Caroline straightened her spine. “Perhaps you can forgive her, but I never will.”

“You don’t need to sound so proud about that,” Luke said, mild disapproval in his tone. It took her aback. In all their years, Luke had never scolded her, and it hurt.

“What do you see in her?” she burst out in frustration. “We have nothing in common with her. All she’s done is bring chaos into our lives.”

Luke glanced away, his eyes pensive and a little sorrowful. When he finally answered, his voice was low and sad. “I like the way she looks at Gray. It’s obvious how much she adores him, and not because he’s rich or powerful. She loves him for who he is. She is utterly pure and good. I’d give anything to have a woman like Annabelle look at me like that.”

Luke’s blatant admiration for her despised sister-in-law was troubling. Luke was supposed to be on her side, not Annabelle’s.

The door opened, and the pretty redheaded nurse came inside, blushing gorgeously as she set a pitcher of water at Luke’s bedside.

“Is there anything else I can bring you? Just name it, and I’ll find it.”

“Thanks, Nellie,” Luke said. “I’ll be fine.”

The nurse hesitated. “If you’re sure, then. . . .” The sentence dangled while Nellie looked at Luke with her heart in her pretty blue eyes. When Luke shook his head, she left the room, disappointment on her face.

Caroline lifted a brow at him. “You’re an emaciated wreck and can still charm any woman within ten yards of you. Don’t go getting mopey because no woman will want you. Did you see how that nurse looked at you?”

Luke’s eyes gleamed. “I saw her, but she didn’t see me. Not really. I can flirt and tease and flatter. No matter how good I try to be—and trust me, in the past year I have tried extraordinarily hard to be good—at my core, I’m still a lousy rat. Nellie didn’t see that part.”

If he wasn’t a gaunt skeleton wrapped in bandages, she’d want to smack him. Yes, Luke had always been the naughty one, but he was also charming and generous. She knew him better than anyone, but a part of what he said was true. He had demons inside, and it was anyone’s guess if he’d be strong enough to conquer them now that he had a new lease on life.

Caroline pulled her cloak tighter as she stepped outside the hospital. The blustery wind was chilly, or perhaps she was simply more fragile than usual. Exhaustion tugged at her as she wondered if she should buy a new cloak. She fiddled with the tie. The cord seemed to have frayed since last autumn.

Distracted, she almost bumped into a man coming up the hospital steps.