“Let go of my hand,” she said with little real conviction.
“I should not have questioned you,” he said, his voice still soft, even unsure. “Nor should I have been so dismissive of your methods.”
“And yet you were.”
“All I want is to do right by Hugh.” His tone hardened. “Think what you will of me, but know that I have only his best interests at heart. I… I have not been good to him, clearly. I want to change that.”
“You do?” she blinked in surprise.
He sighed and shook his head. “Do you really think so little of me that this surprises you? Or perhaps you do…” He scoffed. “And perhaps I should not be so surprised by this.”
Yvette was stunned by the confession.
Her mouth was open as if to respond, but she did not have the words. Her eyes flicked down to his hand again, which still held her own, and she could feel it burning her skin.
“Hmm…” The Duke noticed his hand still holding her, and he gently let her go. “Sorry about that…” He looked away, for the first time ever, appearing chastised and unsure. Certainly not brimming with confidence and power like he usually did.
In fact, as Yvette looked closer at the Duke, she finally saw in him that side which Lucinda claimed to exist. The softer side. The kinder side. The side of a father who cared about his son.
It made Yvette consider the situation from his point of view, which she could not believe that she was doing! But Yvette realized that as new as this was for Hugh, it was just as new for the Duke. And that maybe, as strange as it was to believe, he wanted to do the right thing. Even if he had no idea what that was.
Was I wrong about the Duke this whole time? Is he… is he actually concerned for the well-being of Hugh?That thought alone made her head spin.
“You say that you want to do right by your son?” she asked, softening her tone with sympathy.
“I do.”
“Might I ask what you mean by that? What do you really want?”
His face scrunched tight, but still, he could not bring himself to look right at her. “I don’t know. I wish I had an answer for you. I wish I knew what I wanted. But this is new for me, strange and awkward. Is it not enough to just say that I want what is best and leave it at that?”
She laughed softly. “It’s a good start.”
“What comes next?”
Yvette felt sorry for the Duke. Once she looked past the coldness and past the dispassion, she saw a scared father who was as lost as she was.
Despite herself, she smiled. “Might I suggest getting to know your son better? If you want what is best for him, first you need to know him. How else can you possibly determine what is best otherwise?”
He nodded along. “Getting to know him better…”
“Spend time with him,” she continued. “Build a connection. Be there for him, however that might look.”
“And how does that look?”
She laughed. “I have no idea!”
The Duke smiled, and Yvette felt a pang in her heart. “I will… I will endeavor to get to know my son better. It’s a good idea, Miss Norleigh. Thank you.”
“You are welcome.”
“I was wrong too,” he continued. “About everything. I am sorry.”
“I…” She started in surprise. “I am sorry too.”
“What for?”
She had no idea! “For speaking to you the way I did,” she said. “I should not have done so.”
