Duncan's thoughts turned to Tessa, as they did more and more nowadays as he wrestled with these new feelings.
He had truly loved her.
"Maybe I want someone I can grow old with."
"You know I want the same thing, to grow old with you."
It couldn't be, but he had promised that he would stay with her, would love her until she died. That day had unfortunately come much sooner than either of them could have imagined, but if it had been twenty, forty or sixty years in the future, nothing would have changed. He had asked her to marry him, something he had never done before.
Amanda had known he would never leave Tessa. Oh, she had asked him to, of course, but they both knew it was for form's sake, not because she believed for a minute that he actually would.
Yet, Tessa had felt threatened by her as she had not by any other, had felt the need to compete. She had sensed their connection, yet had not been able to understand it. Not a surprise really, as Duncan could never have explained it, didn't understand it himself, not back then.
"She made me laugh, when there was very little to laugh about. I know that seems very little, but it is what I remember about her."
The one thing Tessa had never comprehended was how strong his love was for her. That as long as she was alive, he was hers, body and soul.