“Quite a bit. I didn’t want to worry him.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I don’t know that it would do any good.” She sighed. “I failed as a chaperone, was physically assaulted by my brother-in-law, almost forced into marriage with someone I barely knew and didn’t care for at all, then slept with a man who should have been wicked except he claimed to love me.”

Rosemary slipped an arm around her back and hugged her close. “A busy season.”

She glanced sideways. “Far more than I anticipated.”

“Life can be like that,” Rosemary said and then sighed heavily. “I see now why you were reluctant to tell Gray the whole story and why Rothwell has become protective of you. Are you all right?”

Arabella was about to answer when a large hand clapped over her shoulder.

“Who the hell seduced you?” Grayling demanded.

Arabella sat up at the anger in his voice. A hot flush had swept over his features and he looked fit to kill.

“When did you return?”

“Not soon enough,” he growled. “Now answer me. Who do I have to kill?”

Rosemary clucked her tongue. “Really, darling, can you not guess who might have a claim on Arabella’s affections?”

His gaze darted between them and then his eyes narrowed. “Rothwell? Damn him. I’ll kill the bastard when he returns.”

“Oh no, you will not.” Arabella wasn’t about to be bullied by Grayling. She was more than capable of managing her own intimate affairs. “Not when I asked him to.”

His eyes widened, and then his stare became quite unnerving. Was this what it was like to have a brother to answer to? All of a sudden he grinned. “This is perfect. He’ll marry you.”

Rosemary shook her head sadly and stood. “I’ll leave him to you, my dear, but if you need help banging some sense into his head, I’ll do my best.”

Although Arabella had never held back in prior conversations with Grayling, she wouldn’t have minded having Rosemary at her side for this one. “Excuse me?”

Grayling tucked his hands behind his back and began to pace along the flagstone squares. “I should be furious, but there is an easy way out of this situation. I don’t want to lose my best friend, but if he doesn’t propose to you then I’m going to enjoy hurting him. The two of you will simply marry and that will be that.”

“We’ll do no such thing.” Arabella sighed and collected her cup and saucer to put them on the tray for a servant to take. “I don’t intend to marry. Excuse me, I’d like to visit with the children again before Merrick returns.”

“Merrick now, is it?” Gray teased.

“Oh, keep quiet.” She turned toward the house. “It’s not like you’ve never been in a similar situation,” she muttered.

“I’ll have you know I didn’t expect to marry again so soon,” Grayling reminded her as he blocked her escape. “But a very good friend threw the perfect woman at me and I had a second chance to have a fulfilling life. You deserve to be in love.”

Rothwell had claimed her perfect, but she didn’t think that true. There were many things she would change about herself if she could. “It’s not the same. I don’t have the faintest idea of whether I love him.”

His eyes narrowed at her admission. “There’s nothing to stop you being as happy as we are. You just have to be brave enough to jump.”

She sank into a chair. “I’m not sure I am ready to marry again.”

“Then that is an impediment only you can overcome. Rothwell has proven he’s a man of honor by protecting you as he did. I’m not entirely happy about your affair, but only you can decide whether he’s worth the risk of loving.” Grayling leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “If he makes you happy, Bella, then tell me what have you got to lose? You have my blessing, if that helps. Augusta would approve, too, I think. She always had a soft spot for him.”

The casual mention of Grayling’s first wife, Augusta, once her best friend, brought tears to her eyes. She had missed Augusta desperately these past years and longed to hear her opinion. But Arabella was alone and had to make all decisions about her life without help. Only she could decide whether what she had with Rothwell was love or something far less.

~ * ~

When Stanton Harold Hall came into view, ice formed in the pit of his stomach. For the whole of the trip to collect his youngest half brother, he’d missed Arabella and now feared what she’d say to him about the addition to their outing. At his side sat his father’s last mistake, a boy of eight years whose mother had recently passed and needed a home. The boy would live with him from now until he was old enough for schooling. He touched Danny’s shoulder gently. “Dry your tears and be a good lad while I collect Lady Farnsworth.”

Young Danny sniffed miserably but nodded. “I will, sir.”

“Good lad.” He glanced at Holland’s worried face. “Once the carriage and horses have been seen to, take him for a stroll about Grayling’s gardens. Grayling won’t mind and the boy won’t be in the way there while you await us.”

“An excellent idea.” Holland ruffled the boy’s hair as Merrick left the carriage. “We might even be able to rustle up a sweet cake or two if we ask nicely.”

The pair had grown closer by the minute during their journey. He had hoped young Danny would bond with one of the others, but perhaps Holland was the best choice for a motherless boy. It would mean the child was about the town house more often rather than the stables, but at least there he could be kept watch over and would adopt the mannerisms of a gentleman more quickly.

He grinned at Grayling’s butler, Cunningham, as he passed through the impressive double doors of Stanton Harold Hall and then glanced around the dim interior. Grayling strode forward to meet him at the door. “Grayling.”

“Bastard,” Gray muttered. “Come with me. We need to talk.”

Merrick quickly looked for Arabella but didn’t see her anywhere. Although he wouldn’t be comfortable until he’d laid eyes on her again, he reluctantly followed Gray back outside and onto the lawns. When they stopped beside a shady tree, Merrick caught Gray’s arm. “What’s going on?”

“I should ask you the same thing.” Grayling drew closer and Merrick was astonished to see his hands curl into fists. “I won’t allow you to toy with Arabella’s affections.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to deny he was involved with Arabella, but this was his best friend. Her best friend too, and she’d clearly confided in him while Merrick was off on family business. “I won’t pursue her if you’re so set against us.”

“But you’ll ruin her.”

“Not intentionally. Unfortunately, she’s against marriage.”

Grayling frowned. “I cannot understand why. Farnsworth treated her well from all I saw.”

Farnsworth had neglected her, paying no attention to her opinions from what he could discern. Merrick would not make the mistake of doing the same. “I love her,” he said simply. Being apart for the whole day and worrying about how she fared was a new experience for Merrick, though not unpleasant.

“Then propose.”

“I’d rather not have her think it’s because you demanded it, if it’s all the same to you.” He shook his head. “I do have a special license at home.”

“Then use it.”

“I intend to. I was actually on the hunt for a bride while I was in London. I had whittled down my selection to three when Arabella sought my protection. Do you have any idea how fast a man can lose interest in other women once he sees an opportunity?”

“To seduce her? You bloody bastard.”

“To get to know her without society watching.” Merrick shrugged. “I don’t know why you’re so put out with me. It’s not as if I’m trespassing on your territory. Oh, and did I criticize you for marrying your governess, who when I met her the first time went by an entirely different name?”

Merrick was well aware that the current Lady Grayling had an entirely murky past that no one ever brought up in conversation. Eventually he hoped Gray would confide in him.