we are all forgetting that I am coming.”

William looked over. “Gabriel—”

“Absolutely not.” Gabriel crossed the kitchen. “You are proposing to ride for two days into Wales, enter an estate where someone is being held prisoner, confront whoever is responsible, and somehow return with Lord Eastmere. You are not doing that with only Rosalind beside you.”

Rosalind lifted an eyebrow.

Gabriel caught the look immediately. “That was not an assessment of your abilities.”

“An excellent recovery,” Isabella murmured.

“I thought so.”

William gave his friend a tired look. “You do not have to come, Gabriel.”

“I know.”

The humor faded from Gabriel’s expression. “But you are my friend. If you are riding into Wales to discover whether your brother has imprisoned a man, you are not doing it without me.”

William studied him for a moment before holding out his hand. Gabriel clasped it firmly, and Rosalind looked away from the quiet exchange with a sudden ache in her chest. Whatever awaited them at Bryn Hir, William would not have to face it alone.

Neither would she.

She turned back to him. “You and Gabriel can see to the horses and whatever provisions we will need. I need to change my clothes.”

William nodded. “We will meet you at the rear entrance.”

Rosalind turned to Isabella. “I need to speak to Nelly before I leave.”

“You had better hurry,” Isabella said.

There was something suspiciously agreeable about Isabella’s response, but Rosalind was far too preoccupied to question it.

“I will only be a few minutes.”

“I know.”

Rosalind gave her friend a quick squeeze of the hand before hurrying upstairs, leaving Isabella with William and Gabriel.

Nelly woke at the first touch to her shoulder, blinking sleepily in the darkness. Confusion vanished the moment she saw Rosalind already dressed for riding, her boots on and cloak waiting nearby.

“My lady? What has happened?”

Rosalind sat beside her. “We found Papa.”

Nelly stared at her, sleep disappearing from her face. “You found him?”