"When I lost him, I lost a piece of myself. But I wouldn't trade the time we had together for anything. That kind of love... it's worth the risk."
Ambrose swallowed hard, his throat tightening. He didn't want to admit it, but his mother's words were hitting closer to home than he expected.
After a moment, he whispered,"I know."
"What was that?"
Luckily, she had not seemed to have heard him. Ambrose clenched his jaw and looked away again.
"You should retire for the night, mother. I've got a lot of work to do."
"Ambrose..." she began softly, her voice tinged with concern. "I worry about you. I don't want you to shut yourself off from the world."
He didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the papers before him, though it was clear he wasn't reading a single word.
His mother had loved his father deeply, and she had lost him. Ambrose knew what that kind of loss looked like—he had seen it in his mother's eyes every day after his father had passed. And the truth was, he didn't want anyone, especially not someone he cared about, to look like that because of him.
He wouldn't let it happen.
"Mother, I believe it is best for you to retire for the night. Or at the very least, attend to the guests who might be waiting for you downstairs," his tone was polite but held no room for argument.
The Dowager knew her son well enough to not insist further.
"As you wish. I expect to see you at breakfast tomorrow, however. There will be some new guests arriving, and I wish for you to meet them," she nodded before turning to leave.
"Good night, mother," he said, hearing her close the door softly on the way out.
As the sound of her footsteps faded down the hallway, Ambrose let out a long breath, leaning back in his chair and rubbing a hand over his face. He didn't blame his mother for her concern. She had every right to worry about him. But he couldn't—wouldn't—put himself in a position where he might cause that kind of pain to someone else.
He knew what losing someone looked like.
And he couldn't bear the thought of someone losinghimthe way his mother had lost his father.
If being without a companion was the price to pay for that, then he would happily do so.
A few moments after Edith had left, the sound of a soft knock followed by the creak of the door startled Ambrose. He looked up, surprised to see his uncle, Lord Sebastian, standing in the doorway with a wide, mischievous grin on his face.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite nephew!" Sebastian declared as he stepped into the room, brushing off the dust from his travel cloak. "I must say, I didn't expect to find you holed up in your study while the rest of the house is bustling with excitement."
"Uncle Sebastian," he said, rising from his chair. "I wasn't expecting you. What brings you to town?"
Sebastian waved his hand dismissively, as though the reason didn't matter. "I've just arrived from the countryside, decided it was time to pay a visit to the city. I was informed there was some house party..."
Ambrose chuckled, shaking his head as they exchanged a brief, but firm handshake. "Always full of surprises, Uncle."
"You know me," Sebastian replied with a wink, settling himself into a chair opposite Ambrose, looking entirely too comfortable for someone who had just arrived. "Life's too short to be predictable."
"I know that very well about you."
"On my way here," Sebastian began, leaning forward slightly, "I ran into the Duchess. She seemed... upset."
Ambrose sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You know how it is with her," he said, his voice tired. "She wants me to marry. It's the same conversation every time we speak."
Sebastian threw his head back and laughed, the sound filling the study. "Ah, marriage! It's the eternal struggle, isn't it? I understand completely. The number of times I was pressured into settling down... Well, let's just say I was quite the rake in my day."
His uncle's reputation as a notorious bachelor had been well-known for years, though he had eventually married in his later years. "I'm sure you gave everyone a proper run for their money," Ambrose said dryly.
"I did, indeed. But I'll tell you, it's no easy task when there are so many pretty women vying for attention. It's hard just to choose one, don't you think?"
