and went back to her watch. He followed as if she’d need him to hold her chair. When she was seated once more, Michael brushed his hand over one lock of her hair.
“When there is time,” he said as he rested his hand gently on her shoulder, “I’d like to talk to you about the books.”
She nodded, thinking more about how she liked this man’s gentle touch . . . almost comforting, almost loving. “I don’t know much. Mr. Fiddler can answer your questions.”
“I’ve asked about him,” Michael said as he brushed her shoulder. “No one has seen him in days.”
“I’ll worry about it later,” she said as she stared down at the man who liked being called Duke but never took to the name Father.
He had never been there for her, or her mother if the stories were true, but she had to sit beside him now in his last hours. Maybe she just wanted to show that she was a better person, or maybe she didn’t want even him to be alone. All his life he’d considered his only daughter worthless, yet she was the only one to stand near in his final hours.
She listened to the shallow intake of breath after breath . . . until there was none. The late sun shone golden across the windows as she realized he’d passed.
“Michael,” she whispered, knowing that he’d come to her side.
When she felt his arm circle around her, she collapsed into his embrace wanting nothing more than to step away from the world for a moment.
She was barely aware of him taking her upstairs. When he laid her beneath the covers, she curled into a ball and cried softly. For a while she was alone, but then she felt his weight move the bed and he was at her side again. He pulled her into his arms and held her without saying a word. As always, his hands moved over her, only tonight she found comfort in his touch.
The next morning Cozette moved as if in a dream through the funeral of her father and the reading of his will. She ignored the angry looks from her uncle, knowing he wouldn’t dare say a word with people filling the house and spilling out onto the yard. To no one’s surprise, her father’s will was short, leaving everything, not to family or kin, but to his only daughter’s husband with the request that he always treat her fairly.
She slipped up the back stairs as Michael saw the lawyer out. Cozette needed a few moments alone. She’d lived in the eye of a tornado for weeks and, finally, the storm was settling.
After refusing to let a single tear fall in front of others, she washed her face in cold water and went to greet those who came to pay their last respects to a hardworking but never-loving man.
She noticed Joseph watching her from his chair near the back stairs as she stepped into the hallway. Reluctantly, he abandoned his breakfast and downed the last of his coffee before following.
From the other direction, Uncle Raymond appeared suddenly in her path and stopped her progress with an iron grip around her arm. He twisted cruelly, slamming her against the wall. “We need to talk.” Anger flowed like hot lava around her. “You think you got away with something here, but . . .”
Uncle Joseph bumped into Raymond like a blind bull, knocking her uncle a few feet down the passage and away from her.
“Oh, s-sorry,” Joseph said. “I was so busy eating I didn’t even notice you blocking the w-way.” He smeared sticky fingers covered in warm cinnamon and sugar along Raymond’s buckskin vest. “You really should go get you one of those rolls w-while they’re hot.”
Raymond hissed, “You’ll be as sorry as your nephew.”
“Oh, I am,” Joseph whined. “There w-was still some g-good finger licking on that hand when I touched you. I’ll miss those few b-bites.”
Raymond swore.
Joseph straightened. “I don’t think it’s right to talk that w-way in front of Mickey’s dear one.”
For once Raymond was too upset to form words. He decided to storm off.
Cozette smiled at Uncle Joseph, seeing for the first time how her husband could love such a man.
“Thanks,” she said, realizing that Michael might have been right to enlist three bodyguards for her.
“I d-do my best,” Joseph said simply. “You’re Michael’s pretty little bride. I can’t let anything happen to you on my w-watch.”
He followed her into the huge dining room and stood in