“Whatever reason did you have?”
“I was in love with you, Iris.”
Warmth rose to her cheeks. “Well, even if you were, you weren’t going to leave the countess, and Longarry would have never let me go.”
“No,” he said. “You’re right. I wouldn’t have left Maureen. But I could have…helped you.”
“No, you couldn’t have. I’m telling you, he wouldn’t have let me go.”
“I could have made it worth his while financially.”
“David, just how much do you know?”
“Enough. And I’m sorry, Iris.”
“For what?”
“For not helping you.”
“You couldn’t have.”
“I hired a private detective to track you down and find out your situation. Maureen found out about it.”
“So you…?”
“So I…did nothing. I’ve always regretted it, but I felt I owed some loyalty to Maureen. I’m so sorry.”
Iris’s nerves danced under her skin. “What exactly did you find out, David?”
“That Longarry was in near financial ruin, and that he was known to be a tyrant and he did not treat you and the children kindly.”
“And?”
“That’s it, my Iris.”
“Oh.” Thank goodness.
“What more is there?”
“David, I don’t want to talk about this right now.”
David raked his fingers through his long silvery-blond hair. “It was bad, wasn’t it?”
Iris fidgeted with the sash on her dinner gown. “We survived.”
David tilted her chin upward, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Tell me.”
“Maybe later. I don’t want to talk about Longarry. In fact, I spend most of my life trying to forget that he ever existed.”
“Iris—”
“And it wasn’t all bad. He gave me my girls. They’re both so beautiful, much more so than I ever was.”
“I might debate that.” David smiled. “They are lovely, but no lovelier than you.”
“You are kind.”
“I am only truthful, my dear.” David touched his hand to her cheek and slowly brought his face to hers.