Moonlight and the Duke (Cherish and the Duke #2)

Chapter Nine

E den knew she had to be dreaming, for how else could she be inhaling Connor’s divine musk scent or feeling the strength of his arms around her? If it was a dream, she did not want to wake up from it.

Connor was carrying her down several steps and then along a hallway. He paused a moment to open a door, then strode in and placed her on a bed. She sleepily complained when Connor’s arms were no longer around her, for she enjoyed their protective warmth and wanted more of their rock-hard strength surrounding her.

“Hush, Eden,” he said, his voice deep and husky. “You fell asleep in Priscilla’s bed, and I am merely bringing you back to your own.”

She sat up, but was too tired to open her eyes. “What…?”

Connor sank onto the mattress beside her. “You fell asleep in Priscilla’s bed, Eden.”

She nodded, vaguely remembering. “Where am I now?”

“In your bedchamber. I just carried you in here. Do you need help undressing? I mean… Dear heaven. No, I don’t mean it like that. I’ll loosen the lacings for you and then leave.” As he spoke, he removed her spectacles, which were already falling off her nose, and set them on the small table beside the bed.

He then took out the pins holding her hair in place. Many of them had loosened, and several curls had already slipped free. He set the pins on the table beside her spectacles. Next, he moved away from her and knelt to take off her slippers. “All right,” he said after doing so. “Can you stand up a moment and turn your back to me?”

Her hair had cascaded down her back and now tumbled over her shoulders as she nodded, but then she curled up on the bed instead.

“No, love. I need you to stand.” His strong, sure hands were on her as he gently lifted her to her feet and began attending to the task of undressing her, his touch exquisite and gentle.

This was the last thing she remembered before drifting off again, this feeling of being safe and protected as never before. This wonderful feeling of Connor’s strong, supportive arms cradling her and holding her up so she would never fall.

She loved this man. She loved being in his arms and wished it could be this way forever.

“Connor,” she murmured, and fell back to sleep while on her feet, knowing she had nothing to fear while he was around.

*

Connor realized Eden had just fallen back to sleep again by the way her body relaxed against his again.

“No, no, no, Eden. Wake up, love,” he implored.

Her body began to slide down his, setting off responses he refused to acknowledge here and now. However, he had no choice but to hold on to her more firmly in order to keep her from tumbling to the floor. Groaning, he brushed her silken hair aside to give him unimpeded access to her hooks and laces, and was surprised by yet another surge of desire he experienced in the simple act of undressing her.

He was not trying to seduce her. His only aim was to take care of her. She hadn’t been fully awake even while conversing with him moments earlier, and might not remember come morning that he had been the one to carry her into her bedchamber or put her into bed.

In truth, this rush of desire he felt for Eden was not unexpected. He had been warming to her for quite some time now. However, this ache coursing like a hot stream through his body was more powerful than he had ever imagined.

This was no mere lust, if he wanted to be honest about it. Lust was something temporary, and Connor knew his feelings for Eden were enduring.

She felt so right beside him. She, with her buttoned-up gowns and sensible manner, distracted him and drove him wild.

He held her up when she began to sway again. “I’m almost done, love,” he whispered. “Can you raise your arm?”

Apparently not, he realized when she veered forward and then careened backward against him so that he had to catch her by the waist to keep her from falling. To his surprise, not even the jolt from her almost toppling woke her.

Perhaps because she was aware on some level that she was with him and this made her feel safe. Having his arms around her comforted her. She trusted him.

He was not so trusting of himself, however.

He was in her bedchamber and undressing her. She had the softest body. She also had the nicest breasts that he tried not to graze as he held her up and awkwardly worked the lacings of her gown, but it was unavoidable.

He had been looking closely at Eden lately, noticing everything about her and liking everything he saw. But right now, with no illumination in the room, he could barely make out the outline of her body. In some ways this was worse than having a clear view of her, because his other senses were compensating for what he could not see, particularly touch and scent.

She was facing away from him and her back was lightly pressed against his chest. Apparently, this was all his body needed to be in a roil. Having to go merely by the shape of her body and softness of her skin— dear heaven , she felt good—was a full-on assault on his composure.

Taking in the scent of her was intoxicating, for her skin was warm and lightly flowery. A hint of lemon and fresh country air. This woman, his lovely neighbor and friend, could be his every night for the rest of his life if he dared take the chance and propose to her.

Perhaps it was time to reevaluate his reluctance to remarry.

Yes, it was past time.

He was in the middle of unloosening one particularly stubborn tie when she suddenly lurched forward again.

He quickly caught her. “Eden! Be careful, love.”

He continued to speak softly in the hope of keeping her upright until he finished. But the poor thing was dead on her feet and did not respond.

Since this was not going to work without her cooperation, he turned her around so that she faced him and could lean against him while he managed the last of her ties. This also meant her perfect breasts rested against his chest.

He had undressed women often enough to be familiar with the workings of their gowns, and usually showed more prowess when seducing them. Of course, the women tended to dress more scantily than Eden was now. They also tended to be more alert and cooperative.

Yes, being awake was a requirement. Awake and willing to engage in more than merely being put to bed.

Still, there was something to be treasured about this moment, something that made it so much more special to him than any of those previous encounters in a lady’s boudoir. This was not about sex, but about heart and happiness.

Eden was endearing, and felt so sweet resting against him.

He stifled a chuckle when he heard a little snore out of her.

Dear heaven! He stifled his laughter. How the mighty have fallen!

Here he was, stripping her out of her gown, and she was not in the least interested. Indeed, she was so lacking in interest that she had fallen back into a deep slumber. However, he had confidence in his abilities and knew things would have gone quite differently had she been awake and aware.

“Eden, your gown is unlaced. Can you step out of it, love?” He had not meant to take over the chore of completely removing her gown. But she was not helping herself out of it and would get tangled up in the ties while asleep if they were left on her. Not to mention the wrinkles or possible rips to the delicate fabric that might happen when she tossed and turned.

Sighing, he set about taking the garment off her. This was agonizing because Eden’s body was alluring beyond belief and he had to keep his own from responding.

His primal instincts were on fire. Were he a hound, he would do things to her with his hands and tongue that no man ought to do to this wonderful girl outside of marriage.

Was this not the obvious solution? He had to marry her.

He wanted to marry her.

Who else would be as good a husband to her? A faithful husband who would never betray his wedding vows.

Why not propose to her?

Well, he needed to get a better sense of her feelings first.

She liked him and trusted him, so that was a good start. Just as important, his family would be no obstacle, because they liked her better than they did him. She was the fairy princess emerging from the woodlands path between their homes to join them each day. She brought sunshine with her smile and enraptured his children, somehow making them behave with her sprinkling of fairy magic.

His mother adored her and already viewed her as a daughter because Eden had come crying to her so many times when she was younger. His mother had been there to comfort her all those times her own parents had let her down.

Why not marry her when it would make all of them happy?

He only hoped Eden cared for him as much as she obviously adored his mother and children. She was so good with all of them, including him.

But this was Eden, so kind and sweet. Her affection was genuine.

When had Mary ever fallen asleep with her arms around Priscilla? Connor could not recall that she ever had. Then again, he had been away so much during their years of marriage. Still, he could see the way the household ran whenever he came home. Everything had its routine, and the one established for their children did not seem to include Mary at all.

Nor did Mary run the household or appear to have any desire to participate in its management. He had asked her about this, concerned that his mother might have been pushing her out, because the old dowager had a forceful presence and Mary was not assertive. He had made certain Mary understood that she was the lady of the house and did not need to cede her authority to anyone.

But no, she was more than eager to give all the responsibility to his mother.

For the most part, Mary existed in the same house as the rest of them. She always had a smile for the children whenever they were in her presence, which they rarely were because she took no responsibility for their upbringing. A pat on their heads before they were sent up to bed was the extent of her involvement. Priscilla got an occasional hug, but only when the little one initiated it.

As for him, he was the opposite, wanting to squeeze Connor, Alex, and especially Priscilla, since she was such a cuddly thing who seemed to crave affection. He hugged all of them probably too much of the time because he was so happy to be home and have them around.

Mary, who was here all the time, never seemed to appreciate how splendid those little devils were. Perhaps she simply did not have the strength to tolerate their exuberance.

Well, this moment wasn’t about Mary or his children. This was about him and Eden.

“Eden, I am going to tuck you into bed now,” he whispered as she remained leaning against him, her gloriously soft frontage pressed to his chest. He ran a hand gently through her silky tresses. “Eden? Climb into bed, love.”

He tried to ease her into it, but he was shifting her at an awkward angle and she chose that moment to heed him. She slipped out of his arms and fell like a lump across the bed, her legs dangling off it, her adorable bottom sticking up.

Ah, that was accomplished with Silver Duke flair. Not. No points for finesse there.

But he could now get a better angle on her body, and managed to tuck her under the covers while refusing to acknowledge she was wearing only a thin chemise. This had to rank among his worst attempts to get a woman into bed. Indeed, the very worst, because women never hesitated to jump into the sack with him.

Most of the time, he did not have to ask. A mere nod was signal enough. Clothes would fly off before the bedroom door had even shut. The advantages of being a duke.

The disadvantages as well.

These sexual escapades had everything to do with his title and nothing to do with any true affection for him.

“Good night, Eden,” he whispered. “Sweet dreams, love.”

“They’ll be of you,” she responded so softly that he almost missed it. “My darling… My Beauregard.”

Beauregard ? She was dreaming of the little spaniel she’d had as a pet growing up?

He had just had his hands all over her. Most women found this arousing. And she was dreaming of her dog ?

Well, that was a kick in the arse. Eden was going to need a bit of wooing.

But this was part of the problem of being a Silver Duke. He had never wooed a woman before, not even his wife. Mary had been an arranged marriage that he had gone along with because it seemed the right thing to do at the time. Trouble was brewing on the Continent because of that upstart Napoleon, and he intended to go off and join the fight. But he also needed to secure heirs for his dukedom.

Mary had been pretty enough. An earl’s daughter. She understood the rules and dutifully produced the requisite sons, and even a daughter when he mentioned how much he wanted one.

Unfortunately, she viewed it as her only role. Job done. Heir and spare. Daughter delivered. She never put an ounce more effort into the marriage or raising their children, since she considered her part of the bargain fulfilled.

The door between the duke and duchess quarters had been firmly closed, and remained closed for the duration of their marriage.

But Eden?

She would put her heart and soul into their marriage. She would give all the love she had to give and then give some more, because this was who she was, tender and caring. This was how she would continue to be with him, his children, and any little demons that came later. She already loved his mother. Who else but Eden would make their family whole again?

He wanted her, and he was in desperate need of her love. Was this not the very thing he had missed out on during his entire life?

Now, he had to prove he was up to the task of being a good husband.

He carefully checked the hallway, saw it was quiet, and slipped out of Eden’s room. He encountered no one along the way, although he did hear a door shut behind him.

No matter. It was probably someone who dared not be seen either.

Even if he encountered someone now, what did it matter? Getting out of Eden’s room unnoticed was the tricky part. Being observed walking down the hall toward his ducal quarters would raise no eyebrows. Even if some were raised, they could only guess which young lady he had been visiting.

Once in his quarters, he removed his clothes and tossed them aside for his valet to attend to in the morning. He was not usually so careless with his clothing, but he was exhausted and knew he would not get more than three or four hours of sleep tonight.

Eden liked to wake early, and so did his children. He was often up at the crack of dawn himself, but today would be a struggle.

Connor was certain his eyes had barely shut before his valet entered his bedchamber to wake him. He heard the distant chime of the hallway clock indicating the seven o’clock hour, and groaned.

“Rough night, Your Grace?” His valet, Holden, shook his head and tsked as he picked up the clothes Connor had left strewn on the carpet, which was something he never usually did because he liked things neat and orderly.

“A bit.” Connor rolled to a sitting position with another groan and glanced down at himself. He’d fallen asleep naked atop his covers, too tired to even bother slipping under them. His head was pounding. Sunlight blinded him as Holden drew aside the drapes. “Gad! Close them a little, will you? That’s too bright.”

“That is sunshine, Your Grace. You always like the drapes thrown wide.”

“Not this morning. I need a bath and a shave.”

This was his usual morning routine, a tub rolled in at seven o’clock each morning when he returned from his early ride. He had missed that ride today.

No matter—he would have one of his grooms take Achilles through his paces.

He washed and dressed, then headed to the breakfast room in the hope of finding Eden. There were only a handful of people up at this hour, and she, he was pleased to note, was one of them. She was seated beside Lord Aubrey and quietly chatting with him as she had her cup of tea.

“Good morning,” Connor said, taking the seat to the right of her, since Aubrey was seated to her left. He motioned for a footman to pour him his usual cup of coffee, and gave a nod of thanks when the chore was promptly done. Steam drifted upward from his cup, and the rich aroma livened his senses that were still too much alive from the memory of undressing Eden mere hours ago.

She cast him a pleasant smile. “Good morning.” But her smile began to falter as she studied him.

He arched an eyebrow as he sipped his coffee.

She began to nibble her lip, no doubt wondering whether she had dreamed him up last night. He would tell her later, assure her it was not her imagination running wild. But this was not something to be discussed in front of others.

“Have you seen the children yet?” he asked her.

She nodded. “Millie is helping them get ready for the day. Your boys have already polished off the scones and apples meant for their pouches. We’ll gather more before we head out.”

“You really needn’t join us, Lynton,” Aubrey said. “You’re not a bird watcher and will only be bored. Besides, I do not see that any other guests intend to join us. Why not do what you must around here this morning and meet us later at the church fair? I’m sure you’ll have takers for that outing. My sister, for one. Bring her along with you.”

He was about to tell the viscount to shove his idea up his arse, but Brewster rushed in just then and motioned to him. “Excuse me,” Connor said to Eden, and immediately strode toward his butler, who appeared quite anxious. “What’s wrong?”

“Lord Darrow has taken a turn for the worse, it seems.”

His heart tightened for Eden’s sake. As bad as her parents were, they were all she had, and she cared for them. “Do you know if the doctor has been summoned?”

“I’m afraid the messenger did not say. He was only told to inform Lady Eden to come home as soon as possible.”

Connor nodded. “I’ll take her straight over there. Have my carriage readied.”

“At once, Your Grace.”

He returned to the breakfast room, and had yet to utter a word to Eden before she leaped out of her seat. “It is my father, isn’t it? I should have stayed at Chestnut Hill.”

Connor put a hand to her elbow to calm her. “Do not dare blame yourself for any of this. You did all you could have done. Sitting with him would have changed nothing. We’re not even sure there is a problem.”

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and fearful. “But your expression when you walked in…”

He shook his head. “I was thinking, that’s all. He appeared to be on the mend when we left him yesterday. I cannot imagine what happened.”

Eden nodded and then turned to Aubrey, who had been listening in on their conversation. “I am so sorry, my lord,” she said. “We may have to postpone our outing.”

To the man’s credit, he took the disappointment gracefully. “I’ll be here waiting for you. Send word when you have news. I would offer to accompany you, but I think my presence would only be an interference.”

“You are too kind,” she replied. “Hopefully, it will only be a false alarm and we can be on our way within the hour. This is what my parents do. They thrive on drama and attention. One eventually gets used to it.”

Aubrey regarded her with surprising compassion. “I do not know that you have ever gotten used to it, Lady Eden. It takes a chunk out of your heart every time, doesn’t it?”

She pinched her lips and nodded.

Connor wanted to dislike this man, but could not while he was behaving kindly toward Eden. He still did not trust him, however. “We’ll keep you apprised, Aubrey.”

He walked out of the breakfast room with Eden, and was about to escort her out of the house when she stopped suddenly. “I need to get Priscilla’s card.”

“What?”

“Your daughter drew a card for my father and meant to bring it to him this morning. I won’t be a moment. Anyway, the children ought to be told why I must delay the start of our outing.”

“You think it will only be a delay?”

She nodded. “Connor, they do this to me all the time. One day it will be real, but by then I don’t think I will care. The two of them have worn me out.”

He nodded. “I’ll run upstairs with you.”

The children were disappointed not to join them, but old enough to understand the seriousness of the reason. Eden suggested they observe the birds and animal life in the expansive Lynton garden while they awaited her return. The children liked the suggestion, since they obviously preferred to be outdoors and not stuck in their quarters.

“Let’s go, Eden,” Connor said as she tucked Priscilla’s card into a pocket of her gown. It was one of those sturdy, serviceable gowns designed for practicality rather than style. Eden still looked spectacular in it, even though others would consider it drab by ton standards. “The carriage should be brought around for us by now.”

The same brougham he had taken out yesterday drew up in the courtyard at the same time they walked out the front door. Eden climbed in, and Connor did the same right after her. However, this time he dismissed his driver and did the driving himself because he preferred to ride alone with Eden. He flicked the reins, and the horse immediately started along the familiar path. “Eden, about last night.”

She pursed her lips. “What about last night?”

“You fell asleep in Priscilla’s bed.”

Her eyes widened. “I did?”

He nodded. “I carried you down to your room.”

She laughed softly and blushed. “No wonder I could not remember returning there. Were you the one who…”

“Undressed you? Yes, but it was in the dark. I wasn’t trying to look at you. It must have been around three o’clock in the morning by the time I went upstairs to check on my children, and there you were, squeezed into Priscilla’s bed. And there was Priscilla poking and kicking you as she wriggled around.”

She smiled. “I wondered how I got that bruise to my ribs.”

“Puzzle solved. Priscilla was the culprit. She would have pushed you out of bed at some point during the night. I thought it best to carry you down to your own. But there was no one awake at that late hour to attend to you, so I attempted it myself. I tried to wake you, but you were too deeply asleep and would not rouse.”

He thought she would be angry, and was pleasantly surprised when she merely shook her head and laughed again. “Undressed by a Silver Duke and I completely missed it.”

He breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled. “You didn’t miss much. I wasn’t that competent. You wished me pleasant dreams, but I think you were actually saying this to the sweet pet you had as a child.”

She stared at him a moment and grinned. “You mean Beauregard?”

He nodded.

Despite her wearing spectacles, her eyes sparkled in the sunlight as she said, “Connor, I would never mistake you for my dog.”

He cast her an affectionate smile. “I’m fairly certain you did.”

“Any other tidbits of information I ought to know about as you undressed me? I would like to get every scandalous detail entered properly in my diary.”

“If you are going to write it all down, then mention that I showed remarkable skill and prowess, and completely lived up to my reputation.”

“And yet I mistook you for Beauregard.”

“Do not rub it in, Eden,” he said, chuckling again.

Their easy banter came to an end as they reached Chestnut Hill. Evans must have been watching for their arrival. He threw open the front door and rushed toward them before the carriage had rolled to a stop. “I’m so sorry, Lady Eden. He has been howling at the top of his lungs for you for over an hour now. I did not know what else to do other than try to calm him by assuring him I would send word to you.”

“He’s been howling all the while?” Connor stepped forward. “Then he is not unconscious or running a fever?”

“He’s perfectly fine, Your Grace. I did not summon the doctor, since he is due to pass by here later this morning and I saw no need to disturb him when there was no medical necessity. Lord Darrow’s ailment is boredom and nothing more. But he was insistent, and I could not put off summoning Lady Eden. I was afraid he would pop a vein or suffer an attack of the heart if he did not calm down.”

“You did just as you should have done.” Eden’s lips were pinched and she looked angry. “I’ll go up to see him. The wretched man does not deserve sweet Priscilla’s card.”

Connor waited downstairs, but patience was never one of his virtues. He wore a hole in the elegant parlor rug while pacing back and forth like a restless lion in a cage. All shouting had stopped and he could hear nothing of their conversation, although he knew Eden had to be severely berating her father for disrupting her morning.

After what seemed like forever but could not have been more than ten minutes, Eden marched downstairs. Her hands were curled into fists and she looked livid. “He is fine. Perfectly fine. Recovering beautifully.”

“That’s good…isn’t it? Not that I am excusing his childish behavior, but is it not better than his actually being in dire health?”

“No! I am through indulging him or excusing his intolerable behavior. He would not even look at Priscilla’s card when I tried to show it to him. The servants took more interest in it and made the kind comments he ought to have done. He cares not a whit about anyone but himself. So I am going to place your daughter’s lovely card right here on the fireplace mantel. I will tell her that he received it and it is now proudly displayed in a place of honor in my home. Not a lie, just a different emphasis on the facts. Do you think it is all right?”

He nodded. “Fine with me. Who knows if Priscilla cares all that much about it? It is just a card to a man she hardly knows.”

“It is to my father, and she will care. She equates all fathers with you, and will believe he is as wonderful as you are. Ha! If she only knew what a self-indulgent wretch he was. But his recognition of her card will fill her with pride. She will also view his approval as important to me. So, this matter of the card will be the first question out of her mouth when she sees us.”

Connor shook his head and sighed. “If you say so, Eden. Way too complicated for me.”

“Oh, yes. Men and feelings. They are not your strong suit, are they? Let’s go back to Lynton Grange. I’m so sorry I delayed the children.”

“And Lord Aubrey?”

She nodded. “Yes, him too. But mostly your children. Lord Aubrey will be gone in a matter of days, and I doubt I will ever see him again. I think my parents have efficiently ruined any chance of that.”

Her father began to bellow again as they were about to leave.

“Impossible man,” she muttered, and stomped back upstairs.

Connor followed her because a strong word from him might quiet the man where his own daughter’s pleas obviously fell on deaf ears.

But Eden seemed to be in control of the situation as she grabbed his valise and began to pack his things in it. “What are you doing?” her father asked.

“Did I or did I not warn you that I would toss you out of this house at your next outburst? Well, this is my preparing to toss you out.”

“But I am ill!”

“You have a lump on your head that you probably deserved, and it obviously has not stopped you from making a nuisance of yourself.” She continued to pack his belongings. “If you can shout that loudly, how ill can you be? My staff is going to abandon me if you continue to bellow and disturb their peace. You have disrupted them enough for one morning. Between you and them, I will always choose them . They have supported me and taken care of me throughout the years. You have had a lifetime of chances to do this and never did.”

“Eden! Child!”

“Because of you, I am a twenty-seven-year-old spinster with no chance of marriage. I repeat, no chance . It will be only a matter of days before Viscount Aubrey, the first man to have shown an interest in me in years, is out of my life forever. That blame falls squarely on you and Mama. So, out you go!”

Her father turned to him. “Lynton, talk sense into my daughter! She has no right to do this to her own father.”

Connor crossed his arms over his chest. “Oh, I believe she has every right. This is her home, not yours. Her home. She sets the rules. She was very clear about what they were. You ignored her and broke them.”

The man frowned, obviously not liking Connor’s response. “Then where am I to go?”

Connor shrugged. “Not my problem.”

“You are having a house party. Surely you must have room for one more. I’ll join you.”

“Not on your life,” Eden replied before Connor had the chance to open his mouth. “Mama is already there and disrupting everyone’s enjoyment with her typical flair for the dramatic.”

“Then send her here and I will go in her place.”

Eden sighed. “Oh, she will love that. No. I am not replacing one unruly parent with another.”

“Why do you always take her side? You are as much my child as hers. Have I not always been kinder to you than she has been?”

“Actually, you have both been abysmal.” She stopped packing his things and turned to him. “The two of you are the most irresponsible people in existence. Need I remind you how many times you and Mama forgot me at school? Forgot me at end of term. Forgot me at holiday breaks. Forgot me when parents were invited for special family events.”

“It could not have been all that often, Eden. We just mixed up our schedules at times, that’s all. You know how we try to have as little contact as possible with each other. She thought it was my turn when I thought it was hers. Innocent mistakes. That is all.”

“Yes, make your excuses. But do not even once think to apologize to me for leaving me to wander the school halls alone, and do not bother to show any remorse for all the times I was shoved into a mail coach and left to make my own way to our London townhouse, hoping against hope someone would be there to let me in.”

She turned to Connor, her expression raw and anguished as she struggled to hold back her tears. “See? Neither of them ever cared. Do you see a scintilla of remorse on that man’s face? All he is thinking about is how long he must stay quiet and endure my outburst.”

Connor reached out to comfort her, but she shook her head and began to unpack her father’s belongings that she had just tossed into the valise. “Fine, stay here. But I shall advise Evans not to send word to me if you take a turn for the worse. Nor do I care if you take your last breath. He may, however, send word to me once you are gone. After you’ve gone. Whether by carriage on your own two feet or by coffin is of no concern to me.”

Her father’s mouth gaped open. “Eden!”

“Do not dare feign hurt or outrage. I know you are just faking. What a dense child I was, always convincing myself that you and Mama cared, that you would surprise me one day and take me from school, hugging and kissing me, and telling me how much you missed me as we rode in your elegant coach back to London. But no, it never happened. There’s no need for politeness between us anymore, no need for tearful farewells. You will never shed a tear for me, so I refuse to shed a tear for you.”

But softhearted Eden looked as though she was about to burst into tears. She let out a brief, curt sob and a few sniffles.

“Eden.” Connor wanted to wrap her in his arms and just keep holding her.

“No, I’m fine.”

She did not look it. In truth, she tore at his heart.

“Excuse me, Connor. I need a breath of air to compose myself.”

He let her go and listened to her soft footsteps hurrying down the stairs before he turned to her father. “If you have a problem, send word directly to me. I will attend to it. You are done manipulating Eden.”

That said, he followed after her.

She had run outside and was standing beside his brougham. “Eden…”

She cast him a shaky smile as he approached. “I’m all right. Just a few tears. Not so bad. I will compose myself in a moment.”

“Take all the time you need,” he said gently.

“No, I’m good. Just feeling their antics acutely at present. And what of me? I am such a soft touch. I had him packed up and found I could not send him packing after all. What is wrong with me that I allow them to walk all over my heart?”

There was not the slightest thing wrong with her. In truth, she was a marvel because she had turned all the hurt she had endured throughout the years into compassion and not a trace of bitterness.

This made him ache worse, for someone as good as this girl deserved all the happiness in the world. She deserved to be around those who would love and respect her.

He helped her back into his carriage. “Eden, I think it is time for things to change.”

She dabbed at her tears with her handkerchief as she smiled at him. “Oh, I am so ready for change. I just don’t know how to go about it.”

“I have been giving your situation plenty of thought. I think I know a way to make some changes that I think you will like.”

Her eyes widened. “You do? Oh, Connor, please tell me. What is your plan?”