“Colin—”
“It’s my fault, not hers,” he said through clenched teeth. A sip of his wine failed to compose him. “I manipulated her—tricked her into marrying me because I couldn’t stand to lose her.” He took another gulp. “It was wrong. Terribly wrong. I knew all along someone in my position hasn’t the luxury of wedding for love, but I lost my mind over your niece. Now everything’s a mess.”
Elizabeth took a dainty bite of her eel, waiting.
He gazed out the window by their table. The Seine glowed orange in the sunset. The last rays glinted off the spire of Nôtre-Dame, making his eyes water. “There’s more…”
“Yes?” Her voice came quiet.
“Did Amy mention I’d been betrothed to someone else?”
“You’d be surprised—” Elizabeth started.
“What you know of me,” Colin finished dryly, looking back to her. “Well, I’d wager you don’t know that I owe the lady’s father a fortune—even Amy doesn’t know that. Due at the end of the year.”
Her delicate eyebrows rose. “And…”
“I cannot pay it.” He shook his head, his hands fisting under the table. “I cannot pay it. I’ll be forced to use Amy’s inheritance to avoid losing Greystone.” His breath came hard and fast. “She’ll really hate me then.”
“Will she?” Elizabeth murmured. He watched her graceful hands as she rearranged her cutlery. Jeweler’s hands, like Amy’s. “You’re asking Amy to give up everything that made her what she is—that made her the girl you love. Would you give up everything for her?”
“Give up Greystone? If it were Greystone or Amy?” Had the pewter goblet been glass instead, it would have broken in his grip. He set it down, lest he spill on the snow-white cloth. “There are expectations in my world. For heaven’s sake, the king granted me this property, this title. How can I fail him? What could I offer my children? I grew up without a home. I know what that feels like.”
“From what Amy has told me, you grew up without love as well…and which was the greater loss?”
Below the window, a boat drifted lazily by. Its passengers’ lighthearted laughter swirled through the open shutters, melding with the conversational buzz that filled the elegant candlelit room.
Had he ever been so carefree?
If it were Greystone or Amy, which would he choose?
His stomach clenched. It was Greystone or Amy.
He had to choose.
“I won’t take Amy’s gold,” he blurted, vaguely wondering if he looked more surprised than Elizabeth. He drew a deep breath. “If I do, I’ll lose her. Emotionally, even should she choose to stay. So I won’t take it. I just won’t.” With a motion that spoke of finality, he speared a bite of chicken and forked it into his mouth. “There.”
Elizabeth’s response was quiet and thoughtful. “Do you reckon it must come to that?”
“Yes. I gave her my word. I cannot betray her.” He shifted on his chair, meeting her gaze. “Yes.”
She just looked at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then her features softened with a gentle smile, and she raised her goblet in a toast.
“Well, my boy, when do we leave for England?”
SEVENTY-SEVEN
COLIN POKED his head out of the carriage, frowning at the unmistakable sounds of construction. His gaze followed the circular drive as he slowly stepped to the gravel.
Atop the great hall, a new slate roof glistened in the sunshine.
Suddenly weak in the knees, he leaned against the carriage. Criminy, if she’d spent his small savings on a new roof, thinking to surprise him…
But no, it didn’t matter. Not now that he’d decided to forfeit Greystone, regardless.
His attention was diverted as Amy slammed out the front door and bounded toward him, as fast as her swollen girth would allow.
“Colin! I’m so glad you’re home!”
She threw herself at him, the mound of her stomach bouncing off his solid form. With a shaky laugh, he reached to set her aright, then crushed her against himself, burying his nose in her rose-scented hair. “Heavens, I missed you.”
She pulled back, a radiant smile on her face, then lunged at him again, as though to convince herself he was really there.
He half-laughed, half-groaned, the gravel crunching beneath his feet as he shifted. “What is going on here?” he asked, gesturing at the roof.
Her smiled widened, then she gasped when she looked past him. “Aunt Elizabeth?”
As her aunt stepped down from the carriage, Colin ventured a small smile of his own. “It seems we both had surprises for each other.”
“Oh, Colin! Aunt Elizabeth!” As she let out a cry of pleasure, enclosing her aunt in an enthusiastic embrace, Colin’s smile turned genuine.
She was such a joy…how could he have ever considered betraying her, even for a moment? Any sacrifice was worth it, so long as he retained her trust. And her love.
All at once, the old fear started melting away. Here with Amy again, it seemed marrying for love was the best thing he could have done for himself and his children, no matter the consequences.
Wherever they ended up living, they’d be happy, because they’d be together.
Amy tugged on his hand. “Wait till you see the inside! Did you notice the new windows as you drove up? The downstairs chambers are ready for furniture, and our suite upstairs is nearly—”
She stopped when he didn’t budge.
He couldn’t budge.
He felt rooted to the ground. He didn’t want to see all the improvements, his home restored like he’d dreamed, only to hand it all over to Hobbs.
The buzzard.
He backed up and sat on the carriage step. “Amy, love…just give me a minute to get used to this.”
“There’s more! I bought more sheep, and the thresher. And the mill is fixed.”
He squeezed his eyes shut.
“Colin?” She jiggled his arm. “Colin, are you all right?” She gave a nervous giggle. “I’m
