Thomas stared at his dead brother, whose blood had begun to pool on the ground around him, then at his sister, whose neck was already starting to bruise as she wept in Theo’s arms, and finally at Flora as she rushed to Roarke and fell into his embrace, checking to make sure he hadn’t been injured, yet again, by the machinations of those who so hated her.
“What have I done?” the new duke whispered, his voice breaking. “My God, what have I done?”
* * *
It took some time for the situation to calm itself. A doctor was called, though it was far too late for Philip. He checked on Gertrude and gave her something to help her rest before she was escorted home by servants. Thomas stayed, silent and staring with empty eyes as his brother’s body was taken. As the servants scrubbed away the blood Philip had left behind.
Roarke clung to Flora the entire time. She no longer trembled in his arms, though occasionally she looked up at him and whispered, “He could have taken you with him.”
And he reassured her and tried not to think of exactly that. Or what would have happened if Philip had grabbed for Flora instead of Gertrude for his last grasp at escape from his actions. But finally all the outsiders were gone and all that was left was their friend circle and Thomas.
Thomas shook his head. “I imagine you cannot believe me after everything that happened, but I never wanted this.”
“No,” Flora said, stepping from Roarke’s arms at last. Even with her hair tangled and her cheeks streaked with tears, she looked so strong and brave in that moment. And oh, how he loved her. “No, you wanted me ruined or even raped, but not this.Thiswas too far for you.”
Thomas winced as his plans were thrown in his face. As they seemed to sink in. “You were right when you said that my father would hate me for what I wanted to do. And for what my insistence in dragging in Philip, who I knew was unstable, did do.”
Flora’s expression softened slightly and she shook her head. “Despite your multitude of faults, Thomas, your father adored you and your siblings. He kept hoping you could get over your hatred of me. He would be disappointed. But he loved you.”
Roarke flinched at the way Thomas’s face broke at that kindness that he hadn’t earned. Would soon forget as he swept all this under a very large rug and moved on in the position he had fought for, with the money he had very nearly killed for, at least by proxy.
“I will not contest the additional inheritance,” Thomas said at last.
Flora wrinkled her brow. “When I called you here, I was going to tell you that I didn’t want it. I renounce it, Thomas.”
His face twisted. “What?”
“You assume that everyone is so greedy as you three were,” she said with a glance at Roarke. “But I received more than enough for my comfort. And what matters most to me as a legacy of your father is that we loved each other. I will never forget that or lose it, even as I move on to a new future. So keep your money. Or better yet, pay Roarke what you had offered to give him to betray me. You used him and hurt him. Perhaps that is better recompense.”
Roarke caught his breath. “I-I don’t want the money. It’s blood money.”
Thomas was silent for a long time as he stared at Roarke. “As children I think we sometimes cared for each other, didn’t we?”
Roarke nodded. “Yes. I didn’t always like you, but I cared for you and for my uncle and aunt.”
“You saved my sister’s life,” Thomas said. “So I will gladly give you five thousand pounds for that. And I assume it will be the last time we speak, as I cannot have earned any further consideration from a man who it turns out is worth a great deal more than I am. Title and all.” Thomas smoothed his wrinkled clothing and then the softness left his expression. “It will be in your account in a few days, Desmond. Do with it and with your future what you will. Good day.”
He turned then and left without acknowledging anyone, without any other farewell. He left and Roarke knew that he would never see that part of his family again.
He turned toward Flora and stared first at her and then at their friends. “That is not the way I wanted to earn a fortune,” he murmured.
Callum smiled and stepped forward to slap his shoulder. “Then you better do good things with it. Come, Valaria, Theo, Bernadette. Let’s leave these two for a moment. I think they must have a great deal to say to each other.”
Roarke didn’t look at them anymore. He put all his focus on Flora as they all left and shut the door behind them, leaving them alone.
And then he said the only thing he could.
“Flora, will you marry me?”
* * *
Flora stared at Roarke, uncertain if she had dreamed those words or if they were real.
“This is not the best of circumstances,” he said, his voice shaking a little. “Considering what we all went through today. But I couldn’t wait one more moment.”
She reached out to take his hand and looked up into his bruised face. He bore the marks of how far he’d go to protect her. To how he would love her for the rest of their lives if she said yes.
“This was a terrible day,” she whispered. “But perhaps that makes this the perfect time. We never know what could happen from one moment to the next, do we? Loss is just around the corner, so we must also seek the joy that lies in wait. The happiness. The love. If we don’t claim those things, it certainly doesn’t keep out the threat of the other.”
