Page 100 of A Match Made On Duchess Square

Andrew gave a bitter laugh and paused in front of her with his hands on his hips. “Is that so?”

“Yes.” She got to her feet and scowled at him. “He’s a widower and doing an excellent job of raising his children on his own. He’s smart, considerate. Compassionate. He knows how to be a good husband. He and his first wife had a strong and abiding love marriage.”

“So you think he intends to have the same with you? If that is so, then ask him about Cordelia.”

“Who?

Andrew threw his head back and laughed. “I knew it—he never said a word about her. Oh, this is so precious.”

Gwendolyn’s stomach sank to the floor. Suddenly, she did not feel so confident of herself. “Who is she?”

“Oh, no. I am not going to answer that for you. I’ll leave it to your sainted Milbury to explain. Ask him, Gwen. Ask him and see his face go ashen when he realizes you’ve learned of her. His ugly, dark secret.” He shook his head and laughed again. “You think he is so perfect.”

“I never said he was.”

“You may not have said it, but until this very moment, you believed it. Well, he isn’t. He has been lying to you all along. Once he tells you about Cordelia, you won’t want anything to do with him. Not ever again.” He let out a breath. “But I will take you back once you know that Milbury has no place in your life. I will take you back and we can get on with our lives because we were meant to be together.”

Her insides churned, for she was riled and overset.

What had James not told her?

Andrew crossed his arms over his chest, his expression smug. “Go on, Gwen. Ask him. I’ll wait out here for your return.”

She did not want to give him the satisfaction. But now that he had raised the matter, she had to know the truth.

Who was Cordelia? And why hadn’t James ever said anything about her?

Chapter Nineteen

“Who is Cordelia?”

James stared at Gwendolyn as they stood behind closed doors in his study, knowing their discussion was going to go badly. He had not purposely neglected to mention his sister, just never brought her up because he’d assumed Fiona had told her about Cordelia and her illness. Since he realized Gwendolyn was unaware, he’d never found the right time to tell her.

And now Gwendolyn thought he was purposely keeping secrets from her.

Just as worrisome was that Clement had discovered this information and was putting a sinister spin on it in order to discredit him.

“How does that cur know about her? I vow I’ll kill him if he attempted to see her.”

Gwendolyn looked angry as she replied, “The point is, why do I not know about her? Who is she to you, James?”

He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “Sit down, Gwen. There’s nothing sordid going on. She’s my younger sister.”

This seemed to confuse her. “Your sister?”

By the look of surprise on her face, she must have believed Cordelia was a mistress of his. No doubt Clement’s innuendos were meant to give her the wrong impression. “I should have told you sooner. I thought Fiona would have said something to you about her, and by the time I realized that she hadn’t, there never seemed a good time to bring her up. She’s very ill.”

Gwendolyn reached for his hands and gave each a light squeeze. “Oh, James. I’m so sorry.”

This was why he adored her. She had the softest heart.

This was also why he detested Clement so thoroughly. He had gone straight for James’s jugular vein, hoping to destroy him.

“What my sister has is an illness that is impossible to cure. I’m not sure what is going on with her, but she is currently in a sanitarium.”

Gwendolyn regarded him with genuine concern. “What is it? Consumption?”

“No. If only it were something that straightforward.”