John looked into Maria’s stunned gaze, ice dousing the haze he was in. He wanted to thrash himself. What was he doing? Touching a nurse, a woman helping him at the risk of her own life. His duty was to protect her, not endanger her with thoughtlessness. He was no better than his uncle, a gentleman who was no gentleman. The man had managed to gamble away every penny left to him, a sizeable sum, in less than a year. He’d proceeded to beg a place from John’s father, the Earl of Tankerville, until he was caught trying to rape one of the maids. The earl tossed his younger brother out, telling him to never come back. Then Father had explained, in great detail, to his three sons how a gentleman was to behave. Keep your word. Pay your debts. Never mistreat a woman, no matter her station. What had he done if not mistreated this brave angel who’d done everything to help him since the moment she discovered him in the closet?
