Damn it all.
His wife stiffened and extracted herself from his embrace. “Benny! Oh dear heavens, he must be returned from his honeymoon. He will be furious with me, I expect. And you as well.”
The desire coursing through him died.
“Send him in, Dunlop,” he called grimly.
The timing was bloody poor, but he had always known that sooner or later, Westmorland would return, and Sin would have to face his reckoning. Perhaps it was just what he needed, a means of reminding himself of all the reasons why he would be better served to forget about his maddening infatuation with his countess.
Chapter Twenty
I am dangerous, dear reader. I am a bad, bad man. If you see me about Town, run.
~fromConfessions of a Sinful Earl
Callie braced herselffor her brother’s wrath. Struggling for composure after her husband’s painful revelations followed by his potent embrace, she smoothed her fingers over her hair. She probably looked as if she had been properly ravished. Then again, any time she was within close proximity to her husband, that seemed to be quite common.
Benny was going to be furious with her.
And hurt.
And confused.
“What are we going to tell him?” she asked Sin, making certain he had not dislodged any of the buttons on her bodice.
Her husband scrubbed his hand over his jaw. “The truth, I expect.”
She bit her lip. “You intend to tell Benny aboutConfessions of a Sinful Earl?”
“No, wife.” He raised a brow, his countenance uncompromising. “I expect you to tell him. You are, after all, the one responsible for the straits in which we now find ourselves.”
She found herself frowning at his choice of words. Was he referring to their marriage, or to her brother’s impending interrogation? She did not have the chance to seek clarification, because the study door opened and Dunlop announced their Graces, the Duke and Duchess of Westmorland.
Benny stalked into the chamber looking utterly enraged as expected. His new wife Isabella was at his side, looking fretful.
“What the devil is the meaning of this, Sinclair?” he demanded.
Callie winced, rushing forward to place herself between her husband and her brother, lest either of them come to blows. “Benny, please do not be angry,” she begged.
Sin took his place at Callie’s side, sliding a possessive arm around her waist. “Westmorland, Duchess. How lovely to see you both. Have you come to welcome me into the family?”
“I have come to beat you to a bloody pulp,” Benny snarled.
Isabella placed a staying hand on his coat sleeve. “Darling, you promised you would be calm.”
“Has he harmed you in any way?” her brother asked, his gaze searching hers. “How the devil did he coerce you into marriage? Aunt Fanchette swears the two of you are a sudden love match, but I would sooner eat my own shoe than believe such tripe.”
“I have not harmed her,” Sin said, exhibiting more of his signature sangfroid. “I did, however, abduct her from London and persuade her of the wisdom of saving herself from a ruined reputation by marrying me.”
Isabella’s eyes went wide. Benny stalked forward with a clenched fist.
“Benny, stop,” Callie intervened, holding up a staying hand. “Please, listen to what I have to say before you do something you will regret.”
“I will not regret planting this bastard a facer,” her brother growled.
“My love, you are turning into a snarling bear,” Isabella protested.
“He forced my sister into marrying him whilst I was out of London on my honeymoon,” Benny accused, turning a glare upon Sin. “Do not think I have not immediately consulted my solicitor. If you coerced her…”
