“Butwhy?” She was insistent now. “Why would a duke, a man who needs an heir, not want to marry? What could possibly make him shun an institution as ha llowed as matrimony?”
“I…” He looked a bit disconcerted by her line of questioning, but she didn’t care. She was determined to learn the truth. “I watched my father for too long. He was not a good husband to my mother, and it entirely put me off the institution. Not to mention that he was a terrible father as well.”
This stopped Leah in her tracks. All her interrogations melted away. This was not the answer she had been expecting. The last time she’d asked him why he so spurned marriage, he’d spoken of the institution holding him back from traveling. But this… this was much deeper.
“Your father,” she repeated slowly. “I have never heard you speak of him before.”
“No, nor will you often. He was a terrible bastard and I prefer not to think about him.”
The Duke’s tone was light, but she was sure she had seen his expression darken slightly.
She swallowed. She knew she had to approach this carefully. “And he wasn’t good to your mother?”
“He treated her as if she lived only to serve him and bear him children, and once that was over, she was useless to him. I neverheard him say a kind word to her. He was cruel to everyone, though, especially my sister and me.”
Leah blinked. Her mind snagged on the wordsister.“But you don't have a sister,” she said softly. “You told me you don’t have any siblings.”
“I don’t,” the Duke said. He still looked relatively calm, his expression neutral, but his eyes were now moving faster and faster, darting around the room. It gave her the feeling that he was trying to escape. “She is dead.”
“Oh.” Leah’s heart clenched. “I am very sorry to hear that. But… but you did have a sister.”
“Yes, I did have a sister.” He hesitated. “I’m sorry I wasn’t more honest about that when you asked. The truth is, I do not like to talk about my sister. Her death was very painful for me, and it still…” he broke off, looking down at his plate. When at last he looked up, his expression was pained.
“It is still hard for me to speak of,” he said softly.
“Of course,” Leah murmured. She couldn’t even imagine… If one of her sisters were to die, she would be inconsolable. There was no worse fate than that.
“In fact, I… I would prefer that we didn’t speak of this any longer. Please. ” He didn’t seem mad or upset with her; if anything, helooked deeply uncomfortable, as if he were worried he was going to upsether.
“Of course,” she said again. “I am sorry to have brought it up.” And she did feel very sorry. At the same time, it helped her piece together the puzzle that was her husband. Things about him were finally starting to make sense.
“Don’t be sorry,” the Duke said, smiling valiantly at her. “Perhaps it’s a good thing we talked about this. It’s not good for me to hold it all in. And although it’s painful, it also makes me happy to remember Liliana.”
“That was her name?”
“Yes.” He smiled slightly. “Actually, you remind me of her a little. She was very spirited as well, although she didn’t always know her worth.”
Leah’s heart was beating so loudly in her chest that even across the room, she was surprised he couldn’t hear it.Is that why he was so protective of me? Is that why he got rid of all those men he didn’t think were worthy? Is that why he was so worried about me drowning in the river?
And then another, more confusing though:Is that why he doesn’t want to be a real husband to me?
Part of her was deeply complimented that she was like his sister, but another part of her didn’t want anything of the sort. She was not his sister. She was herself. A woman.
“I think I might retire now,” the Duke said, smiling gently at her. “I feel very tired after speaking of such matters.”
He stood, and, after a small hesitation, came over to her side of the table. Slowly, he bowed before her, then took her hand, and very gently, pressed it to his lips.
“Goodnight, Leah,” he murmured.
“Goodnight… Dorian,” she whispered back. His smile widened, then he released her hand and left the dining room, leaving her with even more questions than he had answered.
Chapter Sixteen
“Welcome back to London, little sister!” Lucien said, wrapping his arms around Leah and pulling her in tight. “I am so glad to have you back.”
“And I’m glad to be back,” she said, hugging her brother as tightly as she possibly could. “It was so lonely out in the countryside without the lot of you!”
“Let me hug her now!” Eve complained, pulling at Lucien’s arms. “I’ve missed her more than you have!”
