Kettering, usually quick to respond, remained still. He stood there, unflinching. His eyes stayed serious as he looked at his Duke. At that moment, it was as if he had become someone different—someone Adrian wasn't sure he liked.
“Your Grace,” the man said quietly, devoid of any of the hardness and efficiency he expected from him.
His manager’s voice was too soft, something they both could not afford to be.
“Briarwood is dead,” he continued. “At the moment, the physical threat is gone. Perhaps it is time for you to forget about gaming hells and think about the Duchess. Live as a man and a husband, not a shadow. You’ve lived far too long in the darkness, and you deserve so much more. You deserve better.”
Adrian’s eyes bulged. He felt the last of his control snap. Oftentimes, Kettering spoke of his own love affair with his wife. He was obedient and constantly eager to return home to his hearth so he could kiss his dearest one good night. Only on rare occasions did Kettering overstep his bounds and try to dictate anything to the Duke. He felt exposed by his employee’s quietaccusation, and even though he felt the nudge of truth, he could not bear it.
“You forget yourself, Kettering,” he hissed, feeling the pressure on his temples.
He stood to his full height, meaning to intimidate the shorter man.
But Kettering did not flinch. “Youhave forgotten yourself, Your Grace,” he said firmly.
More often than not, Kettering provided the levity he needed in the kind of world they navigated, but not tonight.
No, the man was not here for that at all.
“Do not tell me what to do,” Adrian growled, “Briarwood’s death opens the trade for us. We can have more business. Control more gaming hells in London—perhaps the majority, if not all.”
Kettering gave him a respectful bow, full of deference. However, he didn’t seem willing to back down.
“Your Grace, I’ve served you for too long, and you know my undying loyalty. I am not merely working for you for the money. Yes, the wife is overjoyed at my income, sir, but I also care about you and your welfare. I’ve seen the darkness consume you as of late. It consumed Briarwood and many men before the two ofyou. Perhaps the Earl’s failed attempt to frame you is a warning that you must heed. Think of the Duchess; she needs you.”
“Do you see her anywhere near me, Kettering?” Adrian snarled, feeling the bitterness like bile in his throat. With trembling fingers, he pointed at the door. “You are dismissed. I don’t want to see you in any of the gaming hells tonight, Kettering. Don’t make me use force to remove you from the premises. Go!”
The manager left without any more attempts to argue. Adrian found himself alone, the shadows of his library fleeting over him. Briarwood died, yet even this brought him no relief.
No sense of triumph.
He was left alone, reflecting on the loss of his reason for separating from Daphne, yet still feeling isolated. Despite everything, her absence lingered. His wife was intelligent; he knew he couldn't simply bring her back into his life for his own comfort.
He would need to make amends, but Adrian was lost. Since the death of his mother and sister, he had only known revenge and deceit.
How can I change? How can I be what Daphne needs?
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Vicky!” Daphne cried as soon as she saw her beloved twin sister arriving at Wilhelmina’s townhouse.
She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. That was the extent of the emotions building and bubbling within her chest as soon as she saw the sister who looked so much like her, but not so much.
Victoria appeared a bit slimmer. Having shed some weight, she now looked more like Daphne than ever before. Still, Daphne believed, no one could replicate the expression of despair that showed on her own face.
“You look terrible, Daphne,” her twin declared, confirming her fears.
Meanwhile, Victoria looked like a fairy princess with the dust motes swirling around her, illuminated by sunlight. She was sunshine to Daphne’s rainy days, which meant that something shifted. They had exchanged roles in a way.
“Thank you,” Daphne said, rolling her eyes.
She tried to use more sarcasm but failed. She could not help but smile. Victoria was the half that she had been missing. She had thought that Adrian could fill the void, but her husband would rather be on his own or with a hundred drunken patrons in his gaming hells than be with her.
“Oh, Daphne,” Victoria gushed, reaching to fold her into an embrace. Daphne could feel her twin sister’s worry. They might have been separated for a long time, but reuniting would prove that nothing had changed. They were still the same. Their bond was strong. “Mina said you needed a change. I imagined you were either too bored or too exposed to danger. It seems that with Wolfcrest, there is no middle ground.”
Of course, Victoria had already heard all about Daphne’s struggles from Wilhelmina. Her knowledge made things easier. Daphne didn’t have to sit down with her twin and provide a litany of everything she felt and experienced.
The sisters walked toward the drawing room, hand in hand just like when they were little. Her hand was cold and clammy in Victoria’s warm one.
