“I suppose I do have a past,” Robert said with a shrug. “And sometimes I’m reminded of it with an unpleasant confrontation in a ballroom or club. But for the most part, I’m able to leave it behind. Or the parts of it that no longer serve me. I’ll never be fully tamed, but Katherine seems to like the wildness that remains. You could have the same experience if you want it.”
Morgan stepped closer and glared at Robert. “Can I? Can I really, if someone who is my supposed ally is going around talking to people about my past? Never allowing me to let it go?”
Robert’s brow wrinkled. “Are you talking about me?”
“Of course I’m talking about you,” Morgan snapped. “Why the bloody hell did you arrange this, Roseford, if your intent was to sabotage me?”
Robert took a long step back, and his expression was a combination of pain and anger. He reached behind him and slammed the parlor door to give them privacy, and then he folded his arms. “What the hell are you talking about? How have I sabotaged you?”
“A few days ago, Elizabeth talked to me about what she called my wild past,” Morgan admitted. “How in the world would she know about that unless someone had told her? Toldeveryoneabout where you found me in London before you went to Brighthollow?”
Robert stared at him a beat, two. “Yes, I did speak to Brighthollow about your…behavior. And when you say it, I suppose I should have discussed that with you first.”
“You goddamned well should have,” Morgan growled. “But you didn’t, and I can only imagine why you’d go behind my back.”
Robert clenched his hands at his sides. “I don’t know what you think I intended, but there are two reasons I spoke about your past. First, I thought I owed Brighthollow the truth before I asked him to consider you for his man of affairs. The man is my friend and has been most of my life.”
“Ah, yes. Yourtruefamily. All those dukes,” Morgan spat.
Robert flinched. “Theyaremy family. I would have nothing, I wouldbenothing, without them. But you are my family, too. Or at least I’d like you to be if you could pull your head out of your arse long enough to see I’m not our father. I’m not your enemy.”
“So you say,” Morgan barked. “But you have our father’s title and you hold the purse strings just as he did, so pardon me if I get confused about the similarities.”
He didn’t expect Robert to charge him, so he wasn’t prepared when his brother pushed him back. “You don’t know a fucking thing about our father or about me!” he shouted, right in Morgan’s face. “You don’t know anything about what I’ve done to prevent that devil from having any quarter in my life.”
Morgan shoved him in return and Robert staggered. “I know enough.”
Robert’s face twisted and Morgan prepared to get punched, and knew he probably deserved it. But before the argument could escalate even more, Lizzie rushed into the room.
The two men backed away from each other as she said, “I could hear shouting from the hallway. What is going on?”
Robert stared at Morgan and Morgan stared back. The moment felt like it stretched out forever. But then Robert turned away. “Nothing, Lizzie. My apologies for upsetting you. Excuse me.”
He left without another word, without a backward glance, and Morgan pivoted away to the fire. He hated that he and Robert had gotten so heated so fast. Hated that there was so much beneath the surface between them that could bubble up instantly.
“Morgan,” Lizzie said softly.
He turned to find she had come toward him a few steps. She was halfway into the room now, and she was watching him. Waiting for an explanation, he thought. One he could hardly give.
“It’s not your concern, my lady,” he gasped out.
“Probably not,” she conceded. “But I’m making it my concern. Why were you fighting with Roseford?”
Morgan bent his head. “I just…realized the other night that Robert has…said things about me. And I don’t like that he’s bringing my past up with others. It feels like he’s trying to destroy me.”
His brow wrinkled. “Then why would he help you get this position?” she asked. “If he wanted you to fail, he could have abandoned you wherever he found you.”
“Gaol, my lady,” he admitted, because at least he wanted her to hear it from his lips. “He helped to extricate me from Newgate before he brought me to your brother.”
“Oh,” she gasped and the color faded from her cheeks. “I-I didn’t know.”
“At least that’s something,” he muttered, and ran a hand through his hair.
“Morgan,” she said softly. “It’s obvious you and Robert have a connection that is…fraught. I’m sure you have reasons for that, for it seems you both had a difficult relationship with your father. And not being raised together must complicate things.”
He shrugged. “I suppose.”
“But…but I can tell you from the outside it is obvious that Robert cares for you. He wouldn’t have brought you all the way here and vouched for you with Hugh if he didn’tcare.”
