“Yes.” She nodded and wiped at one eye. “I love you, you moody bastard. I always have.”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “Still? Even with all this?” He motioned down his body.
What a fool. She brushed a feather-soft kiss against his lips. “Yes. Still. Always.”
His chest rose and fell as he sucked in a long breath. “I don’t deserve your love. The old me definitely did not. He did not realize how precious of a gift you were offering that day. But I am working to remake the man inside this ruined body. Perhaps I can become the man you need.”
Another tear slipped down her face. She couldn’t help it. His words spread through her like sunshine warming the part of her heart that hoped someday he would love her back. That he would look at her the way he was now, his expression one of quiet awe, like he couldn’t believe she was his.
He brushed at her tears with his thumb. “Lucy, I love you. You are the reason that I want to rise from the ashes of my old life. You are my future, my family.”
Lucy threw her arms around his neck. “I knew you could come back to life. You only had to stop feeling sorry for yourself,” she teased him with a watery chuckle. His arms banded around her, and she leaned back to smirk at him. “I hope you don’t remake everything. I rather liked the wicked rogue.”
“Is that a challenge, wife?” Hart tossed her onto the middle of the bed. “Lay back my lady, I will show you just how wicked I can be.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Hart and Lucysat together on the settee across from Trudy and filled her in on all that they had discovered. After all that had happened, they had decided Trudy needed to know the truth, and hoped it would not shock her into an early grave. Trudy took all the news with surprising aplomb. In fact, she was non-plussed to hear about his father’s affairs.
“My dears, I was one of your mother’s confidants. She knew about Henry’s affairs. She told him straight out that as long as he was discreet, he could keep his mistresses.”
Lucy gasped in shock.
Hart chuckled at her outraged look. But regretted it in the next moment when she turned to glare at him.
Quickly, he grasped her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. “I was only laughing at your outrage on my mother’s behalf. You never have to worry about being in a similar situation. No one compares to you, my love.”
Trudy smiled at the two of them. “You have to understand that many wives of the ton are in similar positions as your mother. Though, I did not know that your father had sired another child. And you have met this man?”
“Yes, he is a hard man to describe. He is certainly a criminal of some sort but also a legitimate businessman, and he helped me to find Lucy when she was taken, even though he barely knows us. I couldn’t tell you his motivations for the things he does, even if I tried.”
A knock sounded at the drawing-room door. “Come in.”
Townson entered the room. “Pardon, a Miss Elizabeth Harper, and her son are at the door.”
“Show them in,” Lucy said. “Trudy, this is Robert’s fiancée and his son. I cannot think why they are here. Please be nice.”
“Why would you think I wouldn’t be nice?” Trudy looked positively affronted. “The child is family, is he not?”
“Miss Elizabeth Harper and Robert Harper.” Townson intoned from the doorway.
The lady and her son cautiously entered the room. “I hope we are not intruding. I heard what happened to Lord Griffen, and I wanted to make sure that you knew about his demise.”
Hart crossed to her. “Won’t you both come in?” He gave a friendly smile to the boy, hoping that his scarred face wasn’t too scary.
Robert grinned back at him and dug into his pocket. Pulling out a toy soldier, who rode atop a horse, he handed it up to Hart. “This is for you. He is my best commander.”
“Thank you.” Hart solemnly accepted the gift. “Would you like a biscuit? There are some here on the table.”
Robert looked up at his mother, who nodded. Then he hurried over to the table to peer at the selection of biscuits laid out next to the tea service.
Miss Harper followed Hart over to the seating area.
Lucy immediately embraced her. “We are glad to see you.” She turned to Trudy. “May I introduce you to Miss Harper? Miss Harper, this is Hart’s great aunt, Lady Weatherby.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Miss Harper said.
“You as well, my dear. He certainly looks like a Hartwick.” She nodded her head to the boy.
