It had been about her.
Because he was in love with her.
And he had let her walk away.
“You’re an idiot.” Meredith’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and unimpressed.
Ash exhaled through his nose, not bothering to look at her. “Good evening to you too, dear sister.”
She folded her arms, standing over him like a particularly disapproving angel of doom. “You let her go.”
His jaw clenched. “She didn’t want me.”
Meredith scoffed. “Oh, please. She didn’t want to be an obligation. And instead of proving that she wasn’t, you just let her run off.”
He finally looked at her, scowling. “What the hell else was I supposed to do? I asked her tomarryme. I got down onone knee,for heaven’s sake.”
Meredith’s eyes flashed. “How about fight for her?”
Ash opened his mouth—ready to argue, ready to explain why it was too late.
“She’s pregnant,” Meredith added quietly.
Silence.
A long, stretched-out, gut-wrenching silence while Ash’s brain struggled to make sense of those two overwhelming words.
Then…
“What?”
Meredith rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. You heard me. She told me just before she left. She begged me not to tell you, but you two have made such an absolute mess of things that I have no choice but to intervene.” Meredith shook her head, exasperated. “I’ve been watching, waiting,hopingyou would fall in love and marry likenormalpeople. But apparently, that’s far too simple for the two of you.”
She huffed. “I hid a letter in Clare’s valise because sheinsistedon leaving before her mother wakes up. But I’m here to tell you to your face—you’re an idiot, and if you don’t go after her right now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Now, go. Fight for her.” She pointed toward the door.
Ash’s heartbeat thundered in his ears. He’d heard what his sister said, but he remained focused on one word. And one word alone.
Pregnant.
Clare was pregnant.
With his child.
Something visceral took hold of him, something he couldn’t name—possessive, protective, overwhelming.
He shot to his feet. “Why the hell didn’t she tell me?”
“Because she’s stubborn and scared and convinced you only proposed because of the scandal,” Meredith snapped. “And considering how you let her go without a fight, I can’t exactly blame her.”
Ash dragged a hand through his hair, his mind spinning. “I?—”
“No,” Meredith cut him off. “You don’t get to stand here and wallow in self-pity. You love her. Youloveher. Griffin already told me, so don’t try to deny it. Just go and prove it to her, you fool.”
Ash swallowed hard. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “I would never deny it.”
Meredith’s face softened. She stepped toward him and put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re scared too. I know that.AndI know why. You’ve always been afraid that you’d end up alone like Father. And if you did it by choice, you could say you wanted it.” She gave him a wry smile. “But you’re a good man, Ash. You’re nothing like Father was. And you deserve all the love and happiness in this world.”
Ash’s chin quivered. He couldn’t help it. “When did you become so astute, Mere?”
