Page 32 of The Duchess’ Second Chance

“No,” she said. “It makes no difference to me. I’m just happy that I have a place to live with Rose that’s safe for both of us. I’m glad the two of us are able to be happy and secure now. That’s the only thing that really matters.”

“Then you understand how I feel about my father being gone,” he said. “I have my own responsibilities to tend to, but I have no feelings about the fact that he’s not here to assist. I can manage my life without his help.” He heard how cold his voice had gone, but it didn’t matter. It was the truth.”

She was quiet for a moment. “You and George must have been…unusually close,” she said after a minute. “I mean, you can’t have made similar promises to all your comrades in arms, that you would take care of their affairs back home if anything were to happen to them.”

“No, I didn’t,” he agreed. “George was the only one I promised that to. The two of us were very good friends, you’re right.”

“There’s something special about that,” she said quietly. “About the fact that…we both cared for him. I know that you promised George you would look after me, and I appreciate it. But at the same time, it feels as if you and I are helping each other keep him alive in memory. Do you feel that?”

It hadn’t occurred to him until she’d said it, but the words hit hard.

She was right.

He wasn’t just keeping the promise he’d made, although that was certainly an element of it. But also, being with Amanda was the closest possible thing to saving George, because she was someone who had real memories of him and feelings about him. She was someone who had known him almost as well as Sampson himself—or perhaps even better.

“You’re right,” he said. “I wonder if he ever thought about that.”

“About the fact that he was putting together two people who cared for him?” She frowned slightly. “I don’t know. I’d like to think so. But the truth is, I didn’t know him long enough to be able to say what he was thinking. The truth is that I might learn more about him from you than I ever did from him.” She sighed. “What an odd thought.”

“It’s true in reverse as well,” Sampson assured her. “To me, he was a comrade in arms, but you knew a side of him I never got to meet. You knew him in peacetime. You knew who he was when he was happy. I never got to see that aspect of my friend. I wish I had.”

A strange expression crossed her face, but it passed quickly.

“It’s as if we’re keeping him alive, isn’t it? Does it feel that way to you?”

His stomach twisted at the words. Keeping him alive. She’d said it so innocently. She couldn’t have possibly known the effect it would have on him to hear that. How much it would hurt.

“It is like that,” he said quietly.

“I’m glad I chose to marry you,” she said. Her smile was so simple. She couldn’t know the turmoil that had suddenly rocked him. “I’m glad you asked me, Sampson. Thank you.”

He forced a smile on his face, even though the effort made him feel ill. “I’m glad too,” he said.

If this was the only thing he could do for George, he would do it with all the strength he had.

CHAPTER 16

“Miss Rose, for heaven’s sake!”

“Let go of me! You’re hurting my arm!”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake—I hardly touched you, you rascal. You have lessons to complete, and you need a bath. What will Her Grace say?”

Sampson looked up from his ledgers. He was dimly aware that the argument had been going on for some time now, and Rose certainly seemed to be putting up a fuss. He got to his feet and went to the door, pulling it open to see what was going on in the hallway.

Rose was standing with her back to him. She was crouched slightly, her hands up in front of her as if to fend off an attacker. Mrs. Linden, who stood a few feet away, had her arms harmlessly at her sides, though, and Sampson found it hard to believe the governess had done any sort of attacking. “Mrs. Linden?” he asked.

She looked up at him. “Your Grace. Did we disturb you?”

“It’s all right,” he said. “But what’s going on out here? What’s all the commotion?”

“Miss Rose needs to come up to the nursery for her bath and her lessons, but she’s resisting,” Mrs. Linden explained.

“She grabbed my arm,” Rose said, her voice close to a snarl.

“Rose,” Sampson said. “Look at me, please.”

For a moment, she didn’t. But then she turned slowly, and he saw the scowl on her face. It was clear how angry she was.