The mention of Madeline in this conversation unnerved him but, for the moment, he concealed it. “I do still care for you, Diana. I always will, but we are not meant to be husband and wife.”
“But the letters…you kept them.”
He struggled to keep his composure. “I never meant for you to see those.”
“But they were here on your desk, for all the world to see!”
Adam tried to keep his anger in check. “They were locked in a box.”
Diana realized her gaffe but brushed it off and pointed a long finger. “The key was sitting out, right there.”
He gazed at it on the desk. “A key on a desk is not an open invitation to go through a man’s personal belongings!”
“They weremyletters!”
Good God, why were they arguing about this? Adam pinched the bridge of his nose to try and thwart the headache that was beginning to throb. “You may have them back if you wish.”
She glared hotly at him. “Indeed. You’re through with them, are you?”
He said nothing. He merely met her gaze, hoping she would see how truly sorry he was.
She marched angrily over to the desk and picked up the box of letters. “I believe I will take them, thank you. Andyou,Adam Coates, can burn in hell.”
With that, she walked out of his study. Adam followed her down the hall and into the kitchen, where she threw the box of letters onto the fire. Sparks snapped and crackled and flew into the air, and Diana slapped her hands together as if to brush off the grimy memories.
Alone in the kitchen, they stood face-to-face, staring at each other. Adam didn’t know what to say. If she had wanted to slap him, he would have let her, for she deserved some kind of satisfaction for what he’d put her through.
If he could have changed the way things had occurred to have avoided this altogether, he certainly would have. If only he could have seen into the future. He would have sent for Madeline’s hand in marriage in the first place.
Life, however, was never as easy as that. He had to face the difficult truth that he had caused Diana great pain and inconvenience, and had also displaced her from her home.
“The least you can do is tell me who she is and where you met her,” Diana said.
Adam stiffened. He could not tell Diana that it was her sister he loved, when Madeline herself didn’t even know. “I would rather not.”
“I deserve to know the truth, Adam. Iwantto know.”
He would not waver. He shook his head at her.
“Have you already proposed to her?”
“No.”
“Does she know about me?”
“Yes.” God, he wanted this to be over.
For a long time she stood there, glaring at him, and when he offered her no further information, she pushed past him toward the stairs. “I’m leaving on the next ship. And I’m taking Madeline with me.”
Before he had a chance to realize what he was doing, he was reaching for Diana’s arm as she passed. With a quick, tight grip, he stopped her. “Madeline stays here.” Diana’s startled expression shook his resolve. “At least until I have a chance to talk to her myself.”
Diana yanked her arm out of his grasp. Her chest rose and fell with deep, furious breaths. Then her face changed; her voice was like an echo. “It’s Madeline, isn’t it?”
He met her challenging glare but said nothing, for what could he say when his world was crumbling all around him?
“You’ve fallen in love with my sister! How could you! How couldshe!She assured me you still cared for me. She pretended to be my loyal sister, when she was betraying me all along!”
“No, she is innocent in this.”
