Chapter 15

Like Father, Like Son?

Nicholas had been with numerous women in his life—that was no secret to anyone who knew him. When he met an unattached, attractive young woman, his mind often went to being intimate with her. He had sat on the beach with his arm around an unattached, attractive young woman, and his mind had not gone there once.

Even before Bridget had opened up to him, he had sensed there was pain in her heart, and he wanted to help heal her. She was too guarded to let him or anyone else help her like that, but if he could do a small amount, it was worth the effort.

The Duke ran the towel through his hair as he walked back up the beach to the house. He was hungry for supper, and he wondered if he might see Bridget at the dining table or if she would stay in her room for a while. He would tease her again, but not only to get a rise out of her. She enjoyed their banter, and if he could distract her from her problems for a while, then it was worth every scolding look he got from her.

"Nicholas," his mother said when he reached the veranda.

She said it with such a tone that he immediately knew he was in trouble, and he felt like a small child again.

"How are you, Mother?" he asked.

"Hmm," she murmured, as if that answered the question fully.

"Shall we dine soon?" he asked.

"I must speak with you, Nicholas," Rebecca said. "Supper will be served soon, but we have time to speak before then. Your brother will be married in less than a month, and we are here to make a good impression in front of his future wife's family."

Nicholas could hear an accusation in the way she said it, even if it was not stated in her words. They walked silently together around the side of the building and through the garden, where flowers were beginning to grow. The Duke waited for his mother to say what she really wanted to say.

She was the nicest and most forgiving woman he knew, but she had been through enough to stand up and shout when there was a problem to be dealt with—metaphorically. There was a problem to be dealt with, but she was addressing it in private with Nicholas.

"I watched Lady Bridget return from the beach in tears," Rebecca began. "She obviously did not mean for anyone to see her, but I happened to be standing by one of the upstairs windows. I hoped I would not see you return after, but I waited on the veranda just in case."

"Mother, I did?—"

"Please let me finish," Rebecca cut in. "This is not the first time I have seen her in tears shortly after spending some time with you. I hope you have not been saying untoward things to her or, worse, trying to have your way with her."

"Mother, I?—"

"I am not done yet. I don't know if anyone else sees it, but I have known you longer than anyone, Nicholas. Your brother is caught up with his betrothed, and it is obvious Lady Lincoln has her own worries to deal with. I see how you torment poor Lady Bridget, and you purposely try to get a rise out of her. My goodness, I would have left by now if you had treated me like that."

"She enjoys it, too, Mother," Nicholas replied, feeling like he had de-aged twenty years.

"Does she?" Rebecca challenged. "Which part? The antagonizing or the crying?"

"No, you don't understand," Nicholas insisted.

"I don't need to understand—you need to understand. You are a duke, and you need to start acting like one. We are here to support your brother, and I will not have you ruining it, especially when there is so much at play. Everyone is dealing with their problems, but you are the only one creating more. I expect you to be helping people, not antagonizing them."

Nicholas wanted to explain it to his mother, but she would not fully understand. Yet, when he really thought about it, there was some truth to what she was saying. He had tried to get a rise out of Bridget multiple times without properly considering her feelings. She was obviously going through a lot and having a hard time. It did not matter that he was a duke; he was a man, and he should protect those around him.

Nicholas took a deep breath. "I will be better. You are right—perhaps I should not have treated her like that. I am here for Michael, and I will ensure he has a good time and he has the wedding he wants. He has found a good woman."

His mother softened a little. "Yes, he has, hasn't he? When Lady Lincoln approached me to ask about a potential match, I knew it would be a good one, but I did not expect them to be so agreeable toward each other. Have you seen your brother's face when he looks at Lady Margaret?"

Nicholas chuckled. "I have. He talks about her all the time, and from what I hear, she is smitten with him. Michael will be very happy."

"Will you?" Rebecca asked.

"I am happy, Mother. You need to stop worrying about me."

"Do I?" she asked sarcastically. "It is not only the time here that has me worried about you, but your entire life."

"Thank you for your confidence in me, Mother. I appreciate your concern."

"Don't be facetious, Nicholas. You have spent your time here teasing Lady Bridget, and you spend your life out across the city with women. Likely teasing them too."

"Mother, I don't treat anyone badly. If you wish to speak to Lady Bridget, then you should, but I have not disrespected her. You don't have to worry so much about me. I am not my father."

"And I am thankful for that every day. But while you are not like him, you are treating the dukedom with the same contempt."

"Contempt?" Nicholas echoed. He did not want to become angry at his mother, but any comparison to his late father made his blood boil. "Are there people who speak against me? Do I do bad business? Do we not have a better reputation now? Do we want for anything?"

"That is not the point," Rebecca replied. "You are a much better man in so many ways compared to your father, and we have only been able to move on from what he did thanks to you, Nicholas. The only reason we were able to move on from your father is that he married and we had you and Michael. Your father was not a good man, but he did that one thing right."

"So, you wish for me to marry? Is that it?" Nicholas asked.

"Have you seen how happy your brother is?"

"I am not my brother, and I am not my father. The less I am like my father, the better."

"Michael is not like him, but he will marry soon. He will never become like your father, and you know it. Marriage should not scare you."

"It does not scare me," Nicholas said angrily. "Michael is nothing like Father because I protected him during his childhood. The reason he can be happy now is that he did not have to deal with any of Father's rubbish. I was his shield, and I took on enough hurt and pain for both of us. I will not do anything Father did because?—"

He cut himself off when he began to voice his real reasons for not wanting to marry. He turned away from his mother, but she quickly turned him back around and embraced him. He felt like a child again in her embrace, but it was good this time.

"Let it out," Rebecca said.

Nicholas loved his mother and brother more than anything in the world, and he would do anything to protect them. Not marrying and having children was part of protecting them.

"She is the only woman I have seen who can match you," Rebecca said.

"Who?" Nicholas asked.

His body quivered slightly, and he thought he might explode with the past being dragged up. He never wanted to think of his father ever again, but the man haunted him at every turn.

"Lady Bridget," Rebecca clarified. "A lesser woman would want nothing to do with you, but she gives you chance after chance."

Nicholas broke their embrace, leaning back. "She does not give me any chances. She has to be here for her sister."

"Don't be so sure," Rebecca countered. "I have seen the way she looks at you."

"It would seem you have seen everything that the rest of us have not," the Duke said. "I can assure you she does not look at me in any way, and if you are suggesting I marry her, then you are a very poor judge of character. We could not be more different, and we are both uninterested in marriage."

"You should give her a chance," Rebecca urged.

"More chances are not the issue. Some people are just not compatible with each other, and others don't want to be compatible with anyone. I know you like to dream, Mother, and you must think it would be wonderful for two sisters to marry two brothers, but it will not happen. Now, I am hungry and shall check if supper has been served yet."

"You need to find happiness, Nicholas," Rebecca told him as he turned away from her.

"I don't need marriage to be happy, Mother. I'm already happy."