The following morning, Matthew sent for his brother almost as soon as he was awake, telling the footman to insist that he come at once. He could not help but chuckle at the frustration on his brother’s tired face as he stumbled into Matthew’s study, clearly a little worse for wear.

“Good evening last night, was it?” Matthew asked, with a small chuckle. “You appear to have had a very good time.”

“It is far too early,” Arthur groaned, sitting down heavily in an overstuffed chair. “Whatever is the matter?”

Matthew waited for the butler and footmen to set down the trays on the table, seeing his brother reach for the coffee almost at once. Once the room was quiet, he turned to his brother who was now adding cream to his dark coffee, muttering under his breath.

“It is about Miss Weston and her dear brother,” he began, seeing Arthur look up with a sudden frown. “All is not well.”

Arthur’s frown deepened. “Lord and Lady Brookridge were not particularly happy with you last evening, that is for sure,” he said, sitting back in his chair. “Once you left, they huddled in a corner for a good half hour, talking together. I had very little idea as to what they were saying, but there were a lot of dark looks from them both. Whatever did you say?”

“They want to take Miss Weston back with them,” Matthew said calmly. “I told them they could not.”

That woke his brother up a little more. Arthur pushed himself up a little straighter in his seat and frowned at his brother. “What do you mean? I didn’t think they knew she was here.”

“By unfortunate coincidence, they managed to meet,” Matthew replied, sipping his coffee. “Regardless, Miss Weston then came to speak to me to say she wished to leave. I soon discovered that her reasons for doing so were not because she truly desired to leave, but more that she was being forced to.”

Arthur’s eyes widened all the more.

“Lord Brookridge has said he will do all he can to disrupt my daughter’s future by spreading the most vile and vulgar rumors about me,” Matthew replied, aware of the hot rush of anger that spread through him still. “I do not take such things lightly, Arthur. This must be dealt with.”

For a few minutes, Arthur simply stared at him, his mouth now ajar as he attempted to think of something to say in response. It had clearly come as quite a shock, especially since he had been previously acquainted with Viscount Brookridge before he had gained his title.

“I am sorry I ever invited them,” he stammered eventually. “Truly, Matthew, I had no idea that Brookridge was this kind of man.”

Matthew sighed and shook his head, feeling somewhat weary of the whole business. “Indeed, Miss Weston has said much the same. I believe the woman he married is more a serpent than anything else. Poisoned him slowly until he is no longer recognizable as the man he once was.”

Arthur blustered for a moment or two, clearly now quite awake. “Well, what are you going to do about it? The man cannot be allowed to take his sister back with him, not when he is clearly both cruel and vindictive, but neither can you let him say anything of the kind about you!”

“Calm yourself, brother,” Matthew replied firmly. “That is precisely why I have woken you so early. I need you to go to the seamstress in town – the one a few miles away from here. It is a good distance away, which is why you must go with as much urgency as you can. Find the seamstress and ask her for the best gown she has in her shop. I do not care about price. In fact, I want you to buy a good number of gowns, although you need only bring a couple back with you. I had the maid come up with a few measurements earlier this morning, which should be contained in this note.” He handed the scribbled note to his brother, who took it without a word. “Then return here as quickly but as carefully as you can. That gown is to go straight to Miss Weston. Once she has been prepared, Miss Weston will join us for dinner.”

Arthur nodded slowly, aware that the rest of the household guests would not rise until the early afternoon, if not later. “You intend to introduce Miss Weston to the rest of the guests?”

“More than that,” Matthew replied firmly. “I intend to ensure that her so-called family will be shown the error of their ways. They will be thoroughly shamed, and Miss Weston will never have reason to fear them ever again. I intend them to be as lowly as they have tried to make her, to the point that they dare not show their faces for the shame of it.”

His voice had grown louder, more resounding as he finished his speech, his blood already beginning to boil as his thoughts settled on Viscount Brookridge.

“By Jove,” Arthur muttered, getting up from his chair. “You have it all worked out, do you not?”

“I do,” Matthew replied firmly. “I do not intend to let Miss Weston be treated this way.”

His brother nodded but paused, his eyes lit with curiosity. “Does this mean that you are now willing to admit that there is something of an affection in your heart for Miss Weston?” he asked quietly. “I swear I shall be greatly delighted if that is the case.”

Matthew paused for a moment, wondering whether or not to tell his brother all that he had planned but choosing at the last moment not to do so. “I care very deeply for Miss Weston,” he admitted, “and she for me, I think.”

Arthur grinned, thumping the top of the chair in delight. “Wonderful. I am very glad to hear it. There’s something more to her than there ever was with Elizabeth, if you do not mind me saying so.”

Not able to disagree, Matthew smiled and lifted his shoulder. “I have a real and true affection for her, which I never had for Elizabeth. Our match was one of consideration, practicality, and tradition. Nothing more. That is entirely absent with Miss Weston. I feel none of the coldness nor experience any of the distance I had with Elizabeth.” Hoping he was not coming across as callous, Matthew let out a long sigh. “I hope I do not sound cruel, Arthur, but I barely knew my wife. She was a veritable stranger, who kept to her own rooms and who I took to my bed only the once. Of course, I mourned her, but there was no real pain there. When it comes to Sophia – to Miss Weston, I mean – just the thought of her leaving my home brought me such agony that I could not bear it!”

Arthur’s smile spread, clearly delighted. “Well, may I say how glad I am to see you in love at last, brother. It is a wonderful state of being and one I very much hope to be in again, whenever the time comes.”

“Thank you,” Matthew replied, not sure what else to say. He had said more than he had meant to but with the truth of his feelings came a sudden feeling of relief. He did love Miss Weston, even though it was only the very first fruits of such a feeling, and he was quite sure that, whether she loved him yet or not, such an emotion would soon be returned. It was just as he had said to his brother: he had never felt such emotions before, and it was opening up a bright new world to him.

“I’d better go if I am to return on time,” Arthur said, making his way to the door. “Make sure not to start dinner without me!”

Matthew laughed, waving his hand to shoo his brother out of the door. “I do not think we can!” he called, sitting back down at his desk. “Now do be quick about it! It all depends on you.”