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“That’s the reason you went back, wasn’t it?” Kade asked.
“Yes. Eventually, I managed to convince Annalise that she had no choice but to flee before Ritter found out we were having an affair. We planned our departure for two nights after she made the decision. Ritter had a military function then, so that was our window. I hired a private carriage and arranged for passage out of the country. But the morning of the day we were to leave . . .” He briefly closed his eyes, collecting himself. “That morning, I received word that Annalise had suffered an accident. She’d fallen down the stairs and broken her neck.”
Logan breathed out a weary sigh. “Oh, God, laddie boy. I’m so bloody sorry. Sorry I wasn’t there for you, and that I couldn’t help you save the poor lass.”
Kade simply reached over and gave him a brief, fierce hug. Braden returned it, but then pulled away, now desperately wanting to get on with it.
“I stormed over to their mansion. I was out of my head with grief and fury, and I demanded to see her body. I was sure I could determine that Ritter had killed her. If I couldn’t save her, I could at least get justice for her.”
“Ritter no doubt refused,” Kade said.
“Bastard laughed in my face.”
Logan muttered a spectacularly foul curse under his breath. “What happened next?”
“I accused him of murder in front of half of his household. He first threatened to shoot me, but then had three of his biggest footmen throw me out of the house. Like an idiot, I raced off to the nearest magistrate, demanding that he file murder charges against Ritter. I actually expected him to do it. I also expected Annalise’s family to back me up.” He shook his head. “I was wrong.”
“They were afraid of the scandal,” Kade said.
“And of Ritter. Because who would take the word of an upstart physician from Scotland against one of their own, especially one as powerful as him?”
Logan leaned forward. “None of that was your fault, Braden. You needed someone like Nick to help you, someone who also had power.”
Braden shrugged. “There wasn’t time to write any of you. The next day, the imperial police showed up on my doorstep and said that I would be placed under arrest for assault and various other crimes if I didn’t leave Hanover immediately. They also made it quite clear that a stay in one of their prisons would have dire consequences.”
Logan’s gaze narrowed to ice-blue slits. “They’d have killed you, in other words.”
“I could have another tragic accident was how they put it.”
“Right. I’m sending an express to Nick first thing in the morning,” Logan said. “This cannot be allowed to stand.”
“Unfortunately, there’s nothing he or anyone can do. I went to Paris before I returned to Scotland and consulted with a few legal experts I’d met at the Sorbonne. They were sympathetic but clear that nothing could be done.” He breathed out a long, weary sigh. “So, after I spent a few days at the bottom of a whisky bottle, I pulled myself together and sailed home.”
“Blaming yourself the entire time, no doubt, both for that poor girl’s death and your inability to hold Ritter to account,” Kade said.
Braden frowned at the edge to his brother’s tone. “In some measure, I was responsible for her death.”
“So you concluded that you were unworthy of ever finding love again, or even being truly happy again.”
Logan nodded. “Buried himself in his work, instead.”
Braden glanced between his brothers, scowling. “In case I did not make the point, I caused all of this by violating my own principles. Annalise was a married woman. Yes, I should have done everything I could to help her. But, no, I should not have had an affair with her. That’s what set Ritter off. That’s why he killed her.”
Logan ticked up an eyebrow. “I thought you said he would have killed her at some point, regardless. Or did I misunderstand?”
Braden found himself having to unclench his teeth. “No.”
“Were you exaggerating, then?”
“No.”
“Then listen to me. You made a mistake, but you were not responsible for that poor woman’s death.”
“It was a hell of a mistake,” Braden retorted.
Logan rolled his eyes. “So you’re not perfect. Welcome to the club, lad. Do you know how many years I blamed myself for my mistakes in the past, even for things I couldn’t control? All that did was bring unnecessary pain to those I loved.” He leaned forward again. “Braden, that bastard killed his wife, not you. He’s responsible, not you. If you don’t let go of this guilt and shame,you’llkill that great, grand spirit of yours. Please don’t let Ritter take that away from you.”
Braden rubbed his forehead, letting the words sink in. Finally, he sighed. “I was an idiot for not trusting all of you, and for keeping the whole ugly mess bottled up inside. I’m a doctor, so I should have known better.”
