"Sit. Back. Down."
The command in Nathaniel's voice was cold and final. Jasper obeyed.
"Why," Nathaniel said, quieter now, "would my daughter be with me... and not with her loving husband?"
"You know why."
"Humor me," Nathaniel murmured. "What are you hoping to find here?"
Jasper lifted the glass but didn't drink. He rose again, pacing to the tall window that overlooked the snow-covered lawn.
"I can't look at you while I say this. Forgive my cowardice."
Nathaniel said nothing.
Jasper's shoulders slumped.
"It began with Charlotte," he said quietly. "She came to me before the wedding. Told me Philip had declared his love for her. Said he would end his engagement to Sophia and marry her instead. That he... that he had gotten her with child. I spoke with you. With Philip. You both denied it. And I said I believed you. I told Charlotte to stop telling tales. I called her a liar."
He exhaled sharply.
"She later claimed she lost the baby. Said she didn't want to live anymore."
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed. "A lie."
"Yes. I know that now. But at the time... I believed her. I thought Philip was protecting himself. I was angry. Blinded. And I took it out on Abigail."
He turned from the window, his voice breaking.
"I told myself it was justice. That I deserved vengeance for what Philip had done. That since he wouldn't take responsibility, I had the right to punish Abigail instead."
Nathaniel's jaw tightened.
"I changed our destination," Jasper went on. "Told her we were going somewhere special. Instead... we went to Greystone Hollow. A ruined manor my father once won in a game of cards. I hired a few staff. We spent one night at an inn. That night was..."
He trailed off, shame overtaking his voice.
"The next morning, I took her to the manor. Left her standing there with her bags. Said... horrible things. I won't repeat them. They were meant to hurt. And they did. Then I left."
Nathaniel's voice was steel. "You abandoned her."
"I did," Jasper whispered, trembling. "I did."
He swallowed hard.
"Charlotte's lies eventually unraveled. She admitted everything. Said she believed Philip belonged to her. That she deserved him—because of her bloodline. That Sophia was beneath him. Her mind... she isn't well. She's living with our great-aunt now, with nurses tending to her."
Nathaniel didn't react. He watched. He listened.
"When I realized what I'd done," Jasper said, "I went to Greystone Hollow. But she was gone. The house was empty. I haven't slept since the day I left her there. I need to know she's alive. That she's safe. That—"
A knock interrupted him.
"It's Philip," came the muffled voice from the other side of the door.
Nathaniel looked toward it.
"Enter."
