Page 34 of The Taming of a Wicked Rogue

He lowered his cards, face down. “Do you not have a tiny suspicion that perhaps our mother sent us here with the express purpose of meeting eligible women? I hasten to point out that the majority here are sweet, innocent things, escorted by their mothers and aunts. Precisely the sort of lady our mother used to try to introduce us to.”

His brother scowled and then his eyes widened. “Lord knows, I would not put much past our mother, but did she even know about the book?”

“Mother knows everything,” Leo said dryly.

“She could not have counted on Rebecca returning.”

“No, none of us could.”

“Think she will come back again?” Adam asked.

Leo ran a hand across his face. She’d been gone for almost a month now after some vague murmur about taking the diamond they had finally dug up along with a few letters and bank notes and settling her business. Whatever that meant. He assumed she intended to give the money from the diamond sale to her half-siblings, but that would not take a blasted month, surely?

Of course, she could have decided that he was a liar in the meantime. That he had left that poor woman in the family way. He almost would not blame her. His history hardly made him out to be a paragon of virtue, but he had thought she believed him when she left.

“She went once before. I should probably assume I will not see her for another ten years. Besides, what can this town offer her?” He retrieved his cards but struggled to focus on his hand.

“Well, you, for one.”

Leo smirked. “I do not think I am enough.”

Adam shook his head. “You are more than enough for many women, Leo. There are many men who would rather enjoy being in your position. But, of course, you never fully appreciated it, not after you spent an entire decade pining after Rebecca.”

“I did not pine.”

“Whatever you call it, you’d be a fool to sit around and wait another decade.” Adam set down another winning hand and scooped up the cards. “You will never love another woman like you love Rebecca. Any fool can see that.”

Leo set down the cards once more, his jaw tight. Maybe he was a fool but what was he to do? Go crawling after her?

“We promised Mother—”

“We promised we would behave and not cause any scandal. Marrying the woman you love is hardly scandalous, and since when do you care so much about what Mother thinks?”

“She’s frail.”

“And you are full of excuses. She loved Rebecca, if you recall. Cease being such a coward, Leo.”

Leo opened his mouth and closed it. Part of him wanted to deny it, to tell his brother in no uncertain terms he was an ass for ever saying as much.

But he was not wrong. He’d been a coward before, hiding from his love for Rebecca in the skirts of far too many women, and he was being a coward now.

He rose from the table. “Do you think Mother would count Florence as the country?”

Adam grinned. “Well, it is not London.”

“Damn it, if Alexander asks, I’m off to Italy.”

“Leo, wait!”

He paused and pivoted on his heel.

“Do you think you had better have someone pack a trunk for you?”

“I’ll find what I need on the way.”

His brother chuckled. “At least have the carriage made ready. It’s quite some distance to Portsmouth.”

“Blast.” He blew out a breath. “Fine.”

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