“No need.If you give me directions, I’ll find her myself.”
Mrs.Burns did as he asked without hesitation, and Adrian stalked off with Murry close on his heels.
How many times had he walked these hallways over the years?Whenever one of his servants had needed medical help, he’d come here.When his sister was killed, he’d visited her at the morgue.Later, when patients started turning up dead around London, the investigation had brought him here, too.
He hurried up some steps and continued down a hallway.
Not much farther now.He was almost there…
And then the world folded in on itself at the sound of a woman’s agonized scream.
12
Melody kept quiet, her attention on the view as the carriage transported her to Saint George’s.The request she’d received from Samantha had not minced words: Come at once.I need you.
Edward, who sat diagonally opposite her, was equally silent.
At least he’d been present when the footman arrived and delivered the message.This had saved her from seeking him out separately and having to explain.Worse, from asking him if she could go to her friend.
Demeaning and restrictive.
These were the predominant words that described their marriage thus far.Of course, it had only been a couple of days since they’d married.It would take a lot longer than that for Edward to forgive her.The pain she’d caused him, the breach in trust between them, filled her with regret.
Yet, what could she have done differently?
Remain in Italy, perhaps.
However, that would have ended in a similar state of unhappiness built on a long list of ‘what ifs’.Every thought would have led back to Edward and to the possible love match she abandoned.
A miserable sound slipped past her lips.
“What is it?”Edward asked, his voice flat, perhaps even slightly annoyed.
It was tempting to simply say, “Nothing.”Avoid a possible confrontation, pretend all was well, and ignore the problem.Hope he wouldn’t challenge her answer and simply move on.
But no.Melody had tried that when her effort to prove her love and devotion toward him was treated with disdain.She’d given him space after that and avoided him so he could work through his anger.
Perhaps it was time to tackle the situation head on instead.
“I met someone during my sojourn in Italy.”The words were out before she could second guess the wisdom in sharing this with him.And since she was already in for a penny, she might as well add, “His name was Alessandro Marino.”
Edward’s gaze hardened.“You should have told me about this before we wed.”
“When, exactly?”She glared right back at him.“After you trapped me into marriage in front of Moorland?During your brief visit to Heathbrooke House when you came to inform me of the special license you’d acquired?Or perhaps while we were standing at the altar?For those are the only three chances I had.”
Furry tightened his features.“You could have said something upon your return, when we met in the street.Before I kissed you, damn it.Definitely after.But instead you ran off, which leads me to believe you had no intention of sharing this information with me at all.”
“I had no plan to marry you, Edward.”The words exploded out of her, and he flinched ever so slightly.“As far as I was concerned, the most I could ever hope to become was your mistress.”
“Your faith in me is remarkable.”His every word dripped with sarcasm.“What else have you failed to tell me?Perhaps your real name is something else entirely, or maybe you’re not even English.”
“When I left for Naples,” she said, ignoring his taunt, “I had no reason to think you wanted a future with me.If you’ll recall, you left London for your estate without bidding me farewell.There was no attachment between us, no promises made of any sort.As far as I was concerned, you’d come to your senses and realized you ought to forget about me.”
He averted his gaze from hers and stared out the window, dismissing her, it seemed.
Melody kept her eyes fixed upon him, on the man she’d cared so deeply for but who now seemed determined to make her hate him.With each passing day, it became harder for her to rationalize his behavior — to remind herself that he lashed out in pain, because ofher, becauseshe’dhurt him.
That only went so far.Beyond a certain point, Edward had to acknowledge his part in what had occurred.Eventually, he had to stop punishing her, or he’d wreck the fragile chance that remained of them ever moving past this.
