Theo walked off the ships, shaking his head at the day he’d just survived. His face hurt horribly as did his ribs. Not that he’d tell Luke that.

Once he’d gotten over his anger at Luke and Ryker, he began to see their point. That point was driven home when he’d toured the boats. Though the fire looked as though it had started on the next ship over when a keg of gunpowder had caught on fire, the boiler’s explosion had doubled the damage.

What was more, the few sailors who had been nearby had perished in the explosion. It had been a gory mess. This was not a situation that he’d want Violette to handle alone…ever.

Thoughts of Violette made him quicken his pace. He had a fierce need to see her. Tuck her hand in his arm and pull her close to his body. Bloody hell, he wanted to kiss her or even just smell her.

What that meant for the future, he couldn’t say, but at this moment, it didn’t matter. Just being close to her was important. He’d figure out the rest as it came.

Barging into the hall, he hoped that no man was trying to win her affection. He’d have a devil of a time fighting anyone now.

But a quick scan of the room left him puzzled.

Luke and Ryker came up next him. They must have followed him up, though they hadn’t spoken. Fine with him. He didn’t want to talk with them either. He only wanted Violette.

He spotted Tricia coming toward him, her face set in stiff lines. “What is it?” he asked, not bothering with any pretense. “Where is Violette?”

“She’s gone back to the inn.” Tricia stood straighter. Not a good sign and doubt started to make his stomach churn.

He leveled his sister with a glare. She’d done something. Tabbie was an expert at deception but not Tricia. “I specifically told her to wait.”

“If she would be capable of running your affairs then she is certainly capable of walking to an inn,” Tricia snapped.

His first reaction was surprise. How did Tricia now that? And when had she ever spoken to him in such a way? His second was cold, hard dread. “What have you done?”

Ryker moved to stand next to his wife. The entire family was aligning against him.

“I offered to finance her season and her sister’s in order to give her a choice.” Tricia squared her shoulders. “How could you use her situation against her like that?”

“I beg your pardon?” It was his turn to straighten. “I am helping her. We are helping each other.”

“No, brother.” Tricia stepped closer looking angrier than he had ever seen her in his life. “I am helping her. You were trying to help yourself. She can’t say no, so she’d be tied to an absentee husband who shirked his duties. Tell me, will you hire another man to raise your children?”

Theo didn’t answer. He had none. But surely Violette hadn’t seen it that way. Why would she have agreed? Instead he spun on heel and headed toward the inn.

He heard them all behind him. Picking up his pace, he reached the inn at a dead run. Ryker shouted and so did Luke, but he ignored them, heading up the stairs.

He knew which room was hers. It was the only closed door on the second floor. Stepping up to it, he banged on the wood. “Violette,” he called.

He heard her yelp. He was in the right place.

“Open the door.”

“I can’t,” she said. Then more loudly. “I won’t.”

He banged on it again. “What is the matter with everyone? We are helping each other.”

“Theo,” her voice was louder, she clearly stood on the other side of the door. “I’d expected an arranged marriage. I did. But not a husband who wouldn’t be there. It’s not that your offer wouldn’t help but I can’t take it.”

“Why not?” he growled against the door.

“I…” she started, “I love you.” He heard her broken sob. “It would break my heart every time you sailed away.”

Theo stumbled back. She loved him? Now more than ever, he wanted to hold her in his arms. He wanted to kiss her senseless. But he’d proposed an arrangement where love had no place. He let out a moan as he scrubbed his face with his hands. After he dropped them back to his sides, he saw Ryker, Luke, and Tricia standing at the end of the hall staring at him with wide eyes. Well, only one of Luke’s was wide. The other had swollen shut.

“What are you looking at?” he roared.

Tricia stepped forward. “Tell her you love her too,” she spoke so softly he almost didn’t hear it.

Did he? Maybe. But to declare it would be to give up his dreams, his plans, his chance at proving himself a success. With another guttural cry, he stomped away. He didn’t know where he was going and he didn’t care.

Violette had mostly held in the tears until Tricia’s soft plea. When Theo stormed away, that was the moment she knew. It was hopeless.

Whatever had been banking her grief, broke loose. Tossing herself across the bed, she let the tears flow.

She’d done it now. She’d pushed him away and there was no going back.

Violette knew what the alternative was, but it stilled heart. A soft knock at the door interrupted her grief.

“Violette,” Tricia called.

She pulled herself from the bed to walk over to the door and open it. Her limbs felt almost too heavy to move.

Once she’d opened the door, Tricia wrapped her in a hug. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured against Violette’s hair.

Tomorrow, she’d be able to say that it was for the best but she couldn’t now and she dropped her forehead onto Tricia’s shoulder and let the tears flow again.

Shuffling made her look up and through bleary eyes she saw Luke and Ryker standing in the hall. She quickly wiped at the tears, embarrassed to be seen like this, but as soon as she’d dashed them away, she noticed that Luke looked awful. With a gasp, she took in the damage. “What happened?”

“Teddy looks worse,” Luke grumbled.

It took a moment for those words to sink in. “Theo did that to your face?” She looked over at Tricia. “Why?”

“Let’s move this conversation out of the hall.” Ryker gestured into her room.

They all shuffled inside. She and Tricia sat on the bed while Ryker pulled over a desk chair. Luke stood, grimacing as he held his ribs in one of his hands. “He got me with a good body shot.”

“But why would he do that?” Violette looked around the group. “You’ve helped him. You’re his family.”

“I was helping him again. He needed to see what an arse he is.” Luke grimaced he leaned against the desk. “But I may be getting too old to teach that kind of lesson.”

Ryker gave a low chuckle. “I think you did a fair job. What I didn’t expect was for my lovely wife to deal an even more effective blow.” He gave Tricia a loving look.

Tricia shook her head. “I’m not sure about that. I think I made things worse.”

“You didn’t.” Violette took her head. “It’s not that I’m happy but…”

Ryker gave her an approving smile. “You, my dear, are very clever. I’m glad you’re smart enough to see that what Teddy offered isn’t a deal any woman should take, even when it comes from a duke. And Teddy needs a little reminder that just because he’s a lord, doesn’t mean he can do as he wishes. He’s long thought his father held him back. He needs a lesson that money and power come with responsibility, not freedom.”

Violette dropped her head, closing her eyes. “I have neither money nor power. Just responsibility. And I hope I’ve done my duty to mine because I am not sure that I did. My family needed this match and maybe I am the one who requires the lesson.”

Her response was met with silence. She would not cry in front of them, but tears threatened to spill over. Finally Ryker spoke. “You have honored both your family and yourself. I’ve nary met a woman who had shouldered her burden better. And I will do my best to see that Teddy sees reason.”

She gave a nod but she wasn’t at all sure that it would help. She may have ruined everything. It was a choice she’d made and she’d face the consequences.