Page 160 of Stolen By the Heartless Duke

Jane blinked. “Never?”

He shook his head. “When Father died...” His voice trailed away before continuing. “Everything became about Evan. I assumed Evan would marry first.”

“Hector...”

“I thought he would build the family.” His gaze remained fixed outside. “I simply intended to make certain he had the chance.”

Jane’s heart tightened. “You’ve spent your entire life looking after him. You’ve already proven you can love someone selflessly. Evan is living proof of that. You practically raised him.”

“I merely did what was necessary.”

“No.” She smiled softly. “You loved him.”

Silence settled between them.

“He survived because of you.”

Hector looked away again. “I wasn’t always enough.”

“You were,” Jane insisted.

“He still disappeared.”

“You protected him every way you could.” She reached for his hand. “I believe you’d be a wonderful father.”

Something vulnerable flickered across his face. Then it vanished. “You give me too much credit.” His voice had grown quieter. “I knew how to care for Evan because he was already there.”

Jane searched his face. “A child isn’t so different.”

“It is entirely different.”

“You would learn.”

“What if I failed?” The question emerged so softly that it barely sounded like Hector at all.

Jane’s chest ached. “You won’t.”

“You cannot know that.”

“I do.”

He shook his head. “I’ve never thought beyond my brother.”

She smiled sadly. “You don’t have to anymore.”

She stood there for another moment, hoping he would say something else. Anything. Instead, he stared toward the gardens. His shoulders seemed heavier than they had that morning.

She spoke quietly. “I’ve always wanted a family. I’ve dreamed about children since I was a little girl.”

“They would be fortunate to have you as a mother.”

“I think...” She smiled faintly. “I think you’d surprise yourself if you had your own children.”

He did not answer. The silence lingered until it became impossible to ignore. Jane felt herself losing him again behind the walls he had spent years building.

She tried once more. “We don’t have to decide anything now.”

Still nothing. Only another distant nod. Defeat settled slowly inside her. There was nothing left to say.