Worse, she’d beaten herself by losing her will, losing her way.
Well, no more. She was through feeling sorry for herself. Filled with new determination, she rooted through her trunk to find a plain, simple skirt and blouse she could don without a maid’s help. Once she was dressed and her hair was neatly combed and plaited, she opened the door that connected her cabin with the sitting room beyond.
The room was tidy and neat, full of gleaming wood, a small writing desk and a table with two chairs, one of which was occupied by Daniel. Her husband stared morosely into the bottom of his glass, but when she entered, he glanced up.
Kate took in Daniel’s pale, ravaged face and the wary look in his eyes. He looked as depressed and beaten as she felt.
“Talon’s not here.” When he spoke, Daniel’s voice was low and rough, as though he hadn’t said a word in several days.
“I’m not here to see him.” Guilt flooded Kate when she realized her husband was aware of her feelings for his brother. Was she that transparent? “I really think we need to talk, Daniel.”
He nodded. “Perhaps you’re right. Please, sit down.”
She took the chair across from him, her stomach churning with anxiety. The next few moments could prove to be pivotal to her future, and she prayed she’d get through them without losing her temper and irrevocably severing the fragile bond that connected them.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked solicitously. “Talon told me you’d been unwell.”
“I’m fine.” Heat stained Kate’s cheeks when she thought of Talon witnessing her retch weakly into the chamberpot, of him emptying it for her and then cleaning her up. Even worse was the memory of what had happened later, of Talon’s elegant hands caressing her breasts.
She forced herself to meet Daniel’s gaze. His light brown hair was disheveled, as though he’d repeatedly run his fingers through it, and there were dark circles under his eyes. “How are you doing, Daniel? You look pale.”
He gave a deprecating wave of his hand. “I’m fine. Just suffering the aftereffects of whatever my father drugged me with.”
His words channeled her anger in a new direction. “He’s a monster to do such a thing to his own son. You could have been killed.”
“I don’t think he gives a damn.” Daniel shrugged and drained his glass. “I haven’t given him the heir he wants, so as far as he’s concerned, I’m utterly useless.”
Kate shifted in her chair. The image of her husband in his lover’s arms was branded in her mind. “You shouldn’t have married me. You should have known it would only make us both miserable.”
“Of course, I knew.” Daniel’s voice was low and lost. “But my father pressured me until I couldn’t stand it any more. He knew of my preferences, but he was certain all I needed was the right woman to change my mind.”
Kate laughed bitterly. “Apparently, I wasn’t the right woman.”
“It’s not you,” Daniel hastened to assure her. “Believe it or not, I put a lot of thought into choosing you as my wife. You’re beautiful and intelligent, and I really thought I could make it work. I planned to have a child with you, to make you as happy as possible while still maintaining a discreet relationship with Philip. I thought we’d be friends, if nothing else.”
Kate shuddered at the thought of Daniel going from Philip Carrington’s bed to her own. It would have been even harder to bear his betrayal if she’d thought he’d cared for her, if they’d had a normal marriage.
She couldn’t even imagine how damaging it would have been to learn his secret if they’d already been intimate and she’d had his child.
She forced the thought away. “You never even tried to be my friend, Daniel. You’ve ignored me since our wedding day.”
“I’m sorry.” He pushed out of his chair and knelt before her, taking her hands in his. “Nothing turned out the way I’d planned. I thought about coming to you and confessing everything, but I was sure you’d never forgive me if you knew the truth.”
His hands were pale and cool, soft to the touch. She couldn’t help comparing them to his brother’s strong, callused ones. And she knew they were both lost, because she could never allow him to touch her the way Talon had, not even if it meant staying banished forever.
“You should have known I’d come to you eventually, demand more from you than you had to give.”
He sighed, sounding sad and very young. “I’ve been such a fool. I’ve ruined my life, but the last thing I meant to do was ruin yours as well.”
She brushed a lock of silky brown hair from his eyes, feeling strangely maternal. He was foolish, he was damned, but she could no longer hold on to her anger.
Daniel leaned into her touch, seeming to need the human contact as much as she. “What do we do now, Kate? You’re all I have left.”
It was the first time he’d ever used Talon’s nickname for her, but she didn’t mind. He was absolutely right. For better or for worse, all they had was each other.
Before she could reply, the door to the passageway opened, and Talon entered the cabin. He froze, his gaze locked with hers. He was shirtless and shoeless, his smooth skin kissed by the sun, stretching tautly over powerfully contoured muscles. Dark hair furred his chest, narrowing to a thin line that disappeared into the waistband of a pair of soft, doeskin breeches.
He was so beautiful, all lean strength and golden skin. She’d never seen a bare-chested man before, but doubted many looked like this.
