“I intend to now. I chose not to court Miss Faraday because I knew you would get on far better with her than I. I knew it that first day, in all honesty, but I enjoyed her company, and I enjoyed forcing you to spend time with someone who so clearly put you out of sorts.”
“That makes no sense at all.”
“Mother thought it brilliant.”
Lucas almost laughed at the inclusion of his mother in this conversation. The woman had tried desperately to get Charlie to marry Miss Faraday, and if his brother thought otherwise, he was clearly misinformed. “Mother wantedyouto marry Miss Faraday.”
Charlie actually laughed, grasping a pillow and pressing it into his stomach as if the mirth caused his injuries pain. “I told Mother my thoughts within a week of meeting Lydia. Shethought it a brilliant plan to allow your infatuation with the woman to grow.”
“But she asked me to join in her matchmaking. For you.”
Charlie raised a brow. “She was only throwing you off the scent. Come now—you know how clever she is. If you doubt it, ask yourself, did she actually attempt any matchmaking?”
Lucas’s mind turned over itself, attempting to place one specific matchmaking moment. He could not come up with one. But that did not mean that she wanted him to marry Miss Faraday. Did it?
Charlie was nodding. “I see you are trying to puzzle things out, but Lucas, you cannot logic yourself out of this one.”
He ignored his brother, latching on to one moment he’d just recollected. “Mother was angry with me for kissing her.”
Charlie whooped, startling Lucas backward a step. “You kissed her? Blast, I didn’t know you had it in you!”
“Shut up,” Lucas said. “The point is, Mother was angry.”
“Angry that you would kiss a woman you were not engaged to or even formally courting? Oh dear, I wonder why,” Charlie offered dryly. He had a point. Even if they’d been engaged, Mother likely would have been upset at the possible darkening of Miss Faraday’s reputation.
“Yours and Mother’s conspiring against me aside, there is much more at play here than you realize, Charlie. I will handle it myself.”
“So you will be proposing to her?”
“Little brothers are annoying.” But Lucas couldn’t help the slight lift of his lips. “Maybe. Someday.”
Charlie threw his pillow at Lucas. It was so unexpected that the thing actually made contact, smacking Lucas flush in the face. “Hey! What was that for?”
“Maybe. Someday,” Charlie said in an idiotic voice. “What does that even mean? You’re in love with her, and clearly you’vehoodwinked her into caring for you too—go ask her to marry you. Conveniently, she is only two doors down!”
Lucas stepped back again, physically retreating from such a terrifying prospect. “It is not as easy as all that. As I said, there is much more at play here than you think.”
Charlie rolled his eyes in an exaggerated manner. “Stopthinking, Lucas. Just act. Let your guard down for a moment. You may be surprised at what occurs.”
Lucas hesitated. It couldn’t be so easy.
But it was so very tempting.
Charlie pushed to his feet. “Just go tell her, Lucas. Put yourself—and this whole blasted household—out of our misery.”
Lucas flexed his hands. “I do not deserve her.”
“Of course you don’t, but you will try. Every day of your life, you will try.” Charlie spoke with a fervor Lucas hardly recognized.
Was this fair to Lydia? He’d only just embarked on his attempts to regain some of the life he’d had before Marietta’s death. He could not force his brokenness on Lydia and...
And he was scared. “If she does not accept me? If she won’t forgive me for how I’ve treated her?” he asked in a whisper so soft, he rather hoped Charlie would not hear it.
Charlie shook his head as if he didn’t believe it possible, but all he said was, “Only one way to find out.” And then, he walked—hobbled, really—to the door.
“What are you doing now?”
“Making sure you tell her.”
