Duchess Beware (Secrets & Scandals Book 2) (27 page)

“I had proof, or what I thought was proof,” Daniel explained quickly, turning to his discarded, somewhat soggy coat thrown over a chair behind him.  He pulled the note out and handed it over.  “I didn’t learn the truth until two days ago.”

Connor opened the damp note and was, thankfully, able to read the smeared words.  His face grew even darker than before.  “At least the bastard has been dealt with,” he growled and handed the note back.  “This doesnae excuse ye believing the lie, Huntington.  Ye should have known Silver would never dae such a thing.  That’s why she wants tae leave.”

“Leave?”  He clenched the note in his fist.  “What are you talking about?”  He gazed at the door and back.  “Is that what she just said?”

The man gave a sharp nod, a vein popping out at his temple.  “She said ye wished her tae leave.  And I’m going tae help the lassie dae just tha’.”

Daniel knew how important his next words were and decided to let his heart speak.  “I do not want Silver leaving my side.  Ever.  I love her.”  He straightened his spine, determined.  “Now, if you will please move away from the door, I would like to go in there and apologize to your sister and do whatever I can to convince her to stay with me.”  Then he held his breath and waited.

****

Silver woke with a start and was glad for it.  Her dreams were turning menacing again, terrifying her.  Images of her and Prudence trying to protect her baby from an evil storm.  It was the crash of thunder in her dream that had jarred her awake.  She shivered.

Carefully, she cracked open her eyes.  Her breath caught.  From under her lashes, she watched Daniel pace the area between the bed and fireplace.  She hadn’t expected to see him.  Where was her brother with the carriage? 

The dream echoed through her mind and she squeezed her eyes shut to force the terrible images away.  At least Connor had agreed to help her.  That eased some of her anxiety, but…

But the thought of leaving and never seeing Daniel and Torie again still upset her.

Upset her terribly.

She would even miss the dowager.

Silver blinked back the tears that dared to form and watched Daniel stop at the window to gaze out.  He propped a hand on the wall and bowed his head.  She couldn’t force her eyes away from his profile.  A sharp pain pierced her heart when she realized she would never stop loving him.  And a part of her would die when she left for good.

So deep in misery, she didn’t notice him turn.  “I’m glad to see you’re awake.”

She blinked and focused on him. 
Rot!
  She had hoped she wouldn’t have to face him before leaving.  Where was Connor?

His attention stayed fixed on her as he walked to the chair beside the bed and sat.  “How are you feeling?”

Silver turned wary, wondering why he acted so…well…pleasant.

He leaned forward.  “Are you in any pain?”

Yes she was, but not physically.  She shook her head.

“That is good.”

Her confusion soared.  Why did he act as though he cared when she knew he didn’t?  He was about to send her away and divorce her, she thought bitterly.  Then he smiled down at her.  The sexy, toe-curling, stomach-twisting variety, curse his rotten soul to the devil.

Where in the hell was her brother with that carriage?

Silver took a deep, unsteady breath.  Time to face what was to come.  “Quit playing games, Daniel,” she kept her voice as stern as she could, “and come to the point of this pitiful performance of yours.”

His smile actually widened.  “Ah, ‘tis good to hear from the spitfire this fine morn.”

Why wouldn’t he stop the charade and just tell her he wanted a divorce?  “What do you want?”

He turned serious and scooped up her hand.  “I want my wife back.”

The feel of his hot, slightly rough palm shot up her arm and spilled into her, warming her entire body.  Silver jerked her hand away and buried it in between the folds of the blanket, hoping he wouldn’t notice how it trembled.  Why would he tell her such a thing?  Didn’t he realize just how cruel he was being?  She gripped the blanket with both hands.  Perhaps that was his intention.  “What are you saying?”

He heaved a heavy sigh and bowed his head.  “God, Silver, I’ve been such a fool.  Please, my darling, please forgive me for what I’ve done to you.”

She closed her eyes, recalling every detail of her debut, every terrible word he’d uttered.  Then the name Susanna Davenport came to mind, and she opened her eyes.  But before she could speak the words that formed on her tongue, a knock sounded.

Connor.  It had to be.

She heard Daniel swear under his breath as he rose to his feet.  He marched to the door and wrenched it open.  “What?”

“Good heavens, Daniel, you don’t have to shout.” His grandmother entered the room, followed by Torie and Prudence, who gave a rather loud sniff of displeasure as she glided past him.

Silver drew her brows.  Where was her brother?  Did he have trouble with the carriage?

“How are you today, my dear?” Anne asked as she reached the bed first.

She hesitated, a bit confused.  Had Daniel not said anything about accusing her of adultery?  “Better,” she said, relieved for the moment the formidable lady didn’t think bad of her.

Anne smiled.  “And my great-grandchild?”

Silver’s whole body tensed at those words.  She slid her eyes shut. 
Oh, my God.  They knew.
  She had been hoping…  Her mind whirled.  Where was Connor?  Had he changed his mind about taking them to Scotland?  What would she do then?  How would she and Prudence manage until she found work?  She bit her trembling bottom lip.  Her books might fetch a coin or two, but not near enough to sustain them for long.

Tamping back her growing anxiety, she opened her eyes and glanced at Daniel as he approached from behind the others.  He shot his grandmother a reproving glare, raising her fear even more, and suddenly she wanted to be far, far away.

“Silver?” Anne asked, her brows crinkled in concern.  “Is everything well?”

With more strength than she realized she possessed, she forced the words from her stiff lips.  “All is well.”

The worry melted from Anne’s face.  “That is excellent.”  Delight shone in her gray eyes.  “I cannot wait to hear the patter of small feet in this house once again.”

“And I cannot wait to be an aunt,” Torie said with a bright smile.

Silver swallowed hard, refusing to look at her husband.  Why hadn’t he told them of his plans to divorce her?

Prudence nodded.  “Being an aunt is indeed a blessing, Victoria.”

Anne raised her chin and gave a haughty look.  “I daresay being an aunt pales to being a grandmother.”

Prudence faced the dowager, giving an admonishing sniff.  “Grandmother, ha!  You’re more of a dictator.”

Silver listened to the rest of the argument with only half an ear.  Her thoughts centered on what Prudence had said about Anne being a dictator.  When Daniel ushered the women from the room, realization hit.  Her breath caught.  Had Anne forced Daniel into making an apology?

She thought he couldn’t be forced into anything.  However, playing on his sense of duty and honor, Anne might have convinced him.  After all, she thought bitterly, even Daniel couldn’t deny the possibility of fathering the child.  Perhaps this had been nothing more than an attempt at buying time until he could look upon the baby for any resemblances.

Oh, God, she could not go through nine months of uncertainty, not knowing if one day she, Prudence, and the baby would be thrown out.  She shook her head as the dream intruded.  No, it would be better to leave now.

“Believe it or not,” he said with a chuckle as he approached, “I think those two are starting to like each other.”  He resumed his seat beside the bed and smiled, leaning forward to tuck the curl that had fallen against her cheek behind her ear.

A spark of anger shot through her.  How dare he act this way?  And an act it must be, she thought with seething indignation.  There could be no other explanation for his going from accusing her of adultery to doting husband in so short a time.  Her head spun with the sudden change.

She slapped his hand away.  “I want you to leave.  Now.”

His brows sprang up.  He withdrew his hand.  “We have things to sort out.”  He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.  “And I’m not leaving here until we do.”

Silver pulled back the bedding.  “Then I am leaving.”  She lifted her head from the pillow, determined to go find her brother.

Daniel stood and cupped her shoulders, scorching her with his touch, and pressed her gently back against the bed.  “First things first,” he stated.  “I know you haven’t been unfaithful.”  He settled the bedding back around her body.  “I was wrong to have accused you, Silver, and beg your forgiveness.”

Oh, how she wanted to believe those words!  How she wanted to forget everything that had happened and believe what he said was true.  But she couldn’t. 

She turned away from his repentant features—no doubt contrived—and took a long, steadying breath.  Why wouldn’t he just leave?  “I would like to see Connor.”

“First, I need you to take a look at this.”

A damp and crumpled piece of ivory parchment fell before her eyes, landing on the bed beside her.  She frowned, wondering what sort of game her husband played now.

Wishing to get this done and over with so she could find out what was keeping her brother, she scooted up against the pillows and snatched up the note.  Daniel started to assist, but she shook her head, indicating she didn’t want or need his help.  He resumed his seat while she removed her spectacles from the marble topped table beside the bed.

Silver read Victor’s note and gasped.

“You probably didn’t know, but days after arriving in London, I returned to Huntington.  As I went looking for you, I found that letter on the path to the lake,” he explained in a low voice.  “The bench came into view, and I saw him kissing you…” he cleared his throat and continued.  “I just turned around.  Oh, God, Silver, I just turned around and went back to London.  I had no idea he was about to attack you.”  He paused and bowed his head.  “And I didn’t learn the truth until two days ago.  I am so sorry.”  His head wagged from side to side.  “I was wrong to have ever doubted you.  And what I did to you at your debut…”

Her chest constricted.  Dare she hope?  Daniel did look and sound miserable, repentant.  If he really didn’t believe what he was saying, could he act so well?  Silver wanted to throw herself into his arms, then scolded herself for the thought.  Doubts still lingered and she needed answers to her questions.  She removed the spectacles, her hands trembling slightly.  “Why did you go to London in the first place?”

His shoulders slumped.  He rubbed his sleeve across his eyes then rose and started to pace.  She frowned, now realizing why Aunt Prudence disliked it so.

“In order to answer your question, I must tell you something about my parents.”  He cleared his throat.  “My father desperately loved my mother, but she loved another.  Father had convinced her father to agree to the betrothal, and she never forgave either one for it.  She spent years making Father’s life miserable.  Then, just after Torie’s third birthday, the man Mother loved returned to England and wanted her back.  It broke Father’s heart.  He went after her as soon as he found her note, then came across the carriage an hour from the estate.  It had lost a wheel and overturned, said the dazed driver.  But Mother was killed.”  He paused and closed his eyes a moment before he continued.  “In his grief, Father returned to the estate and shot himself in the head with a dueling pistol.  I was the one who found him.”  His voice turned low.  “He still had her note clutched in his hand, the pistol in the other.”

Silver put a hand over her mouth, horrified.  She was about to speak when Daniel continued.

“I was afraid we were turning into my parents.”  He faced her, his eyes glistening with confliction and something else.  Something much, much stronger.  “So when you told me that you loved me and I found I wanted to return the vow, I thought of my father.  Then I scurried off to London.  Mother often teased Father about loving him one day and hating him the next.”  He paused to take a breath.  “I was afraid.  Actually, I was terrified of something like that happening.  So I came back from London to sort it all out, but found that note.  It brought back how my mother had wanted to leave us.  Her own children.  And I feared I was becoming my father,” he said in a voice so soft, she had to strain to hear his words. 

He sat in the chair and reached for her, but reconsidered and drew his hand back.  “I was wrong, and I’m so sorry.  I do love you, Silver.  Please, please stay here with me forever.”  He stared into her eyes for several long seconds, and she could read the guilt and pain.  Then he sprang to his feet and walked to the window to stare out.

Silver saw two paths before her.  She could leave and go to Scotland or she could stay.  Either choice, she was taking a chance.  Life would be difficult and uncertain in Scotland.  She would have to work hard every day to provide for Prudence and the baby.  Her hand went to her middle, wondering if she would be able to keep food on the table. 

But if she stayed…  A blast of longing went through her whole body at the thought.  That choice was filled with uncertainty, too.  She glanced at Daniel and watched him take a ragged breath.  His words came rushing back to her.  His parents.  Finding Victor’s note.  He hadn’t learned the truth until two days ago.  She knew he had been traveling to his other estates, as though he had been running from something.