“One of its attractions.”Of a sudden, weariness crashed over him.What was he doing, taunting the Earl?Caraney House was no longer a concern.“Do not fret, brother.The house will no longer be used for that purpose.”
The room plunged into silence.“Why do you say such?”his brother finally said.
“The liaison has ended.”The flames bobbed and danced.“Are you not glad?”
“God damn it, Benedict!”He startled as his brother leapt from his chair.“What did you do?”
His gaze whipped to the Earl.This was an outsized reaction to what his brother thought a casual liaison.“Pardon?”
His brother began to pace.“I allowed you leniency, but this is intolerable.”He turned and pierced Benedict with his stare.“What did you do to upset Lady Eleanor?”
His heart stopped.“What do you mean?”
“You were relatively discreet, I will give you that.I assume this has been happening for some time, but now you say it is not?So help me God, if you have buggered this up—” The Earl’s tone turned hard.“I ask again, what did you do?”
His heart started again, this time to punch through his chest.“Colgrove, what do youmean?”
“Lady Eleanor was with you, was she not?She was the other occupant of Caraney House.”
Robbed of speech, he could only stare at his brother.How could he know that?He and El had been so careful.The only time they’d come close to being discovered was when his brother invaded Caraney House and even then there had been nothing to suggest El was there.Nothing.
“Benedict,” his brother said sternly.The Earl did not often use such a tone, but when he did, the recipient always answered.
Mutely, he nodded.
“What were youthinking?”the Earl exploded.“Bloody hell, why do I even ask as you clearly werenotthinking.Lady Eleanor is a lady, a friend to our family.You have been reckless with her reputation, your reputation, our family’s reputation.Did you consider the scandal should this be discovered?Did you consider what would happen to Lady Eleanor should this come to light?”
Of course that’s what his brother worried about.Thescandal.As if he did not have concern for El.As if he wouldeverput her in a position where she would be harmed.“We knew.We were careful because of it.”
“Not careful enough,” the Earl said.“Lady Eleanor does not know what it means to be truly shunned by all whom she knows.She has been protected, first by her own family connections and then by her connection to ours.If…whatever you two are doing is discovered, she will find such protections will disintegrate.”
Anger built in him.“She is not a child, Colgrove.I would venture she knows better than both of us what awaits her if she is deemed to have broken Society’s ridiculous rules.”
“Do you say that because you believe it or to assuage your guilt?”
That hit him straight in the chest, the unease he had been suppressing raised its head.He had allowed himself to be swept up in the exciting and pleasure, but at the back of his mind he’d known they played with fire.He’d ignored it because he wanted her so much.
“Ridiculous they may be, but they are the rules we all abide by.I will not have her reputation destroyed, and especially not by my ownbrother.”The Earl exhaled wearily.“I raised you to be a gentleman, Benedict, and gentlemen do not toy with unmarried ladies.”
“I am nottoyingwith her.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“I am giving her what she wants!”he shouted, his voice ringing throughout the study.
Shock drew his brother’s expression.
Lowering his voice, he continued intensely, “She wanted a lover, and what was I supposed to do?Let another man take what she had to give and hurt her?I could not do that, I could not let her—” He shoved a hand in his hair.“I am giving her what she wants.”
His brother remained silent a moment.“But is it what you want?”
No.No, it was not what he wanted, it had never been what he wanted, but whatdidhe want?
He wanted El.Always.Forever.However, he also wanted…more.
The Earl sighed.“Do you know why I wished you to marry this season, Benedict?”he said.“Because youwishto marry.You have always wanted it.When you were a child, you would tell any who would listen how you would marry when you grew up, and you would always say you were to marry Lady Eleanor.It stopped, however, when it became obvious Lady Eleanor did not wish to marry at all.Then, you too claimed you would not wed, but I would posit her position has greatly influenced your professed lack of desire for marriage.
“You play with my children, and you spend time with them, and you give George and Amanda advice when they ask it.You want marriage and children of your own, and you want them with Lady Eleanor.”
