It was a moment before Alec recognized Sir Alfred.

His hair, always a healthy mix of salt and pepper, was now mostly white. Yet he looked almost childlike in a billowing nightshirt with a napkin tucked into his collar.

The sight brought Alec to an abrupt halt. The pair turned at his entrance and seemed just as surprised to see him.

Alec had come here to exact his revenge on a formidable opponent. To utter every word he had ever swallowed, express every emotion he had ever tamped down, every opinion he had ever been forced to doubt. But now…

Sir Alfred recovered from his shock first. He threw down the spoon and tore the napkin from his collar. “Get this out of here,” he growled to the woman, who bobbed her head and immediately whisked the tray away. He then tried to sit up straighter, pushing against the mattress with one hand while the other hung limply by his side. Sir Alfred let out a low curse and glared down at his body, already exhausted from the movement. Scores of people had quivered under the weight of his glare, but it held no power here.

Before Alec could think better of it, he was at the bedside with his hand on Sir Alfred’s shoulder, hoisting him up with uncomfortable ease. The man seemed to weigh no more than a doll. Sir Alfred wouldn’t meet his gaze as he grumbled a word of thanks and resettled himself. Alec stepped back and gave a short nod, then detected movement out the corner of his eye. Rafe and Wetherby had entered the room.

“Sir, I’m so sorry for the interruption,” Wetherby began. “I will have them dismissed at once––”

But Sir Alfred merely held up a hand to silence his secretary, and faced Alec. “So, then. You came after all.” He spoke more slowly than Alec remembered, as if he was taking great care to pronounce every word. But with his spine straight and shoulders back, any trace of vulnerability had vanished. His brown eyes looked nearly black in the dim light, as familiar to Alec as his own. As Lottie’s.

Alec’s heart wrenched anew as his anger came rushing back. This man had betrayed Crown secrets, endangered Alec’s life, and tried to marry Lottie off. “Of course I came.”

Sir Alfred gave a dismissive sniff and turned away. “Well, you are too late. Everything is already arranged.”

Alec couldn’t stop the incredulous laugh from bursting out. “I’m sorry, are you referring to the bit where you tried to force your niece into marriage?”

“I’m not forcing her,” Sir Alfred stubbornly insisted. “Lottie knows I only want what’s best for her. For her future. She needs some time to come round. But she will.” Then he faced Alec again, those brown eyes glinting. “She always does.”

“Not this time.” Alec shook his head. “She’s climbed out of the blasted window.”