The Convenient Felstone Marriage (Whitby Weddings 1)

‘You know—’ Robert’s voice was a growl ‘—I didn’t like you the first time we met. I didn’t like the way you treated your sister then and I still don’t like it now. So if you’ve come to upset her again, I suggest that you turn around and go back to London before I make you.’

‘I’m not!’

‘Then why are you here?’

‘She’s in danger!’

‘What?’ Robert felt his heart thud to a painful halt. ‘What kind of danger?’

‘I don’t know. I’m not sure, but I think I’ve done somethi

ng really bad this time.’ Percy shook his head on a sob. ‘You’re right, I’ve been a terrible brother. I should have taken better care of her after our parents died. If I had, then maybe none of this would have happened.’

‘This? Meaning me?’

‘What? No, I had nothing to do with her marrying you. She chose you all by herself. She’s a lot smarter than I am.’

‘Then what are you talking about?’ He gave the youth a small shake. ‘What did you do?’

‘I told someone something I shouldn’t have and now I think they intend to use it against her.’

‘Someone and something?’ Robert was getting impatient. ‘Percy, if my wife’s in danger, I want details.’

‘I can’t tell you. I promised I’d never tell anyone, but Charles kept on giving me wine and asking me questions and it just slipped out. I shouldn’t even be telling you this much, but now that he knows...’

‘You mean Lester?’

‘Yes. We were playing cards. I was in so deep and he said that if I just told him one thing about Ianthe, something she might not want anyone else to know...something secret...’

‘Then he’d clear the debt?’

‘Yes.’ Percy hung his head miserably. ‘He’s been in a foul mood for weeks, ever since you two got engaged. We had a bit of an altercation about it, truth be told. I’ve been trying to avoid him, trying to get back on my feet, but he seemed to be like his old self again. And I thought, What’s the harm in just one game of cards...? I’ll never play again, I swear it.’

‘What did you tell him, Percy?’

‘I can’t tell you.’

‘You can.’ Robert’s grip on his collar tightened. ‘And you will. Now.’

* * *

‘She eloped?’

Ten minutes later, Percy’s words still hadn’t sunk in, a combination of anger and all-consuming jealousy making it difficult to focus.

‘Yes, but they didn’t get far.’

‘Eloped?’

‘Yes!’ Now it was Percy’s turn to be impatient. ‘I say, if you’re going to march around ranting all day, I should get going.’

Robert came to an abrupt standstill. That last cup of ale had definitely been a mistake. He was still struggling to take in everything Percy had told him, as if his brain were having trouble keeping up with his hearing. He couldn’t comprehend, let alone believe it. It just wasn’t possible. They had to be talking about different women. His prim and proper, respectable wife would surely have never done anything so scandalous. And yet...a faint memory tugged at the edge of his consciousness. Something Percy himself had said that first day they’d met on the train—something about a scandal...

‘It’s not true.’ He still refused to believe it.

‘We’ve been over this.’ Percy sighed with exasperation. ‘It is true. And now Charles knows it, too.’

The words acted like a bucket of water over his head, sobering him instantly. ‘You really think she’s in danger from him?’