Loretta’s back stiffened and her chin lifted a little higher. “He is no burden to me,” she challenged. “You may feel some sense of responsibility to him, as do I, because you ventured out into the storm to find and save him, but he is quite safe with me.”
“You mistake my motives, Loretta.”
“How?”
“I only want to see that he gets back to London, to his home.”
“He’s not well enough to go back. His cough is no better. Just yesterday Mr. Huddleston picked up a new tonic from the apothecary in Grimsfield, and we have hope this onewill help him. There is simply no way he can return to London now.”
“He can stay here with me until he’s ready.”
Loretta’s stomach tightened. “I appreciate you wanting to do that, Your Grace, but it wouldn’t be best for him. He already believes you don’t like him, and I think he is afraid of you. Perhaps he’s afraid of all tall”—her gaze swept down his shoulders, across his wide chest, and then back up to his green eyes—“strong men since his abduction.”
“I won’t hurt him, Loretta.”
“No, of course you won’t. I know that but he doesn’t. He’s not used to people being kind to him.”
“All the more reason I should keep him here.”
She couldn’t let the duke take Farley away from her. He needed her. She needed him. They were just beginning to get to know each other.
Loretta took a step closer to the duke. “You will not take responsibility for him,” she insisted. “He doesn’t know how to trust anyone yet, but I believe he is beginning to trust me because he’s responding to my questions and instructions. I will continue to take care of him until his future is settled. Besides, when we return, I plan to talk to my uncle about allowing Farley to stay and work at Mammoth House.”
The duke’s eyes narrowed again. “I don’t think that’s wise. He’s not a farmer’s boy or a village lad who will easily fit into a normal household.”
“You don’t know that.”
“All right, it’s my guess that he’s grown up unsupervised on the streets of London for several years now and would find it very difficult to change his ways.”
“And I’m sure he wouldn’t have lived the life he has if he’d had any choice in the matter,” she said with all the conviction she felt. “He wouldn’t have chosen the life he’s been forced to live simply because fate has dealt harshlywith him. All he needs is a chance for a better life. I believe he wants that, and I am in a position to give him that if my uncle is willing.”
“My greatest fear is that you are allowing yourself to start to care for him, and I don’t think that’s best for either of you.”
“What is wrong with caring for someone? Being nice. Helping them. I plead guilty to that.”
The duke’s gaze held steady on hers for a long time before he nodded. “All right. Perhaps I’m wrong about him. We will leave it as you wish—for now. I didn’t want you to come here so we could have disagreeable words about Farley. Truce?”
Loretta let out a deep breath and looked back at the imposing manor house. She hadn’t wanted to argue, either. She didn’t fully understand her obsession with Farley. Perhaps it was that she knew she’d never have a child of her own to worry about and to care for. Her brother would be marrying soon—if not to Lady Adele then to Miss Pritchard, or someone else—and leaving her on her own, at Mammoth House. She would have no one who needed her. Right now she did, and she wouldn’t willingly give him up.
She faced the duke again and said, “I would welcome a truce, Your Grace, for both our battles.”
He quirked his head and said, “Both?”
“The battle for Farley and for me. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”
He smiled at her and she felt as if sundown had suddenly become sunrise. She wanted to throw herself into the duke’s arms, feel his strength, bury her nose in the warmth of his neck, and give herself over to the desire she felt for him. But all she could do was look at him and wish.
“No, Loretta,” he said with a slight shake of his head. “I just surrendered Farley to you. That is all I am willing to relinquish. Even if you are battle-weary there will be no truce in my campaign for you. I will show no mercy. I won’t give up the fight and concede in my struggle for you.”
“Then the battle will continue, Your Grace.”
“It will,” he echoed. “And my name is Hawk. I want you to know the name of the man you are fighting and not be afraid to say it. When we’re alone, you are Loretta, and I am Hawk.”
She leaned back. “I couldn’t do that, Your Grace.”
“Hawk,” he corrected. “You’re one who is accustomed to ignoring the rules, remember. Now, let me hear you say my name.”
Looking at him now, the breeze blowing his hair, the serious thought of combat in his expression and the hope of victory sparkling in his eyes, Loretta wondered who she wanted to win.
