Sure enough, when he opened the box, his great-grandmother’s diamond ring dutifully sat within its confines. His grandfather had left it to Leonard in his will, always having a partiality to him. Perhaps he thought that if Leonard had it, he might find some young lady to give it to one day. Unfortunately, his grandfather had overestimated Leonard’s likeability in the female scope of things.
With the ring now in his possession, Leonard slipped it into his jacket and made his way back downstairs. Upon arriving in the drawing room, his brother’s head turned toward the door, a smile stretching across his face.
“Leonard. What a pleasant surprise.” He pushed up against the chair arm, even that small act seemingly difficult for him.
Leonard rushed forward so Samuel wouldn’t exert himself more than needed. “Sit, sit,” he insisted, taking a chair of his own. Samuel nodded, then sat as well.
“We weren’t expecting you,” Samuel said, his breathing labored. “Is something wrong?”
Leonard took in Samuel’s appearance—his light brown hair was neatly combed, and his clothing was pressed to perfection—but his evening jacket hung loosely over his frame. Had he lost weight? Samuel wasn’t a thick-figured man to begin with, so he couldn’t really afford to lose any more. Leonard wasn’t large either, but he had a healthy girth to him, which Samuel had long been without.
“Nothing is wrong,” Leonard assured him.
Samuel leaned on the arm of his chair, smiling over at him. “No parties to attend or young ladies to woo?”
“Not today, anyway.” Leonard chuckled, knowing it had been many days since he had attempted to speak with a young woman. Now that the wager was over, there really was no point in trying. But he would let Samuel think he was, to put him at ease. He was still trying to please their father, while Leonard had long given up on that.
Leonard looked Samuel over again, trying to discern if he had declined even in the last week—especially since he had failed to notice the loss in weight.
“I am fine,” Samuel said, as if noticing Leonard’s study of him.
Leonard nodded, looking down at his lap. “Of course.”
“You would thinkyouwere the older brother with the way you worry over me,” he said, softening his words with a smile.
Samuel was the one thing Leonard missed when he was away. His smile was almost ever present, despite his circumstances. Leonard often wished their lives had been switched. It would be much more befitting for him to be the one too ill to enjoy life, forLeonard was seemingly squandering it away, while Samuel still chose to make the most of things.
But life was often unfair.
“Leonard.” His father’s deep voice seemed surprised, and Leonard looked over his shoulder. “What are you doing here?” He stood with a book in his hands, spectacles draped over his nose.
“I just thought I’d come for a visit.”
Peering at him over the tip of his spectacles, his father scowled. “Shouldn’t you be at the Pembroke’s tonight?”
Leonard averted his gaze to the fireplace. It didn’t take long to be chastised and managed.
“They were going to have a ball, and I know you were invited, Leonard. Why are you not there?”
“I forgot.”
His father pulled his lenses from his face with a sigh, then rubbed his brow. “No, you didn’t. You simply did not wish to go.”
“Is that considered a crime?”
“It is when you have a duty to fulfill, and you keep dragging your feet.”
Leonard nearly winced, forcing himself not to look at Samuel. Leonard hated it when their father spoke as if Samuel weren’t present. Because the duty should be falling to him, not Leonard.
Walking over to the mantel, his father squinted at the clock. “If you head back to London now, you can still be ready in time. I suggest you do that.”
Unclenching gritted teeth, Leonard replied, “Suggest or demand.”
“Always one to provoke an argument, aren’t you, Leonard?” His father leveled a steely glare. “You know what you need to do. I shouldn’t have to keep forcing you.”
Leonard debated, keeping his frustrated scowl hidden in his mind so Samuel wouldn’t feel to blame. Leonard hadn’t beenplanning to stay anyway, only feeling it necessary to hide his true intentions in visiting. He also didn’t wish to disappoint Samuel and leave so suddenly, nor did he relish giving in to his father’s demands yet again. The lengths parents would go to continue the family line was quite astounding at times.
“I think a ball sounds fun,” Samuel said, smiling. “You should go, Leonard.”
