Page 108 of The Duke's Forbidden Bride
“Ourinvestigation,” she corrected, flinching at his cold words.
“Never should have made you my lover…”
“Myinvestigation,” Spencer countered.
“So that is it,” Eleanor whispered furiously. “Will you send me away like you did with Charlotte, then? Will you assign a guard to report on my safety? Will we live separately for the rest of our lives? Follet and Belgrave are good at hiding, Spencer! You intend to pretend that this cannot go on forever?”
“I was careless,” he repeated. “I will not be again. I will not send you away. You will remain where I can keep an eye on you myself.”
“And that is all I am now.” Hurt tinged her voice. “A thing to be watched. A duchess in another empty home like before.” She shook her head. “Let me tell you something, Spencer. You were making my life worthy again. You were making this a true home. For once, my memories and thoughts did not echo back at me due to my empty surroundings becauseyoufill my life with so much joy. You will really take that away?”
A mask slid onto his face, so cold that she couldn’t bear to look at it. “I have made my decision.”
She could not even think of a response, let alone voice one, not when an incredulous gasp came from the hallway.
“One of you will start explaining—now,” Charlotte demanded.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Charlotte,” Eleanor whispered, taking a step toward her friend.
Charlotte looked between the two of them, her face twisted in betrayal. Confusion creased her brow, but anger tightened her mouth. Fury raged in her eyes, so blue, so different from her brother’s.
“Charlotte, I?—”
“You have both been lying to me.” Charlotte’s voice was whisper-quiet, appalled. She looked at Spencer in accusation. “Brother, I have known of your petty falsehoods over the years. Lies you said to keep me safe, butthis.” Her eyes flashed to Eleanor. “And you! Heavens, I knew there was something not right about your story. I did not believe it at first, but I wanted to see you both happy. I-I believed you. I fell for your lies.”
She took a step back, but Spencer took a step forward. He didn’t look lost or helpless, not like how Eleanor felt. If anything, there was only cold detachment on his face.
“Yes,” he said simply. “We have been lying to you. The truth, Sister, is that Eleanor was never in the Caribbean—nor did we meet there, of course. There was no romance. It was a set-up, an arrangement, to ensure her safety.”
Charlotte’s expression shuttered, trying to work it out. “Why?”
“Thewhydoes not matter.” He shook his head. “The only thing that matters is that the arrangementwill continue regardless.”
“What does Lord Follet have to do with it all?” Charlotte pressed angrily. Eleanor ached, for her friend had heard so much. “And Lord Belgrave. That was your former fiancé. I do not understand a thing.”
“Stay out of this, Charlotte,” Spencer sighed, moving toward the door.
“Why?” she cried. “So you can send me away again, pretending I do not exist like our deceasedsister? Family does not exist like that! Not on lies and avoidance. Not on letters that I had to pretend were enough to replace a brother I barely recalled, a sister I was not even certain was real until I begged Aunt Katherine for stories of her. She barely had any, Spencer! Why?Why?”
“I said, stay out of it!” Spencer growled, stalking past them both, leaving them staring across the hallway at one another.
Charlotte flinched, stepping back.
“Charlotte, please,” Eleanor began, but her friend was already shaking her head.
“No,” she hissed. “No, not if you will only tell me more lies. How can I believe you anyway? He lies, but I was not expecting the same of you, Eleanor.”
“Please—”
But Charlotte was already storming away from her.
Eleanor chased her. Down the hall, she heard Spencer’s voice muttering something she could not make out. She heardfootmenandwatch. Too soon, he had stormed out of the house, the door slamming in his wake.
She was left hovering in the hallway, caught between wanting to rush after her husband and beg for answers, and wanting to give answers to her angry friend, whom she had always wanted to tell the truth.
She had known it would come back to bite her one day, but she had thought she was safe.
