Page 151 of You Only Love Twice
"And yet, it would have taken me days to recover if not for your assistance. Because of you, I was able to talk the queen out of a course of action that would have cost a very dear friend of mine her head."
"Then I shall accept your gratitude," Adele replied dryly. "On yourfriend's behalf, if nothing else."
The way she stressed the word made him focus sharply on her again.
"A friend, Adele. Just that."
She glanced away. "I'm sorry, you know. About the baroness."
Oh, God. She was the last person he'd ever discuss this with. "You hated her."
"That doesn't mean I wished her dead." Adele toyed with her fingers. "I—"
"That's enough." He cut her off sharply, for he could see the guilt within her. Clearly she'd harbored more than a few ill thoughts toward Isabella, and they chastised her even now. "We will not speak of this. I came to say thank you for your assistance."
"Which you have done." She inclined her head regally. "I see you have places to be, judging by the way you keep glancing at the door. Don't worry, Malloryn. I didn't expect any more from you. You've done your duty."
He stared at her a moment longer, frustrated to find himself relieved by the cool expression upon her face.
"Don't expect me in the following days. There's a great deal of trouble to manage."
"Try not to get yourself killed," Adele replied. "I haven't any particular desire to be a widow so soon after my marriage."
"I lied when I said Thomas would cast you out of the house. You'll be provided for in my will, if nothing else." He backed toward the double doors to her bedroom. "You would be free to do whatever you wanted."
Dark lashes obscured her green eyes as she turned to the window. "Am I not free to do as I wish now? I thought we were to maintain separate lives. Indeed, I'm surprised to expect even this small encounter."
The pink silk hung in loose ripples down her narrow spine.
Malloryn hesitated in the doorway.
He knew why he'd come here today.
Isabella's face haunted him every time he closed his eyes. He'd overlooked her feelings—for years possibly—and now her face would haunt him the same way Catherine's did.
I loved one of them too much.
And the other, not enough.
For all his irritation with his wife's manipulation, her presence in his life was somewhat of a relief. Adele would never expect anything more from him. She filled a role he needed to fill, and he gave her a roof over her head, gold, gems, whatever her mercenary little heart could desire.
She would never give her heart to him.
He would never desire hers.
"Nothing has changed," he replied firmly. "I merely wished to assure myself of your health following our encounter in the Tower."
"Oh, God." A scalded sound echoed in her throat. "Can we not forget it ever happened?"
A burst of relief flushed through him. He would much prefer to.
"An excellent proposition. Good day, Duchess."
"Good day, Your Grace."
And then he turned and walked away, letting thoughts of Adele slip from his mind as he headed for his own bedchamber.
Chapter 28
