Page 60 of Indecent Desires of a Proper Lady
Seeing Philip’s forlorn expression at the sight of her in Charles’ arms was enough to shatter her heart in two, but if her time of releasing herself from Charles’ power had taught her anything, it had taught her this: that she needed to fight for what she wanted, even if it was hard and even if it would hurt along the way and make others angry. She had just found the man of her dreams, and she could not let him walk out of her life so easily.
Margaret gripped tightly to Juliet. “You are right. Tell me your plans. I want to hear everything. Philip is just the man I want. I will not lose him.”
Juliet smiled widely. “There is the Margaret I know and love. We women cannot simply lay back and let the men orchestrate our lives. Come. All will be well.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
It was late, and Philip was drinking by the hearth. The whiskey had dulled his senses and yet gave him a tingling warmth throughout his body. It was not unwelcome. He didn’t want to think about anything else. After the morning’s news, the rage and despair had settled deep in his chest, and instead of making him want to burst out and punch anything in his path, it instead gave him a throbbing ache.
It was from his very soul. He would never love again, that he knew. Margaret betrayed him, and in the deepest way. Even though he knew that Charles was in trouble, he was tempted to not care and leave him die in the dust. His friend had betrayed him as well. Charles knew that Philip had been in love with Margaret all these years, and yet, he’d pursued her anyway.
True enough, Charles did not know that they were betrothed. And yet. What a ruin he had made of Philip’s life. He wanted to write to the naval office tomorrow to let them know that he was eager to leave for his first assignment as soon as possible, and the farther away the better. Philip took another drink of his whiskey.
“I see you have joined the ranks of the degenerate, dear Brother.” Philip looked up to see a grinning Edward staring down at him, his cravat undone and his face partly in shadow with the light from the flickering flames.
Philip grunted. “Well, do you plan to join me or simply insult me?”
Edward slid himself comfortably in the chair next to him, and poured his own glass, lifting its crystal depths into the air. “To the lack of love, for it only breaks hearts.”
Philip looked at him. He wasn’t sure if he felt angry, desperate, or both. Edward smiled, lifting his eyebrows before taking a drink. “Well, that is why you are here, drinking yourself into a stupor, is it not? And why you barely spoke during afternoon tea with our dear parents? It has something to do with that woman.”
“Margaret,” Philip seethed. “Her name is Margaret, and you are far too good at guessing these things.” Philip pulled the glass to his lips, and realizing it was empty, he reached forward to the bottle to pour himself another.
As long as he could drink whiskey, he wouldn’t have to feel that sharp edge of pain at the loss of her. Who was she truly? She must not have ever been the woman that he imagined she was. So good, so sweet, so loving. Instead, she must have planned this embarrassment all along. His one hand gripped the edge of the chair.
Edward chuckled. “I warned you, Brother. Women are nothing but trouble. It is best not to get mixed up with them. In the way of the heart, I mean.”
“Yes, but how does that help me if I was already, ‘mixed up’, as you say?”
Edward nodded, his lips pursed. “A fair question. I suppose, it will only help you for the future. For now, whiskey is your solution.” Edward took a long sip and stared at the flames. “Tell me. What happened?”
Philip sighed long and loud. He had never thought to unburden himself to his brother, but he was as good as any. He needed to tell someone, and now both Charles and Leonard were not options, both for different reasons.
He sipped his drink. “She kissed another man, and I assume that our tentative engagement is no longer valid, as it was never posted, not yet, and she has loved this man for practically her entire life.”
“Ah,” Edward said with a knowing nod. “Margaret has kissed Charles, then?”
Philip jerked his head in an angry nod. Just even hearing the words and names on another’s lips was enough to put him right back in that drawing room again, watching the horrible scene before him. “Yes.”
“What did you do?” Edward asked as if he had heard nothing else.
“Do? What else could I have done? I left! And I told them I would never see them again.”
Edward frowned. “You did not punch a hole through Charles’ face?”
“No. I did not think it necessary. The man has enough to deal with already.”
“Ah… he is the one you asked questions about debt collection for.”
Philip sighed again. “Since when were you so clever as to figure everything out?”
“Since always, Brother, but it is nice that you are recognizing it now.” Edward grinned behind his glass, and normally Philip would have been entertained. Instead he felt a light flickering of irritation.
“So, you left. You told them you would never see them again.”
Philip nodded. Edward continued. “You did not ask for an explanation?”
“What else could there be? I saw the kiss with my own eyes.”
