“There is nothing between us.”She is marrying you.Luke swallowed. “It was a slip of the tongue. That’s all.”
“That is why you were so jovial! So happy and smiley! It was all because of her, was it not?” Rodger’s voice was tinged with excitement.
His tone puzzled Luke.How can he be excited? Does he not realise what this means? She is to be his wife. Unless… No he would not be so cruel.“I have just enjoyed being around such a lively family, that is all.”
“You are rather well suited to family life. I have always imagined you with a large brood of your own, a doting wife.”
“But I have told you I would never marry.”
“Yes, and I have been willing to go along with your nonsense until I saw the way you came alive at Emberly Castle.” “I thought you had never wanted any of that, but clearly I was mistaken. You have simply refused to let yourself want it.”
Luke recoiled, but he could not bring himself to refute his brother’s words. “It is not the path meant for me.”
“Why not? I have never known you breach propriety like this, to use her first name so casually. Do not lie to me brother.” Rodger’s eyes searched Luke’s face. “Do you care for her?”
“I do.” The words released something in Luke, and he turned from Rodger. “But there is no future for us. She has chosen you. And she has chosen well. I wish you both every happiness together.”
“She has not.” His brother’s words caught him off guard.
The roiling in his stomach seemed to abate, the room stopped spinning.She has not.What did it mean?
“Pardon?” Luke paused, frowning and turned back to face him.
“Miss Pembleton has not chosen me.” Rodger was smiling.
How can he smile?Anger flared within Luke, what sick game was his brother playing. “I would never have expected such cruelty from you brother. To hear of my feelings and then rubthat she has chosen you in my face. You just said you had asked her to marry you and she said yes. Clearly she has chosen you.”
“I never said Miss Pembleton was the woman I proposed to, you just assumed that.” Rodger folded his arms across his chest, looking smug.
Luke reeled in disbelief, his head spun. He gaped at his brother. Relief washed over him, followed by a spike of exhilaration.She is not going to marry Rodger.“Then… If not her, who?”
“Marie.” Rodger flushed and downed his own glass of whiskey, spluttering as he did so.
As he coughed, Luke thumped him on the back and asked, “But… But how? When?”It was not Emily. He is not marrying Emily.
He felt a hundred times lighter. The vice around his chest was suddenly released. He wanted to laugh, to hug his brother. He continued to rub his brother’s back as he waited for Rodger to stop coughing.
“If you had not been so busy flirting with your dearest Emily, then you might have seen it.” Rodger teased hoarsely.
His words broke through Luke’s temporary elation. Reality hit him like a bag of bricks. He had rejected Emily, pushed her away.
I am not the one determined to push everyone away.The words he had spoken to her. Is that not what he had done? She was willing to be with him. Wanted him, and he had run from her.I am a coward.“I was not… She is not my Emily.”
“Do you want her to be?” Rodger asked, collapsing into a seat.
Luke ran his hand across his jaw as he slumped beside his brother. “I… It does not matter. I cannot be the man she deserves.”
“Why not? What about you is less than she deserves?” His brother narrowed his eyes at him.
“I am weak. Unworthy.” Luke glared at the amber liquid in his glass.
“Says who?” Rodger demanded.
“Father.” The word fell from his lips. “I was never good enough for him. You were his favourite. He said it should have been you who was the first born.”
“And was father some omnipotent being?” Rodger arched an eyebrow at Luke. “Was he God?”
“Of course he was not.” Luke frowned at his brother.
