“But how am I supposed to support children and a wife?”
Ash chuckled.“Do you not think there are enough bedrooms in this house?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“Then am I not paying you enough?”
“What if something happens to you?Without you I have nothing.Iamnothing.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.Do you really think I’d leave you with nothing?I’ve already worked out a contract with my cousin… my heir,” he said, rolling his eyes.“He’ll keep you on here if anything happens to me.And if he’s unbearable, you’ll have plenty of money to buy yourself a home somewhere else.”
“I appreciate that more than you can imagine, but I also hate it.I don’t like relying on your goodwill.I’m just your bastard brother.I didn’t earn any of this.”
“What?You think I did?”He chuckled.“My father and brother both died.I didn’t do anything special.I merely outlived them.Et voilà!Lord Ashdown.”
Trent couldn’t help but laugh.It was meant to be serious, but Ash was so flippant about the whole thing.He was right, though.It was all a bit ridiculous.
“Thank you, Ash.Perhaps all I needed was some advice from my brother.”
Ash patted him on the back.“You’re going to be alright, Trent.And Samantha is too, thanks to you.”A proud smile grew on his lips.“And Maggie, of course.”He got up and looked down at Trent.“For what it’s worth, the three of you would make a beautiful little family.”
He was right about that, but Trent wasn’t even sure if Samantha wanted him.
“Oh,” Trent said, holding up a hand to stop Ash from leaving.He downed the last of his brandy, not wanting it to go to waste.“Let me walk up with you and we can stop by my office.Your office,” he corrected.
“It’s not my office.I don’t do any work here.”
Trent shrugged.“I have something for you.”
Trent pulled the boot out of his bottom drawer and handed it to Ash.“Gwen’s I believe?”
A smile slowly turned up his lips.“It is.Thank you.Perhaps if I put this on the pillow beside mine, it will help to keep the nightmares at bay.”
Trent hated that Ash had nightmares here.Hated that he would have to endure them because he’d come to give his support, but was so grateful he was here.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
Ash snorted.“We might be brothers, but if you think you’ll be climbing into my bed, you’ve got another think coming.”
* * *
Samantha’s thoughts were all awhirl as she slipped her nightgown over her head.So many revelations in a single utterance.You would, in fact, be the first woman to share my bed.And if I was the luckiest man in England, you’d be the last, as well.
Trent was a virgin, and certainly not because no woman would want to share his bed.He was incredibly handsome.Charming, funny, sweet, gentle, and smart.A woman would count herself lucky to bed him.Which meant, it was by choice.Of course it was.He was a perfect gentleman.And yet, despite all he’d witnessed from her and all he knew about her past, despite his knowledge that she’d been shared and abused by… she didn’t even know the exact number of men, despite that she’d tried to take her own life and spent time in an asylum, and despite the fact that he could have his pick of more deserving women, he wanted her.Not only in his bed, but as his wife.
And God how she wanted him too.
Turning out the lamp, she pulled the blankets over her as cold filled her body.A life with Trent would have been a dream come true.One more thing Norman had taken from her.It wasn’t fair.A sob broke through her lips and racked her body as she curled in on herself.She gasped for breath.Holding her pillow against her mouth to muffle the sound, she screamed her agony.Perhaps she should have killed him.In so many ways he had taken her life.
Her thoughts were spiraling as panic raged through her.She’d have to leave him.She’d have to leave this life.She wouldn’t survive that.She wouldn’t want to.Her lips tingled as she gasped for breath.
Trent’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her back against him.Apparently, he’d come into her room and climbed into the bed without her even realizing it.
“I’ve got you, Samantha.You don’t have to go through this alone, love.I’m right here with you.”
She wanted this, wanted him more than she could even fathom.She gripped his strong hand and burrowed into his warmth.He continued to whisper words of support in her ear, and slowly, her panic ebbed.
“I’m sorry.”Her voice was scratchy.“I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
