She forced herself to meet Theodore’s eyes. Right now, he needed a friend even more than she did. And Duke had made his choice.
She took a deep breath. “I’ll loan you my cat.”
“Do not loan me your cat.” He rolled backward. “I unconditionally reject your kind offer.”
“He’s loyal and diverting.” She gazed down at Duke with affection. “He thinks he’s a dog.”
“He’s a cat.”
“I never told him.” She would miss him like mad. “He loves to take afternoon constitutionals.”
“I can’t walk,” Theodore reminded her.
“Duke also enjoys sleeping. And hiding.”
“Now I have to hunt for him?”
“Not really. He comes when he is called.”
“I doubt it,” her patient scoffed.
She cracked open the door.
Duke immediately streaked from the parlor and down the corridor.
“Go ahead,” Theodore said. “Call him. Impress me with Duke’s dog-like grasp of proper behavior.”
Virginia lowered herself to the floor and cupped her hand to her mouth. “Duke…Duke…”
After a short moment, he slunk around the corner, claws out, fur up, teeth bared in a hiss.
“See?” She pulled Duke into her arms and scratched behind his ears until he purred. “Model of decorum.”
Theodore stared at her. “Your cat literally comes when you call, solely for the opportunity to hiss his displeasure?”
“He knows his name.” She pressed a kiss between Duke’s furry ears. “Makes him easy to find.”
“He does not know his name. He thinks ‘duke’ means ‘ruffle my fur and hiss.’”
Virginia felt her lips curve. “That’s what you did when I first met you. Perhaps you’re a duke, too.”
“I am not,” Theodore said quickly. “But now that I am back from war, I suppose I’m likely to spend Seasons in London.”
Virginia patted her patient’s shoulder without putting Duke down. “That sounds horrible.”
London was a den of vipers. She had nothing but sympathy for anyone forced to survive in its midst for longer than an hour. Her pulse raced at the memory. Loud, smelly, noisy, scary, bumpy, judgmental, horrid. She would not wish such hell on anyone.
“I’ll manage,” Theodore said dryly. “My friends and family are there. They look forward to seeing me.” He paused. “My friends, anyway.”
Interesting. Another point they shared in common.
Virginia loved her friends. She had three very good ones: Noelle, Penelope, and Gloria. They were a large part of what made Christmas feel so much like home.
Family, however… Virginia had been much better off ever since she escaped the asylum.
“Can you at least avoid the beau monde?” she asked.
“Afraid not,” he said dryly.
