“Not from anything I did.She surrendered her jewels without complaint so they didn’t hurt her but—” His features tightened.“I didn’t protect her.”
She stared at him, confusion making her lips part.“How many thieves were there?”
“Six,” he answered automatically.
“How could any man persevere against a gang of six men?”
“A man should protect the women in his life.The children.I failed and?—”
She cocked her head, wishing Angela’s loss didn’t hurt him quite so much.She’d told herself that she was angry because he’d once again hidden the truth, but on a more basic level, she simply hated that another woman occupied his life.“Did she say it was your failure that made her end the relationship?”
His jaw clenched.“No.She said that I grew distant and?—”
There were so many pieces and they nearly came together in her thoughts.His father, Ralph, Angela.If she could just find the thread of them.“Is it possible that she did end it for exactly the reason she gave you?”
His shoulders flexed as he stood straighter.“Yes.”
“In the information you have omitted, you make me feel like an outsider in your life.”
His sharp intake of breath resonated through the room.“I make you feel that way?”
Rather than answer, she asked another question that had plagued her since reading Eugene’s note.She didn’t want to ask it, and the answer shouldn’t matter, but somehow she couldn’t keep the question of her lips.“Did you love her?”
“No.”
The answer simply stated without hesitation made her gaze snap up and her eyes widen.“You didn’t?”
He shook his head, reaching up to touch her cheek.“She was accomplished, kind, with the right connections.I thought she’d make a good viscountess.”
This all sounded very familiar.Hadn’t he chosen her for much the same reasons.“Was she also willing to make an heir for you?”The idea that Angela had been the love of his life hurt, but somehow the knowledge that she wasn’t hurt nearly as much.
What conclusion might she draw other than Wyatt didn’t wish for love.
Which would be fine except for as much as she’d tried to keep her heart out of their relationship, it was in.She’d gone and fallen in love.
“I’m sure she was.It’s implied in every normal match.”
She nodded, wishing she might lay her head on the desk and cry out her…what?Disappointment?
It shouldn’t matter.He’d allowed her to retain control of her money, she’d gotten what she wished.But somewhere along the way she had to confess to herself that she’d wished for even more.She wanted his heart.“I asked you this once before.Is there anything else I should know about you?”
His hand came to her neck.Warm and gentle, his fingers stroked at her skin, evoking feelings she ignored, pulling away.
“I wasn’t keeping her secret from you, Priscilla.I was just afraid that when you heard she’d left, you’d want to do the same.I told you.What I need from you is for you to stay by my side.”
She looked at him, realizing how much he hurt.He might not have loved Angela but her departure had hurt deeply.“The only thing creating distance between us is what you choose not to share.”
He grimaced, bending down.“You really think that?”
She nodded.“Yes.”
From his right hand, he set a file on her desk.How had she not even noticed he’d carried it.“I came to share this with you.”His dark eyes met hers.“Whatever else you might think, I made a promise to slay your dragons and I’ll keep it.”And then he stood, pivoting to walk back toward the door.
She almost called him back.They hadn’t really solved anything, but her pride stung too much to let the words pass her lips.Instead, she waited until he was gone and then opened the file.At the very first page she gasped, tears stinging her eyes.
He had done as he’d promised.She clutched the file to her chest and rose from the table, racing from the room.
* * *
