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Whatever he had been expecting Grace’s explanation to be, the last thing he had expected her to say was that George Harper was herbrother.
Alaric had no idea how that could be, when everything he had learned about her these past few weeks had confirmed Grace was the daughter of Margaret and Percy Sunderland, the vicar and his now-deceased wife, of the village of Barstock, in the county of Devon.
Except… Alaric already knew the Earl of Redding owned an estate not far from that village.
Alaric had assumed that was how George Harper and Grace had chanced to meet the previous Christmas, when the earl and countess were in residence at their estate there, with their children.
But what if the meeting had not been one of chance? What if Redding had gone there deliberately in search of Grace?
There were far too many questions in Alaric’s mental narrative, and the only person who could provide him with the answers to those questions was currently upstairs preparing to leave.
After running to the bedchamber as if wild dogs were snapping at her heels, Grace felt numb as she sat unmoving on the side of the bed.
In truth, she felt beyond numb, never having thought she would ever say the words out loud that would claim George as being her brother.
Halfbrother, she corrected herself.
Because they shared only one parent, not both.
“Grace?”
She turned slowly to look at the man standing in the now-open doorway of the bedchamber. The man who had made love to her so ferociously such a short time ago and to whom she had now confessed her illegitimacy.
“May I come in?” Alaric prompted.
Grace continued to stare at him for several long seconds before nodding abruptly. “It is your bedchamber.”
The duke stepped fully into the room. “Might I close the door so as to protect your privacy?”
Her smile was totally lacking in humor. “Is it not a little late for that?”
His jaw tightened. “No.” He closed the door but didn’t lock it before moving to stand in the middle of the room. “I have come to offer you my sincere apology.”
Grace eyed him emotionally. “For having held such erroneous thoughts of me being George’s mistress?” Her chin rose. “Or for having made love to me with the sole intention of eliciting the truth from me?”
“That was not the only reason—”
“It was.” Grace rose restlessly to her feet. “I accept your apology,” she told him coldly. “I would now appreciate it if you could arrange for transport back to London for myself and Finn.”
He winced. “There is still so much for us to say to each other.”
“I cannot think of a single thing more I wish to say to you,” she dismissed haughtily.
“Grace, please—”
“Do not touch me!” She stepped away as Alaric reached out to do exactly that, inwardly wincing as the movement caused her clothing to brush against her overly sensitive flesh. As if she needed any reminder of Alaric’s fierce and purposeful lovemaking! “I wish to leave as soon as possible,” she insisted flatly.
“Tell me how George Harper can possibly be your brother?”
Her eyes widened. “Do you ever listen to what others say to you?”
“Of course—”
“Then listen to me now when I tell you I do not wish to say anything else to you on this subject,” she cut in forcefully.
Alaric’s heart felt heavy in his chest at having an ashen-faced Grace look at him with such coldness and disdain. Emotions he knew he completely deserved if Grace was telling the truth about her sibling relationship to Redding.
Which Alaric didn’t doubt for a moment she was.
