Naomi jerked her head, and her eyes begged him to deny the claims. “Luke?” Tears swam in her eyes.
Luke refused to have this discussion here. If Naomi would take a moment to consider that they were in public, she’d realize that she didn’t want to either.
“Let’s go.” They would make their purchases another time. Already the clerk was watching them with interest, and a few other customers had entered and were watching them curiously.
Aside from going all the way to the back of the store and walking up a different aisle to reach the front, Luke had no choice but to maneuver Naomi around Bridget.
“He was taking care of me, sending me funds. He would have eventually married me. He was never really yours.” Bridget hissed her vile words before they could pass. “And Major Cockfield won’t be either. They’re all the same.”
Naomi tensed beneath his hands, and her steps faltered but she kept moving.
Good girl.
Not until they were out the door and halfway to the cart did her shoulders slump. And not until they were driving away did she speak again.
“Is it true? What she said?”
Was it true that Gil might have kept a woman on the side? Yes.
“It’s possible.” Because he could not know for certain.
Was it true that Luke would never be hers? Hell no.
“You know her?” Her voice wasn’t as shaky as he’d thought it would be. She asked the question in a straightforward manner. Ah, yes, Naomi was stronger than she gave herself credit for.
“She works in the tavern at the inn.” Not knowing exactly what Gil had done, he should only tell Naomi what he knew to be certain.
“How did she know so much about me? About… our marriage?” Naomi’s question was a damning one indeed. Damning for Gil, that was. “Arthur frequented the tavern. Did he frequent her as well?” Her voice rose as she absorbed the truth—the truth that Gil may not have been faithful.
“He was thinking of you in the end, Naomi. He insisted I promise I’d look out for you if anything happened.” It was almost as though he’d expected the attack. Luke stared straight ahead as he drove. Defending Gil left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he didn’t want her to panic. He didn’t want her to suddenly believe her entire marriage to Gil had been a sham.
Because even if Gil had been unfaithful, he couldn’t have entered his marriage with the intention of doing so. Yes, he could be irresponsible, and he’d lied…
Oh, hell.
Luke removed his hat and ran a hand through his hair before replacing it. The truth was Gil hadn’t considered anyone’s feelings but his own, and even if he had, he’d ignored them. Not only had he hurt Naomi, but it seemed he’d hurt Bridget as well.
Fucking hell, Gil!
“Did you know?”
Luke felt sick to hear the doubt in her voice. “No. God, no.”
He turned and met her gaze steadily and didn’t look back at the road until he was certain she believed him.
Would he have told her if he had? There was a code amongst gentlemen, an honor amongst friends that they didn’t involve themselves in one another’s affairs of the heart.
Only there was nothing honorable about this.
“I just—I keep thinking, what else? What else could he have lied about?”
Luke glanced over again, expecting she would be on the verge of tears. Her features looked frozen as she stared off into the distance, looking lost.
Luke moved the reins to one hand and wrapped his other arm around her. It was all he could do.
WISING UP
Naomi retreated to her room the moment they returned to the cottage, her mind a hurricane of doubts and fears and hurt. Once again, it seemed that her world was crashing down around her.
