Then again, she’d had time to heal, to reflect, and… if not forgive, at least be willing to set it all behind her. With the threat of the duke forever banished, she was well on her way to regaining the bits of herself long buried and anticipating a happier future.
Harry would get there, too.
“I knew nothing of her arrangement with Rutledge. Nothing of his revenge.”
“I know.”
His fingers whitened around the empty glass. “Then to take his wrath out on you rather than facing me himself!” He lifted his head, his expression bleak. “I didn’t learn of Sedmouth’s passing until much later. I would have come…I should have long before then. I could have wed a dozen times over, but after what Father suffered at Celeste’s hands, I couldn’t bring myself to wed where I had no affection. Thought I’d finally found someone I could marry without reservation. I followed her to Scotland to try to get it done. She married another and I knew I’d failed you again. When you stopped responding to my letters, I thought you were cross with me for not taking you away from Celeste sooner. I was angry with myself.”
“I was. Quite cross.” Piper resumed her seat next to her brother on the settee and sipped her tea before adding, “And heartbroken.”
“You had every right.”
“I’m simply gratified to know that you didn’t give up on me, after all.” She reached out to take his hand. Her love for her brother, so long tarnished, recovered some of its polish with his admission. A golden glow that bathed her in its light. “You didn’t fail me.”
He covered her hand with his and offered a sorrowful shake of his head. “Yes, I did. To my eternal shame. I knew Celeste couldn’t be trusted. I should have questioned everyone myself instead of believing her. I was frantic with worry, I initially didn’t care why you ran away. My primary concern was in finding you. I scoured the whole of London. Went to the door of every friend you ever mentioned in your letters from school. I went to the school, dash it all.”
“You never came to Dinton Grange.”
“It is the single place I never thought I should have to check. Honestly, I was certain you were anywherebuthere, and I didn’t dare waste time when there were so many other places you might have gone. You see, I never knew you ran from me, too. If you had come here searching for me, come home, I was confident you would have found a way to let me know. Moreover, I assumed someone would tell me if you were here.” Rising, he made the short journey to the decanter and refilled his glass. Raising it, he scanned the room as if seeing it for the first time. “I can’t believe you were right here all the while. I should never have trusted what I thought I knew, any more than I should have believed Celeste’s claims that she’d interrogated the staff. I understand Miss Langston keeping your confidence, however, it astounds me that none of the servants ever said a word. Any of them could have written and told me. I ought to sack the lot of them. I thought they were loyal to me.”
“They were loyal tome,” she countered in their defense. “They are my people. My friends. My family. They did as I asked because I convinced them that it was for the best. They became convinced of it, too, when you never came around. Don’t blame them.”
Harry appeared taken aback by her tirade, though he nodded in agreement. “I don’t. I blame myself. I always have.”
“I’ve discovered there is only one person who is to blame for all of this.” She took his hands to console him. Console them both. “He has had his punishment and will face a far different sort of judgment than I had foreseen.”
Her brother shook his head. “I blame myself. I shouldn’t have given up the search. After that first year, I spent the better portion of my time in a drunken stupor, mourning you when I should have scoured the world for you. I began to see you everywhere. A ghost to haunt me for my mistakes. I’d lost everything I had left to love.” Staring into the depths of the amber liquid thoughtfully, he set it aside untouched and smiled. “Then I met Fiona. She brought joy back into my life. Gave me something more to love.”
Piper shook her head, denying the words. “Something else, you mean.”
“No. Something more.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders in another fierce hug. “Though I lost all faith that I’d ever see you again, I never stopped loving you. Not for a single moment. You were forever in my heart.”
Hers leapt with his admission.
Then sank. She bit her lip as same old hurt rekindled. “Why didn’t you come after then, that day you saw me in Aylesbury?”
“Staying would have cost Fiona her life. It was a terrible choice.” His chest heaved with a heavy sigh. “I’ve a story of my own to share another time. Suffice it to say, I felt I had few options in that moment. I went to her, nevertheless, I had renewed hope that I would find you. That’s why I hired Granger. He’ll pay dearly for threatening you when the whole of his duties was to assure me that you were safe.”
Piper slipped her arms around her brother’s shoulders and rested her cheek there. “He’s probably feeling remorseful enough. The weather in the Shetlands is said to be brutal this time of year.”
“What?”
He tried to pull away, but she clung tight a while longer, savoring his presence and content with the knowledge that all was finally right in her world.
“So, what now?”
Harry lifted a quizzical brow. “I saw that look Connor gave you. I’ll have words with him next, however, please don’t think you have to settle. Let me take you to London. You can have your Season and be courted by theton’smost eligible bachelors.”
Piper drew on her bottom lip to hide a smile, wondering how to break the news. “Oh, I think I prefer farmers to gentlemen these days, Harry. I’m afraid I’ll never fit into a ballroom.”
“You never had the chance to try,” he insisted.
“No, I’ll never be a society miss again,” she told him. “I don’t care for frills and foibles. I’m afraid I have no idea how to be retiring anymore. I’m too independent and forthcoming for theton.”
Harry shook his head. “How would you know? You’ve never even attended a ball. Never danced a waltz.”
Piper peered over his shoulder to see Connor leaning against the door frame. Arms crossed over his chest. One leg across the other. He was so handsome it took her breath away. He always would. One dark brow arched over his knowing, gorgeous moss-green eyes.
