“No, Fortuity,” he said quietly, as if suddenly remembering she was there. He frowned at the teapot surrounded by multiple platters of biscuits and cakes. After what felt like an eternity, he turned his head and looked at her. His troubled gaze pierced her heart and soul. “You know I would never lie to you, do you not?”
Rather than placate him with platitudes, she braced herself and chose brutal honesty. “I have witnessed your telling the truth even when it was uncomfortable for you to do so.”
“I would never lie to you.” He huffed a mirthless laugh, then shook his head. “Even when I said Iwantedto marry you, I was not lying, even though I know you think otherwise.”
She forced herself not to react. Now was not the time. Not when he was so overset. “Is there any way I might help you with whatever is wrong? What has it to do with lying? Is there another unsavory rumor out there of which we were unaware?”
He pulled a folded paper out from his waistcoat and held it out. “I will never hide anything from you either.”
“That sounds rather ominous, my lord.”
“Read it, and you will see.”
She eyed the thing but kept her hands in her lap. “That is your personal correspondence, my lord. It would not be right for me to read it.”
“You are my wife, Fortuity. Whether you wish to be or not.” He unfolded the note and dropped it onto her lap. “Read it so you will not be caught unaware.” He snorted with another disgruntled huff. “And for heaven’s sake, stop calling memy lord.I am your husband, your friend, your Matthew—I am not now nor ever will beyour lord.”
Rather than say anything that would upset him even more, she picked up the letter and read:
My dearest Matthew,
Not only am I older, wiser, and back from the Continent, but I am also widowed. I come to you begging for forgiveness even though I know you might not wish to. If it is any consolation for the pain and humiliation I caused you, please know that I reaped what I sowed and was repaid in full and then some for my selfishness. Rest assured, I have been well and thoroughly punished for my thoughtless behavior.
I would give anything to go back and make a different choice, the choice I should have made all along. You, Matthew. I should have chosen you. I beg you—nay, I beseech you—please give us another chance.
My heart will ever be yours,
Olandra
Fortuity looked up from the letter and met his gaze, almost gasping at the intensity of the pain reflected in his eyes. Even though she had never met the woman or heard her name, she knew who this was: Matthew’s greatest love. The one who had left him standing at the altar while she ran off to Gretna Green with a duke. She wanted to crumple the letter, hunt the woman down, and claw her eyes out for causing him so much agony. But aladydid not do such things. Life was so bloody unfair sometimes. But then she wondered, was it the timing of the thing that upset him? If they hadn’t married, he could have reclaimed his precious Olandra, the widowed Duchess of Esterton.
“I am sorry,” she said softly. “If only you had received this a day sooner, you could have been with her rather than me.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Is that truly what you think I want? You think that is why I showed you that letter?”
“You love her.”
“I do not.” He refilled his cup with brandy and added a splash to her tea without asking. “Olandra showed me exactly what sort of woman she is, and falling prey to her once was quite enough, thank you. I am not a fool, Fortuity. I remember the lessons I am taught quite well.”
She wasn’t so sure about sipping the brandy-laced tea. Not when everything within her stormed and raged to hunt down that cruel woman and yank out all her hair. Whenever she was overset, her stomach always reacted. If she cast up her accounts in the parlor, she would never forgive herself. “What will you do? Running into her at parties and balls will be inevitable if she is in search of another husband.”
“I will introduce her to my lovely wife, and then tell her to go straight to the devil.”
While his answer warmed her heart, she couldn’t help but wonder if he truly meant it. After all, this was the woman who had made him swear to never marry. “I daresay that might be considered slightly rude, my…Matthew.”
He glared at her and shifted on the settee until their shoulders touched. His scent of sandalwood, citrus, and angry male made her heart flutter faster. “If you address me asmy lordone more time, I shall kiss you senseless and obliterate your condition of being married in name only.”
A heat the likes of which she had never known rushed through her, pooling low in her belly and between her thighs. It made her catch her breath and wet her lips. “Matthew! I…I…”
“You what?”
She cleared her throat. “I daresay we must concentrate on how you intend to respond to your letter.” She balled it up and threw it at him, hitting him in the chest with it.
His frown melted, and his broad shoulders relaxed as he gave her a sultry grin. “That letter is not worthy of a response.” He retrieved the paper from the floor and tossed it into the hearth. “Good riddance.”
“If that was your intention all along, then why did you share it with me?” He had become so confusing of late, keeping her mind whirling and wondering about what motivated his actions. Protecting her heart under such circumstances was becoming increasingly difficult.
“I told you. I will never hide anything from you.” He settled back down beside her and took another sip of brandy. “And if I had not shared it with you, you would have been ill prepared when, God forbid, we came across the woman out amongst Society.”
