“Joan.”
She jumped, spinning around to find Damian standing in the corridor, his expression soft with understanding.
Oh God. He heard everything.
“Damian, I can explain?—”
“You don’t need to explain anything,” he interrupted gently. He moved closer, his hands sliding into his pockets in that familiar gesture he made when he was trying to find the right words. “I overheard your conversation with the Duke.”
Joan felt her cheeks flame with embarrassment. “I’m sorry you had to witness that. I know you have reservations about him?—”
“I don’t mind him courting you.”
Joan’s mouth fell open. “What?”
Damian’s lips curved into a small, sad smile. “If he makes you happy, Joan, then you should pursue that happiness. You deserve it more than anyone I know.”
“Damian—”
“You’ve given up so much of your youth for Victoria and me,” Damian continued, his voice rough with emotion. “When we ran out of money after Father and Mother died, you were the one who found work. Do you think I don’t remember? Do you think I’ve forgotten how you took jobs at local farms, did washing for the neighbors, any odd work you could find so that I could afford my examination fees and start my position as an official?”
Joan’s throat tightened. Those had been dark years, years of scraping by on almost nothing, of going to bed hungry so her siblings could eat, of working her hands raw to keep them afloat.
She whispered. “You needed to finish your education. It was the only way for our family to survive.”
“You were a child yourself. But you never complained. Never asked for anything. You just… did what needed to be done.” He reached out and took her shoulders gently. “Now it’s your turn, Joan. Your turn to be young. Your turn to pursue joy instead of just survival.”
“I don’t need?—”
“Don’t let Julian Hawthorne’s cruelty to Victoria make you afraid of finding happiness for yourself,” Damian said firmly. “Not all men are like him. And from what I’ve seen of the Duke—arrogant and infuriating as he may be—he looks at you the way a man should look at a woman he cares for.”
Joan felt tears slip down her cheeks despite her best efforts to hold them back. “I can’t, Damian. I can’t pursue anything withhim. Not when Victoria is still in danger. Not when we need to focus on keeping her safe from Julian. How can I think of my own happiness when my sister’s life might be at stake?”
Damian pulled her into a fierce embrace. “We’re family,” he murmured against her hair. “And we will stick together, as we always have. We’ll figure out this situation with Julian. We’ll protect Victoria. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up everything else in your life.”
Joan clung to her brother, letting herself be comforted by his presence. When had he grown so tall? So strong? When had her brother become a man capable of holding the family together?
We all grew up too fast, she thought. None of us got to be children for long enough.
After a long moment, Joan pulled back and wiped her eyes. “I appreciate what you’re saying, truly. But I have no intention of marrying anyone. Not the Duke. Not anyone. My place is here, with you and Victoria. That’s where I’m needed. That’s where I want to be.”
Damian studied her face, his expression skeptical. “Joan?—”
“I mean it,” she said firmly. “Besides, the Duke was only maintaining our business arrangement. He needed help with his accounts, and now that his vision has improved, he no longer needs my assistance. Whatever he said about being a suitor was simply… confusion. Or perhaps misplaced gratitude.”
“You don’t actually believe that.”
“It doesn’t matter what I believe.” Joan straightened her shoulders, forcing strength into her voice. “What matters is protecting Victoria. What matters is keeping this family together. That’s always been what matters most.”
Damian looked like he wanted to argue further, but after a moment he simply sighed and shook his head. “You’re as stubborn as ever.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It wasn’t meant as one.”
Despite everything, Joan felt a small smile tug at her lips. She took Damian’s hands in hers, squeezing them gently.
“We’re going to be all right,” she said quietly. “All of us. We’ll figure out how to handle Julian. We’ll keep Victoria safe. And the school will continue—the children need education more than I need… anything else.”
