Page 121 of The Matrimonial Advertisement

“What do you think?”

“Ah yes. I see. And I quite understand. But…if you’ll forgive me, sir…there are simpler solutions than traveling halfway round the world.”

“Such as?”

“You could find another wife.”

Justin shot his steward a murderous glare.

“Yes, yes,” Boothroyd said quickly, holding up his hand. “I meant no offense. But consider. Once your current marriage has been dissolved, we can place another advertisement and this time—”

“Have a care, Boothroyd,” Justin said.

“It was merely a suggestion, sir.”

“If you knew her as I do, you’d never dare make it.”

“As you say. Her ladyship was a singular female. Which brings me to my next suggestion.” Boothroyd laid aside his quill. “You could simply return to London, find her ladyship, and bring her back to the Abbey. You’re her lawful husband. It’s within your rights to do so.”

“I’ve given up my rights over her, legal and otherwise. She’s free of me for good. I’ll not inflict my presence on her again.”

“Might I inquire as to why?”

Justin didn’t answer. Not directly. He strolled to the bank of windows and gazed out at the sea. “Are you happy here, Boothroyd?”

“At the Abbey, sir? Why, yes. I’m quite content.”

“You don’t stay merely out of a sense of responsibility?”

Boothroyd considered for a moment. “I do feel a measure of responsibility, as any good steward would. For the Abbey…and for you.”

Justin glanced at Boothroyd over his shoulder. “You don’t owe me anything. If you ever did, you’ve long since repaid it.” He resumed staring out the window. “You need only say the word and I’ll gladly arrange for your retirement somewhere on a generous pension.”

“You’ve always been good to me, sir. But I’m not yet ready to be put out to pasture.”

Justin’s mouth tilted briefly in a humorless smile. “I confess I’m relieved to hear it. I’ll need you here to see to things while I’m gone. Neville isn’t helpless, but he requires looking after. And then there’s the matter of the servants.”

“Indeed, sir. The loss of Mrs. Standish is regrettable. Though one can’t entirely fault her. She took the position believing you would have a wife in residence. Serving in a bachelor household was not at all to her taste.”

Justin could muster no sympathy for the woman. She’d left soon after he returned from London. Not that it mattered much anymore. “Find someone else if you can. Someone who doesn’t consider a houseful of men to be a threat to her virtue.”

“I’ve begun to make inquiries, but there aren’t many who care to live in such a remote location.” Boothroyd hesitated before adding, “Now, if you were to reconcile with her ladyship, I daresay we may yet lure Mrs. Standish back to us.”

Justin scowled. “Leave off, Boothroyd. I’ve done something noble. Permit me to suffer for it in my own way.”

“By going back to India, of all places? After what happened to you there, I would have thought—”

“Yes, well…perhaps it’s time to move on from all of that.”

Boothroyd’s brows shot up nearly to his hairline.

“We both of us have spent far too many years living in the past,” Justin said. “There’s been no room for anything else. No hope for something like a future.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, sir.”

“Don’t be. It’s been a situation of my own making. No one forced me to return to Devon. To buy this house. At any time, I could have let the past go. But I wanted justice. There were times it was the only thing that got me through the night.”

“You weren’t the only one wronged by Sir Oswald. I had reasons to want justice, as well.”