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She laughed but retreated to her own seat nonetheless, leaving him bereft of her warmth.

He strode to the sideboard and snatched up the interrupting note without glancing at the address. He slid a finger under the flap of the envelope and broke the sealing wax with a snap.

“So what do you say to a ride this morning?” he asked.

“I’ll ask Norris to inform the stables that we’ll need the horses,” she said, taking a sip of tea. “I need to tell him that we’ll require the carriage for the Clives’ supper in two days’ time anyway.”

“We’re still going to that?” he asked.

“Why would we not?”

“Moray will be there, and I’m worried he’ll charm you away from me.”

The truth was that he’d rather stay at home wrapped up in his bed linens with Ina.

“Don’t forget, I’ve already met Mr. Moray,” she said. “And I’ve already proved I’m impervious to his charm. Besides, he works even longer hours than you.”

He grunted and dropped his eyes to the page he held. As soon as he saw the handwriting, his heart stopped. It was from his mother.

“It’ll be a wonder if Mr. Moray ever marries,” Ina continued. “It will take quite a woman to distract him from that newspaper.”

“Ina . . .” He lifted his eyes to meet hers, dread spreading through him.

“What is it?” She pushed back from the table. “What’s wrong?”

“My father’s dead.”

Her hand covered her mouth before she dropped it to her throat. “Oh, Gavin. I’m so sorry.”

He choked back the rising taste of bile in his throat. “Richard too.”

“What?”

His wife stared at him as though he’d announced he was planning to forsake living by his pen to take up piracy on the high seas.

“They died on the road,” he said, holding his mother’s letter out to her. “There was an accident on the way from the train station to the house. One of the horses bolted and the carriage lost its balance. It pitched and hit the side of a bridge they were crossing. They went over and into the river.”

“Oh, Gavin.” She wrapped her arms around him and held him close.

“My mother is demanding that I come home,” he said shakily. He stooped to rest his forehead on her shoulder.

“Of course you’ll go. We’ll both go,” she said.

He pulled back so he could meet her gaze. “You don’t understand, Ina. She wants me to come back to Oak Park and stay.”

He watched understanding break over her face. Their lives would never be the same.

“You’re now the baronet,” she murmured.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen.” His father had been a healthy, active man, and Richard had been eager to step into his shoes when the right time came. His brother had been the favored son by birth but also by choice. Gavin had neither the training nor the desire to lead that kind of life. Now Ina was going to be forced into it too.

Her lips pursed into a line, but she nodded once. “There’s nothing that we can do to stop it. It’s done.”

“It’s done,” he repeated.

“What is the next step?” she asked.

“What?”