My Dearest Friend (Books We Love Regency Romance) by Hazel Statham Read Free Book Online Page A

his eyes. “You are bamming me, sir,” she cried, continuing to smile.
    He attempted hauteur, but she had seen the birth of the smile before he had been able to repress it. “Not at all. Am I not a personage of rank and fortune and thus entitled to such homage?”
    Suppressing her own smile Jane folded her hands demurely in her lap. “Of a certainty, sir! Where are my wits? I forget myself. I should return to calling you your grace and my lord duke...”
    He grinned openly. “You will do no such thing. Robert will suffice quite well, thank you.” He saw that she frowned slightly. “What now?”
    “ I was wondering what would have been my reception had I travelled alone as was my original intent. I doubt I would have been afforded such cordiality.”
    He made a rueful grimace. “I doubt it too, my dear. Without as much as a maid to add to your consequence, you would unfortunately have been regarded as very low rank and been reduced to sharing accommodation with the common traveler.”
    “ Then I must thank you, sir, for lending me the consequence I so obviously lack,” she chuckled.
    He laughed, bowing in his seat. “At last you find a use for me. My efforts therefore have not been in vain.”
     
    ***
     
    When at last the meal was over, the duke sat at his ease by the table with his legs stretched before him, savoring his brandy, whilst Jane was cozily ensconced on the settle by the fire, its warmth pervading the room and casting out all thoughts of the storm. The tensions of the day had dissipated and an easy silence existed between them, both seemingly lost in their own reverie.
    After a short while, the duke became aware that he was the object of his companion’s scrutiny and draining his glass raised an enquiring brow.
    “Forgive me, Robert,” said Jane, averting her gaze to the fire. “It was not my intention to make you feel uncomfortable, I was just wondering…”
    “ Wondering what exactly?” he asked, his voice mellow from the effects of the brandy.
    “ Whether you would find it would give you any ease of mind to tell me about your brother. You have not mentioned him since we left England and I realize that the very nature of our journey must bring you thoughts of him?”
    A dark frown immediately clouded his brow. “No, it would not give me ease of mind, young lady,” he replied sharply, snapping his glass back onto the table. “I can assure you I have no need to unburden my thoughts to anyone. There is no need for your pity.”
    “I was not offering you pity, sir,” she said softly, in no way daunted by his change of mood. “I would just offer you understanding and try to afford you some comfort of spirit. Perhaps, as we are so closely linked by circumstances, we can offer each other some degree of solace?”
    The duke came quickly to his feet, his agitation driving him to pace between hearth and table, an intense guilt overtaking him at the mention of his brother. Without realizing it, his thoughts of Stefan had not been as all-consuming over the past few days with his concerns for Jane and her predicament. He could scarce believe that he had allowed himself to be so easily diverted.
    He dared not look at the earnest little face before him. Without knowing why, he realized that she awoke in him a response to her words and for the first time he experienced a desire to communicate his grief to one who, being in a like predicament, would understand.
    “You at least have been afforded the opportunity to rectify your circumstance,” he said with a great passion. “I… What could I do when presented with Stefan’s death? Where was my chance of deliverance?” Of a sudden, it was as if the floodgates had been opened and all the thoughts that had been uppermost in his mind for so long tumbled out unbidden. He turned a ravaged countenance toward her, laying bare his soul.
    “He was dead before even the news of his wounds had reached me; he had been dead a month before I even knew. A whole