Page 163 of Stolen By the Heartless Duke
To Jane.
He pictured her sitting in the blue drawing room with a book she was not truly reading. He imagined her walking through the gardens with her mother, smiling politely at the gardeners, thanking the servants by name as she always did.
She had filled Sunderford House with a warmth it had not possessed in years. And he had rewarded her by avoiding her.
He took another drink. It burned pleasantly enough. It accomplished nothing.
“You look dreadful.”
Hector did not need to turn around to recognize Ambrose’s voice.
“You always know how to brighten an evening.”
“I try.”
Ambrose settled into the chair opposite him and accepted the whiskey a servant immediately placed before him.
For a minute neither man spoke.
Ambrose studied his friend over the rim of his glass. “You’ve become rather difficult to find.”
“I’ve been occupied.”
“So I gathered.”
“You disapprove?”
“I don’t particularly care how often you avoid me.”
A faint smile tugged at Hector’s mouth. “I was wondering when the lecture would begin.”
“It already has.” Ambrose leaned back comfortably. “What concerns me is that your wife has apparently become just as difficult to find.”
Hector’s expression flattened. “We have both been busy.”
“Hmm.” Ambrose swirled the whiskey thoughtfully. “I saw the duchess yesterday.”
Hector looked up before he could stop himself. “You did?”
“At Hatchard’s.”
“How was she?”
Ambrose’s eyebrows rose. “So youareinterested.”
“I asked a simple question.”
“And I noticed how quickly you asked it.”
Hector sighed. “How was she?”
“She looked... disappointed.”
The word landed harder than Hector expected.
Ambrose watched him carefully. “I don’t suppose you’d care to explain why your new bride appears lonely while her husband hides inside this club?”
Hector stared into his glass. “There is nothing to explain.”
