It had also been a place Leo had not felt at ease. He used to think about all the dukes and duchesses who’d once graced these rooms, including Nicholas and Stephen’s mother. He wondered how she must have felt, knowing this house was sometimes occupied by her rival, Leo’s mother, and her illegitimate children.
The footman appeared in the doorway. ‘His Grace will see you now.’
Leo followed the man up the marble staircase to another more private drawing room, one where the girls had been allowed to practise the piano and where they all played at skittles.
Nicholas and his wife approached Leo as he entered the room.
‘Leo! I hope this means you have had a change of heart.’ Nicholas’s tone, as always, was welcoming.
Nicholas’s wife reached Leo first. It was evident she was expecting another child, news probably given to him the day before but not recalled.
‘It is so wonderful to see you!’ she cried, clasping his hands.
He leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. ‘Emily. You look as beautiful as ever.’ He glanced at her. ‘I hope you are feeling well.’
‘Very well, thank you.’ She smiled.
Nicholas’s expression turned serious. ‘Are you in any trouble? You know I will help you in any way I can.’
Leo resented the assumption. ‘No trouble. And if I were in trouble, I would not come running to my brothers.’
‘No, you never did,’ admitted Nicholas. ‘But we always found out, did we not? And were there to help.’
Nicholas would never know what Leo had faced in the last two years and how well he’d managed on his own, but he gave his brother a grudging nod.
Nicholas clapped his hands. ‘Then you have reconsidered our gift? Welbourne Manor is yours again for the asking. We can easily help you get back on your feet. Begin stocking your stables.’
Leo clamped his mouth shut lest he say something that would only lead to a shouting match.
Emily stepped in. ‘Nicholas, enough!’ She pulled at her husband’s arm. ‘Let us all sit down before you speak business.’ She turned to Leo. ‘We have tea. Let me pour you a cup.’
He lifted a hand. ‘Thank you, no tea for me.’
She carefully lowered herself on a sofa and Nicholas sat beside her. Leo chose a chair adjacent to them.
Nicholas started. ‘Why did you react to our plan as you did, Leo? You must know we are concerned about you. We would do anything for you.’
Leo stiffened. ‘Your concern is unfounded.’
‘But you disappeared for two years,’ Nicholas went on.
‘I wrote letters,’ Leo protested. ‘I kept you advised as to where I was.’
Nicholas shook his head. ‘You told us nothing about what you were doing, you must admit. Then stories of your activities reached us, increasing our worry for you—’
Leo held up a hand. ‘Those stories were greatly exaggerated, I am sure.’
He could agree that he had gone through a brief period of very heavy drinking, placing himself in dangerous situations from which he often had to resort to fisticuffs to escape. That period had been short-lived and he did not credit his heavy gambling as scandalous. All the other activities they could not know about.
Nicholas leaned forwards, worry lines appearing between his brows. ‘I know that much can happen when you travel to new lands.’ His duchess touched him and a look of understanding passed between them. ‘You can tell me if anything happened to distress you.’
Nicholas was speaking about himself, Leo realised. Was he harbouring secrets of his own? ‘Nicholas, believe me. Nothing of consequence happened to me.’
Meeting Walker had been important, of course, but the crucial event in his life had happened before his travels. He’d never spoken of his secret betrothal to his siblings and, if Mariel had disclosed it, surely his siblings would have smothered him with their commiserations and battered him with their advice.
Which would still be the case today if he shared the truth of why he’d come to beg a favour of his brother, the duke.
Both Nicholas and Emily continued to gaze at him with sympathetic disbelief.
Leo lifted a hand. ‘Stop looking at me like that! I did very well on my travels. It was a great adventure having no responsibilities. Quite freeing, in fact.’
Nicholas frowned. ‘But you cannot live your life that way. You must let us help you secure your future. The plan for Welbourne Manor is a good one, is it not?’
Leo scraped a frustrated hand through his hair. ‘Nick, I no longer wish to breed horses. I do not know how to convince you all of that fact.’ That dream had been too connected to Mariel for him to pursue it now, and too connected to his misguided wish for society’s acceptance.
‘I cannot believe it,’ Nicholas protested. ‘You’ve loved horses since you were out of leading strings.’
‘I still love horses.’ Leo shrugged. ‘I merely have no wish to breed them.’ There were better ways to gain wealth and success, he’d discovered. More exciting ways.
‘But—’ Nicholas started.
Leo held up a hand. ‘There is something I do need from you—’
His brother’s demeanour changed. ‘Anything, Leo. Anything.’
‘I want to re-enter society.’ How was he to put this? ‘I will eventually wish to mix with members of the ton and I want to counteract the gossip that apparently has preceded me.’ A bold-faced lie, of course.
This was a story Nicholas would believe, however.
‘Of course. Of course.’ Nicholas said. ‘What can we do?’
‘Take me along to society functions.’ Ones that Mariel would also attend, he meant. ‘I know I may not be welcome everywhere, but those where you think my presence would not be objectionable.’
Nicholas’s eyes flashed. ‘You are my brother. I dare say you’d better be accepted at any affair I condescend to attend.’
Nicholas would never accept the truth of Leo’s situation. Or that it no longer mattered to Leo whether society accepted him or not. Leo wanted nothing to do with people who judged others by birth alone. If it weren’t for needing access to Mariel, Leo would tell them all to go to the devil.
‘I would be grateful, Nick.’
Emily brightened. ‘Leo could accompany you to the ball tonight.’
‘Indeed!’ Nicholas clapped his hands. ‘Come here at nine and we will go together.’
‘Nine. I will be here.’ He rose. ‘I’ll take my leave of you now, however.’
‘No!’
