He met the older woman’s stare. “I love him, and I want to make things work, but not like this. There has to be another way. I thought perhaps I could get a job teaching in Dover, but then there would be no reason for me to live at the manor house.”
Kane ran his fingers through his hair.
“It’s understandable. A man has his pride, needs to hold his own.” John Badgely answered as he lit his pipe.
Kane knew his father would understand. “I just need to find a way not to be beholden to Heath for my income.”
Mr. Badgely sat up straight. “Speaking of money, that reminds me. I nearly forgot.” He scrambled from his seat and went into the other room for a moment before reappearing with a letter in his hand. “Uncle Henry died.” Henry was his father’s brother.
“When?”
“Last month. When I was getting his affairs in order, the solicitor gave me this letter addressed to you. We were going to send it, but it slipped my mind.”
Kane opened the letter, read the contents once, then over again to make sure he’d read it properly.
“What does it say?” His mother inquired.
“Uncle Henry left me an inheritance. He said he was so proud of me for being a teacher and knew times might be thin and he wanted me to be comfortable.” The amount was sizeable. Enough that Kane wouldn’t have to work for a while if he didn’t want to. “Did he leave money to all of us?”
He wouldn’t take the money if his brother and sisters would not share in his good fortune. “All your siblings received money. We were his only blood since he never married.” Mrs. Badgely smiled. “Take the money, Kane, and be happy.”
“I think I know what I can do with it.”
“What?” asked his father.
“I won’t need to work for Heath, but I could be his business partner. Buy shares of the brewery, if he’ll let me.” They could be equals. He wouldn’t depend on Heath. Kane wasn’t sure about the rest, but they could sort it out.
“I would get everything settled with the solicitor before you leave. It may take a few days.”
Kane was willing to wait if it meant that when he returned to Heath, they could start the rest of their lives together. Suddenly things were looking up, and Kane wished for the hours to pass swiftly so he could see his love once again.
CHAPTER17
It had been three days since Heath had seen Kane, but it felt like an eternity.
“I say Heath, you look like you swallowed a sour grape.” Jasper Dawkins said from across the card table.
The Dawkins had invited Heath over for dinner, but he’d been a poor guest. Thankfully, it was only the three of them.
“What’s wrong, Heath? You’ve said little all evening.” Alice said from beside him.
“I’m sorry. I have a lot on my mind.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
That would mean confessing his secret. What if the Dawkins rejected him for having feelings for another man? It would be one more blow that he didn’t think he could take. His heart was already breaking, and if he lost his friends, his spirit might be crushed.
Alice brought her chair next to his, their knees nearly touching. “We are your friends. You can tell us.”
Heath sighed, then fixed his gaze on her. “Do you believe people can be born differently?”
“Like with different color eyes or hair? Of course.”
“No, I mean something deeper, like who one is attracted to.”
He chanced a glance at Jasper, who waited for Heath to continue.
“Do you think a person should change who they are? To be what others want them to be, even if it goes against their own heart’s desire?”