“He chose the ghosts of his past, Vicky,” she admitted, as they sat down. A maid quickly followed them with a tray of tea. “He would rather focus on revenge than live with me in peace, and he said he was only trying to protect me!”
Daphne was aware of the risk of opening up to Victoria. Her sister had a vicious temper, but she would be quick to take Daphne’s side, and that was comforting. There was no need to hide her feelings. She needed someone’s support. Her twin was the best one.
“That devilish… evil… serpent!” Victoria yelled, startling the maid, who almost spilled some of the tea she was pouring into the cup.
“Victoria!” Daphne widened her eyes at her sister.
“Well, I don’t care who can hear,” she said, looking defiantly at the maid, who thought it wise to slowly leave the room. “I’ll break his legs. I told him that I would hurt him if he did something to you. I will tell Daniel that he is not taking care of you as promised.”
“I believe our brother already knows,” Daphne murmured, reaching for her sister’s hands. “They already had a confrontation. The two of them were not listening to me. They were more interested in satisfying themselves in believing that I am safe.”
Victoria sighed heavily. Her eyes were sad and wary when they met with Daphne’s once more.
“Then, I can only offer you comfort, darling,” she said, nodding.
And comfort she gave. They spent the next few hours simply sharing stories and jesting about everything from London’s most abominable members of society to their own mother.
“Don’t tell Mother about this,” Daphne begged.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, sister, but I believe she might already know. Word gets around very fast. People are gossips who don’t know how to leave other people’s business be. For good reason, in your case.”
“Ha!”
“Perhaps you can get an annulment?” Victoria asked hopefully.
Daphne gave her twin a mock-glare. They both knew that would be a disaster to anyone’s reputation, and it was more likely that they would not grant her, having consummated her marriage with her husband.
“I’m merely jesting, Daphne.”
Again, that heavy sigh. Throughout their years together, they’d shared their frustrations about marrying as a woman of society. Even though Victoria might not say it, both had high hopes that her marriage to the Duke could be her way out of despair.
An escape.
Meanwhile, the following day, Adrian had a visitor. Caleb went inside without announcing himself, and the footmen tried to get him to step back outside, but to no avail.
Adrian did not expect him. He had not been particularly kind to his friend. All right. He probably never was, but the past few weeks had been worse. He sat in his study with his head bent close to the surface of his desk, which was cluttered by papers. His glass of whiskey was almost drained just like the bottle next to it.
Caleb remained standing. For once, he didn’t have a smile on his face. Adrian remembered Kettering. It seemed he had that effect on people these days. He placed his hands on Adrian’s desk. The Duke looked up at his friend reluctantly, not too happy that he had to lift his head to meet the disappointment in Caleb’s eyes.
“What is going on with you, Wolfcrest?” Caleb demanded. There was no hint of humor in his friend’s voice. It was low and dangerous, more like Adrian himself. “I heard that you’ve become fully the Wolf.”
“Fully the wolf?” Adrian’s tone was incredulous, but he understood what his friend was trying to say. “It is best for Daphne to be away from me, Amberwell. Didn’t you hear about what happened? She was there when the Obsidian Card burned to the ground. I can see from your face that you’ve heard aboutit. Of course you have. The wholetonis abuzz with the news that I endangered my wife by taking her to that hole.”
“You are an utter fool,” Caleb muttered, groaning. He turned around and pulled at his hair, as if he was willing to shoulder all his pain. All his suffering. As if he could feel the devastation Adrian was feeling. He could not possibly do that.
Caleb shook his head in disbelief and looked at his friend with a surprising blend of pity and shock.
“You sent her away. All right. Let us be accurate about it. You let her leave, without knowing if she is coming back. I have never seen you like this with her, not ever. All your past women were merely diversions. I have seen how the shadows peeled away since you met her. The light in your eyes became even clearer as the two of you became closer. You retreated. You are giving up. How can you do that when it’s so plain to see that you love her? Yes, you do!”
Adrian blinked. His hands clenched into fists as he took the blows his friend sent with his words.
Did I really love her?
He regarded her with affection. He wanted her to be safe. However, he never planned to have that terrifying and unnamed beast to hold his heart hostage.
Caleb dared name the feeling. Adrian could not accept it. Sharp clarity descended upon him, but denial overtook it all. It was the way he was, and he thought that he would always be.
“I am protecting her, as I’ve promised when I offered her marriage,” he corrected huskily. His throat was suddenly dry and all he could do was strain to utter anything at all.
