They left the house. The rest of the brothers were waiting for them.
Philip approached. When they’d first set out, Philip had been quite clear about his expectations for this encounter, and Charlie had violated them.
“I know you said we weren’t coming to do him any physical harm,” Charlie said, “but—”
Philip dropped an arm around his shoulders. “What he said about Artemis was unforgivable. He’s fortunate to have endured so little ‘physical harm.’”
“Do you think he’ll actually stop causing misery?” Charlie had his doubts.
Linus was the one who answered. “I don’t intend to leave His Grace in the dark about Mr. Finley’s behavior. With your family here keeping an eye on him and the threat of the most dangerous man in the kingdom looming beyond this area, I would wager the bounder will begin making some significant life changes.”
“I will make one final request.” Philip looked over them all. “No one tells Mater.”
They all agreed. Their mother wasn’t at all the fragile sort who couldn’t handle hearing of life’s difficulties. But she hardly needed more to worry about. They would save her that.
The brothers were soon on their horses and making their way back home. Philip rode beside Charlie, a rare opportunity for conversation. It seemed ages since they’d truly talked, just the two of them.
“I think I have a solution to the difficulties with Sorrel’s wheeled chair,” Charlie said.
“Truly?” Philip’s undivided attention was on him.
“A single wheel in the back, but near to the frame of the chair so it doesn’t get in the way when she’s moving about. And if the wheel is placed on a caster, it will work almost like a rudder, making it even more agile.”
Philip nodded. “But will it be stable? I will not put her at risk of being injured.”
“She’ll need rests for her feet—they can’t simply be left to dangle. If that rest is placed at the right height and angle, it would stop the chair from tipping forward without preventing it from moving.”
“You think it would work?” Philip pressed.
“I do, provided it can be made.”
“We need only have Sarah take your specifications to the blacksmith,” Philip said. “He’ll make any contraption she asks for.”
“Leaving you with the task of convincing your stubborn wife to use the chair.”
Philip let out a tight breath. “That is the trickiest part of it.”
“I wish you luck with that,” Charlie said. “I’ll keep to the far simpler world of theoretical mathematics.”
“I struggle to reconcile myself to the reality that you’re a mathematical genius, Tadpole. I still remember when you ate dirt in the back garden.”
Charlie didn’t remember that, but he believed it. “Why have you started calling me Tadpole again? You haven’t since I was little.”
“We used to call you that all the time before Father died,” Philip said. “Lately, I see more of the joyfully content little brother I knew then.” He tossed Charlie a smile free of his usual dramatics. “Having Artemis in your life has been good for you.”
Though Charlie never would have believed it possible mere months earlier, Artemis was a crucial part of his happiness and his hope for the future. He couldn’t imagine his life without her.
And he very much feared he was losing her.
Chapter Thirty-Two
A week had passed sincethe day a lifetime of dreams had been snatched away from Artemis, and she felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into despair. Charlie was being so very kind and tender. He’d brought her flowers every morning since she’d learned of her Papa’s identity and fate. He hadn’t pressed her to leave the room, sensing, it seemed, that she was not equal to doing so.
She had heard from him that all of the Gents, save Mr. Layton, had departed, though Charlie’s siblings all remained. She’d heard in his voice a longing for her to join them all. How she wished the deep, throbbing pain she felt wasn’t so debilitating; he deserved a friend and companion and wife who wasn’t falling entirely to pieces. She didn’t have the strength to be that person. She didn’t have the strength to be anything but heartbroken.
A light knock at her door was followed by Rose peeking her head inside. “There is someone here to see you.”
“Who is it?”
