The Passion (Notorious 2)

She had been fooling herself all along. The signs had been so obvious: the joy she felt in Nicholas's presence, her grief at having to part, her terror at the possibility of him dying…

Tonight, with the danger he faced, she had finally been forced to acknowledge the truth. She couldn't lose Nicholas. Even if he died tomorrow, she wanted to be with him for as long as she could.

"Aurora?" Geoffrey prodded when she stood silently.

With effort, she swallowed the ache in her throat. She had no choice. She couldn't let Nicholas go.

"You are bound to hear the truth," she began finally, "but I wanted it to come from me."

"Aurora, please," he said gently, "I hope you will end my suspense."

She nodded, taking a steadying breath. "I told you yesterday that my husband was alive, but… there is more. Nicholas Sabine is here, Geoffrey. In England."

There was a long silence while Geoffrey digested that intelligence. "Your husband is here?" he said slowly.

"Yes. He has been here these past six weeks."

"So long?"

She couldn't read the expression in Geoffrey's blue eyes. Shock? Dismay? Anger?

Despite her vow to control her emotions, Aurora found herself clenching her hands. "Geoffrey, I… I have been with him."

"He forced himself on you?" Definite anger laced his tone as his eyebrows snapped together in a scowl.

"No. He never forced me. I… welcomed him."

"I see." Geoffrey raised a hand to his temple. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

"Yes… no, of course I don't mind…" Aurora took an agitated step toward him. "It was thoughtless of me to keep you standing."

He sank slowly onto the settee. "Why did you not tell me yesterday?" he finally asked.

"I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt you so shortly after you had returned home. I did mean to tell you… soon," Aurora finished lamely.

Compelling herself to meet his gaze, she came to sit beside him. "I hoped to give you time to adjust to being home before you had to learn of it, but… well… there have been complications. The British navy is searching for Nicholas. They came to me a short while ago, demanding to know his whereabouts."

Geoffrey still seemed to be considering the ramifications of her earlier disclosure. "Yesterday you led me to believe you wanted the marriage annulled."

"I thought I did." She took another shaky breath. "After you returned, I asked Nicholas to have our marriage annulled, and he agreed."

"You asked him to sever the marriage?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Why?" She searched Geoffrey's face. His blue eyes were solemn, penetrating.

"I am curious about your reasoning," he said slowly. "Whether you meant to end it for my sake, or because that is what you truly wanted."

Aurora looked down at her clasped hands, struggling to hide the despair welling in her eyes.

"You love him, don't you." It was not a question.

She felt her eyes blurring as she nodded. For weeks now she had fought admitting her love. She had thought she could save herself from heartbreak by pushing Nicholas away. But she knew now that her heart would break if she lost him.

"Yes, I love him." The hot tears behind her burning eyes finally spilled over. "Geoffrey, I am so sorry."