Itisworth upsetting her, Ian wanted to shout. How long had he waited for some... honesty from his sister?
He edged closer, wanting to touch her, but touch was not naturally achieved in their family. Neither were discussions of honest emotion.
“No one can fully understand,” Timothea sniffled. “I know I was wrong to be swept up by the Temple. But I was so very heartbroken. And alone. And...” She let out a sob.
“Timmie,” whispered Ian, his reservations forgotten. He put his hands on her shoulders and tipped his forehead to rest against her hair. He was defeated and exhausted. He’d tried so very hard to restore his relationship with his sister and nieces, but he felt like he’d gone ten rounds in the boxing ring and lost.
“No,” Timothea said suddenly. She jerked away. Shespun toward the wall, gulping in air, her shoulders rising and falling.
“I’ll not speak of it,” she vowed. “It’s not... my way. Idetestspeaking of it. And you’ve no wish to hear it.”
“That is untrue,” Ian said. “I’ve had no other goal these last three months than to learn what happened and how I can help. I want to know all of it. I failed you by not knowing more until tonight. I was unavailable when you needed me, and I take full responsibility for that failing. I regret it daily. I was too consumed by my own scandal.”
“If you want to do right by me,” said Timothea, speaking between breaths, “leave it. I didn’t return to Avenelle to be hounded.”
She turned back, wiping the tears from her eyes in brisk, angry swipes. “My books, if you please.”
Ian stared at her. She wanted to go. She didn’t care about the scene in the gallery, and he couldn’t ignore Miss Trelayne any longer.
He stooped to recover his sister’s books.
“So...marry,” Ian repeated quietly, testing Timothea’s suggestion. “Marry Miss Trelayne. A woman I’ve only just met.Nota girl from a neighboring family I’ve known my whole life.”
“You are impossible, Ian,” Timothea snapped, taking the books. “In my experience, youmarrythe girl you toppled upon the gallery bench, your hand up her skirt,nota neighbor you can hardly identify.Ifshe’ll have you. And that is no small ‘if.’”
And then, as Ian’s face burned, his sister spun on her heal and marched out.
He stared at the empty doorway, listening to her retreating footsteps.
He turned back to Miss Trelayne. She, too, stared at the vacant door, her cheeks crimson.
“There is a small chance she cannot find her way back to her chamber,” said Miss Trelayne.
Ian laughed. “You’re very clever,” he said. “On top of everything else.”
“Your sister is scandalized, I fear.”
“Another joke,” he said. “Of all the many injustices suffered by my sister, scandal doesn’t seem to be one of them. To her, I believe our predicament has had almost no impact.”
“Lucky us,” she muttered.
“Are we?” he said, making his way to his desk.
“No. I don’t suppose we are.”
Ian didn’t reply. She was correct, of course, but it unsettled him to hear her agree so readily.
“Right,” he said. “Now what? We’ve heard my sister’s opinion. I’m sorry for the... the unchecked nature of that conversation. You’ve gotten an earful tonight. On top of everything else.”
“I’m sorry to have distressed Lady Tribble.”
“Lady Tribble’srank and money protect her from many hardships in life, but not all of them—as we’ve heard. You, however, have no such protection, I assume.”
“No,” she said.
He allowed himself to look at her, to really looked at her for the first time since he’d kissed her. Her hair was a riot of tangled red curls piled on top of her head. Her skirts were wrinkled. The cream of her skin was interrupted here and there with little pink abrasions where he’d dragged his beard.
I did that.The thought rose, unbidden in his mind. It was followed, unhelpfully, by,And I want to do it again.
