Page 77 of When the Rogue Returns
“Get you into her bed?” Isa said archly.
“Exactly. She’d convinced herself that I ought to have happily joined her there, so my lack of interest had damaged her pride. My marriage gave her a plausible reason for why I didn’t let her seduce me, which much relieved her.”
“Well, your marriageoughtto be the reason,” Isa said with a sniff. “I don’t approve of other women seducing you, any more than you approve of other gentlemen courting me.”
He chuckled. “I wouldn’t bed that woman even if I were free and she were the last female on earth.”
That surprised her. “Why not? She’s very beautiful.”
“If you can call a shark beautiful,lieveke. Whoever takes on that woman will be regularly picking teeth out of his flesh.”
She smothered a laugh. “Glad to see that there’s something we agree on.”
He was silent a long moment. “We agree on a great many things, I expect. We just haven’t had much of a chance to find out what those things are.”
“And will we have the chance now?” she asked softly. “Your new cousin may not approve of me. He may not wish you to continue the marriage.”
“I don’t give a bloody damn!” Then Victor softened his tone. “He doesn’t get a say in it, but honestly, I think he’ll just be happy for me.”
“Even if I... take you away from him?”
He shot her a sharp glance. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I have a thriving business here. And you... that is... I don’t know what—”
“You’re worried I have no income,” he said tightly.
“It’s not that. I just—”
“Itisthat. And I don’t blame you for worrying.” His voice chilled a fraction. “As Jacoba so eloquently put it, back then I didn’t have ‘two guilders to rub together.’ And I had only a temporary post. But that has changed, I promise you. For one thing, my cousin gives me a generous allowance, although I would prefer that we not have to rely on that.”
“Especially considering our circumstances. If people ever find out about our past in Amsterdam, your cousin won’t be so eager to offer you a generous allowance.”
“I doubt that. If the duke can embrace me after what my father did to his family—”
When he broke off, Isa said, “What do you mean?”
Victor muttered a low oath. “Just that you’re not the only one who has... scurrilous relations.”
She laid her hand on Victor’s thigh. “Tell me.”
He sighed. “I suppose I might as well. You’ll probably hear all about it once you meet Dom and Tristan anyway.”
“And we have a long drive ahead of us.” When he remained silent, she prodded, “What could your father possibly have done to hurt a wealthy and powerful duke’s family?”
He stared into the distance, his face rigid. “A great many things, it seems. His first crime was to have an affair with Max’s mother and givehersyphilis, which she then gave to Max’s father. It was probably what led to Max’s father going mad, like mine.”
She sucked in a breath. She’d completely forgotten what Mr. Gordon had said about the duke’s family coming to Edinburgh years ago, in search of a cure for the man’s madness.
“But the second—and worst—of Father’s crimes came after he retired as a naval officer. He discovered that Max’s mother had actually borne a child from their affair. His name was Peter, and he was heir to the dukedom.” Victor’s voice grew unsteady. “So Father kidnapped him and carried him back home to Belgium. That was the last time Max ever saw his older brother alive.”
18
ISA GASPED.“KIDNAPPEDhim!” She couldn’t believe this—how much more had he been hiding from her all these years? “You mean you have a half brother somewhere? Who is also brother to the present duke?”
“Halfbrother to the present duke, as best anyone can be certain. And I don’t have him anymore. He’s dead. He’d been dead for four years by the time I met you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about him?” she asked, unable to keep the hurt from her voice.
