Page 25 of The Lady Was Lying
“Whether I could?” She raised her eyebrow. Why did he insist on provoking her? Did he not grasp what it did to her? “Do you honestly think it’s a good idea to challenge me?”
“It’s not a challenge,” he countered.
“A taunt is a challenge. I don’t appreciate being told what to do, and if you keep pressing, you will find out whether I’m able to seduce you.”
“I’m not telling you what to do. I’m telling you what I would do. Or in this case, wouldn’t do.” He sunk back into the shadows and propped his boot on his knee. “You can do whatever you want. I’m simply telling you that regardless of what you do, I will not be seduced.”
Ha. Challenge accepted.
He might be able to resist kissing her now.
But he wouldn’t be able to resist forever.
Chapter Five
The carriage came to a smooth stop in front of his townhouse, offering a reprieve he desperately needed. Why couldn’t he make himself stop arguing with her? “I will instruct my driver to return you to your brother’s. I trust you’ll find a way inside without being discovered.”
“I’m not an idiot,” she responded.
Was it safe to send her back alone? “I should escort you safely to your doorstep, shouldn’t I?”
“Unless you intend to kiss me now, you should get out of the carriage. I will be fine.”
He wanted to argue further, but with self-preservation in mind, he nodded and climbed out. After a brief word with his coachman, he jogged up the stairs and entered the house without looking back. It wasn’t as easy as he would have liked to resist checking if she were watching him, but he managed it.
As soon as the door closed behind him, his mother’s voice sliced through the otherwise silent entrance hall, startling him. “You had dinner at the Earl of Greydon’s?”
Standing on the grand staircase in the foyer, she appeared to have been waiting for his return. He grimaced at the obvious tension in her stance. He knew he should have spoken to her before he left, but he’d hoped he could avoid another confrontation until morning. “Greydon invited me to join them when we discovered the countess is my sister.”
She gasped. “Your sister? That means Joseph is?—”
“Joseph Hart is dead,” he interjected softly.
“Oh…that is…he was…I didn’t realize.”
She didn’t appear overly beset, so he continued, “He inherited and then passed soon after. His eldest son—his eldest legitimate son—is the viscount now. They were not aware of my existence, so the countess was shocked when we were introduced at the ball. She says I’m the very image of her father.”
“You are.” His mother’s voice wavered. “You are legitimate too. The duke recognized you as his son, and he was my husband. We were married well before your birth. Everything is properly documented. No one can question your position.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I know you’re angry with me. My explanation was not enough, and you might never be able to excuse what I did, but I can’t change the past. What’s done is done.” Her eyes opened, piercing him. “Has learning the truth ruined your memories of him?”
“It hasn’t,” he responded honestly. The impact of those memories was altered perhaps, but the memories themselves remained unchanged. “However, I have five half siblings—two sisters and three brothers that I know almost nothing about. Emmeline and Danford both have children of their own. Eve is married. The twins are at school. I’ve missed out on their entire lives.”
For a man who had never had any family other than his parents, it was almost inconceivable that he had so many relations. Would they all be as welcoming as Emmeline?
“And now…you want to know them?”
“I do.” It likely wouldn’t be simple, but he believed it would be worth it.
She reached out and gripped the banister. “If you’re not careful, the truth will be revealed.”
“I’ll be careful,” he assured her.
“The more people who know…You can’t be careful enough.” The shrill tone of her voice scraped against his nerves. Was it too much to ask to continue this conversation tomorrow?
“They are family, and they’ve promised they won’t share our secrets.”
“You just met them. They are not your family.”
“Mother.” He pressed his fingers into his eyes. “What do you want from me?”
