“I shall help you with that, Mother,” Bridget offered.
Penelope turned to look at Bridget, and for the briefest moment, all the friction between them disappeared. Bridget saw her mother’s weariness and then her gratitude. The moment was only fleeting, but it meant a lot to Bridget.
The three women left the room and headed toward the stairs.
“Oh, my goodness,” Bridget whispered to her sister. “I left my riding cap in there. I shall retrieve it and meet you in your room.”
Margaret nodded and quickly ascended the stairs on her tiptoes. As Bridget watched, she realized she had to make an effort for her sister’s sake. This time was all about Margaret, and it would culminate in a wedding, and Margaret would have everything she had ever wanted.
As Bridget walked back to the sitting room, she had second thoughts. She did not want to see the Duke again. Now that she knew of his reputation, she feared what he might say in front of her. And he had caught her riding alone in the moors. What did he think of her reputation?
She could not avoid it. She had to return with her riding cap. If she hoped the brothers would have left the sitting room when she got there, then she was sorely mistaken. She heard them talking when she reached the doorway.
Bridget knew eavesdropping was wrong, but she was compelled to do it all the same.
“I am blessed,” Michael said. “Blessed, I tell you.”
“I am happy for you, Brother,” Nicholas replied.
“The more you get to know her, the more you will see just how much of an angel she is. When she came to me with the idea of spending more time together before the wedding, I leaped at the chance,” Michael revealed, the happiness evident in his voice. “I want to spend every waking moment with that woman. I simply cannot wait until we are married.”
It warmed Bridget’s heart to hear someone talk about her sister in that way, and she was glad she had stopped to eavesdrop. It confirmed what she had hoped: Michael was nothing like his older brother.
“You deserve it, Michael,” Nicholas said. “You will make a fine husband and an even finer father. It goes a long way toward showing the type of man you are.”
“I could not have done it without you,” Michael noted.
“Yes, that is likely true,” Nicholas agreed.
The brothers laughed together.
“I never thought I would be here,” Michael admitted with some levity. “I assumed that someday I would wed, but I never expected to fall so head over heels in love with a woman. I thought there would be some arrangements made, and I would deal with the emotional side of it later. Margaret is my soul mate.”
Bridget almost burst into tears.
“The two of you are perfect together,” Nicholas agreed. “And for every brother like me, there is a sister like hers.”
“What do you mean?” Michael asked.
Bridget realized the Duke was talking about her.
“Let’s just say I am glad to have Margaret as a sister-in-law rather than Bridget,” Nicholas clarified.
“Please play nice, Brother,” Michael begged.
“Oh, I will,” Nicholas assured him. “As long asshedoes. Did you hear the awful racket she made when she arrived late? She was squawking like a crow. And you should have seen the way she glared at me in the room earlier. I don’t mind strong women, and I have had their company many times in the past, but she is extremely tiresome.”
“She is my betrothed’s sister,” Michael hissed, trying to talk some sense into his brother.
“I am fully aware, but I say it how I see it. That woman is the worst sort of trouble, and I will have to be around her for a long time when we go to their estate. Still, I will be on my best behavior.”
“Thank you,” Michael said.
“I strive to be the bigger and better person,” Nicholas told him. “She can do all she wants to try and cause problems and annoy me, but I will simply ignore her. I will not let her personality ruin the time we are all spending together.”
Bridget took one step forward and caught herself. She wanted to storm into the room and give him a piece of her mind, but that would only prove his point. She balled her fists and took a breath. She was not calm, but she had enough sense to leave and go find her sister. She could retrieve her riding cap another time.
He is the rogue and blackguard! If he wishes to ignore me, then I will gladly ignore him!
