The continued blinking made him look owlish to Luke, not something he’d ever dared think about his father before.
Then The Earl pushed. Gulping a swallow, he repeated, “In love? How can you be sure? You’ve barely lived.”
Luke snorted. “I believe our conversation just before Belle’s arrival should tell you otherwise.”
“And look at the choices you made,” his father snapped. Then immediately held up a hand. “I’m sorry. That was unkind. I’m trying to understand, and you’ve thrown a lot at me in the past hour.”
Luke ground his teeth. He was not ready to forgive anything, especially after that remark. Instead, he ground out, “Were you not a year younger when you married Mother?”
North’s gaze flew to his, and he nodded. “Yes.”
“When something is right, age does not matter.” Luke slid his glance sideways to Belle as he finished that retort.
Before she could react, North turned to her. “Wait, has something changed for you? I swore—no,youswore you’d never marry or leave London.”
A stab of fear shot through Luke at that question. His father had been alone up here for years now. Perhaps he was considering rekindling his affair with Belle on new terms if she was willing to come north, regardless of the fact that Luke had just proclaimed his love.
Belle’s voice seemed to hold the same fear, as she blushed and stammered, “I retired recently, with the goal of marriage. I thought it best to leave London behind given how everyone knew me there.”
North shook his head side to side. “I understand, but I hate that for you. They were all happy enough to fight over you...” With a glance at his son, he trailed off. “You should not have to leave a place you love because others feel you don’t deserve marriage.”
Luke gaped at his father, shocked at the supportive and understanding words. He pushed aside his twinge of jealousy to look at Belle.
She had tears in her eyes.
Luke fidgeted, unsure if she’d accept comfort from him and unwilling to be rejected in front of The Earl. Deciding his father’s reaction did not matter, he reached for her hand. It was long since time he stopped worrying about his father’s opinions, and Luke remained convinced he was Belle’s future.
However, Belle regained her composure, swiping at her eyes and lifting her chin. “What I may or may not deserve is not the point. Lu—my husbandshould not have to endure the snubs and gossip. In fact, I have decided to avoid members of the aristocracy altogether.”
“What if your husband does not care a whit what others think?” Luke interjected, his tone fierce.
“We’ve been over this.Icare.”
“I am not sure the country squires are quite ready for you, my dear,” North murmured.
Still unwilling to believe in their support, she pushed the issue, deliberately choosing the vernacular of her youth. “Why? Because I was a flash moll?”
Both men flinched at that phrase. North frowned and near yelled, “No! Do not denigrate yourself or anyone else in your profession. You provided a valuable service to lonely men.”
Luke’s brows rose at his father’s words. Apparently, they agreed on this, at least. It was as good a starting point as any.
His father continued, calmer. “I said that because I remember you as a bee among flowers. You flitted from one to another as they needed pollen, with the ability to make honey or to sting. Beautiful with a whiff of dangerous, which was irresistible to so many of us.”
Belle bit her lip. Flashing a glance at Luke that he could not interpret, she lowered her gaze.
He hoped his father’s references to their liaison did not embarrass her. She must know he did not care. It was time to step in. He reached for her hand again and said, “Sir, we should continue our conversation from earlier at some point. For now, though, as Belle is here, I shall inform you that I plan to wed her. Well, to convince her and then wed her.”
The earl stared at Belle for a long moment, noting her hand sitting unresisting in Luke’s. When his gaze came to Luke, he returned the stare unflinchingly. One side of his father’s mouth curled in a half smile. But congratulations were too much to hope for. Instead, he quizzed, “You said you fell in love with her. How long ago did you meet?”
“I’m not sure I believe that you care—”
“Luke,” Belle hissed again.
He rolled his eyes at her but finished answering the question. “We met months ago through mutual friends. I was not yet ready to accept help. However, another acquaintance reintroduced us two months hence, and Belle agreed to help me make betterchoices. When I asked for her hand, she ousted me, and I’ve been gathering information for Free Your Spirits since then, from the London house.”
Belle’s mouth dropped open, and he sent her a smirk. He could smooth their story as needed. He hoped she recognized how that would help them in the future.
“So there has been time to separate your feelings from those of gratitude.” The Earl nodded. “What of you, Belle?”
