“Would you give us a moment, West?” Benedict asked.
West’s gaze flicked to Bella before he nodded. “The apothecary should have something. Might help with the pain.”
“Your mother sent a tincture with some laudanum… which is now my driver’s to enjoy. Perhaps something similar.”
West nodded before slipping out the door.
“Ben…” Bella began, voice soft. “I had no idea… I mean, I knew, but it’s been years. I didn’t think him physically capable of it.”
“He had help,” Benedict said. “I challenged him. It was inevitable. Nothing you did.”
“No, Ben. I… This is all my fault. If I hadn’t written that letter…”
“Our father is his own man. He makes his own choices. You’re not responsible for any of them.”
“But…”
“No. You never should have been involved in any of this. I’m your brother. It was my role to protect you. Not involve you in pigheaded schemes.”
“You’re certain then? That we were wrong—that Father lied? Wayland never cheated?”
“Yes— I… yes. He—Wayland—he’s not what we thought. I expected some mythical monster. But he’s only a man, a man who loves his children. And a man who played a better game than Father.”
“What are we going to do?”
“I don’t rightly know. I thought to warn Eliza, but she would hear none of it. Nor can I blame her. And Wayland ordered me out of the city. While he chose not to detail the consequences of my return, I cannot think he will be so generous as to let me flee a second time.”
“I have not slept a wink since I received the letter. We cannot allow Father’s man to?—”
“I’ll die first,” Benedict asserted, pressing himself up. He was careful to keep his back off the worn fabric of the settee.
“So dramatic. You’re half dead as it is. How do you propose to stop them?”
“If West cannot root him out, I’ll simply have to be there when he strikes.”
“You intend to do what? Haunt the woman?”
“Precisely.”
“You bleed every time you so much as breathe. How do you intend to do that without drawing Wayland’s notice?”
“I’ll figure something out. Just as soon as I recover from the blood loss.”
“Do you want to rest? Or I could attempt to help you into West’s shirt… Though I imagine that may be a struggle at the best of times—your arms are much too long and thin to fit comfortably in his sleeves.”
Benedict rolled his eyes, then stood. He swayed for a moment as one of Bella’s hands fluttered uselessly about him, the other clutching a lit candle tightly.
“Stop fussing. I’ll be fine.”
“You’ve never been less fine.”
They reached the steps. Benedict wrapped his hand tightly around the warped railing with a silent prayer thatthiswouldn’t be the moment it forsook its purpose.
“Well, I’m too stubborn to die until I’m certain our father will not have the woman I have feelings for assaulted. So you needn’t fret.”
“So you love her then?” Bella asked.
“I don’t know—as near to it as I am capable of, I suppose. You knew before I did.”
