Page 19 of An Orphan for the Broken Duke

“Mock you?” Sebastian asked as if insulted. “I would never!”

Rhys turned and raised a questioning eyebrow. “You have a strange way of offering me congratulations then, if that is the intent.”

“Well, I am not going to do that either,” Sebastian admitted. “Not until you tell me what is going on. What caused you to…” He shook his head in disbelief. “Has this woman trapped you? Blackmailed you? Whatever it is, we can fix it, Rhys. You do not have to do this.”

“It is none of that,” Rhys said with a sigh as he took a long sip.

“Then why?” Sebastian stormed across the room. “Tell me the truth of it so that I can confirm that you have not lost your mind.”

Such a question was sure to be asked hundreds of times throughout the coming weeks. In those circumstances, Rhys intended to lie. The last thing he needed was to find himself at the center of the ton’s gossip, and to consider what that might do to Lucy.

Miss Beaumont and I will have to come up with a reason that makes sense.

However, as this was Sebastian, Rhys did not see the point of stretching the truth or breaking it entirely. Besides, all things considered, he hoped that once he told his friend the reason, he might agree that it was for the best. Rhys needed to know that he had not made a terrible mistake.

“You know that I have been funding a local orphanage for some time now,” he began.

“And I know why,” Sebastian countered.

Rhys ignored the comment. “I learned just this week that the orphanage is being forced to close its doors. There is nothing I can do, and the result will see the children sent to various other orphanages across the country.”

“Oh…” Sebastian frowned, a slight edge of worry to his voice. “I am sorry to hear that, Rhys. I know how important that project was to you.”

“It was,” Rhys said with a firm nod. “And while I cannot help all the children, I have decided to help one. Her name is Lucy, and I will be adopting her.”

Sebastian’s mouth dropped open. “What was that now?”

“It is the right thing to do.” Rhys took a hasty sip of his drink, and then spoke quickly, hoping to skip past questions of Lucy so that he was not forced to go down that road. “In order to adopt her, I must wed so that the child has a home. Miss Beaumont is close with the girl, and I thought it prudent that she be who I chose. It is a marriage of convenience only,” Rhys continued, unable to look at his friend. “Done for the right reasons. And Miss Beaumont is aware of that fact.”

“I do not…” Sebastian massaged his temples with one hand. “That is a lot to take in. A marriage of convenience, you say?”

“That is right,” Rhys said, thankful that Sebastian chose to focus on that fact. “Not a love match. Not romantic in any facility. It is strictly professional.” Rhys forced a glare on his friend, as if to warn him off the point he was sure to make.

“Oh yes…” Sebastian nodded seriously and took another sip of brandy. “Professional, I am sure. What is her name?”

“Violet, if you must know,” he answered, and then groaned when Sebastian’s eyes lit up.

“Violet! What a beautiful name. And let me guess, she is also a beauty? No, do not answer me.” He waved Rhys down. “I know that she is.”

“That is not…” He exhaled through his nose. “That is not the point.”

“Ah, so I am correct,” Sebastian laughed. “You were rather clever just now, throwing at me a cavalcade of excuses concerning why you chose to wed this particular woman. And you almost had me.” He shook his head as he continued to laugh. “Well done, Rhys. Oh, very well done.”

Rhys glared daggers at Sebastian, a foolish thing to do, as he was better to just ignore him. “That is not what this is about. Violet—Miss Beaumont’s looks are not a concern.”

“But you do admit that she is attractive?”

Careful now, Rhys. Do not give him any rope by which to hang you…

Of course he found Miss Beaumont attractive. Hers was a subtle beauty, elegant but not obvious. Mostly, it was her eyes that came to mind when Rhys thought of her, how expressive they were, how quickly they showed her emotions. She was intelligent, she was fierce, and he saw it all whenever she looked at him.

She was someone who spoke her mind, but who was not arrogant or cruel. Most of their conversations had turned into arguments, but they had always left an impression, and Rhys had never walked away without her on his mind.

“Her looks are not what matters,” he spoke carefully. “It is her… I chose her because of who she is, her personality. She cares for the children. She is kind and selfless, the type who puts others first. But she is not soft, and she is not one to back down when she sees wrong being done.” He did not mean it, but a smile tugged at his lips. “Most of all, she is honest in ways that few people are…”

He trailed off as he spoke, picturing her in his mind, remembering how he had felt when they had argued and fought. But always, he admired her, and not once did he doubt that everything she did was for the good of others.

I might learn a thing or two from her…