Page 118 of Stolen By the Heartless Duke

Evan finished tying a fresh bandage around Colin’s brow before stepping back. “There.”

Colin reached up experimentally. “It seems you’ve become rather competent.”

“I had to learn.”

“You?” Colin teased.

“I was forever patching you up after your duels.”

“They were not duels.”

“They involved fists.”

Colin said, “They involved terrible decisions.”

“They involved you.” Evan smiled.

A smile tugged at Hector’s mouth before he caught it. Some things never changed.

Evan crossed to the kettle and poured fresh tea into chipped mugs. He handed one first to Jane. Another to Colin. Only afterward did he bring one to Hector.

“For you.”

Hector accepted it. “Thank you.”

Their fingers brushed briefly.

Neither mentioned how long it had been since such an ordinary exchange had passed between them. It felt like years.

Colin drank carefully before setting the cup aside. “We should return to London.”

The words landed like stones. Jane looked up immediately. “So soon?”

“We’ve done enough hiding.” His gaze drifted toward Evan. “Strachan’s men have been arrested.”

“We believe they have,” Hector corrected.

“That is enough.”

Hector said, “It is not.”

“It must be.” Colin leaned forward despite Evan’s immediate look of concern. “The authorities will wish to question me.”

“They can.”

“Mother...” His voice cracked. “She has believed me dead.”

Jane reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. “I never believed that.”

Colin swallowed. “Perhaps not. But she has suffered enough.”

“So have you.”

“I am Earl of Wynten.” The title sounded less like pride than obligation. “It is my responsibility.”

Hector knew that tone. He had spoken with precisely the same conviction after their father’s funeral. Duty before grief. Duty before fear. Duty before every human need. He understood it too well.

Jane did also. He saw the recognition in her eyes before she even spoke.