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Especially you, she didn’t say. She clearly didn’t believe he hadn’t harmed his wife.

He couldn’t fault the viscountess for being overprotective, even if she had the wrong idea about him. But from the way she averted her gaze, he wondered if she was lying about Charlotte not being there. He couldn’t imagine Evelyn sending her sister away—especially now.

‘I need to see her,’ he insisted calmly. ‘She is carrying my baby.’

Evelyn’s face tightened. ‘All the more reason why she should stay away from you until her child is born.’

It was clear that she had no intention of letting him see Charlotte, but he understood why. He would need to be strategic, he realised. He would find a way to reassure his wife that he did care about her and the baby.

‘I don’t fault you for wanting to keep Charlotte safe,’ he said calmly, ‘but she needs to be under a doctor’s care.’ After a pause, he added, ‘I will send her a note today, along with some flowers. Please make sure she receives them. I’ll return again tomorrow.’

Evelyn didn’t move. ‘I think it’s time for you to leave, Your Grace.’

He met her gaze evenly. ‘I am not abandoning my wife.’

‘Isn’t that what you’ve done for the last month?’ she shot back. Which only confirmed his suspicions that Charlotte was here.

Alaric walked towards the doorway and waited a moment. Part of him debated whether to ignore Evelyn and search the house until he found Charlotte. But forcing her to come home would only make her resent him. He needed to talk to her, to tell her of his feelings in the hope that she would want to return home.

But her sister’s house was not the place for such a conversation, and Charlotte likely wasn’t ready for that yet. It would take time to regain her trust.

As he travelled home, he wondered how he could convince her to give their marriage a chance. Perhaps he could invite her to join him for a walk in Kensington Gardens or a drive along the banks of the Serpentine. He was so caught up in his thoughts, he hardly noticed when he arrived back at his London townhouse. But to his surprise, he found Thornton waiting there.

His brother’s expression was grim. ‘Forgive me for the intrusion, Alaric, but… I need your help.’

Three days later

Charlotte’s heart ached at the thought of Alaric. From the moment she’d left Severn, she’d hoped her husband would find her and apologise. Her wayward imagination had wanted him to confess that he had missed her and that he did love her after all.

But the moment he’d arrived, she’d been too afraid to see him and had let Evelyn turn him away. Not because she thought he would force her to return—but because she knew her resolve would crumble the moment she was with him again.

On the day she’d fallen, she’d been so frustrated and angry, she hadn’t stopped to really hear his words. He’d remained in London, trying to put distance between them. A man who had no feelings for her had no reason to remain apart. And yet he’d admitted that he had not succeeded in staying away.

There was a glimmer of hope in that.

She wanted her husband, and it had hurt so badly to send him away. She didn’t know what the future would hold for their marriage—especially when he’d never said he was happy about the baby.

How could she love a man who didn’t want his own child? This went far beyond her jealousy towards Lenora. No, this was about the life that had been stolen from her as a child. Her parents might not have loved her, but she refused to let it happen again. Her baby would only know love, every moment of every day.

When she’d glimpsed the possibility of having a loving marriage, she’d been determined to fight for it. But she worried that if Alaric wasn’t willing to try, then there was nothing left for them.

A slight wave of dizziness passed over her, and she closed her eyes to steady herself. The early months of pregnancy seemed to bring about several such spells. Charlotte rested her hand upon her middle, where it felt as if butterflies were flitting about. She was also getting hungry.

But before she could venture downstairs, she heard a slight commotion. There were voices shouting, and her sister was getting upset.

Did she…dare find out what was happening?

Curiosity got the better of her, and she stood up just as the door to her bedroom flew open.

Alaric stood there, his expression suddenly filled with overwhelming relief. ‘Charlotte. Thank God. Are you all right?’

He looked terrible. His face was cut, his eye was swollen, and one of his knuckles showed signs of bruising.

‘I should ask the same of you. What happened?’ Had he been in a fight? Even as awful as he looked, her heart swelled with a storm of emotions—worry, thankfulness, and a tinge of hope. She stared back at him, trying to hold on to her composure. ‘Do you need something?’

‘I do, yes.’ He closed the door just as Evelyn arrived.

‘Stay away from her!’ her sister demanded through the door. ‘She doesn’t want you here.’