Page 93 of Stolen By the Heartless Duke

“But not you.”

“No.”

“Why?” Jane pressed.

He looked away briefly. “I was his brother.”

Something in those four words made her chest ache. She knew the feeling of trusting one’s older brother. He was so much more like Colin than she had let herself realize. “He trusted you.”

“I hope so.”

“You still doubt it?” Jane asked, incredulous.How could he doubt himself so wildly?

His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “I should have protected him.”

He looked up, realizing what he had said.

Jane stopped moving. “Hector?—”

She stopped speaking as soon as she realized she had addressed him by name.

At what point did I become so familiar with him?“I’m sorry, Your Grace. That was, I mean… I didn’t mean to overstep.” She softened her voice. She wanted to reach out to him, to take his hand, but she did not. “You cannot believe that any of this was your fault.”

“I do.”

“You could not possibly watch him every hour.”

“I should have tried. I was the only person in whom he had total faith. I made him a promise that I would always be there for him for as long as I lived. I failed him.”

Jane studied him. For the first time she understood, not simply that he loved Evan, but that he had built his entire life around protecting him. No wonder losing him had hollowed him out.

Despite the fear that he might resist, she reached out and took his hand in hers. For a second, she thought he might pull away, but he seemed resigned to his sadness, or maybe he simply needed comfort from someone who understood. He did not flinch as she laced her fingers through his.

Quietly, so as not to ruin the moment, she said, “My father used to say responsibility becomes dangerous when one mistakes it for control.”

His gaze lifted to hers.

“He believed you could not possibly protect people from every sorrow.” She smiled sadly. “I argued the point with him.”

“I imagine you did.” She could hear the amusement in his voice.

“I thought love ought to be enough.”

“And now?”

She looked toward the fire. “Now…” Her voice grew quieter. “I wonder whether I failed them both.”

He frowned. “Your father?”

“And Colin. My father died believing Colin would take care of us.” She swallowed. “But now…” She looked down at her hands. “If Colin never returns…” Jane met his eyes. “If Colinneverreturns…” Her voice trembled despite her efforts. “Should I have done more to help him that night…?”

Hector was silent for a long moment. Then he stepped closer. Close enough that she could see every shade of gray in his eyes. “You couldn’t have done more, Jane. Not without risking your life. We will find him. We will find them both. I promise.”

Hector squeezed Jane’s hand gently. The room fell quiet. Neither moved. Neither looked away. The space between them suddenly felt impossibly small.

Jane realized she no longer saw the intimidating Duke of Sunderford standing before her. She saw only a man carrying grief almost as heavy as her own. A man who blamed himself for things no human being could truly control.

And somehow, she suspected he was beginning to see her just as clearly. Outside, the rain fell softly against the windows, as it had for much of that day. Inside, neither of them noticed it anymore.