Page 94 of Cocky August Rake

His hand moved slowly along her arm.

“Do you know why I became a sailor?” he asked at last.

Rose shook her head.

He kept his gaze fixed on the darkened cabin. “My father used to say a second son ought at least to make himself useful. In his estimation, I never did.”

Rose said nothing.

“Said I have too much feeling and not enough backbone.”.” His mouth twisted. “For years, I believed him. It took me rather longer to understand that he was simply cruel.”

He felt Rose’s palm flatten over his heart.

“What about your mother? Was she…?”

“She kept to herself. It was safer for her that way,” he continued. “And Harry was smart to escape. Once he reached his majority, he left and never looked back.”

Rose said quietly, “I suppose your brother had demons of his own.”

Reginald knew that better than most. Harry’s hatred of their father had never been a secret.

“I know,” Reginald said. “And I don’t blame him. For years, we were almost strangers.”

Perhaps Harry had meant the gift to bridge some of that distance. He had trusted Reginald to see The Domus in the same light he did.

That should have been enough.

But their father was dead. Harry was happy now.

And Rose was coming with him.

Reginald stared past her into the shadows of the cabin.

“So, in answer to your question, I doubt Harry will be too disappointed,” he said at last.

Rose shifted against him. “But he’ll miss you, no?”

“Perhaps.” His hand continued its slow path along her arm. “I know he’d rather I keep The Domus operating. Like you, I think he hoped I’d see the good in it,” Reginald admitted.

“And have you?”

His hand stilled.

There were good people there. Far more than he’d expected.

But good? In The Domus?

“I found you,” he said.

She nestled closer, rubbing her foot along his calf.

They just lay there silently for a few minutes, and then Rose let out a sad little sigh. “Were you ever happy as a child?” she asked softly.

“More often than I had the sense to recognize.” His hand moved slowly over her arm. “I never went hungry or cold. I had clothes, tutors, every comfort money could buy. Our family was… troublesome, but God knows others endured far worse. You’ve endured far worse.”

He pressed his mouth to her hair.

“I’ve had more than my share of good fortune, Rose. I’m trying not to mistake what I lacked for having had nothing at all.”