“You thought to capitalize on the situation?”
Lannister turned away from him in disgust. “To what end?”
“Why did you give Sarah your card if you didn’t mean to make mischief between us? Admit it, you still have designs on her. Was her fortune too tempting to give up?”
“For fuck’s sake, no! I was motivated, believe it or not, by pure concern for her. Nothing else!”
“By God, you love her,” whispered Robert, staring at him dumbfounded.
“I said as much the last time we spoke, but I don’t think you were listening.” Lannister looked away, pointedly not at Sarah, although Robert was sure the other man was as aware of her presence as he was himself.
“She knows how you feel?”
“She does. And she told me to leave.”
“My God.” Robert squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed hard. The pain in his chest was making it hard to breathe.
Lannister seemed to get himself under control again and went on. “There really is no need for any of this, you know. Your wife loves you. You’re just too thick headed to see it.”
Robert scrubbed his face, staring at the tumbled-down rocks around them. “I’ve castigated myself for being all kinds of an idiot from here to kingdom come, but I think you’ve just crowned it.”
“Having an epiphany, are you?” Lannister smiled at him derisively. “Good.” Lannister shoved his hands in his pockets. “The field is yours, Your Grace. Don’t fuck it up. Or I’ll put a fucking bullet inyou!”
“Noble of you.”
“Yes, it’s very unlike me, but then Sarah”—at a glare from Robert, he amended—“the Duchess of Troubridge is a unique woman.”
Robert nodded and said softly, “Yes, she is.”
“Will you allow me to take my leave of her?”
Robert nodded and watched Lannister tread over to her and bow.
*
“I know you’redetermined to have none of my help,” said Lannister ruefully. “And I hope that leaving you with your husband is not a mistake.”
She clasped her hands and said quietly, “I thank you for your concern. It—it is unfounded, however. Whatever you may think of my husband, I do not share your view.”
He watched her for a moment or two, then he inclined his head and bowed. “Your sentiments do you great credit, Your Grace. You are a lady to your fingertips. I will of course respectyour wishes, but please do know that I am always yours to command, should you ever have need of me.”
She nodded, wholly unable to respond to that. He then turned and walked over to his horse. She watched as he mounted, waved his hat to them, and set off across the fields toward the road.
Robert had returned to her side, and they stood watching him leave. There was so much unsaid between them, she didn’t know where to start.
Chapter Thirty
When they reachedthe house, Robert drew her into the library, and as soon as the door was shut, he seized her hands, words tripping over themselves. “I am an idiot. I am so sorry, Sarah. I behaved abominably toward you. I need to tell you that I found Lannister’s card in your desk drawer that morning I left you abruptly. I—”
“Is that why you disappeared all day?”
“Yes. I was beside myself over Lannister. I tried to forget about it, but clearly I couldn’t.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid of what you might say, that you might confirm my fears. I confess I am a coward. I told myself that it was absurd to be jealous of Lannister and I pretended to believe it, but when I saw Ashford’s hands on you, it all just boiled over. It was actually Lannister I wanted to hit. Instead, I hit Emrys. My behavior is appalling.”
“Did you apologize to Emrys?”
