Page 89 of To Have & To Hold

“Then stay here.”

Alexander laughed, but it was void of any humor. “At Rosemore Hall?”

“No, absolutely not,” Nathaniel said firmly. “There are enough people living in this house.”

Alexander laughed again, the sound a little lighter than before. Nathaniel crossed the room, placing a comforting hand on his new brother’s shoulder. “I own many tenant farms. There is a small estate near the edge of the village that becamevacant this past winter. It needs a great deal of work, but it is yours, if you so desire.”

Alexander stared at him as if he had offered him his title. “An estate?”

Nathaniel shrugged. “I use the term loosely, it is a farm, though it is a great deal of land.” Nathaniel turned back to his desk, pulling out a map so he could point out the location. “The soil is fertile, the crops have always been plentiful. If you did not want to work the land you could hire help, or learn a trade. I will provide enough money to see you settled for the first year.”

Alexander’s expression hardened again as he shook his head. “I will not take your money. I will not accept charity.”

“What if it was not my money?” Nathaniel narrowed his eyes in challenge. He understood the man’s pride, but he also knew it would break his wife’s heart to lose her brother again.

“When Emilia and I married, I had half of her dowry placed in a trust for her separate use. I already spoke to her about my idea to offer you the estate, and she has insisted on gifting you that money.”

Alexander’s eyes filled with tears. He dropped back into his seat, his chest heaving as he worked to hold back his sobs.

“Why would you do this for me? After everything I have done”

“I am not doing it for you.” Nathaniel answered without hesitation. “But I also believe that a man’s past should notdefine his future, not when he is quite determined to make it a better one.”

Alexander closed his eyes, but stayed silent. Nathaniel did not pressure him, but simply allowed him to sit with the weight of all that had unfolded. He was unsure what the future held for Alexander, but if his own experience with being loved and cared for by Emilia was any indication, it was certainto be beautiful.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The ballroom at Rosemore Hall had never been so full of smiles and laughter, not since Nathaniel had taken up residence. From what he gathered from the stories he heard, the late duke also did not entertain much, but when he did it certainly looked nothing like this.

The room itself was marvelous, but it was not the splendor of the ballroom or the arrangements of flowers that captured Nathaniel, but the radiance of the people within.

The entire village of Rosemore crowded into the vast room, making it feel half its usual size. Noblemen and Gentry from neighboring estates, as well as those that made the journey from London, also congregated in clusters. Their bright and colorful ballgowns were a stark contrast to the simple, yet meticulously maintained, frocks of thetownspeople, but the women of Rosemore still rivaled every jewel drenched lady in attendance.

The wildflowers that had finally come into bloom adorned their hair, and their smiles out shone every diamond in the room. Nathaniel sighed contently at the sight of his worlds merging into one. Charlotte had been right, however strange this night might be, he could not imagine a more suitable way to celebrate the coming new season.

Nathaniel’s eyes scanned the room again, there were so many people, he was unsure how he was meant to converse with anyone—not that he wished to—but the idea seemed a little less daunting when surrounded by people he cared for rather than those who only demanded to be impressed.

The sitting rooms on either side of the ballroom had been cleared of their furniture to make more space. Tables of refreshments lined nearly every wall, and a small orchestra was settling into place near the open doors that lead out to the lawn.

Outside, stood a pristine white tent with patterned rugs, and lanterns to give people even more space to gather and converse. Rosemore Hall was buzzing with excitement, but all Nathaniel could feel was anticipation.

Charlotte once again had her way, and convinced everyone that Emilia needed to make a grand entrance. So instead of turning the room with his wife on his arm, Nathaniel had been anxiously awaiting her arrival as he greeted their guests alone.

“Kenswick!”

Nathaniel smiled as Oliver and Grace pushed their way through the sea of people to his side. They arrived only a few short hours before the rest of the guests, so he had not had a chance to speak to his friend until now.

“Oliver,” Nathaniel bypassed his outstretched hand to pull Oliver into an embrace. It was quick, nothing that would have drawn attention, but when he pulled back he could see the overwhelming emotion pooling in Oliver’s eyes.

“What have I done to earn such a greeting from His Grace?” He teased, though there was a slight hitch in his voice.

Grace laughed softly beside him. “I do not believe it is anything you have done, dearest.” She smiled when Nathaniel offered her a small bow.

“Lady Blackburn, I am so glad you were able to make the journey from London. Oliver mentioned you had been feeling poorly and were unsure if you could attend.”

“I would not have missed this for the world.”

Oliver gave his wife’s hand an affectionate pat as a teasing glint filled his eyes. “It is also her last chance to socialize before I am forced to hide her away for the next few months.”