"I will not have your threats bite at me any longer," Lord Thomas stated, turning to embrace his mother. "I refuse to allow you to continue on as you have been, Tyrone. It is not fitting for a gentleman of your standing to behave in this way."
Josiah had very little understanding as to what this meant and, looking down at Lady Clara, he saw the frown pulling at her forehead.
"Sister." Lord Thomas moved towards Clara then and Josiah made to step back so that brother and sister could greet each other, but Clara dug her fingers into his arm and kept him exactly where he was.
"Clara?" Lord Thomas frowned, looking at her and then up to Josiah. "Is there something the matter that you will not greet me with any warmth?"
She tilted her head and looked at him. Her mouth opened and then closed again, her brow furrowing as if she had thought to say something but had then gone on to change her mind. "There is the matter of Miss Jennings."
Lord Thomas's eyebrows lifted, just as Lord Tyrone snatched in a breath. "Then you read my letter."
"It was ruined before I could read it all," she explained, as Josiah took in the gentleman's expression. He did not appear to be in the least bit upset or troubled by the mention of Miss Jennings' name. "I only knew that Miss Jennings held some importance."
"To our brother, yes," Lord Thomas stated, making Josiah frown in confusion. "Have you found her? Do you know where she is?"
When Clara looked up at him, giving him a tiny shake of her head, he understood at once what she meant. "At the present moment, we are trying to ascertain why the lady holds such importance to this family," he said, speaking carefully, following Clara's lead on what to reveal. "We wondered if your connection to the lady ---"
"My connection?" Lord Thomas interrupted, his brows furrowing as Lady Tyrone sat down heavily in a chair, confusion written into every line of her forehead. "Whatever are you talking about?"
"We know that you had a dalliance with her," Lady Clara said, without stating how they knew such a thing. Her eyes went to her mother, just as Lady Tyrone let out a gasp and covered her hand with her mouth. "We presume that Tyrone must have discovered it and sent you from the house."
Lord Thomas shook his head fervently, colour building in his face. "Is that what he has told you?" he said, turning around and glaring at Lord Tyrone who, in turn, only shrugged and lookedaway. "Oh no, my dear sister, it is not I who had the connection with Miss Jennings. It is Tyrone himself."
23
Clara's confusion could not have been greater. She stared at Thomas, trying to make sense of what he was saying before returning her attention to Tyrone. He was looking down at the floor, one hand raking through his hair as he muttered something under his breath.
She frowned. "I do not understand."
"Might I suggest we all sit down?" Lady Alice asked, speaking into the conversation and then going to do just as she herself had suggested. "There is much to work through here, I think."
"Come, my darling." Lord Rutland led her towards one of the couches in the room and, seating her carefully, then went to sit beside her. Mercifully, everyone else did the same, with Lord Worthington going to sit near to Lady Alice. Lord Tyrone, however, did not sit, but made his way towards the door.
"I do not think this will be a profitable conversation," he said, throwing those words back over his shoulder. "I take my leave of you all. Good afternoon."
Before Clara could react, Thomas had thrown himself out of his chair and, in one smooth motion, sidestepped his brother and came to stand in front of the door.
"No," he said, firmly. "You will face the truth of this, brother. For too long, you have forced both myself and Clara to align with what you need and want. No longer."
Tyrone gritted his teeth, his shoulders lifting. "Get out of my way."
"No."
"Is it true?" Fearing that a fight might break out between her brothers, Clara spoke clearly, her question dancing around the room. "Is it true that you are the one who formed a connection with Miss Jennings, Tyrone?" It was not what Miss Jennings herself had told them, but Clara held that back. The truth was here somewhere, hidden between lies and misdirection, and she was determined to find it. "Will you not seek to defend yourself?"
These questions, rather than Thomas's obstinance, made Lord Tyrone turn around. "Whatever he has told you is wrong," he stated, firmly. "Miss Jennings is his problem, not mine. Why do you think I sent him away?"
Clara looked to Thomas who instantly shook his head.
"I --- I do not understand." Her mother spoke for the first time since her younger son had stepped into the room. "What is it that you are speaking of? It cannot be the same Miss Jennings as the one connected to Lady Prentis?"
Lord Rutland leaned towards Clara, his voice low. "Miss Jennings wrote to you, did she not? Offering to be present when the truth was revealed?"
She looked at him as silence filled the room, surprise quickening her heart. She had received Miss Jennings' letter only two days ago and had shared it with Josiah at once, moved beyond words by the lady's courage.
"I sent Lord Worthington's carriage for her this morning, along with one of the maids," he continued, quietly. "She may already be on her way. Whether she will find the courage to comeinside when she arrives, I cannot say --- but the decision to come was hers, Clara. She made that choice herself."
"Oh, I thank you." Clara's eyes burned with tears. "I am struggling already to comprehend what is being said. I do not know who to trust!"
