at the same location as last time. Today they breeched the broken wall and entered the castle ruins. It was a magical place. One could not help but think on the inhabitants of centuries past and wonder of the people who had come and gone from this spot. After a time, they decided to dismount, exploring the stones on foot. He offered his arm and she took it, feeling his strength as he tucked her arm into his. They walked together away from the others and she was glad for the chance to be alone.
“There is something I wish to tell you. Will you hear me?” he asked.
Imogene’s stomach did a little flip. “Yes, of course.”
“I have not been completely honest with you. I have kept something—information—from you.”
“Why would you do that?” She felt suddenly sick. Was he going to tell her he was a cad, a rogue, that he had a wife, something terrible that would shatter her trust in him?
He held her arm close in to his side, firmly like he would be reluctant to let her go. “I did not wish to burden you or to push you too far, or overwhelm you.”
“But you have never made me feel like that. In fact, upon reflection, you are very comfortable to be with. Your manner is easy, and I feel safe when I am with you.”
He looked down at her, his expression softening in relief. “You have no idea how happy that makes me feel. I always want you to feel safe when you’re with me.” He squeezed her hand a little. “I know your sister’s husband. We are well acquainted.”
Imogene was confused. Was this the dark secret? “John? You know my brother-in-law, Dr. Brancroft? So why did you not say so before?”
He sighed. “There’s so much more to it and most of it is a painfully, sad business. I wished to avoid it, to spare you any connection to the ugliness of it, or for it to spark sad remembrances of your own.”
“I appreciate your honesty and consideration, my lord, but I wish to hear your story. Please tell me. I want to know.”
He nodded solemnly. “In my family I was not born the heir. I am a second son.”
“I know that already. Mr. Hargreave told me, the night of the ball.” She could tell that her knowledge surprised him.
“He did? What did he tell you?”
“Only that. He said you had become the heir after the sad loss of your older brother, giving no details, just indicating that you had borne some burdens. He said it in the way of a friend, truly, and was almost—he seemed protective of you, concerned. That is all, there is nothing more,” she told him honestly.
“Hargreave and I must ‘chat’ later I am afraid,” he said tersely. “My brother, Jasper, was the great family tragedy. He destroyed himself and my parents along with him. Weak and selfish, he was unwilling to accept his duty. The simple explanation is that he dissipated himself to death, falling in and keeping company with dishonorable people who used him. He was an opium addict, drank too much, gambled away tremendous sums of money, holding no respect for himself or for his family. Shame is what he brought to us. That is the gist of it; you do not need to hear every disgusting detail.” She looked at him calmly and stayed quiet, waiting for him to finish. “Near the end of it, Jasper grew very ill and was brought home to Gavandon. Dr. Brancroft became known to us then. He attended my brother, but the damage was too severe to bring Jasper back, most of it being the damage to his mind. The body cannot heal if the mind is unwilling.”
“Was John able to do anything for your brother?”
“Not really. Brancroft is a good doctor and a fine man. He tried his best, but nothing more could be done for Jasper and he was lost despite Brancroft’s best efforts. A shade of gloom fell over my family. The shame crushed my good father. Bad blood. Within a year his own body gave out in apoplexy. My father’s passing was
“There is something I wish to tell you. Will you hear me?” he asked.
Imogene’s stomach did a little flip. “Yes, of course.”
“I have not been completely honest with you. I have kept something—information—from you.”
“Why would you do that?” She felt suddenly sick. Was he going to tell her he was a cad, a rogue, that he had a wife, something terrible that would shatter her trust in him?
He held her arm close in to his side, firmly like he would be reluctant to let her go. “I did not wish to burden you or to push you too far, or overwhelm you.”
“But you have never made me feel like that. In fact, upon reflection, you are very comfortable to be with. Your manner is easy, and I feel safe when I am with you.”
He looked down at her, his expression softening in relief. “You have no idea how happy that makes me feel. I always want you to feel safe when you’re with me.” He squeezed her hand a little. “I know your sister’s husband. We are well acquainted.”
Imogene was confused. Was this the dark secret? “John? You know my brother-in-law, Dr. Brancroft? So why did you not say so before?”
He sighed. “There’s so much more to it and most of it is a painfully, sad business. I wished to avoid it, to spare you any connection to the ugliness of it, or for it to spark sad remembrances of your own.”
“I appreciate your honesty and consideration, my lord, but I wish to hear your story. Please tell me. I want to know.”
He nodded solemnly. “In my family I was not born the heir. I am a second son.”
“I know that already. Mr. Hargreave told me, the night of the ball.” She could tell that her knowledge surprised him.
“He did? What did he tell you?”
“Only that. He said you had become the heir after the sad loss of your older brother, giving no details, just indicating that you had borne some burdens. He said it in the way of a friend, truly, and was almost—he seemed protective of you, concerned. That is all, there is nothing more,” she told him honestly.
“Hargreave and I must ‘chat’ later I am afraid,” he said tersely. “My brother, Jasper, was the great family tragedy. He destroyed himself and my parents along with him. Weak and selfish, he was unwilling to accept his duty. The simple explanation is that he dissipated himself to death, falling in and keeping company with dishonorable people who used him. He was an opium addict, drank too much, gambled away tremendous sums of money, holding no respect for himself or for his family. Shame is what he brought to us. That is the gist of it; you do not need to hear every disgusting detail.” She looked at him calmly and stayed quiet, waiting for him to finish. “Near the end of it, Jasper grew very ill and was brought home to Gavandon. Dr. Brancroft became known to us then. He attended my brother, but the damage was too severe to bring Jasper back, most of it being the damage to his mind. The body cannot heal if the mind is unwilling.”
“Was John able to do anything for your brother?”
“Not really. Brancroft is a good doctor and a fine man. He tried his best, but nothing more could be done for Jasper and he was lost despite Brancroft’s best efforts. A shade of gloom fell over my family. The shame crushed my good father. Bad blood. Within a year his own body gave out in apoplexy. My father’s passing was
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