‘Under the mistaken belief that we’d never come, no doubt.’ George grasped a juvenile collar in each hand and hauled his sons back to the door. ‘I’ll take these two outside for a while. Hopefully they’ll wear themselves out.’
‘Thank you, darling.’ Cassie blew him a kiss. ‘And for goodness’ sake, don’t let anyone give them cake. The last thing they need is sugar.’
‘I’m well aware.’
‘But if thereiscake, I’m feeling rather peckish myself!’
‘I can ring for cake.’ Leo smiled, coming to kiss first her cheek, then the top of the toddler’s head. ‘To what do I owe the honour? I thought you hated travelling anywhere, especially here.’
‘I do, which just shows you how devoted a sister I am. Oh, Rimmer?’ Cassie called over her shoulder.
‘Yes, my lady?’ The butler’s head appeared around the door.
‘Please tell Mrs Fitch that I need a room preparing as soon as possible. My head is ringing from being cooped up with those boys.’
‘I think you mean Mrs Chenoweth, my lady?’
‘Do I? What happened to Fitch?’
‘She’s enjoying a well-deserved retirement.’ Leo grinned. ‘Sewell too.’
‘Well, good gracious.’ Cassie looked thunderstruck. ‘If I weren’t here on such important business, I might swoon.’
‘Business?’ Leo propped himself on the edge of his desk.
‘Yes. And don’t pretend that you don’t know what it is.’ Cassie deposited the toddler on the floor. ‘What really irks me is that I had to hear it from somebody else. Why didn’t you write?’
‘About what exactly?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. Maybe about your wife leaving you?’
He winced. ‘That’s not exactly true. She needed some time away to think, that’s all.’ He narrowed his eyes. ‘Although I’m curious about how you know any of this.’
‘I make it my business to know things.’ Cassie pursed her lips as she drew off her gloves. ‘I heard it from Lady Fox, who visited the Parkers on their estate last month.’
‘Ah.’ The Parkers’ estate was twelve miles away. Gossip clearly travelled between the two houses.
‘Of course, they didn’t say that Florence had left you. They simply said that she was away for a while, but I guessed the rest. So…’ she braced her hands on her hips ‘…whatis going on?’
He sighed. ‘Very well, if you must know, it turns out you were right and that she didn’t trap me into marriage, after all. Her friend Miss Wadlow was behind the whole thing.’
Cassie’s eyebrows rose. ‘The one you intended to propose to?’
‘Yes. Florence was as much a victim of her deception as I was.’ He spread his hands out. ‘So go ahead and say you told me so.’
‘Oh, Leo.’ Cassie came to sit on the desk beside him. ‘I may be tactless, but I’m not entirely heartless.’
‘I know.’ He nudged her shoulder. ‘Then Florence’s memory came back and she remembered how unpleasant I’d been to her and…well, apparently it made it somewhat difficult to stay with me. She said she couldn’t forget how bad I’d made her feel.’
‘Oh, dear.’
He rubbed a hand over his face. ‘I acted just like him.’
‘Ah.’ She didn’t ask who he meant.
‘So maybe I deserved to be left.’ He winced at the thought that had been crushing his spirit for the past few weeks. ‘Maybe I’m already too much like him and she’s better off with her family, where I can’t hurt her again. Maybe we’re better off apart. Maybe if I really love her, I should just let her go.’
‘Nonsense.’ Cassie tipped her head against his. ‘This is all my fault. I should never have gone to London and left you alone with him all those years ago.’
