Chapter Twenty-Two
December 6th, 1808
Riddleston, Yorkshire
When his father died Tom had been in the final week of his final term at Oxford. The funeral hadn’t been memorable, but the interview he’d had afterwards with his brother would live in his memory forever—the full extent of their father’s debts, the choice Daniel had given him: the clergy or the army. It wasn’t the words themselves that he remembered, but rather the tone of Daniel’s voice, the halting way he’d spoken. Daniel had apologized—apologized—as if the fault was his and not their father’s.
Tom had been relieved the crushing burden hadn’t fallen on him—and ashamed of himself for being relieved—and guilty that he’d been able to escape and Daniel hadn’t.
He still felt guilty.
Daniel had sold the town house in London and
