Theo sat in the tavern drinking away his pain. His face ached, his shoulder throbbed, and he’d been betrayed by his family, by the woman he…he would not say loved.

They were making it sound as though he wasn’t doing his duty to her. Which was absurd. He would save her family from ruin, prop up her sister and her brother, make her a duchess. How many women would make that exchange without hesitation?

But the voice he attempted to wash away with ale thought of Tabbie, heavy with child and alone. Not just for a few days but for months. What if Luke wasn’t there when she gave birth? What if she were alone when an accident like this occurred?

He ordered another ale and dropped his head into his open palm. He heard her voice, so soft and lovely when she’d declared her love. Barbados, or any other tropical island, seemed inconsequential compared with the warmth in her voice.

“What has you looking so sour?” A familiar voice grumbled next to him. “Besides the weather, of course. Bloody England.”

His head shot up as Rex came into view. “You arrived quickly.”

“Not as quickly as you I see.” Rex sat down next to him. “I got a missive from one of my captains at almost the same moment I received one from you.”

“I would like you to know my ship didn’t start the fire.” Theo dropped his head again.

“Really? I assumed it was. Neglecting your duties as you have been,” Rex drawled.

Theo’s head shot up. “Don’t you start too.” But as he met his friend’s gaze he saw the playful smile about Rex’s lips. Clearly, he jested.

“I shouldn’t start too? Is your family giving you a hard time about neglecting your life in England?”

“Yours isn’t?” Theo raised his eyebrows but pain shot through his forehead.

Rex chuckled. “They have, but apparently not as much as yours. Bloody hell, your face looks awful. Worse than normal.”

Theo attempted to glare. “They wanted me to marry, produce an heir.”

“Dreadful.” Rex gave a shiver. “Had they picked a woman?”

“How did you know?” A ghost of a smile touched his lips. “The stranger part was that I met her on my way home. She is…” How to describe their instant attraction and connection to his friend who hated the idea of commitment?

Rex sucked in a ragged breath. “Do not say it.”

“What?” Theo sat up straighter. “I didn’t say anything.”

Rex grimaced. “Out with the story. Get it over with.”

Theo gingerly rubbed his forehead. Then he began. He told him of the English rain that caught him off guard, then of Violette’s mercenary rescue. How he left her only to have her arrive at his door. “It was like providence,” he said in a low voice.

“It was geography,” Rex growled.

Theo honestly wasn’t so certain. He continued his story with the confrontation he’d had with Tabbie.

“It’s her husband who’s been shouldering a great deal of the burden?” Rex asked. “Did he lecture you too?”

Theo pointed at his face. “In his own way.”

“Ah,” Rex nodded. “A respectable way for a man to show his dissatisfaction.”

“My face disagrees.” Theo continued on to his discovery that Violette successfully had grown her brother’s holdings, though not quickly enough nor with adequate funds. Then he relayed his plan to live a double life.

Rex didn’t say a word, which was odd. But Theo continued, “Then today, my sweet sister, who never has an unkind word for anyone, told me she’d agreed to finance Violette and her sister’s seasons in society in order to ensure my plan failed.” His fists clenched. “They have rallied against me.”

“Family,” Rex grumbled. “A plague on us all.”

Theo sat, now sipping his ale. Somehow the retelling had given him some clarity. “I know I can’t leave for two years at a time but what would be so wrong with taking the occasional adventure while still maintaining a family?”

Rex remained silent. Theo looked to his friend to see his face twisted in pain. “You can’t have both. Trust me, my father tried. In the end, he ruined all of our lives.” Rex tossed him an angry glare and Theo’s head snapped back in surprise. Rex never acted this way.

“Your father tried?” Theo asked.

Rex waved his hand. “Tonight is not my night for stories, but I am certain you have to choose. It’s one life or the other, you can’t have both.”

Hell and damnation, even Rex was against his plan.

“Your friend is right.” Luke stood over him.

“When did you get here?” Theo growled.

Luke gingerly sat in the chair next to him. “Long enough ago to hear the important parts.”

“This is your brother-in-law, I take it.” Rex grinned his usual rakish smile, his angst already forgotten. “I see you gave as good as you got.”

Luke rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “I’m too old for brawling.” He exhaled long and loud. “Everything hurts.”

“You deserved it,” Theo spit. “Talking about how some other man would crawl into my wife’s bed.”

“Your wife?” Rex asked at the same moment Luke spoke.

“You deserved it, talking about leaving a woman like that to her own devices.”

“Your wife?” Rex repeated and then. “A woman like what?”

“Never tell Tabbie I said this. She’d skin me alive. But that girl is beautiful inside and out. You’ll never find better and you’ll regret it for the rest of your life if you let her slip away. She is truly lovely.”

“Why can’t I tell her that?” Theo asked.

“Because I’ve sworn high and low that there is no woman who can outpace your sister. She’d kill me for even hinting at it. But Violette is a contender and right now, you’ve taken a rare flower and trampled it under your boot. She’s upstairs crying on your sister’s shoulder, absolutely devastated.”

“She is the one who told me she wouldn’t accept my proposal. More or less.” Theo’s voice was rising.

“Yes. Because she’s also the one who declared her love.” Luke leaned forward, which took an exceptionally long time. “Which is unrequited, apparently.”

What a mess. Theo’s brain had gone numb from the ale as he tried to decide what to do. “What do I do?”

He’d expected Luke to answer but it was Rex who replied. “You have to choose. Adventurer or duke. You can’t be both.”

Violette’s tears dried. Not because she didn’t still ache but because she’d run out of liquid with which to produce them. She’d sent Tricia to bed some time ago, and she lay in her room feeling broken and weak.

Food likely would have helped but no way would she speak with anyone in order to get it. So she lay there wishing sleep would take her and sweep her into oblivion at least for a little while.

A soft knock sounded at the door and she was certain that Tricia had returned to check on her. “I’m fine,” she called.

“Violette,” Theo rumbled.

She sat up, her breath catching. Did she throw open the door or tell him to go away. “Theo,” she answered uselessly.

“I’ve brought you dinner,” he said. “Please open the door.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat and crossed the room. “Thank you. If you could just leave it by the door.”

He gave a heavy sigh. “We need to talk.”

“I know,” she answered. She wanted to open the door. Actually, she wanted to throw her arms about his neck. “But under the circumstances I don’t think it’s wise to do this tonight. Unchaperoned.”

“You know I will be a gentleman. I don’t want to discuss this in front of anyone else. It’s a conversation for just the two of us,” he rasped.

She stood trying to decide. It was a conversation for just the two of them, but if he ruined her now, there would be no more choice. While she tried to decide, however, the knob turned and the door opened. Blast, she hadn’t locked it after Tricia had left.

Theo stepped in the room and softly closed the door.

“I didn’t say you could enter.” Her arms crossed over the chest in what she hoped was a stern stance, but more likely she looked as though she were protecting herself.

He gave her a long stare as though he could see into her soul. “At least take the food,” he said, then he handed her a plate.

Sighing, she took the food and sat at the desk. “Thank you.” It smelled wonderful and her stomach lurched in need.

“Eat.” He waved his hand. “I’ll wait.” Then he sat on her bed.

She took a bite and then another. Before she knew it, the food was gone.

“Better?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered. At least one of her aches had dissipated.

“Good.” He looked away from her then. “I’ve been told several times today that I can not have both lives. I can’t travel the world and be a husband and father.”

“I don’t believe you can,” she replied her heart hammering in her chest. Would he choose her? Was that even possible?

“So I’m to choose then?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

He looked at her then, his face twisted. “Before I do, I want to know exactly what is your choice?”