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“Badly,” said the other man. “Where should I begin? Let me see, now. First, I received a letter from Amelia refusing my proposal and calling me a bastard, and then I received another from you threatening my life. And neither provided any sort of explanation whatsoever. Next, I find London’s papers screaming scandal over the fact that you and Victoria are no longer engaged—again offering no explanation as to why. My bewilderment is complete.”
“Victoria and I are getting married. And so are you.”
Withington’s brows rose. “To whom, may I ask? As I said, Lady Amelia has unequivocally given me the boot.”
Julius grinned. “There has been a rather drastic change in our circumstances.” He told him of Amelia’s confession and last night’s harrowing escape. “This was all just a simple misunderstanding.”
“There is nothing ‘simple’ about it,” snapped Withington, rising. He stalked over to the brandy decanter and poured himself a glass. “She immediately assumed the very worst about me. And then she cut me off without giving me a chance to acquit myself of the charges. How can I possibly marry someone who has no faith in me?”
“But she knows the truth, now,” Julius insisted. “Her faith in you has been restored.”
“Restored? It was never there to begin with,” retorted Withington. “I’ve lied to her from the very moment we met. Now, in her mind, I shall always be looked upon as guilty until proven innocent. The slightest perceived infraction will call forth condemnation and mistrust. How could I ever be happy under constant suspicion and persecution?”
“She loves you.”
Withington hesitated for a moment, but then stubbornly shook his head. “If that is true, then why has she not written to me? Or better yet, why isn’t she here explaining things instead of you? Did she send you?”
“She does not know I am here. She’s likely too ashamed to come to you,” Julius suggested.
“Too proud, you mean.” Withington tilted his glass and took a large swallow.
“You don’t mean that.”
“Why the hell shouldn’t I mean it?” asked Withington bitterly. “She never saw me as worthy, and she never will. I thought to win her respect by telling her the truth. I failed. I thought to win her love by sacrificing my own dignity in order to save hers. I failed again. I’m done trying to achieve the impossible. She is a lost cause.”
Startled, Julius peered at him. “What has happened to you?”
“I’ve opened my eyes,” said Withington. “Amelia Lennox is a proud, arrogant woman who thinks she has the right to control and manipulate those around her. She thinks she knows what’s good for them better than they do themselves. Look at how she treated her own sister! I should have listened to Victoria when she warned me.”
“You’re wrong, Withy. Amelia said something to me once that led me to believe she had cause for—”
“I should use a great deal of caution when dealing with your sister-in-law, Julius. She told me a great many things, as well—things that I now hold highly suspect. I advise you to take everything she says with a very large helping of salt and keep as far away from the woman as possible. The first time she thinks you’ve put so much as a toe out of line, she’ll publicly disembowel you. At the very least, she’ll drip poison into your wife’s ear.”
Julius opened his mouth, but Withington again cut him off. “I’m sorry, Julius. It has been a very trying day, and I’m afraid that I am not quite myself. Allow me to congratulate you on your impending nuptials.” He lifted his glass and took another sip. “It is good to know that my sacrifice was not for nothing. That is some small satisfaction, at least.”
Seeing that there was no point in trying to convince him, Julius spoke no further on the matter. “I should be most grateful if you would stand by me when I speak my vows,” he said instead. “Amelia will be there, of course, but…”
“I am not so cowardly that I’d refuse to stand at your wedding because of her,” said Withington, his tone wounded. “No indeed. If anyone is to be uncomfortable, it is her, not I. I came clean about my part in the deception, told her how I felt, and left it to her to decide what came next. She has done so. And now she can live with that decision.”
“As you say,” agreed Julius mildly, choosing not to press him. No doubt he would rethink his position once he saw Amelia in person.
Withington chuckled. “Stop humoring me, Julius. I know you too well to think you’ll give up so easily. I beg you not to try and throw us together in the hope of repairing the rift. It won’t work. The differences between us are too great to surmount.”
“I wouldn’t dream of interfering,” Julius replied, putting on his most innocent face. “You must choose your own path, of course.”
THE DAY OF London’s most scandalous wedding dawned clear and bright as Victoria rolled onto her stomach and stretched. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. In just a few hours, she would be married.
“May I come in?” her sister said from the doorway.
“Of course!”
Entering, Amelia sat beside her. “I brought you something.”
Victoria stared as her sister proffered a familiar flat box, stared until her eyes swam with tears. “Amelia,
I cannot.”
“You can.”
