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Luke and Ryker came up next him. They must have followed him up, though they hadn’t spoken. Fine with him. He didn’t want to talk with them either. He only wanted Violette.
He spotted Tricia coming toward him, her face set in stiff lines. “What is it?” he asked, not bothering with any pretense. “Where is Violette?”
“She’s gone back to the inn.” Tricia stood straighter. Not a good sign and doubt started to make his stomach churn.
He leveled his sister with a glare. She’d done something. Tabbie was an expert at deception but not Tricia. “I specifically told her to wait.”
“If she would be capable of running your affairs then she is certainly capable of walking to an inn,” Tricia snapped.
His first reaction was surprise. How did Tricia now that? And when had she ever spoken to him in such a way? His second was cold, hard dread. “What have you done?”
Ryker moved to stand next to his wife. The entire family was aligning against him.
“I offered to finance her season and her sister’s in order to give her a choice.” Tricia squared her shoulders. “How could you use her situation against her like that?”
“I beg your pardon?” It was his turn to straighten. “I am helping her. We are helping each other.”
“No, brother.” Tricia stepped closer looking angrier than he had ever seen her in his life. “I am helping her. You were trying to help yourself. She can’t say no, so she’d be tied to an absentee husband who shirked his duties. Tell me, will you hire another man to raise your children?”
Theo didn’t answer. He had none. But surely Violette hadn’t seen it that way. Why would she have agreed? Instead he spun on heel and headed toward the inn.
He heard them all behind him. Picking up his pace, he reached the inn at a dead run. Ryker shouted and so did Luke, but he ignored them, heading up the stairs.
He knew which room was hers. It was the only closed door on the second floor. Stepping up to it, he banged on the wood. “Violette,” he called.
He heard her yelp. He was in the right place.
“Open the door.”
“I can’t,” she said. Then more loudly. “I won’t.”
He banged on it again. “What is the matter with everyone? We are helping each other.”
“Theo,” her voice was louder, she clearly stood on the other side of the door. “I’d expected an arranged marriage. I did. But not a husband who wouldn’t be there. It’s not that your offer wouldn’t help but I can’t take it.”
“Why not?” he growled against the door.
“I…” she started, “I love you.” He heard her broken sob. “It would break my heart every time you sailed away.”
Theo stumbled back. She loved him? Now more than ever, he wanted to hold her in his arms. He wanted to kiss her senseless. But he’d proposed an arrangement where love had no place. He let out a moan as he scrubbed his face with his hands. After he dropped them back to his sides, he saw Ryker, Luke, and Tricia standing at the end of the hall staring at him with wide eyes. Well, only one of Luke’s was wide. The other had swollen shut.
“What are you looking at?” he roared.
Tricia stepped forward. “Tell her you love her too,” she spoke so softly he almost didn’t hear it.
Did he? Maybe. But to declare it would be to give up his dreams, his plans, his chance at proving himself a success. With another guttural cry, he stomped away. He didn’t know where he was going and he didn’t care.
* * *
Violette had mostly held in the tears until Tricia’s soft plea. When Theo stormed away, that was the moment she knew. It was hopeless.
Whatever had been banking her grief, broke loose. Tossing herself across the bed, she let the tears flow.
She’d done it now. She’d pushed him away and there was no going back.
Violette knew what the alternative was, but it stilled heart. A soft knock at the door interrupted her grief.
“Violette,” Tricia called.
