Talek did not reply.
‘Did you hear what I just said? It is all my fault.’
He half turned his head. ‘Yes, I heard you.’
Amelia moved her wheelchair closer to him. ‘She has left because of me.’
Talek shook his head. ‘No. I told her to leave. I trusted her and she broke that trust when she chose not to inform me of what she had found out.’
‘She wanted to.’
‘So she said, but the fact is she did not.’
‘She loves you, Talek.’
Talek’s temper snapped. He swung round, startling her.
‘No! You are mistaken! She does not love me.’ He took a deep breath to calm himself as he raked a hand through his wet hair. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have shouted at you. I am going to bed. I suggest you do the same.’
‘She didn’t tell you everything—’
‘Yes she did.’ Talek reached for the door.
‘No she didn’t because . . .’
Talek stilled, his hand barely touching the polished wooden door handle.
Amelia pressed on, ‘. . . she is protecting someone else.’
‘Who?’
Her brother was finally listening. Amelia sighed.
‘Me.’
Talek let his hand fall and looked at her. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘When she discovered that Henry was selling clay to the potteries for higher than it was worth she came to me.’
Talek frowned. ‘Then why didn’t you tell me?’
‘Because I didn’t want you to know.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I loved Henry and I didn’t want you to fall out with him.’
Talek gave a hollow laugh. ‘Well, we have fallen out now. Did you think I wouldn’t find out eventually?’
‘I hoped you would not. I begged Grace not to tell you.’
‘She should have still told me. We were engaged.’
‘Not at the time. I put her in a terrible position, Talek.’
‘Yes, you did, but I owned the business, she had a duty to tell me.’
‘And Henry and I owned the rest.’ Amelia moved towards him. ‘I told Grace I was complicit in Henry’s scheme. I promised her I would put a stop to it. I convinced her that you need never know.’
