“He never gave up on me, even when I wanted him to,” Toby said, his eyes still on the words before him. He continued reading. “‘Because there are no other living relatives and you were appointed guardian to their daughter, Miss Florence Heresford, the child will arrive in five days at your townhouse.’”
They stood in stunned silence after Toby had finished reading. Lowering the note to his side, he looked at them.
“Are you her guardian?” Anthony spoke first.
Toby nodded. “Timothy wrote to me every Christmas, usually six pages long of what had happened in his year. I responded with a single page of what a selfish bastard I was, and that nothing had changed.”
“Toby—”
“Then the year you met him, he came to London to tell me Melissa, his wife, was carrying their babe,” Toby continued, cutting Jamie off. “He asked if I would be its guardian, and I agreed, because I never thought I’d have to do more than send a gift occasionally. I was invited to the christening, and went, but it was the only time I saw the child.” He could feel the panic welling up inside him now.
“How old is she?” Anthony asked.
He thought back and came up with a number. “Five years I believe.”
“You are going to be guardian to a five-year-old child when you can barely care for yourself?” Jamie said.
“I object,” Toby said weakly. “My staff do an admirable job of caring for me.”
“But seriously, Toby. What are you going to do?” Anthony asked.
“I feel ill,” he whispered.
The three men looked at each other blankly.
“Tea, I think. We will strategize, and if that doesn’t work, ask someone who has children what you should do,” Anthony said.
“I am not telling my mother yet. She will take to her bed for a week,” Toby said.
“Evie can help. She helped raise her sister,” Anthony said.
“I can’t be responsible for a small child… a girl,” Toby whispered.
They walked and all he could think was how could he protect a child from hurt and suffering, because no one had protected him when he’d needed them to? Was he strong enough to do that? Be a parent?
“I can see the panic clawing at you, Toby. You need to take a deep breath now,” Jamie said. “You are not alone, and never will be. We are there for you as we always have been, and will help you.”
“Agreed,” Anthony said sounding grim.
We will never walk alone,Toby thought. They’d made that promise to each other many years ago when there had been no one else to turn to.
Chapter Eight
“Right, so rememberingback to when my sister was younger. Your niece—”
“Florence,” Toby added. “Do you think they call her Flo or Florence? What is her favorite food? Does she—”
“Stop now,” Jamie said. “Let Anthony continue.”
“She will need a nanny if she doesn’t come with one, which she possibly will. Also, rooms made into a nursery. Is there a nursery somewhere in your townhouse, Toby?” Anthony asked.
“Yes. I haven’t been into it for years. Surely I am not fit to have a small girl child in my house. She will be mourning the loss of her parents. How can I care for her?” The panic coursing through his body had words pouring out of Toby’s mouth. “I am not fit for a child to live with.”
“Why?” Jamie demanded. “You’re a good and fair man. You have questionable waistcoat habits, but other than that, you are normal.”
He didn’t acknowledge the waistcoat comment. His mind was working through and discarding thoughts with the speed of a runaway carriage.
“We need Evie. You must bring her and her sister to my house at once. I need to find someone to take the child, but until then, I will have to care for her,” Toby said.
