The memory of the long weeks Anthony and his brothers had gone without seeing either of their parents while they recovered from the factory accident came to mind unbidden and unwanted. Their mother had been their light and their father their strength, and with both being treated in Town, they’d been left with a nanny. They’d bonded together, learning to depend on one another, but after two months, when they’d finally been allowed to see their parents, one of them was always at their side.
Darius’s wife had been gone a good year, which meant that every time he slipped away, his children had only each other.
Anthony found himself nodding. “I see.”
Lissa looked at him, letting him know he’d have to take her into his confidence later.
“Good.” Darius rose from his chair. “Then you know my requirements.”
Anthony rose as well. “I believe I do. A strong woman, who will be a mother to your children, and who is pleasant to look upon. She must be a bit older than the typical debutante but still willing to have a child of her own. She must also be willing to marry within the month.”
Darius raised his right brow. “You were listening.”
Anthony ignored the surprise in his brother’s statement. “My only question is, do you wish to meet her before the wedding?”
The silence that followed made it clear that Darius was undecided.
Lissa surprised Anthony by rising and laying her hand on the desk. “My lord, do you not wish to at least gaze upon the woman you plan to live the rest of your life with?”
Darius stared at her as if he hadn’t considered the gravity of his plan. Finally, he shook his head. “No. My brother will know the right woman for me and my children. Her outwardappearance is of not of great consequence. It is her character that is most important.”
His words and his rush made it clear that Darius’s black moods had become worse after his wife’s passing. He wanted to give his children the best chance for a successful life, even if he couldn’t be there to see it. The realization was sobering.
Anthony held out his hand to his wife. “Come. We have a new mission with a fast-approaching deadline.”
Though he expected she might balk, she took his arm. He returned his gaze to his brother. “I will send you word as soon as I have identified someone. Do you wish me to negotiate the settlement or will you?”
“I will.”
It relieved Anthony that his brother wanted to be involved in that, at least. “Then we best leave, as we have much to do.”
“Safe travels, Anthony, Baroness. And congratulations on your nuptials.”
Anthony led Lissa out to the coach. He was surprised when she didn’t immediately ask questions, but instead sat across from him gazing out the window. They were at least a mile from Hawthorne Park when she finally turned to him. “Thank you for including me in fulfilling your payment.”
That was the last statement he’d expected to hear. “How could I not? We’re married. We are now a team in our investigations.”
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I had hoped, but I wasn’t sure. I was afraid you would look at me differently now that I’m your wife.”
Surprised, he grabbed on to the side of the coach and moved to sit next to her. “I married you because I love you, not because of who I think you should be, but because of who you are.”
She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “And I am so grateful that you will not change.”
He took her hand, intending to pull her close for a kiss, but then she clasped his hand in both of hers.
“Now tell me why your brother needs a wife so quickly. He fears something. Does he fly into rages and hurt his children?”
Not a little shocked by her deduction, he scowled. “No, of course not. Darius would rather drown than hurt his children. He loves them, which is why he needs a wife.”
“That’s a relief. He did seem to have their welfare as his primary motivation. So he doesn’t truly want a wife, but more a mother for his children.”
Relieved that she understood so quickly, he relaxed. “Yes. Darius suffers from what he calls his black moods. They are not violent moods, more a deep melancholy that can last a fortnight.”
“A fortnight?” Lissa’s eyes rounded.
He held up his hand. “They don’t always last that long. It can be just an afternoon. He has no control over them, and when they happen, he hides away. He says he’s not fit company for anyone. Our parents were very involved in raising us, as odd as that is for those in the peerage, and Darius wants his children to have the same life.”
“I see. With his sequestering himself, his children would have no one now that his wife has passed. That relieves my mind greatly.”
