“Well now, I may do, and thank you for the piece of advice.” He lifted his eyes to hers and smiled. His was a wonderful face. A mouth that was bracketed with laughter lines all set in the deepest mahogany skin. Ash had the face of a warrior, and this man also. And yet Baron knew how to smile.
“I’m Baron.”
“Oh, beg your pardon,” Dorrie greeted Ash’s friend. “I’m so sorry I did not introduce myself. I am Dorset Sinclair, Somer’s twin sister.”
“It is a delight to meet you, Miss Sinclair.”
“Thank you. Lovely to meet you also.”
“This is good for him.” He leaned closer and whispered to Dorrie, “He has chosen isolation since leaving his brother, and it is not good for him. Ash has become a cold man. I have hopes that will change soon.”
Dorrie didn’t know what to say to that, so she nodded.
“Hello.” Merry turned to face Ash.
Something happened to his face then. It softened, and his eyes smiled, his lips tilting up slightly.
“Hello, Merry.”
She shook his hand. “As you are Gus’s brother, and now family, that means I should hug you, because we always hug family. Papa and Mama said that’s what you do. I even have to hug my cousins who I see every day.” She gave a weighty sigh. “And often I don’t want to hug them.”
“You little toad, you love hugs. I get one most days when you open my door and wake me,” Warwick said.
“Uncle Warwick keeps snacks in his room for me,” Merry said with a sneaky smile.
“And that was meant to be our secret,” her uncle said.
Merry tugged Ash’s hand. He bent so his face was close to hers, and Dorrie guessed this was more instinct than anything. He then let Merry settle her arms around his neck and hug him. She planted a wet kiss on his cheek.
Dorrie was the only one who could see his eyes close briefly. When he straightened, his expression was blank again.
“I want to hug him!”
“Kat—” But she couldn’t stop it from happening. Ash was receiving a hug from Katherine. They both then hugged and kissed Baron.
Others started arriving then, as if the floodgates had opened. The youngest in the families all lined up to meet Ash and Baron. The older children were not ones for demonstrative gestures anymore, but they would greet them in their own time.
“I’m sorry, they’re just inquisitive, and they love Gus, and know you are his brother,” she rushed to add.
“It’s all right.” Ash looked up at her after Alastair, Cam’s youngest, had hugged him.
“We-we’re a family that like to hug,” she finished lamely.
He clearly wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he nodded. Turning back, she saw that Merry was now seated on Baron’s lap, and Katherine was leaning on his leg.
“I’m sorry.” She reached for the little girls.
“It’s all right. I like children,” Baron said.
“Come and dance with your brother.” Dev arrived. “The children will keep Baron and Ash company,” he added, smiling at his daughter, nieces, and nephews.
She put her hand into his and walked away, happy to leave the disturbing presence of the man whose life she’d saved.
“He is a very unhappy man,” Dev said as he pulled Dorrie close for a waltz.
“I sense that too.”
“There is much there to be unpacked, and we are the family to do that, but Dorrie, have a care. That man has demons.”
