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“Leo is much more fun,” Theo said with a laugh.
Tony scowled at her. “I’m delightful. And I have a ducal accent.”
The smile on her face froze.Diction. Erasmus had been practicing his speech.Sounding very unlike his usual, rambling self.
But Haven’s uncle was incompetent. Sweet, in a sot sort of way. His worst offense was stealing money for drink.
“Is something wrong?” Tony peered down at her.
“No, it’s just—” Leo hadn’t wanted to take Jacinda’s dowry, but the Marquess of Haven had forced him to. He’d called his lame daughter worthless, according to her brother. As angry and unforgiving as Haven was toward his father, he still insisted Edmund had loved Jacinda. Haven refused to believe his father would have deliberately gambled away everything he had, including the money set aside for Jacinda, without inducement. He blamed Leo for luring his father into drunkenness and poverty. It was his whole reason for wanting to compromise Theo.
She took a breath. Because itstillhurt.
Despite Haven and his sister, even their father before he drank himself into oblivion, all thinking Erasmus was terrified of the ocean, it might not even be true. Had he really been living in France? Couldn’t he have come to England whenever he wished, possibly impersonating his brother, knowing Edmund was at Greenbriar? Haven wasn’t in England. Who would have known differently?
Leo wouldn’t have. Especially if Erasmus was smart enough to take Edmund’s signet ring, and she thought he might have been. Wear his clothes. Speak like him.Behim.
Theo gave her head a little shake. She was being fanciful.
“Are you thinking of theparasiteagain? You realize Leo will never accept him. There’s bound to be a fight of some kind.”
“Stop calling him that.” She elbowed Tony. “He—perhaps set out to compromise me to get back at Leo.” She looked up at her brother with certainty. “Haven loves me.” Theo knew it to be the truth now that the shock of her brother’s letter had worn off. It didn’t excuse Haven or—
“Dear one.” Tony ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “I know it may have seemed that way. But, well, you are beautiful. Any man might want to...what I mean to say is, that isn’t love.” He waved his hand around as if at a loss for words.
“I’m not an idiot, Tony. I know the difference.” So did her heart.
“You thought Blythe cared for you as well. Forgive me if I don’t immediately embrace the idea of you and Haven. He did set out to compromise you for dishonorable reasons.”
“He did but I’m not thinking of Haven, or rather, I am. Did you know Haven has an uncle?” She looked at her brother. “His father’s twin.”
Brandy. Leo said the Marquess of Haven had always requested French brandy. But Edmund had been a scotch drinker. Even Mrs. Henderson had mentioned that to her.
“A twin?” Tony scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. “A secret twin no one knew a thing about. In London, where you can’t even sneeze without someone commenting?”
“Erasmus didn’t live in England. I know it might seem a little—”
“Addled? Mad?”
“Yes, but I think it was Erasmus who dealt with Leo, not the Marquess of Haven. Erasmus pretended to be his brother.”
Tony burst into laughter. “Theo, sweetheart, do you hear yourself? This isn’t one of those novels you and Olivia like to read. Even if what you speculate is true, what possible reason would this twin—”
“Erasmus.”
“—Erasmus have for bankrupting the estate? Especially if his brother was supporting him? Would seem to be rather foolish, wouldn’t it?”
Erasmus had called her brother a bastard. Theo assumed he’d meant Tony, but he’d been talking about Leo. And the insult was literal. Because he’dmetLeo. As far as meeting her father, Erasmus could have seen him at any time over the years. Because she doubted he’d spent all his time in France. Nor did she think, any longer, he was the simple-minded sot he pretended to be.
“Don’t you see the flaw in your logic?” Tony nudged her. “Look, if you wish to return to Haven, you don’t need to make an excuse. I know you imagine he cares for you.”
“One minute.” Erasmus had told her exactly why he’d do such a thing. “He was the younger twin by one minute.” She looked over at Tony. “Don’t you see? He was riddled with jealousy over the fact that his brother was the marquess and married to the woman Erasmus loved.”
“Oh, Theo.” Tony shook his head. He didn’t believe her. “Every word is more ludicrous than the next. Haven is simply not that interesting. Nor his father. I grant you the tale is a rather entertaining one. Perhaps you should write rather than paint.”
It didn’t matter what her brother thought. Haven had tried to tell her he loved her, right before she left him. Hedidlove her.
And she was right about Erasmus. She just didn’t know what to do about it.
