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“Are you all right?” Rafe asked.
Sebastian dragged a hand through his hair and let out a strained laugh. “I suppose. It’s been a mess of a few weeks.” His features twitched, and his gaze met Rafe’s. “Very glad you are well,” he said tightly. His attention landed on Theodora. “And I owe you about a million apologies.”
Rafe’s eyebrows lifted. Did he now?
Theo drew him into a hug, and Sebastian folded over her, somehow looking more like a lad than a man of eighteen. “All is forgiven. You were hurting. We were all hurting.” She pulled back and smiled encouragingly. “And now we’ll have plenty of time to enjoy each other’s company. I have a feeling we will be residing here in London for quite some time while Rafe convalesces.”
Rafe frowned as it brought on another worry. “The estate?”
“Perry—Mr. Moore—has it under control for the time being.” She cocked an eyebrow. “Also…I believe you owe me some answers, Your Grace. I had specific questions on how you’d like to proceed with estate business.”
He winced. Letters he still had yet to read.
Sebastian lightly clapped him on the shoulder. “That sounds like a battle for you to fight on your own, brother. Best of luck.” He grinned and started backing toward the door. “See you both tomorrow.”
Theo stared after him for a beat after he disappeared. “I worry after him.”
Her soft words echoed Rafe’s own thoughts.
“He’s lonely. And nursing a broken heart,” she murmured. “I hadn’t realized how much he was hurting until you left.”
“You refer to Mr. Turner?”
She turned back to him. “Yes.” She searched his eyes. “I cannot imagine how painful it must be to feel for someone like I do for you and them not feel the same way in return. For it to be an impossibility.”
Considering how much it hurt when he’d thought for a brief time Theo didn’t return his feelings, he had an inkling. “Hopefully spending some time here, all of us together, will help. He spoke of a trip to the continent. Perhaps that will be exactly what he needs.”
She hummed as she slid under his bad arm and helped support him as they slowly hobbled over to her bed. “He really wanted to go with his best friend. Mr. Turner’s younger brother. I do think if those two went together, it would be perfect. But that is not simple for a blacksmith’s apprentice.”
With Theo’s help, Rafe sat on the mattress. He pulled her between his legs. “We’ll make it happen. If it’s money, if it’s replacement help while the younger Mr. Turner is away…we’ll provide it.”
She sifted her hands through his hair, nails dragging over his scalp and snagging in his blasted curls. His eyes fluttered closed.
“I like the sound of that.” Her words drifted in and out. “We.”
He dropped his head to her stomach. “We,” he whispered. He could stay like this forever. Surrounded by her. Lavender invading his senses, her warmth seeping into him, her tender touch coasting over him.
“Shouldn’t you be wearing a sling with that arm?”
His chuckle was muffled against her stomach. He pulled back and glanced up at her. “Yes. But I refused to wear one for the wedding and breakfast.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ah, male pride.”
He grinned. “I have my faults.”
Theo let out an exaggerated sigh. “So, so many.”
“And now they’re all yours to deal with.”
She tilted his chin up and nudged her nose along his. “How unfortunate for me.”
“You pronounced fortunate wrong,” he whispered against her lips.
She hid her smile in his cheek. “You are so vexing. Can you stop making me love you even more?”
“Absolutely not. I intend to do the opposite.”
Theo drew back, shaking her head as her hands found his neckcloth and started undoing the knot. “I suppose I should be resigned to my fate.”
