“After years at war, I am certain you are right,” the governess replied.

  Despite her arresting looks, life had dealt her a different hand. Had this woman been a member of the ton, she could have easily claimed a duke on her looks alone.

  “I am Devin. Lord Devin Hunt.” He shook his head. “It has been a long time since I thought of myself as such. Not since my university days almost a decade ago.”

  “His Grace will be delighted to see you, I am certain,” she said. Then looking to the boys, she added, “Let us remount and head to the stables. And?” she reminded, tilting her head toward him.

  “Goodbye! It was nice to meet you,” Charlie and Freddie repeated the same.

  He watched Freddie boost his brother into the saddle and then Miss Birmingham helped Freddie onto his horse. She returned to hers and took a deep breath.

  “May I assist you?” he asked. “It has been a long time since I was able to help a lady.”

  “I am no lady, my lord. Merely a governess.”

  He hated that class differences decreed this lovely woman to be unequal to him. “Anyone female is a lady to me,” he declared and reached for her waist.

  Devin prayed he could lift her with the imbalance in his hands. Despite the ample curve of her bosom, she felt lighter than air. He easily placed her into the saddle.

  “Thank you, my lord,” she told him. “I hope you enjoy your visit with His Grace.”

  He raised a hand to wave without thinking of the consequences.

  “Where are your fingers?” Charlie cried, spying his stumps.

  Freddie wheeled around and stared, his mouth agape as his brother’s. Devin felt the flush of embarrassment creep up his neck.

  “Boys!” Miss Birmingham scolded. “I am sorely disappointed in you. Major Hunt is a hero. A war hero. Sometimes, sacrifices are made by our men in uniform. And you are never to mention it unless they do first. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, Miss Birmingham,” the duo mumbled, their gazes falling.

  Guilt flushed through him. He certainly wasn’t a war hero in his eyes and hadn’t received his injury during the course of battle. It made him feel like a fraud.

  She looked down at him. “It was good to meet you, my lord. Come along, boys.”

  Nudging her horse, the governess led the way, her charges galloping after her down the lane. Devin watched them go. Charlie looked over his shoulder and waved.

  This time he waved back—with his left hand.

  He wondered if things would ever come naturally to him using it instead of his right. He couldn’t blame the boys. They most likely had never seen anyone with any kind of deformity. Of course, they would be fascinated by a man missing two fingers. At least they hadn’t commented on the deep scar on his chin. There was no way to hide it. It was the first thing others saw when they met him.

  Continuing toward the main house, his spirits were considerably dampened, so much that he believed he might be making a mistake having stopped at Woodbridge. Devin decided not to ask Win for shelter and time to heal. That needed to be done away from prying eyes. He would merely say he was in the neighborhood and thought to call before he moved on.

  He reached the front door about twenty minutes later and knocked upon it. A butler opened it immediately, as if he had been expected.

  “My lord, it is good to see you,” the servant said. “Master Freddie and Master Charlie have already informed Their Graces of your arrival and they are awaiting you in the drawing room.”

  “Wait . . . Their Graces, you say?” A sick feeling washed over him.

  “Yes, my lord. If you will follow me.”

  “When did His Grace wed?”

  The butler thought a moment. “It was July, my lord. Their Graces recently returned from their honeymoon.”

  “Blast,” he murmured under his breath.

  He was certain he would not stay now. Win was even more of a newlywed than his cousin and Devin had not wanted to horn in while Percy was in the midst of wedded bliss. He would definitely say hello and stay for a few minutes before making his excuses.

  Following the butler up a grand staircase, he was instructed to wait a moment as he was announced. Then he was ushered inside and Win came striding toward him, his arms held out in greeting.

  “Dev! You rascal.” Win threw his arms about Devin and pounded his back. “What are you doing in these parts? Better yet, why have you left the army?” Then before he could reply, Win urged, “Come, I want you to meet my duchess.”

  The Duchess of Woodmont already headed their way, a smile on her face. She had abundant auburn hair and dancing green eyes.

  “My lord, it is good to meet you.” The duchess offered him her hand.

  “Your Grace,” he said, taking it and briefly kissing it as he bowed to her, trying to not grimace when he wondered what she thought about his missing fingers.

  “Our boys said they had met you when they were out for their ride with their governess,” she continued. “I took the liberty of ordering tea. I know it is a bit early but the boys were hungry from their ride and I thought you might also need some refreshments.”

  “Thank you, Your Grace. That is much appreciated.”

  She slipped her arm through his and led him back to a group of chairs, where Freddie and Charlie sat on a settee, swinging their feet. Surprisingly, Miss Birmingham was also there.

  “It is good to see you have made it, my lord,” the governess said. “The boys couldn’t wait to give His Grace the good news that a visitor and old friend had arrived at Woodbridge.”

  “Have a seat, Dev,” the duke said, taking one himself after seating his wife.

  A teacart arrived and the duchess poured out for them, while Miss Birmingham gave the boys cups of milk which had been brought for them. The two eyed the food and Charlie’s stomach grumbled noisily.

  “Excuse me,” he said. Then he whispered to Miss Birmingham, “I can’t control my belly.”

  “No one is asking you to,” she replied smoothly. “You excused yourself and that is good manners.”

  The governess fixed plates for the boys while the duchess did so for him. He set his saucer down on the table next to him and then reached for the plate she offered with his left hand. Resting the plate in his lap, he lifted the teacup, welcoming the hot brew. He replaced it and picked up a scone with his left hand.

  “I don’t remember you being left-handed, Dev,” the duke said easily.

  “I wasn’t. Until now.” Gamely, he held up his right hand for a moment and then lowered it.

  “We didn’t say anything, Uncle Win,” Charlie said. “We knew he lost some fingers but it’s not polite to talk about. Miss Birmingham said so.”

  “Miss Birmingham is quite correct,” Win said. “People come all different ways. Some have reddish hair like Sera. Others might have trouble seeing and need to wear spectacles. Still others are tall and thin or short and round. Sometimes, a person might be born a little different. They may have a limp or be cross-eyed. Others might have had an injury in battle, like Lord Devin. But they are all people. We are different and yet the same. I knew Lord Devin when he had ten fingers but now that he has eight, he is still the same man I knew. Even if he does have that scratch along his chin.”

  “Miss Birmingham said not to mention that either, Uncle Win,” Freddie prompted his uncle.

  “You are right,” the duke said. “I won’t in the future because it isn’t important. It doesn’t make Lord Devin who he is.”

  “Because it’s what’s on the inside that counts,” concluded Charlie.

  “That’s right.” Win smiled approvingly at his nephew. “Now, eat up, boys. Once you finish, Miss Birmingham will do the reading hour with you. Sera and I will stay and chat with our visitor.”

  Talk centered around Win coming to Woodbridge and finding the boys and bringing them home with him. The duchess also chimed in a few times. She seemed a bit reserved but then the two young lads dominated the conversation.

  When they had finished eating, Miss Birmingham said, “I believe you have quite stolen all the attention from His Grace’s visitor. We should leave them in peace now and go do our reading.”

  “Bluebeard!” suggested Freddie.

  “Not Bluebeard,” Charlie protested. “I don’t like that story at all.”

  The governess rose. “Come along, boys,” she encouraged and they left the drawing room, Devin concentrating on the sway of her hips.

  After the door closed, Win turned to him. “I hope you didn’t mind them joining us for tea. They are good boys and giving us some much needed practice.” He slipped his hand around his wife’s “Sera has just learned that she is expecting our first child. We plan to learn all we can from Charlie and Freddie and hope we make fewer mistakes with this one.”

  “We aren’t telling anyone just yet,” the duchess revealed.

  “I will keep your secret,” Devin promised. “I doubt I will run into anyone you know and if I did, it is your good news to share, not mine.”

  “I suppose you left the army due to your injury,” Win said.

  “The army left me. I wasn’t ready to go but was told I must resign my commission or take a desk job in London.” He frowned. “I am not one to spend my days sitting behind a desk.”

  “Are you on your way home?” the duchess asked.

  “No,” he said abruptly. “I am sorry. That came out quite rude. I am estranged from my family. Actually, my brother, the Marquess of Bedford. He is all the family I have left.”

  “Then where are you going?” Win asked, frowning.

  “I thought I would call and say hello to you and Percy since he lives so nearby. He sent me a letter, informing me of his marriage. I had no idea that you, too, had wed so quickly after your return to England.”

  Win shocked Devin when he lifted the hand joined with his wife’s and tenderly kissed it. “When I found Sera, I knew I must act quickly, else she would be persuaded to marry another. I could not lose her.”

  Her Grace chuckled, her eyes misting as she looked at her husband with love. “I was acting as a temporary governess to the boys until I was to attend a house party. It had been arranged to help Win—and me—find a spouse.”

  “We found each other before the party was ever held,” Win told Devin. “The rest is our history which we will tell our children.” He kissed her hand again. “The boys are my brother’s bastards. I found them and was going to do my duty. Find them a place to live. See them educated. But I fell in love with them and Sera at the same time. Fortunately, she fell in love with the three of us, as well.”

  Win sighed and then focused again on Devin. “You did not say where you are going. If not to your brother, where?”

  He could think of no quick lie and merely shrugged. “I suppose I will see a bit of England. It will be nice not having every moment of my day arranged for me and not barking orders to soldiers or answering to the higher ups.”

  “You must stay with us a while, my lord,” Her Grace said. “We would be happy to host you for as long as you like.”

  “No,” he protested. “You are newlyweds. I would not infringe upon your time together.”

  Win laughed. “Those boys went on our honeymoon with us as we went about visiting my other estates. You wouldn’t be in the way, Dev. In fact, it would be good to have you here.” He paused. “I know it is a shock to find yourself at loose ends. Your injuries also look recent to me. Why not stay at Woodbridge for as long as you like? Take your time and decide what your next move will be. Take time to heal.” He chuckled. “As long as you don’t mind two very inquisitive boys who will most likely wish to shadow you about the estates wherever you go.”

  “Are you sure, Win? I don’t want to be any trouble for you.”

  “I am a duke. Nothing troubles me. I have servants that handle a variety of things for me and a wife who keeps me in line. Seriously, Dev. Stay. It would be good to have you here.”

  Since he had nowhere else to go, Devin reluctantly agreed. “All right. For a little while.”

  Chapter Four

  “I will see to a guest bedchamber for you, Lord Devin,” the duchess said. “We can have Larson bring your things up for you.”

  He and Win looked at each other and burst out laughing.

  “What did I say?” asked Her Grace.

  Win took his wife’s hand, lacing his fingers through hers. “Dev doesn’t have any luggage, my love. When you sell out, you leave with the clothes on your back. Sometimes, you might have a small kit. It looks as if Dev has everything he owns in his pockets.”

  She looked at him gravely. “Is that true?”

  “It certainly is, Your Grace. I did have a spare uniform which was beginning to look quite ragged and so I left it behind for a fellow officer to have a spare one if he became desperate. My boots are in good condition but I will need to pick up a few things to wear along the way.” He extracted his razor blade from his pocket. “As you can see, I travel lightly.”

  Concern filled her face. “Oh, we must see not only to a bath for you but you need clothes.” She looked from Dev back to her husband. “Stand beside one another,” she commanded.

  They did and she nodded. “Just as I thought. You are of a similar height. You are slightly leaner than Win, Lord Devin, but I believe you will be able to wear some of his clothes. Especially after we tailor them a bit. My sister and I also are the same size and traded clothes up until recently.”

  Devin shook his head. “No, Your Grace, I cannot wear my friend’s clothes.”

  “Why not?” demanded Win.

  “I can’t go around in a duke’s clothing, Win, and you know it. Yes, I have funds from having sold out but what is yours, is yours. I will need to see if I can find a tailor in the closest village and have him make up a few things for me.”

  Her Grace looked quite put out with him. “This is one of those times I am going to truly act like a duchess and use my authority. Lord Devin, my husband has oodles of clothes now. It is ridiculous for you not to at least borrow some until you do have things of your own made up. I insist.” Her eyes twinkled. “After all, I am a duchess and no one says no to one of those.”

  She laughed merrily and he and Win joined in. Win kissed his wife’s fingers and, once again, Devin was moved by the affection between them. He had never thought to wed, being committed to His Majesty’s army. Now that he had left service, however, he knew no woman would want him, being marred the way he was.

  A thought of Miss Birmingham flashed in his mind and he felt himself flush for a moment. He had no reason to think of her or any other woman. Besides having a maimed hand, he had no idea what he wanted to do with his future. The governess seemed efficient and would know her place. Although he still was the son of a marquess, if he ever did wed, it would certainly not be with a governess.

  “Take Lord Devin upstairs if you would, Win. I will see to having a bath sent up, as well as Larson. He can help the two of you go through your wardrobe and decide what fits Lord Devin best.”

  “As you wish, my love. Come along, Dev. Let’s go sort this out.”

  They went to the duke’s suite of rooms and, soon, his valet joined them. Win explained what his wife wanted and Larson said, “We can certainly set you up with several things, my lord.”

  “I will only borrow them until I can have something done for myself,” he said stubbornly. “After all, I don’t want to get used to wearing the finery of a duke, especially when I don’t even know my own place in Polite Society.”

  “Does that mean you will attend the Season next spring?” Win asked.

  “No, not at all. I only have my commission to live on and would not be an attractive candidate as a husband for any young lady. Besides, it would mean I would have to run into my brother.”

  “I understand,” his friend said.

  As the bathwater arrived and Larson began ordering servants about, Win added, “I meant what I said, Dev. You saved my life. If not for you, I would not be here. That means I would never have known and loved Sera. So I owe you a great deal. I want you to stay at Woodbridge as long as you wish and decide what you want to do with your life beyond the army. Don’t worry about feeling as if you are imposing because you aren’t. I look forward to you getting to know my Sera. She can be a bit shy but does open up around others when she gets to know them.”

  “Much like Percy?” Devin asked.

  “Exactly. Percy and Sera are truly cut from the same cloth, whereas Minta and I are much different.”

  “It is hard for me to believe Percy wed so quickly, much less to someone who is outgoing.”

  “It would seem like Minta and I would suit since we are both strong and outspoken. I knew, though, that Percy was in love because he had acted so quickly in order to win Minta’s hand.”

  “I look forward to meeting her and seeing Percy again,” Devin said.

  Win chuckled. “I am sure that will happen this evening. If I know my lovely duchess, she not only has sent bathwater up but has already dashed off a note to her sister and Percy and Minta will be our guests for dinner. I will leave you now to Larson’s care.”

  By now, his bathwater was ready, and the valet helped Devin to disrobe. The servant did not say anything about Devin’s missing fingers and he chose not to offer any explanation to the servant.

  He stepped into the bathtub and sank into the hot water, resting the back of his neck against its edge. He could not remember the last time he had been in a tub this large with hot, steaming water to bathe in. It was a luxury the army did not provide to its officers.

  After soaking for a few minutes, Larson got down to work, scrubbing Devin from head to toe and rinsing him. He wrapped Devin in an enormous bath sheet and they went to the bed, where the valet had laid out clothes for Devin to wear.

  “You are lucky to have such a friend as His Grace,” the servant said. “He is generous in every way and kind to all, unlike the previous duke. I know I’m not supposed to say things such as that, but everyone at Woodbridge is happy with His Grace and more than pleased with his choice of a duchess.”