Lady Weston gave a sigh. “It’s been difficult for me to keep such dark secrets over the years, especially from my own family, but I haven’t breathed a word, just like I promised.” She paused, before asking cautiously, “Does Roarke know…”
“No.” Mara shook her head emphatically. “And it must stay that way. He canneverfind out about Lily or the circumstances that led me to deceive him.”
Lyra instantly frowned. “But don’t you think he has a right to make his own decisions…”
Again, Mara interrupted. “It would only cause pain and an insurmountable scandal, even now. What’s past is past. Just as you made a promise to me, your mother vowed that as long as I disappeared from Roarke’s life, she would provide the means to care for Lily. Her generosity all these years have made all the difference.”
Lyra’s mouth turned down at the corners. “But to be forced to choose between the man you love and…”
“If there was one thing your mother and I could agree on, it was wishing a better life for Roarke.” Mara’s voice was flat. “Love was never factored into the equation. She was right. If he’d married me, he’d become an outcast. I had no dowry, no connections, and to taint him with disgrace would have eventually ruined any happiness we might have built together. No.” She gave a heavy sigh. “It’s better this way. I just have to hope Lady Eversleigh can overlook this faux pas and give me a chance to disappear again.” She lifted melancholy green eyes. “This time, forever.”
Lyra patted her hand. “Let’s not dwell on such maudlin thoughts. Focus on today, for we could both use a bit of happiness in our lives right now.”
* * *
Roarke paused at the threshold of his sister’s chamber and felt a reluctant smile tug at his lips. The feminine laughter beyond the closed door reminded him of old times at Eversleigh Hall when life was still innocent and free from care. More than once he’d come upon Lyra and Mara in a girlish huddle, acting more like two conspirators rather than a servant and mistress.
He felt a sudden tightness in his chest. Scowling, he decided to make his presence known. With a brief knock, he opened the door without being asked to enter.
“Well, isn’t this a charming scene?” he announced with a mocking lilt to his voice.
The two women jumped as if they’d been caught in the middle of some great scheme. Lyra was the first to speak, putting a hand to her heart. “Roarke, you nearly scared us half to death!”
He merely raised a brow, and while his words were directed at his sister, he looked at Mara. “Oh, I think you would have recovered well enough. I know at least one of you appears to have a proclivity for living.”
His barb struck home, just as he thought it would.
Mara stiffened and abruptly stood. “I should be going.” Turning to Lyra, she added, “I’ll come by later.”
“Don’t leave on my account,” Roarke drawled, but Mara merely ignored him and took her leave, careful to keep her distance as she brushed past.
“You know sometimes you can be a beast,” his sister chided once Mara was gone.
He lifted a lazy brow. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.”
Lyra crossed her arms. “Don’t play ignorant with me, Roarke Douglas Garrott. You were always the kind of big brother I could look up to, but if your only purpose in bringing Mara here was to torment her, then I’m afraid I will have to rescind my opinion.”
“So much for blood over water,” he muttered sarcastically before he gave a heavy sigh and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Have you forgotten what she did to me, Lyra?”
“How can I when you choose to remind me of it at every opportunity?” His sister glared at him crossly. “Have you ever once stopped to think that she might have been as miserable as you?”
Roarke stilled. Suddenly he felt his jaw go slack. “My God, youknow, don’t you?”
Her gaze flickered, a decided glimmer of guilt clearly visible, though she neither confirmed nor denied the accusation.
He gave a short bark of laughter. “Bloody hell! How could you have kept something like this frommewhen I directly asked you about it!”
Lyra sat up straighter, the backbone he recalled so well from their childhood clicking firmly into place. “I gave my word. Besides, it isn’t my story to tell.”
“I don’t believe this.” Roarke found that he was too restless to stay still, so he began to pace the room. Shaking his head, he finally turned toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
His hazel eyes glittered ominously when he turned back to his sister. “To be around people I can trust.”
She flinched at his parting words, but he refused to feel guilty for it. The fact that she’d known about Mara all this time and hadn’t bothered to share such pertinent information with him cut deep.
Roarke stomped out the front door with no true destination in mind, although the low growl that he emitted caused his butler to take a hasty step back upon his departure.
