What a Duke Dares (Sons of Sin 3)

Once, before she’d weaseled her way past his defenses and made him believe that she was the one person who would never break faith with him.

Now while he cared about the scandal, he cared more that he’d trusted her and she’d proven unworthy. He’d ignored the lessons of a lifetime to believe that Pen was the exception to the rule that everybody lied.

Then she’d shown herself a liar.

She’d been underhanded and deceitful. She’d known the damage scandal could do, yet she’d gone ahead against Cam’s express wishes and promoted her brother’s seduction of an innocent girl. When her loyalty had been tested, Harry won out over her husband. Cam would never forgive her for that.

The marquess bared his teeth at Pen. “Where is my sister?”

Pen stepped down beside Cam. He resisted the need to move away. He was so incandescently angry, her merest presence made him shake.

“You have no reason to believe me, my lord—”

“How true.”

“Watch what you say.” One punch hadn’t satisfied Cam’s need to smash something.

Pen’s hand curled around his arm to stop him hitting Leath again. “His lordship is right to be upset.” Her voice thickened with tears. “You are too. But we need to find Harry and Sophie.”

Her touch inevitably reminded him of how minutes ago, he’d rested in her arms, congratulating himself on being the luckiest fellow in England. With lacerating bitterness, he wondered if his father had felt the same before learning that his duchess had tupped his brother. His wife hadn’t turned to another man, but she’d betrayed him unpardonably all the same.

“A nice show of concern. I’d almost believe you if you and that whelp hadn’t cooked this up to get his hands on Sophie’s fortune.” Leath’s voice cut like a whip. “You know where they’ve gone, all right.”

Pen’s hold on Cam’s arm tightened. Her touch felt like acid. “I’m as surprised as you are.”

Cam still couldn’t bring himself to look at Pen. She’d see his rage, but he’d rather be shot at dawn than reveal how she’d wounded him. He ignored her soft gasp of hurt when he shook her off and stepped clear.

“Even after you arranged the ruin of my sister?” Leath asked harshly.

“He loves her,” Pen said stalwartly. “I believe she loves him.”

“Sentimental rot,” Leath snarled. “This was a coldhearted plot to set your brother up for life.”

“Harry’s not a liar,” Pen said.

Cam already suffered such a nauseating mixture of emotions. Anger. Grief. Regret. Surprise. Now he had to add piercing jealousy. She was so endlessly loyal to her brother. If only she’d been half as loyal to her husband.

“Of course he’s a liar.” Leath glared at Cam. “Is this part of your vendetta against my family?”

Cam’s weary “I don’t have a vendetta against your family” clashed with Pen’s shocked “You can’t blame Sedgemoor. He warned me against meddling in Harry’s courtship.”

“Courtship!” The word exploded from Leath’s lips like a curse. “His cynical pursuit of a naïve girl, more like.” He glowered at Cam. “You need to control your wife, sir.”

Cam heartily agreed. If he only knew how. If he’d only stuck to his plans to marry a chaste cipher. Biddable. Trustworthy. A woman who would never engage his emotions and leave him wanting to die when she played him false.

“Recriminations won’t find Harry and Sophie.” Pen’s dignity impressed, even now when Cam wanted to consign her to the lowest realms of Hades. “Did Sophie leave a note?”

Leath gave a contemptuous grunt. “Yes.”

“Well, what did it say, man?” Cam asked roughly.

Leath’s voice was flat. “That she was sorry to disappoint me and she hoped one day I’d forgive her. She didn’t mention that cur Thorne, although he’s behind this mess.”

“Did she say where she was going?” Cam asked.

“If she did, would I be here?”

“Scotland is the usual destination,” Cam said. Blast Harry for a rash fool. And a cad to play with a young girl’s reputation. “Madam?”