Page 16 of His Wicked Embrace
“A bit of brotherly nonsense, eh, Avery?” Lawrence asked, his tonecasual.
“Yes. Brotherlynonsense,” he said, emphasizing the word, and then with his back to their mother he mouthed five more.“One week and she’sgone.”
One week? He couldn’t let Zehra go back—not to Persia, at any rate. Her parents had been murdered in front of her very eyes. She would never be safe there. She would end up back on an auctioneer’s platform somewhere else, and he wouldn’t be able to help her. He’d have to explain to Avery the danger Zehra faced, but now was not the time, not with their mother staring atthem.
“Lawrence, stop scowling—it ruins your good looks. You’ll never catch a wife with a sour expression like that,” his mother snapped. “Now, I’ve brought good news, and I’d like to share it with you over breakfast.” Jane turned and left the study, clearly expecting her sons tofollow.
Avery and Lawrence waited until she was out ofearshot.
“You give her back to me in one week. I’ll make sure she has the funds and the means to return home safely,” Averywhispered.
“That’s just it,” Lawrence shot back. “She has no home. Her parents were murdered by a man they trusted. She barely made it out of there alive, only to be kidnapped and sold. That’s not a place she can safely return to. She’ll end up being sold somewhere else, if notkilled.”
Avery placed a hand on Lawrence’s shoulder. “I understand. You’ve acted surprisingly noble, brother.” Lawrence flinched at his brother’s tone. He wasn’t a damned hero, but he wasn’t a bastard, either. Avery didn’t notice his reaction and continued. “But your duties are at an end. The ring that brought her here has been smashed. I assure you, she will be safe now. It’s not as though my people don’t have connections in Persia. I promise to see her safely settled and lookedafter.”
Lawrence didn’t trust those connections. He felt responsible for his Zehra. Letting her leave sounded like a terribleidea.
“You hear me, Lawrence? I’ll be forced to come and get her if you don’t bring her tome.”
Avery stared his brother down, but Lawrence didn’t respond, let alone flinch. Avery might be a spy, but Lawrence was still the older brother. He was not about to lose this silentwar.
“Tell Mother I’m sorry to miss breakfast.” Avery walked away, leaving Lawrence standing there, hands balled into fists. He took several slow breaths before he felt calm enough to go into the dining room. His mother was already seated at the table, eating a poached egg and a few pieces of toast withmarmalade.
“Come and sit, dear.” She patted the chair besideher.
“Mother, you know how much I love to see you,but—”
Jane chuckled. “I’m certain I am interrupting something, possibly a tryst with a mistress, but she can wait. You will sit and dine with me while I explain to you what news Ihave.”
Lawrence flung himself into a chair with a groan, but he did not eat. He would wait forZehra.
“Well, what news do youhave?”
His mother looked down her nose at him, as though tempted to remind him of his place, but she didn’t. “Your brother Lucien is settled and happy with a babe on the way. I want that forallmychildren.”
“Let me guess. You found some young lady who would be perfect forme?”
“Exactly.” She flashed him a winning smile. “She’s lovely and smart, quite adear.”
He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “I’m sure this woman is lovely, Mother, but I’m not ready to settledown.”
“So said your brother.” Jane took a sip of tea as though she were trying to hide asmile.
“Lucien was already madly in love with his future wife. He simply refused to acknowledge it. I’ve never felt that way about anywoman.”
He toyed with an empty teacup, his gaze unfocused as he traced the thumb of the blue-and-white pattern on the porcelain.If I take Zehra and run off to Brighton or somewhere far away, we wouldn’t have to be bothered with this nonsense.The idea of taking Zehra somewhere where they could be alone was so tempting at the moment, he had to force himself to remain in hischair.
“You cannot find a future wife by pining away likethis.”
“I’m twenty-nine, Mother. A man my age does not pine. Besides, I have plenty of luck with theladies.”
“Luck? Heavens, dear, being a bachelor and having mistresses isn’t luck. Any decent woman with two eyes in her head would want you. You’re attractive and well off, but that’s not what I want for you. You should behappy—”
“I am!” Lawrencegrowled.
“You’re not. You wouldn’t be growling like a grumpy old spaniel if you were. You’re pining away, and you just don’t wish to admitit.”
“Pining implies there’s a woman I love whom I cannot have, and that is certainly not the case.” Even as he said this, he couldn’t help but think of Zehra, a woman he wanted desperately. But he knew well enough not to confuse that withlove.
