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Derek’s green eyes snapped to his, eyebrows disappearing behind his wild dark hair. “I’m going to need you to repeat that for me because I couldn’t possibly have heard correctly.”

A small huff of laughter escaped Rafe. “It is…not nearly as unbearable as it once was. And would be even more tolerable if you were there.”

“Well, with that praise, how can I deny your request?”

“Perhaps a touch more than tolerable.”

“My presence ought to improve the place considerably. You know, no matter where we are, as long as I’m there, you’re guaranteed a roaring good time.”

“Are you certain you have the correct Roderick Blackwood? The one I know is a cynical, rude arse who loathes society and would rather sit with whisky in hand, glaring at anyone foolish enough to come too close.”

Derek blinked at him. “Exactly as I said. A roaring good time.”

Rafe snorted. “It would be nice to have more time to get acquainted with Olivia, for Theo and Olivia to spend time together.”

“Of course, we’ll come. I look forward to it.”

“I will warn you, I won’t be staying in the castle with you. I…cannot sleep there.”

Derek eyed him and slowly nodded. “If you ever want to talk about why, I’m here.”

“Perhaps sometime before we travel there. Just so you understand why I might act strangely.”

His friend shrugged a shoulder. “You speak as though you acting oddly is something new.”

If only his friend had seen him a month ago at Ironcrest.

“If you’re not sleeping at the castle, where will you be?”

“Theodora’s cottage. It’s a small ways away from the castle.”

“Interesting. A duke—and duchess—living in a cottage like a common sort.”

“Oh, the horror,” Rafe said dryly.

“You know, to the ton, it would be considered so.” Derek arched a brow, a silent understanding passing between them. Their foundlings would give anything to have a home like Theo’s small cottage. A roof over their heads. Warmth of a fire. A stocked larder. But when it came to the ton, it was unacceptable if one were living in anything less than excess.

“I was thinking…once the second foundling home is complete and my funds are strong again, I might propose building a new cottage to Theo. A separate residence for us to stay at when we visit the castle. One more suited for a duke and duchess.”

“Sounds sensible.”

Rafe choked back his laugh, and Derek shot him a confused look. He waved his friend off, and as always, Derek took it in stride. They settled into a comfortable silence while Olivia and Theo spoke animatedly on the other side of Rafe’s study—well, mostly Olivia was speaking. She seemed extremely enthused by whatever their topic of discussion was.

“Can I ask you something?” Derek said quietly.

Rafe grunted.

“Are you not…apprehensive at all that Theodora”—he dropped his voice—“won’t marry you? Does it not…concern you that she might change her mind?”

Rafe was shaking his head before Derek had even finished his question. The question was exactly why Theodora held the convictions she did about marriage. “If I have to marry her in order to keep her with me, then what kind of relationship do we truly have?”

Derek frowned.

“I don’t want her by my side because I forced her to be there. She wants to be with me and stays with me of her own free will. I don’t need a legal binding to trust her love for me.”

His friend’s lip turned up in disgust. “When you put it like that, marriage sounds terrible. Now I fear I should unmarry, Livy.”

Rafe’s lips twitched. “It is an unconventional way of thinking; one society would balk at. She’s opened my eyes to a lot of things. Love freely given is a gift.” He hadn’t thought he was worthy of it, not from someone like Theodora. And at times…he’d been afraid he was too broken to return it. Thank the bloody gods, she’d been too bull-headed to let him go on believing that.