Page 68 of Distracting the Duke

Her heart felt suddenly tight. God, yes, she did like him. She liked him more than any man on earth. But…she couldn’t give him what he needed most. And there was no way she would discuss her inadequacies with her brother.

“Philip, I do like him. But I’m afraid—”

“I know you are. You try to hide your fear of men by appearing strong, and you try to appear strong by being cold and distant. It’s such a waste of a good, loving heart.”

Her step faltered. Since when had Philip become so dashed perceptive? It hurt to have the truth thrust at her like this, but it gave her a new respect for him.

“Very well. You may be right about that,” she said. “But I’m not afraid of men, fearful only of being hurt again.”

“Ulvercombe won’t hurt you.”

No. But she would hurt him, if he learned the truth.

“What have you been saying to him, Philip? You’ve clearly had a very deep tête-à-tête. I need to know what was said.”

The tip of Philip’s cigar glowed like a tiny red beacon in the gloom. He stopped walking, took a few more puffs, then bent and knocked the cigar out on the heel of his shoe.

She waited, unmoving.

“All right, I confess. We had a very…revealing discussion.”

Her skin went icy cold as she realized what he must be referring to. “You told him about the child.”

No one had the right to reveal that secret. Could Philip really have been so unfeeling?

“Ulvercombe already knew about Simon and Kate, so there seemed no harm in giving him the whole story.”

His words felt like stones dropped into the deepest part of her soul. “Oh Philip, how could you? I’m so ashamed! Whatever will he think of me now?”

Her brother gave her a puzzled look. “It didn’t change his opinion at all. He said he was glad Simon wasn’t still alive because he’d like to use his guts as suspenders…or something of that sort. I would have done the same myself, if you’d but asked. Why didn’t you?”

She thought of the inevitable beatings, the hours in the rat-infested closet, and shuddered. What a fool she’d been, clinging onto the hope that she would, one day, find a way to reform her husband.

“You couldn’t possibly understand,” she muttered.

“I’m sorry if I overstepped the mark. I just felt…Ulvercombe needed to know, that’s all. Everything will turn out for the best between you, you’ll see.”

She shook her head. Why did a man always think he knew better than a woman?

“Did he say anything else?” she asked.

“That, I can’t tell you.”

A flame of anger ignited in her breast, and she dragged her hand from the crook of his arm. “What do you mean, you can’t tell me?” It was impossible to make out Philip’s features in the darkness. What was he hiding from her?

“He asked me to say nothing.”

She threw up her hands. “Wonderful. My brother and the Duke of Ulvercombe in a conspiracy against me.”

“Not against you. We both mean well, trust me. But I won’t speak of my conversation with Ulvercombe again. It’s up to him now, and no matter what you do or say, I will reveal nothing more.”

Once Philip had made up his mind about something, he was as bullheaded as she was. It would be too exhausting to try wearing him down. She would just have to wait and see what Marcus and her brother had planned.

And pray she had the strength to deal with it.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Lurking behind the grand double doors of Kessington House as a large carriage rattled up the gravel drive, Marcus started breathing in short, anxious bursts.