Page 80 of The Pleasures of Passion
“You won’t,” Edwin said firmly. “If you do, then she didn’t truly care for you in the first place. I married Clarissa without knowing anything of her past, after all.”
Niall gritted his teeth. “You married Clarissa because it was the only way to keep her safe from Durand. And while I’m enormously grateful for that, it doesn’t change the fact that neither of you thought you had a choice. Bree does have a choice. And right now, she’s not inclined to make it in my favor.”
“All the more reason you shouldn’t be spilling secrets to her.”
“For God’s sake—”
“This matter with her father may go on for weeks, anyway, and Mrs. Trevor has to stay engaged to you until that’s done, right? So just let it ride for the time being. I’ll see how matters progress with Clarissa’s health, and if I feel that it’s safe for you to reveal everything to Mrs. Trevor, I’ll tell you.”
Niall glared at him.
Edwin glared right back. “I should hope you would care enough about your sister to protect her.”
“That’s a low blow, given what Ididto protect her,” he clipped out. “If not for my keeping her secrets all these years, you two wouldn’t even be married, I suspect.”
“Then you suspect wrong,” Edwin said hotly. “I loved her long before I realized it. I would have married her even knowing what that bastard did to her.”
“So you say. But none of us can ever be sure what we’d do if circumstances were different.”
Edwin stiffened. “If you will not do this for your sister, then do it for me. I ask you, as my closest friend in the world, to keep quiet about the truth until Clarissa has the babe.”
Damn him. Edwin knew that Niall owed him more than he could ever repay, for saving Clarissa from Durand. “I’ll think about it. That’s all I can promise.”
With his heart in his throat, he headed for the door.
“Niall!” Edwin called out.
Niall halted to glance back at him. “What?”
“I know I’ve been lax in thanking you for fighting Whiting all those years ago, but you have my eternal gratitude for that. If he had lived, she would have suffered a great deal, her reputation dragged through the mud at his hands. And I do recognize that your silence is what has enabled Clarissa to live scandal-free all these years.” He rubbed his temples. “I’m merely asking you to keep her secrets a short while longer. Three more months at most.”
Bitter words threatened to boil out of Niall, but there was no point. Edwin would not be reasoned with. “Tell my sister that I hope she feels better soon.” He stalked out the door.
But as he walked back to Margrave Manor, he weighed his choices. He had to decide if he was willing to ignore his brother-in-law’s demands in order to gain the woman he desired. Did he trust Bree enough to risk his sister’s health and reputation? His connection to the family he’d so desperately missed?
Much as he hated to admit it, Edwin had made some good points. Breedidresent him—that was clear from her guilt over her husband’s death. Niall wanted to believe her resentment stemmed only from not knowing the truth about the duel, but what if it ran deeper? What if it had to do with how he’d handled his escape from England, treating her concerns as trivial and not making better plans for a way for her to reach him?
Because Edwin was right about those long-ago mistakes, too—everything that had happened to Bree had been a direct result of Niall’s actions on Clarissa’s behalf.
If Bree resented Clarissa for it, made any remark to a maid or her aunt or anyone that somehow got out, Edwin would never forgive him. Niall would never forgive himself. The possibility of Clarissa’s being hurt was something he couldn’t just set aside.
Still, he honestly didn’t know how much longer Bree would wait for him to be open with her. If he lost her by being overly cautious, he wasn’t sure he could ever get her back. And that price was so high, he didn’t think he could pay it.
Brilliana had never seen Niall so quiet. While the carriage raced back toward town long after sunset, he stared out the window, seemingly oblivious as Silas rolled about and chattered and made a general nuisance of himself on the seat next to Niall.
Had Niall heard some bad news regarding his sister? Brilliana dearly hoped not. But did she dare bring it up after he’d been so reluctant to share her condition?
“I pray that Lady Blakeborough is well,” Aunt Agatha said, as if reading Brilliana’s mind. “And the babe.”
Niall looked startled. “Yes, my sister is well,” he said warily. “Why do you ask?”
“Your servants were quite concerned. They even askedmehow she might be faring.” Her aunt sniffed. “I had to admit that I hadnoidea. Which shocked them, since they knew you were completely aware of her recent difficulties. I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t tell us of such things. We are about to become your close rela—”
“Enough, Aunt Agatha,” Brilliana said curtly. “His lordship is clearly distraught over the situation. I’m sure he didn’t tell us about Clarissa’s health because he didn’t want to worry either of us.”
With a sharp breath, Niall settled back against the seat. “Clearly, I am going to have to have a word with my servants.”
“They’re merely concerned,” Brilliana said. “Don’t chide them for that. They adore Clarissa as much as we do.”
