Ardmore raked a hand through his hair in agitation. “I don’t know why she wouldn’t tell you. I’ve even offered to acknowledge her, to claim her openly as my sister, but she never wished to flaunt the connection.”
Nathaniel’s pulse thundered in his ears. “I must speak with her.”
How, he had no notion. What words he would use, he hadn’t the faintest. No wonder Dalton had appeared so surprised when he said Ardmore was Alice’s lover and had suggested he talked to her. He knew. He knew as well and hadn’t told him. Was everyone playing him for a fool? He had a bone to pick with the duke. But first, Alice. He needed to talk to her. To ask forgiveness or to demand answers? Perhaps a bit of both. He had judged her without trial, condemned her without question. Yet she, too, had kept secrets. This mess between them had not been of his making alone.
But God help him, he wanted to set it right.
“First, I suggest you calm down. If you go to Alice in your present state, I doubt you two could have a productive conversation,” Ardmore pointed out.
“You are right.” He wanted to smash something. How much time had been squandered on shadows and half-truths? On secrets Alice had kept and assumptions he had let harden into fact. He pushed back from his chair with sudden resolve.
“However, ready or not, the time for secrets and misunderstandings is over,” he said, his voice rough withdetermination. “Alice and I will speak—right now. And this time, I will have the truth from her.”
Ardmore rose as well, his expression taut. His resemblance to Alice was subtle, but it was unmistakably there now that he knew of the connection. It was in the shape and color of the eyes. In the way they set their mouths in a moment of tension.
“Then I’ll come with you. I’ve had enough of watching her suffer in silence. If she would rather see her marriage dissolve than admit the truth of our blood, then I, too, want to hear why. And support her if necessary.”
Nathaniel glared at him. Like hell would he let Ardmore interfere in his marriage any more than he already had. Antagonism still burned in his veins, though he supposed he ought to thank the man for finally telling him the truth. But he was in no mood to play civil— not yet. Still, this was not the time to pick a fight. He gave a curt nod, jaw tight. He was done stumbling through half-truths. It was past time Alice and him spoke frankly. And found a way to mend their marriage.
CHAPTER 27
Alicewasnotexpectingcompany. At least not this early. That’s why the banging on the door made her heart jump to her throat. She hurried down the hallway, attempting to muffle her steps as she approached the front door. Could it be Nathaniel? Not for a second did she think last night’s conversation was over. She had hurt him. The knowledge sat like a burning coal on her heart. Or maybe that burn was because she had hurt herself as well in the process. But if it was indeed him, why didn’t he use his key?
She threw open the door and, as expected, Nathaniel was at her doorstep. What she had not expected was to find John at his side. Her heart faltered. Surprise carried her words before she could think better of them.
“Nathaniel. John. What a…surprise, seeing you two together.”
Her ingrained manners made her step back, to invite them in, though Nathaniel did not wait for her to usher them inside. He strode past her, every inch the imperious lord, while Johnentered more soberly. Alice closed the door, leaned back against it. The latch fell into place with a sharp click that echoed her sudden apprehension.
“Why did you never tell me John was your brother?” Nathaniel demanded without preamble.
Her stomach clenched.Oh heavens.How had he discovered the truth? Had John told him? Of course, he had. Why else would he be here with Nathaniel? But why? She mentally shook her head. It didn’t matter now. Either way—the secret was out. A guilty heat rose to her cheeks, but she refused to give in to shame. Alice lifted her chin, as she always did when cornered.
“You never asked.”
The moment the words left her lips, she knew she had chosen the wrong defense. His thunderous expression told her so.
“Hell and damnation, Alice!” His voice cracked against her composure like a whip. “We have been married for over a decade, and you didn’t think it important to tell me you had a brother? I cannot fathom why you would hide such a thing from me.”
“I wasn’t hiding it!” she retorted, stung by his tone. “I found out about my real parentage only after we had already separated. What would you have had me do? Write you a letter informing you I was the bastard child of the Marquess—”
“Don’t!” Nathaniel interrupted her. His jaw clenched hard enough a muscle jumped in his jaw. “Don’t you finish that sentence. I don’t know when, or how. Maybe not then. But what about since we began working together again? Since we—” He broke off abruptly, apparently unwilling to speak of their rekindled intimacy in front of John.
“I was going to tell you eventually,” she said, folding her arms tight across her middle as though she could shield herself from his disappointment. “But I couldn’t find the right moment. Youseemed so predisposed against John. Why, you even suspected he might be the traitor—”
John stiffened beside her. “You thought I was a traitor?”
Nathaniel cut him off with a scowl and a wave of his arm. “Irrelevant now. Do not change the subject, Alice. How could you think it unimportant when it was the very reason I sued for divorce?”
Her breath caught. “What does John have to do with that?”
“Are you going to pretend you don’t know?” Nathaniel was looking at her as if she had sprouted horns. His incredulity shook her. “Alice, it’s as though youwantme to divorce you. Is that it? Do you want to be rid of me?”
“I think you have it backwards,” she fired back. “Yousued for divorce.Youwanted to be rid of me. What does John have to do with it?”
“Rid of you?” His voice rose with his indignation. “I have never wanted to be rid of you. You leaving me was the single most painful moment of my life. That is, until I thought you had taken a lover. Do you want to know how I knew, Alice? I think I should tell you, so that there are no more secrets or misunderstandings between us. Whenever I was in London, I used to walk by this street. I would walk by at different times of day or night. Sometimes I would linger in the corner for a few minutes. I would tell myself I was just making sure you were well, but in reality, I hoped to catch a glimpse of you. Maybe even run into you and have an excuse to talk to you. I couldn’t stay away. I know.” He raised a hand imperiously to silence her when she would interrupt.
“I know that makes me sound like a lovelorn fool. But I couldn’t help it. Well, one of those nights, I saw more than I bargained for. I caught more than a glimpse of you.” His face twisted. “Do you remember a night last summer, about a year ago, when Ardmore visited and stayed the night?”
