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Thomas gave him a mirthless smile.
“I’m your brother, remember? I may not have shared the same passions as you, but I still know where you go when you need a place to think. And it’s near to Isabel’s former home, so this would be the logical place.”
“Why would Isabel come into it?”
“You’re in love with her, aren’t you? You would find a place that was close to her, even if she’s not physically there.”
Richard peered at Thomas. His brother really did know him too well. He swallowed.
“I suppose you’re going to tell me that I’m a fool, and I should just let her go because it could never work.”
“What makes you think I was going to say that?”
“Aren’t you?”
Thomas sighed.
“I was planning to. I suspected a long time ago that you were in love with Isabel. Even before you left for Europe. I was half-expecting the two of you to actually start courting. Then all the palaver with her family happened, and she had to find someone ... well, someone who had money to keep her afloat.”
“Which I can’t give her.” Richard turned away and went to a tree stump, slumping onto it. The stump was still wet, and it soaked into his trousers, but Richard didn’t care. He slumped over, elbows on his knees. “She’s doing the right thing, but ... it doesn’t make me feel any better.”
“I can tell. You’ve been moping around the house for the last few days.”
“How is that any different than what you do?” Richard grunted. “I kept telling Cohen that you chasing noblewomen for a potential marriage was ridiculous, and what am I doing?”
“From the sound of it, you’re not chasing her.”
“I know where I’m not wanted.”
Thomas arched an eyebrow.
“Was that another jab at me?”
“I ... that’s not what I meant, Thomas. I don’t want a fight.”
“And you’re not going to get one.” Thomas moved to a nearby tree and leaned against it. “You’re getting me concerned, Richard. I’ve not seen you step back and give up like this. You’re the one who’s always gone out to get what you want.”
“I don’t know about that …”
“You wanted to go on a tour of Europe, so you did it. You wanted to get on this African expedition, and you got yourself the job with Professor Ainsley. You’ve worked hard for all of that, and you never looked back. But when it comes to Isabel, it’s just thrown out of the window. It’s like all the fight goes out of you.”
Richard glared at him.
“Did you forget about the part where I’m not a nobleman?” he snapped. “Where I don’t have anything to offer her?”
“How do you know you don’t have anything to offer her?”
“I don’t have the money or the title that she needs!”
“And do you think that’s stopped me?” Thomas tilted his head to one side. “You’ve seen me chase women in the hopes that one of them will find me attractive enough to marry without money. Do you think I find that easy?”
“You seem to be very single-minded about it.”
“Because I want our family not to worry about where the money is going to come from. There will be a day when the business goes under when we’re not prepared, and then we’ll have nothing. Someone has to make sure we can better ourselves.”
“And be a pain in the backside about it?”
“Aren’t I always that when it comes to you?”
