Page 27 of The Redemption of the Shrew

Gloriana huffed at this absurdity.

“Where you are concerned,” Sophie added tartly.

“You are angry with me,” Gloriana said.

“For the sake of my brother, oui. I am not merely angry, I am enragée. This tea is surely cold.” She plunked the tray down on the drawing room table and rang for the maid. “You accuse him unfairly. He is an honorable man.”

Gloriana wasn’t sure about this. He had run from her five years ago, instead of agreeing to wed her as a man of honor would have done. But she couldn’t say as much to Sophie. Nevertheless, she hastened to defend herself. “He understood why. He admitted to being a thief in the past.”

“Nevertheless, you caused him much pain. He does not steal from his friends.”

Gloriana twisted her hands together. “I am not his friend.”

Sophie gave her a look strongly reminiscent of her brother. “He does not harm those he loves.”

Why must hope forever linger in some corner of her heart, waiting for the chance to grow? Gloriana shook her head. “He doesn’t love me.” How pathetic, but she couldn’t leave it at that. “Did he tell you he does?”

“No, he tells me nothing, only that he wishes never to see you again. He would not say such a thing if he did not care profoundly.”

That didn’t make any sense, but Gloriana was unable to bring herself to argue.

“If he did not care, he would not need to avoid you. If he did not care, he would not promise to help directly after you accused him.”

Very well, maybe that did make a little sense, but she didn’t want it to, for she would have to hope again. “I don’t want to be beholden to him, and if he finds the Book of Hours, I shall be.”

“It is right and proper to be beholden to others,” Sophie said. “I am beholden to him for my life and the lives of my children. He got us safely out of France.”

“He’s your brother. It’s his duty to take care of you.”

The maid appeared in the doorway, and Sophie asked for fresh tea.

“Do not order it for me,” Gloriana said. “I cannot stay.”

“Bring me coffee, then,” Sophie said, making no attempt to persuade Gloriana to remain.

~ ~ ~

“Kindly cease suggesting that Gloriana and I should go to bed together,” Philippe told his sister at breakfast the next morning.

“Cher Philippe,” she said, “it is the obvious solution. Lovers all over the world reestablish harmony in bed.” She refilled his coffee cup.

“We were never lovers,” he said.

“No? Not even a kiss or two?” She proffered the sugar.

“A few kisses mean nothing.” He paused to stir the coffee. “And we never had harmony, she and I.”

“Never?”

“For a few days, perhaps, but there is nothing to reestablish. Suggesting it is unkind to us both.” He broke a piece off one of the baguettes Sophie had taught the English cook to bake. They were not as good as the baguettes in France, but one could not expect miracles—with bread or with women. “Even if we could control our mutual antagonism long enough to take off our clothing, it would end in disaster. I cannot wed such a woman. She is wild and uncontrolled. She disputed with me for years, and if that was not bad enough, it seems she meant very little of what she said. Now she comes here to accuse me, and she hits me again and again.” Irritable now, he spread butter lavishly on the bread. “She is impossible.”

“And yet you love her.”

“I was a fool once, but I am wiser now.” He took a bite.

“You were a boy then. Our father mistreated you, but you must not let that ruin your entire life.”

“The distant past is irrelevant. I was a fool to love Gloriana.” He swallowed some coffee. “I do not want to see her. I do not want to talk to her. I will get her book for her, and then she will leave me alone. And that is that.”